Travelling by train in Thailand - It's so much fun! (inc photos)

[55Jay]

Travel by train in Thailand can be lots of fun, especially for shorter trips and in 3rd class. De windows are open, there is no aircon and the train slowly ploughs through the Thai landscape while locals try to sell cold drinks and snacks.

These vids covers the a trip from Udonthani to Khon Kaen.

https://youtu.be/dzdBDMVQQLk

https://youtu.be/EVIZAe9-4Jo

Below the second leg of my train trip from Udon Thani to Korat. Leaving Khon Kaen at around 08.15 with a 15 minute delay we make it to Korat in about 4 hours. It's an old train with only third class and stops at each station along the way. The train originates at Udon Thani and is about half full when it arrives in Khon Kaen but quickly fills up before leaving. Along the way there are great views of the rice paddy's. Arriving in Korat the train empties, it's not the final destination for the train but it is for most of the passengers.

https://youtu.be/_rTYYvZFX60

https://youtu.be/25u23gRwRGY

Enjoyed your videos, nice steady cam effect too.

[Plumtuck]

Looks like a great time! Thanks for sharing the photos

[ameliebrown]

Hua Hin by Train - All Aboard Viewers!

Hello again Viewers!

Last year i took the train to Hua Hin. The Train leaves Bangkok's Hua Lampong Railway Station daily at 09.20 at a reasonable price of 44 Baht ( please note all my trips are on very low budget cost ) It takes about 4 hours and wonderful scenery all the way on this fabulous 3rd Class Ordinary Train.With the window open you will get the most " delightful breeze " viewers that will keep you nice and cool " en route " ( not advisable to open the window if you are wearing a wig ...) The Train then arrives a few hours later in a rather colorful and popular train station called Hua Hin. Here are a few of my photos from a packed 2 day trip to Hua Hin and the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park ( absolutely fabulous! )

Farang Jaidee ( " on the tracks " )

Wow ! great information. I am planning to visit Thailand this year. I was looking for the best travel deals and transportation. By mentioning the train it is easy to me to get cheaper transportation.

I would be grateful if you suggest me some good places and some affordable hotels.

[55Jay]

Hua Hin by Train - All Aboard Viewers!

Hello again Viewers!

Last year i took the train to Hua Hin. The Train leaves Bangkok's Hua Lampong Railway Station daily at 09.20 at a reasonable price of 44 Baht ( please note all my trips are on very low budget cost ) It takes about 4 hours and wonderful scenery all the way on this fabulous 3rd Class Ordinary Train.With the window open you will get the most " delightful breeze " viewers that will keep you nice and cool " en route " ( not advisable to open the window if you are wearing a wig ...) The Train then arrives a few hours later in a rather colorful and popular train station called Hua Hin. Here are a few of my photos from a packed 2 day trip to Hua Hin and the Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park ( absolutely fabulous! )

Farang Jaidee ( " on the tracks " )

Wow ! great information. I am planning to visit Thailand this year. I was looking for the best travel deals and transportation. By mentioning the train it is easy to me to get cheaper transportation.

I would be grateful if you suggest me some good places and some affordable hotels.

Suggest starting a new thread with a few more details, and you are likely to get some great suggestions. Chok Dee!

[ameliebrown]

Travel by train in Thailand can be lots of fun, especially for shorter trips and in 3rd class. De windows are open, there is no aircon and the train slowly ploughs through the Thai landscape while locals try to sell cold drinks and snacks.

These vids covers the a trip from Udonthani to Khon Kaen.

https://youtu.be/dzdBDMVQQLk

https://youtu.be/EVIZAe9-4Jo

Below the second leg of my train trip from Udon Thani to Korat. Leaving Khon Kaen at around 08.15 with a 15 minute delay we make it to Korat in about 4 hours. It's an old train with only third class and stops at each station along the way. The train originates at Udon Thani and is about half full when it arrives in Khon Kaen but quickly fills up before leaving. Along the way there are great views of the rice paddy's. Arriving in Korat the train empties, it's not the final destination for the train but it is for most of the passengers.

https://youtu.be/_rTYYvZFX60

https://youtu.be/25u23gRwRGY

Great videos.. Really enjoyed but people do littering thats not good.

[reghwd]

Bymmlo

[Chaiyapat C]

Today, Thailand Railway Train has been developed to suit everyone's journey. But i advice you take a train to Chiang Mai. You should book in first class ticket only.

