North Borneo Railway

The line was built by the British North Borneo Chartered Company from 1896, largely at the insistence of one man, to move tobacco and rubber out of the interior, and it remains the only railway on the island of Borneo - about a hundred and thirty kilometres from Tanjung Aru at Kota Kinabalu south to Beaufort and then inland to Tenom. The stretch that matters is the last one: from Beaufort the track follows the Padas river into a gorge, cut into the wall above white water, taken by a small diesel railcar in a couple of hours, and it is one of the genuinely memorable train rides in Southeast Asia. Separately, a steam-hauled heritage service using a restored British-built locomotive has run tourist trips on the coastal section, though it has been suspended at times.

History

The railway was built to carry tobacco from the interior to the coast: the first line ran 32 kilometres from the Bukau River north to Beaufort and south to the port of Weston, and it was extended by 48 kilometres to Tenom in 1903 (Wikipedia, Sabah State Railway).

What to look for

• The Padas gorge - track cut into the wall above the river to Tenom.
• The only railway in Borneo - built from 1896 for tobacco and rubber.
• A diesel railcar - the small unit that works the gorge section.
• A heritage steam service - restored locomotive trips on the coastal line, when running.

When to go

March to September; the gorge is at its best when the river is up. A day.

Practical notes

Services are infrequent and have been suspended for long periods - confirm before planning around it. The railcar is basic and often full. The steam service is separate, expensive and intermittent.

Nearby

Tenom and its coffee roasteries are at the end of the line; Beaufort is the junction.

Key facts