The lines were originally constructed during the time when the country was part of French Indochina, but due to neglect and damage from civil war during the latter half of the 20th century, the railways were in a dilapidated state, and all services had been suspended by 2009.

Through rehabilitation efforts by the government of Cambodia, with funding from the Asian Development Bank, Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), and the Australian company Toll Holdings, freight and limited passenger service returned between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville by 2016,[2] and passenger service between Phnom Penh and Poipet was fully restored in 2019.

Phnom Penh – Pursat – Moung Ruessei – Battambang – Sisophon – Poipet In 1955 Australia donated rolling stock, described as "railway wagons of various types", worth at the time AUS£441,000 and "needed for new rail links.

As reported by the Phnom Penh Post in October 2008, the national railway earned merely $2 million per year; the annual freight amount stood at 350,000, and the passenger count at 500,000.

In June 2009, Australian business Toll Holdings was awarded the contract to begin reconstruction of Cambodia's rail network and to operate it once complete.

[8] It is envisioned that this line would reopen by mid-2013, together with the track further west to the Thai border, allowing for direct rail services into Cambodia from Bangkok for the first time in over 60 years.

[11] The report which was prepared by AusAID and Asian Development Bank experts in April 2012 pointed out poor construction and botched surveys leading to evictions of families, infighting between contractors, delays and cost overruns.

In March 2012, Toll said that it would suspend its involvement in the railway project due to delays, caused by lack of equipment, 2011's flood rains, and the resettlement of thousands of Cambodians.

Sin Chanthy, president of the Cambodia Logistics Association (CLA), announced the news of the formal connectivity on 26 July, highlighting its potential as a vital logistics transport line for ASEAN and China.The 3 railways are: CSR Qishuyan Locomotive Company of China[28] has supplied diesel-electric locomotives of type CKD6D to Cambodia Royal Railway.

[32] The "Bamboo railway", as it is known to overseas visitors, "norry" or "lorries" as it is known to locals, was a popular form of transport in the northwestern area of the country, near Battambang.