Thailand is vast and if you want to see a lot of the country, you will need to travel. An alternative to the plane is the bus or the train: the route network is very well developed; the prices are not too expensive, and you can get from A to B quite quickly. Besides, traveling through Thailand by train can be a real adventure. During my last trip to Thailand, I tried the train and was really impressed! You just have to be aware that traveling by train can take a bit longer – the title of this article is not “Slow Travel” for nothing! 😉

Through Thailand by train – What you should know before

While the scenery passes by outside, you can get to know locals on the train and, depending on the class you booked, enjoy the delicacies of the traders roaming the corridors (3rd class) or even get food served in your private cabin (1st class). The third class is perfectly comfortable for shorter distances. For example, from Bangkok to Ayutthaya or Hua Hin: the open windows allow you to have the fresh air in your hair and the merchants and their authentic Thai delicacies make the trip a special experience.

Travelling by train in Thailand is incredibly cheap! For a “normal” journey of about 4 hours you pay only about 5 Euros and a sleeping car ticket costs about 30 Euros.

However, if you are traveling long distances or overnight, it is worth upgrading to the second class. Not only are the seats much more comfortable, but there is also air conditioning and sleeping seats. We can recommend the trip from Bangkok to Chiang Mai: The train leaves in the evening and you arrive in Chiang Mai the next day – or you can get off early in the morning at one of the stops. For example, in the historic city of Lampang or at the Doi Khun Tan National Park. You will experience far more than if you fly directly to the north, and after all, with when it comes to Slow Travel: it’s not the destination, it’s the journey! Right?

By the way, Thailand’s State Railway route network is quite well developed and the main lines take you to all four corners of the country.

Read more: A heart for animals: Thailand’s first elephant hospital in Lampang

But of course, there are also some very special train experiences, three of which we would like to introduce to you in more detail:

1. Eastern & Oriental Express

With a lot of time and even more luxury, you can find yourself on the Eastern & Oriental Express from Bangkok to Singapore. The trip includes three nights in a luxurious train compartment with breakfast in the cabin, 3-course lunch at noon, tea in the afternoon and 4-course dinner in the evening. Although the train is ultra-modern, its design still exudes the charm of the 1930s. Here, train travel really becomes an experience!

2. Death Railway

The track was built by the Japanese military during the Second World War. Nearly 16,000 prisoners of war and 100,000 forced laborers died during the construction of the 415-kilometer-long line – either from overwork or from illness – thus giving the Death Railway its eerie name. Today, only the two-and-a-half-hour route from Kanchanaburi to Namtok Sai Yok is still in use and you can enjoy the impressive scenery along the wild Kwai Noi River and through tropical forests. It is well worth staying in Kanchanaburi for a night and enjoying dinner in one of the restaurants along the Kwai River, which became famous through the Oscar-winning 1957 film “The Bridge on the Kwai”.

3. Railway Market in Mae Klong

Maybe you have heard of this market since it is slowly becoming more and more popular with tourists. The market takes place not only next to but also directly on the rails. But these are also used by a train eight times a day. As soon as the train announces itself with a loud whistle, traders and small kitchen owners routinely pull their stalls off the tracks and wait at the edge while the train slowly pushes itself through the narrow alley. Only a few centimeters separate the train from the people and their goods. A really crazy spectacle!

Read more: Culinary travel in Thailand – on the way with Take Me Tour

By train to Phuket

Now that we have described the train lines in general, we would like to give you two specific connections to our Green PearlsⓇ partners.

If you are already in Thailand, you will certainly want to see the dream island of Phuket. The combination of fine sandy beaches and rainforest makes it one of the most beautiful destinations in South East Asia. However, Phuket is not directly accessible by train. From Bangkok, the best option is to take an overnight sleeper train to Surat Thani station. Because the journey takes between 11 and 13 hours. The sleeping cars have air conditioning and full service.

There is a bus station in Surat Thani with daily bus or van service to Phuket. As you may know, although Phuket is an island, it is now connected to the mainland by an artificial road. Once you arrive in Phuket Town, it’s only a 20-minute taxi ride to Keemala Resort.

Sustainable lodging in Keemala

Keemala is known as “Villa Wonderland” – because it consists of several villas built directly into the canopy of the jungle. Some of the “tree nests” even have a private swimming pool. The resort is committed to zero waste, environmental protection and animal welfare through various campaigns. You can also learn a lot about Thai cuisine here. In addition to the resort’s own herb, fruit and vegetable gardens, cooking classes are held regularly.

From Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi by train

The island of Koh Phi Phi is also a dream vacation destination. It is home to Maya Bay, made famous by the Hollywood movie “The Beach” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Most people fly from Bangkok, but you can also take the train to Surat Thani as described above.

Tip: The slower train option is not only more CO2 efficient, but also significantly cheaper than a domestic flight!

Scuba diving and barefoot luxury at Zeavola

Koh Phi Phi is especially interesting for divers because of its beautiful coral reefs. We recommend the Zeavola Resort. If you don’t know how to dive or snorkel, you can learn here and take a PADI diving course. You can get to Zeavola from Surat Thani train station by van and speedboat. The resort recommends this.

Connection: From Surat Thani by van to Krabi (several times a day between 6:30 am and 4:30 pm, the trip takes 3 to 4 hours) and then from Krabi by speedboat directly to Zeavola Resort (11:30 am daily).

Insider tip: Take the night train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok

Finally, we’d like to share a travel report from our travel community: Tom from Explorertom recently travelled in Thailand on the night train from Chiang Mai to Ayutthaya. “I was totally surprised at how comfortable and clean first class travel is,” he writes. You can read more about his first-class train travel experience on his blog.

We hope we could inspire you and maybe you will feel like taking the train on your next trip to Thailand! Have you ever been to Thailand, or maybe you have already used the State Railway or visited the market on the train tracks? Let us know in the comments! 🙂

This is an update from February 28, 2020

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