All aboard the Cambodian cafe train to nowhere

A new airport rail link was closed last year and passenger trains to the seaport of Sihanoukville have been suspended since March when Cambodia was hit with the worst of its Covid-19 outbreak. But a new train cafe -- located at Phnom Penh railway station -- has become a hub for Instagrammers and Facebookers looking for a selfie location and cold drink.

As authorities relax virus restrictions following a three-week lockdown in the capital, patrons have flocked to the cafe for impromptu photoshoots and iced coffees.

The carriage only required minor modifications including ripping out old sticky seats and replacing them with comfy chairs, said Sak Vanny, manager of passenger operations for Royal Railway Cambodia.

"We had the idea to turn a train carriage into a train cafe in order to generate some income for the company and help staff members with work during the pandemic," she said. "We did not make a lot of changes to it so that its original look wouldn't disappear... When guests come here they can have the same feeling like they are riding a train."