[nong38]

Earlier this year we took the Chaing Mai train to Bangkok as far as Nakhon Sawan, this was the train that departed CM at about 0845, we got into Nakhon Sawan just 10 minutes late. The scenery from CM to Uttaradit is excellent but after that nothing special, but worth the trip and I would do it again, you see I just love train travel, a most civilized way to travel and a great way to see the country, any country. When I am in the UK for 4-6 weeks I will travel 2 to 3 thousand miles by train. I would love to use the trains here more but they need a lot spent on them, Nakhon Sawan Station is about 10kms south of the city and when the song teuws stop running you are left so near yet so far!!

According to the timetable its is difficult, even if they run on time to get a return to Bangkok in daylight and get transport home hardly an encouragement to to use the trains.

If time is not your master and you can then travel by train, take your own food as a back up just in case and enjoy the view from the window it is one of life''s delights.

I hope the Government will spend on this vital infrastructure to make it more accessable,  I would love to use them more.

[Chaiyapat C]

On 10/1/2016 at 9:51 PM, nong38 said:

Earlier this year we took the Chaing Mai train to Bangkok as far as Nakhon Sawan, this was the train that departed CM at about 0845, we got into Nakhon Sawan just 10 minutes late. The scenery from CM to Uttaradit is excellent but after that nothing special, but worth the trip and I would do it again, you see I just love train travel, a most civilized way to travel and a great way to see the country, any country. When I am in the UK for 4-6 weeks I will travel 2 to 3 thousand miles by train. I would love to use the trains here more but they need a lot spent on them, Nakhon Sawan Station is about 10kms south of the city and when the song teuws stop running you are left so near yet so far!!

According to the timetable its is difficult, even if they run on time to get a return to Bangkok in daylight and get transport home hardly an encouragement to to use the trains.

If time is not your master and you can then travel by train, take your own food as a back up just in case and enjoy the view from the window it is one of life''s delights.

I hope the Government will spend on this vital infrastructure to make it more accessable,  I would love to use them more.

If you take a train to Chiang Mai around July-September in each year. In daylight, You will enjoy the view with plentiful the planting  rice abundantly  the green  field parallel the train way. So sure delights for you.

Edited October 4, 2016 by Chaiyapat C

[marc77727]

this is awesome :)

[mrblonde]

Am visiting Ayutthaya in November with my english gf and neither of us have used any Thai railway before, we are planning a day trip to Lopburi to see the monkeys.  Any tips or train travel for 2 non-Thais?  I know its only about an hour journey....

[Sandy Freckle]

I plan to take train from Bkk to CM..., don't mind paying for 1st class sleeper..., but unsure which one to book...., leaning towards allowing for morning sunrise view before arrival in CM. 
- Any suggestions from previous travellers.
I have heard some 'discrete libations' can be consumed..., in privacy..., in the evening.
- Just quietly..., anyone have experience of this ?
I do understand the A/C can be cold..., so dress accordingly..., also A/C is reported to be amenable in 1st class.
- Can anyone confirm or nay this ?

 

Edited June 13, 2017 by Sandy Freckle

[Golden Triangle]

Hi everyone, me and her indoors have just had a fantastic 3 days 2 nights on the Eastern & Oriental Express from Singapore to Bangkok via Kanchanaburi, unfortunately due to engineering work/ problems we ended up being too late to stop in Malaysia and also at the River Kwai, but hey shit happens and we still had a good time, we will be in Kanchanaburi in November anyhow.

 

So I will post some pictures here, if you have any questions with regard to costs/protocols etc please feel free to ask, it was an amazing experience and unfortunately the days just fly by, but we have our memories and I am already thinking about doing another route next year, I'm on the e mail program so will see what they might offer me :)

Edited September 27, 2017 by Golden Triangle

[Golden Triangle]

w

[Golden Triangle]

2 hours ago, malee23 said:

Hi, Golden Triangle!

 

I love rail travels and I totally enjoyed my trip via Eastern & Oriental Express so much! I'm still in the process of writing my article about my trip on thaimtraveler.com and hopefully my readers will also try this out since its really fun. 

 

If you're going to ask me if I would do it again,  yes but probably not right now since it's prettyyyyyyy expensive ? I would absolutely love to do one of there longer trips 5 or 7 days or even on another continent.

