bamboo train
Lonely Planet review for bamboo train
The bamboo train is one of the world's all-time classic rail journeys. From O Dambong, on the east bank 3.7km south of Battambang's Old Stone Bridge, the train runs southeast to O Sra Lav, via half an hour of clicks and clacks along warped, misaligned rails and vertiginous bridges left by the French.
Each bamboo train - known in Khmer as a norry (nori) - consists of a 3m-long wood frame, covered lengthwise with slats made of ultra-light bamboo, that rests on two barbell-like bogies, the aft one connected by fan belts to a 6HP gasoline engine. Pile on 10 or 15 people or up to three tonnes of rice, crank it up and you can cruise along at about 15km/h.
The genius of the system is that it offers a brilliant solution to the most ineluctable problem faced on any single-track line: what to do when two trains going opposite directions meet. In the case of bamboo trains, the answer is simple: one car is quickly disassembled and set on the ground beside the tracks so the other can pass. The rule is that whichever car has fewer passengers has to cede priority, though motorbikes pull rank, so if you bring one along - or have a convincing inflatable moto decoy - you'll get VIP treatment.
What happens, you may ask, when a bamboo train meets a real train barrelling down the track? First, Cambodian trains don't barrel, they crawl. Second, bamboo train conductors know the real train's schedule. And third, the real train can be heard tooting its horn from a great distance, providing more than enough time to dismount and disassemble.
Hiring a private bamboo train from O Dambong to O Sra Lav costs USaround US$8, though it's much cheaper to take a share-norry with locals transporting veggies, charcoal or wood to market.
Sadly, rumour has it that bamboo trains will soon be banned, especially if the rail line to Phnom Penh is - as planned - upgraded.
Traveller reviews for bamboo train (4)
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Grossly overrated
jowik does not recommend this,
Ok, it can be fun to sit on a bamboo platform and rattle along the old rails, powered by a motorbike engine. The vehicle jerks and jumps, so keep your teeth together, else they might be knocked out.
But you hardly see the landscape due to the shrubs that grow on both sides of the track, it is noisy and the feeling of speed is the only attraction.
After 30 minutes you have to jump of, greeted by a crowd of villagers that want to get you into their "restaurants" or sell you some overpriced drinks. A short stroll through the "village" is not really inspiring, and back you go. Rattattarattarattabam.
When one of the village girls asked me to pay the driver a special tip, because the owner would not pay him a salary, that was just what I had expected. Tourist trap. -
This is the best train experience you can have.
IndyMedic recommends this,
It is more like an Indiana Jones run away mine car ride than a train! It is definately better than any theme park roller coaster ride. It is a once in a lifetime must do experience. Combine it with a boat ride between Battambang and Siem Reap and you will have had an amazing river and rail adventure. Battambang is not the best place in Cambodia but worth a night or two to do the above. You can also get the best breakfasts in Cambodia at the Battambang Confort Inn, opposite the Royal Hotel. If you do come to Battambang a good local guide and Tuk Tuk driver is Yak Yak Torres who can be contacted at Mr Rich Tuk Tuk Service.
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A unique experience
markw85 recommends this,
The bamboo train is certainly a unique experience. Essentially a plank of wood on wheels, it may not be the safest mode of transport but it's a great way to see some of the surroundings of Battambang. It's amazing to see just how many people, animals and products can be fit on one of these things, and how quickly it can be dismantled to allow another train to pass through. You can hire a private train but it's much more fun to squeeze on with the locals and get the real experience. It's definitely worth heading to Battambang for a few days just to do this.
