Railways in Asia
Iran has well-maintained but undeveloped railway network. The authorities invests a lot of money in railways. New railway lines have been built in recent years, some of the existing main lines were double tracked. Improvements are ongoing. Due to geopolitical situation is impossible to obtain an up-to-date information about train travel in Iran. Last updated: …
For many years, Cambodia had no railways, except for the famous draisine railway Bamboo Train. In recent years railway network has been rehabilitated and passenger traveling by train in Cambodia is possible and popular. Railway network is small – two railway lines from Phnom Penh with total length of more than 600 kilometers build to …
Train is a very good way to explore Myanmar. Passenger trains connects most important cities and are very cheap. Of course, trains in Myanmar have disadvantages – they ride very slowly, the rolling stock is in the vast majority very old, but everything is rewarded by beautiful views from the windows and atmosphere on trains …
Bishkek and Osh are two largest cities in Kyrgyzstan. There are no trains between Bishkek and Osh. Kyrgyzstan has two railway lines – northern from Lugovaya through Bishkek to Balykchy (it will be extended to Kochkor) and southern from Osh to Jalal-Abad throuth the Uzbekistan territory. The two railway lines in Kyrgyzstan are not connected. …
Railway line from the capital of Kyrgyzstan to Balykchy on the lake Issyk-Kul is one of the most beautiful railways in the world. Train from Bishkek to Balykchy run only in summer. It is a seasonal train which usually runs From mid-June to mid-July. Schedule is announced in April or May. Last updated: 05.06.2026 Train …
Read more “Train from Bishkek to Balykchy – a passenger’s guide (2026)”
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia between Russia and China. Mongolia is famous for vast grasslands of the Asian steppe. Railway in Mongolia is used mainly for a freight trainsport from mines. Last updated: 31.05.2025 The first railway line in Mongolia was inaugurated in 1938. It was a narrow gauge railway (750) from …
Read more “Train travel in Mongolia – a comprehesive guide (2025)”
Currently, train travel in Laos is possible on two routes: China – Laos Railway and between Bangkok and Vientiane. Two railway stations in Vientiane are located on the outskirts of the city and are not interconnected. For a long time, Laos had no railways, except for preserved relics from old times. In 2008 the railway …
Saudi Arabia has a modern railway network and a railway is an expanding mode of transport – very good way to travel between most important cities. The government plans to expand existing network over the next ten years. Ultimately the railway will connect the Kingdom’s ports from the Arabian Gulf to the Red Sea. Last …
Traveling by train is the best way to explore South Korea. The country has an extensive railway network with high-speed lines. Infrastructure is well-maintained. The network consists more than 4,200 km of standard-gauge lines connecting all major mainland cities. Last updated: 11.01.2024 The first railway on the Korean Peninsula from Incheon to Noryangjin (42 km) …
North Korea has an extensive network of standard-gauge and narrow-gauge railways. Most of the tracks are neglected. Rolling stock is old. Foreigners are not allowed to travel in North Korean local trains. The main railway station and junction is Pyongyang railway station – originally built in the 1920s, destroyed during the war and rebuilt in …
Read more “Train travel in North Korea – a general overview (2025)”