Timetables | Enquiry

Which station in Bangkok
Most trains use Bangkok's main Hualamphong station in the city centre, although trains to Kanchanaburi leave from Bangkok Thonburi station (also known as Bangkok Noi) across the river in the West of the city.  However, to ease congestion, State Railways of Thailand are progressively moving long-distance services out to a new terminal at Bang Sue junction station, 7km North of Hualamphong station, and at some point all long-distance trains will start from there instead of Hualamphong.  Suburban and short-distance trains will continue to run from Hualamphong, linking it to Bang Sue.  The new Bangkok metro also links Bang Sue to the rest of Bangkok.

Bangkok Airport...
Trains between Bangkok and Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai and Nong Khai (for Vientiane in Laos) call at Don Muang station, right next to Bangkok Airport, about 50 minutes (22 km) from central Bangkok.  This can be useful if you are arriving by air and want to head straight off to Northern Thailand or Laos without going into central Bangkok.

Which class of accommodation...?
Thai trains have three classes:  1st, 2nd and 3rd.  1st class only exists as modern air-conditioned sleeping-cars on overnight trains.  2nd class comes in seat and sleeper versions, in air-conditioned and non-air-con varieties, and is very comfortable especially on sleeper trains and the air-conditioned express railcars.  Even 3rd class is surprisingly clean and acceptable by European standards, and is an enjoyable way to travel for many shorter trips.  The photos below will help you decide which is best for you.

• 1st class sleepers...
  1st class sleeping-cars are modern and air-conditioned, with lockable 2-berth compartments with washbasin.  Clean bedding, soap and towels are provided.  The toilet at the end of the car even has a shower (cold water, but very welcome).  Passengers travelling alone share with another passenger of the same sex unless they to pay for sole occupancy.  The berths convert to a sofa for evening & morning use.  A very good choice if you want space and privacy, although 2nd class sleepers are perfectly adequate for most people. 
  
  
• 2nd class sleepers...
  Most western visitors are quite happy using 2nd class sleepers, which are comfortable, safe, and great fun.  Berths are not in compartments, but are arranged 'open plan' along the coach wall either side of a central aisle.  During the evening and morning part of the journey, pairs of seats face each other on each side of the aisle.  At night, each pair of seats pulls together to form the bottom bunk, and an upper bunk folds out from the wall.  The attendant will make up your bunk with a proper mattress and fresh clean bedding, and will hook up the curtains which are provided for each bunk to give you privacy.  2nd class sleepers come in both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned varieties.  The fare for an upper berth is a fraction cheaper, but the upper bunks tend to be narrower.  There's plenty of luggage room, take a bike lock if you want to chain up your luggage for peace of mind.  Security is not a problem, it's a great way to travel which saves time even compared to flying, and saves a hotel bill too.
  
• 2nd class seats - air-conditioned express railcars
  The express railcar is an excellent option for daytime travel on routes such as Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Bangkok to Hua Hin & Surat Thani.  These modern air-conditioned railcars have comfortable 2nd class reclining seats.  There is a hostess service of light meals and refreshments included in the fare.  Relax and enjoy the journey as the scenery rolls by...
  
• 2nd class seats - ordinary trains
  A pleasant and comfortable way to travel for long-distance daytime journeys, although slower than the express railcars.  There are both air-conditioned and non-air-con varieties.  The advantage of the non-air-con coaches is the open windows and unrestricted views, a breeze wafting in as the train clickety-clacks through the Thai countryside. 
  
  
• 3rd class seats - ordinary & local trains
  In spite of its name, 3rd class is a perfectly good option for short trips such as Bangkok to Kanchanaburi or Ayutthaya, as it's generally clean, not usually crowded outside the commuter peaks, unbelievably cheap, and sitting next to an open window as the train clickety-clacks through the countryside is a very pleasant experience.  However, 2nd class would be better for long trips such as Bangkok to Nong Khai or Chiang Mai.  3rd class may have wooden or padded seats, is normally non-air-con, but air-con 3rd class exists on a few long distance routes.. 

Train ticket conditions:

• Cancellation policy for cancellation after ticket issue : 50% (individual reservations) and 60% (group reservations) per ticket.
• Cancellation policy for tickets, cancelled within 6 hours prior to the scheduled departure per ticket: 100% charge/no refund (both for individual & groups)
• Cancellation policy for no show after ticket issue : 100% charge/no refund (both for individual & groups)
• Infant discount: 0 – 2 years (infant has not yet reached the age of 2 on the date of travel) - no own seat inside the train: 80% discount
• Child discount: 2 – 12 years (child has not yet reached the age of 12 on the date of travel and are below 150 centimeters) - own seat: 40% discount
• Train ticket can be changed after ticket issue with a maximum of 2 times per ticket. Changes will be charged each time.
• Train tickets cannot be changed after ticket issue within 6 hours prior to scheduled departure of the train.
• No free train ticket will be given for a specific number of full paying pax, when all on the same train

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