You and I must be on the same wavelength ?

 

I too would love do one of the longer trips, my other half was totally blown away by the whole experience and would love to do it again, unfortunately, as you say it is soooo expensive, I did a write up on Trip Adviser which seemed to go down quite well. One little snippet for you, after my trip report on T A where I mentioned the cost of alcoholic beverages I received an e mail from E & O advising that as of January this year selected beers and local spirits were free - you would still have to pay for your wine and Champagne ? 

[lincolnshire poacher]

On 8/18/2014 at 12:27 AM, canarysun said:

On 8/17/2014 at 10:52 PM, BKKdreaming said:

Can you post some "day trips" leaving early 6-7-8am and getting back to BKK around 8pm ,

staying a few hours in a decent size town to check it out.....

and if there is a train station like Bang Sue that you can get close to by BTS -MRT ?

I would rather spend time looking at fields than the back of buildings crawling thru BKK

Hello viewer! How about Nakhon Pathom? 2 hours approx out of town.Most of the trains stop in Bang Sue or you have trains going places out of Wongwian Yai & Thonburi Railway Station ( Bangkok Noi ) Nakhon Pathom is a fab place! I will post some info and pics soon F.J

Get the Kanchanaburi or some trains south for Nakhon Pathom,from Bangkok Noi, have a walk up to the engine sheds to see the 5 steam engines that they keep there, but you won't go through Bang Sue that way. there is also one train a day each way from  Bangkok or NP to Suphanburi but the times are inconvenient unless you want to spend  a night out in Suphanburi, which might be all right,but I have no idea. about that, apparently a lot of politicians llive there.

 

 

[onlycw]

Well, last week, I went from the North to the deep South. 

 

• the fare for Chiang Mai - Bangkok went up by 109 THB within an hour. I ended up paying 904 THB and got a new wagon, but SRT has yet to learn about dimming the lights at night.
• Bangkok to HAT YAI was a nightmare @ <800 THB. 
• SRT is apparently corrupt - they have all these conductors and armed security guys but the 3rd class passengers flood the 2nd class wagons at night with impunity. Am waiting for the day that some freeloader will climb into my bed...

 

No sign or announcement upon arrival in Hat Yai. The staff disappeared... And some "architect" thinking adding different levels to floors is a good idea, should get flogged and branded.

 

Find out the age of a train and do bring eye shades and an alarm clock.

 

 

[blackhorse]

Travelling by train in Thailand has lost its appeal ever since they stooped selling beer.
I used to love sitting in the restaurant carriage of the Nong Khai train sucking a few bottles of beer while trying to eat my splashing around Tom Yam Kung soup.
Will those days ever return???

It was a stupid knee jerk reaction to that poor girl getting raped and thrown off the train to her death by a THAI RAILWAY employee who was drunk and drugged

Answer was to ban farang from drinking beer.. Go figure

[danangcarrental]

Nice

[geoffbezoz]

On 8/17/2014 at 4:04 PM, Tham1 said:

I would try it if they could stay on the rails! I think last year there was around 200 derailments (maybe more) and I saw the Orient Express just "fell" of the rails a few weeks back.

you mean like this one

Edited July 14, 2019 by geoffbezoz

[Gus0898uk]

I didn't know that the Oriental Express jumped the tracks again just lately. About 3 years ago it had a similar incident, I must seek out my piccies of the damaged carriages.

[StreetCowboy]

My apologies I have no photos to share.

I’d taken the train down to Hua Hin - easy enough, go to Hua Lampong ticket office, “Hua Hin. Now”

Lovely weekend in Hua Hin.

Then back to the station. Mobbed. Public holiday. Went to ticket office. “Bangkok”. 

“full. Do you want Thonburi?”
“No;  Bangkok”

and every time he said Thonburi I thought Chonburi. Anyway, I ended up getting an overcrowded 40B 3rd class only running late to Bangkok.  It got held at a single track section to let a fleet of trains pass the other way, and after a few hours I’d pretty much had enough of it.

I bailed out at Bang Sue and got the MRT to Sukhumvit for a pub dinner at the Old Dutch.  Next time I’ll go to Bangkok Noi station in Thonburi. Or book in advance.

[Jillie Norman]

I hate it when I am traveling by metro in my own country but I find it fun when I am in a different country especially when riding an old skool train.