Free Guidebooks for Travelling by Train in Thailand
During this year I will be publishing at least one Thai Train Guide every month. Hopefully by the end of 2023 I will be able to put together a complete guide book on train travel in Thailand and Southeast Asia. During my summer holidays in March and April I will be riding trains in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. My inspiration is the Bradshaw guide which was a kind of a bible for rail travellers in the UK and Europe during the 19th and 20th Centuries. If you would like to help support this massive project and become a patreon, or maybe just buy a coffee to keep me going, then I would be really grateful. Thanks!
Richard Barrow
February 2024
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All the Trains Thailand 2024
There are over two hundreds trains that run on the railway network in Thailand. This is your complete guide to every train on every line. This is the 1st edition and will be part of a bigger guide later called “All the Trains, Lines and Stations in Thailand”. [Updated August 2024]
Singapore to Bangkok by Train 2024
This is a guide to taking a train from Singapore to Bangkok via Kuala Lumpur and Penang. There are no trains that go all the way from Singapore to Bangkok. You must do it in at least four stages. I did it in five as I did a side trip to Penang.
Guide to Mae Klong Railway Market
The Mae Klong Railway is a unique line as it is separate from the rest of the rail network. It is also split in two as there is no railway bridge halfway down. The highlight is the market on the train tracks. There are 20 pages in this e-book.
Guide to Rapid No. 102 (Chiang Mai to Bangkok)
Some of the best views along the railway in Thailand can be found in Northern Thailand. If you are starting your journey in Chiang Mai, then the best train to catch is the early morning Rapid 102.
Guide to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal
This is the ultimate guide to Bangkok’s new terminal station Krung Thep Aphiwat that opened in January 2023. There are 29 pages with maps, photos and timetables. [Updated 15th February]
Guide to Excursion Trains
All the excursion trains organised by the State Railway of Thailand. Includes the Death Railway and Beach trips as well as steam train trips, the floating train trip and the tourist train to Pattaya and more. There are 32 pages in this e-book. [Updated 26th February]
Guide to the Sai Yok Noi Excursion Train
This is a popular weekend excursion along the Death Railway to Sai Yok Noi Waterfall. The trip only costs 120 baht in 3rd Class and 240 Baht in 2nd Class for the full day trip there and back. There are 16 pages in this e-book.
Header photo is by Jack Taylor/AFP via Getty Images
Hi Richard,
Was wondering if it is possible to change name details for a train ticket once it has already been issued? I missed mentioning my friend’s surname and now the ticket has been booked under her first and middle names. Will this cause any problems?
It shouldn’t be a problem. They never cross check names on tickets with passports.
Thanks Richard! Your guide is very helpful and I had a lovely trip to Sai Yok Noi.
Wow, your guides are really full of passion and very good information. Thank you so much since it’s really inspiring.
In Oktober 2022 at Don Muang the trains left still at the very inconvient lower station under the new railway track. With luggage we took the long walk via the (new) skybridge to the new station only to find out after lots of confusing information that we had to run in the heat downstairs along the highway to the lower station where we catched our night train to UR.
Now it’s really advisable to enter the train at Don Muang since you mentioned the closure of the lower station and since the trains stop in Don Muang anyway for 10 – 20 minutes according to your timetable.
Yes, to confirm that the station on the ground level has closed and that all trains now stop at the elevated station. There is a skybridge between the airport and this station and so no need to go down to the street. I am not sure which timetable you are referring to, but the train will only stop for a few minutes.
It says you need to load motorcycles next door at Bang Sue Junction, but what about bicycles?
I’ve heard recently that you can now load your bicycle at Krung Thep Aphiwat station.
HI, Richard. Is it possible to buy State Railway of Thailand 20 day rail pass online? If yes, does this mean that I may travel via train whenever I wish and have a Second-Class Sleeper Services (Air-Conditioned or Fan)? I am asking this, as I am a little bit confused… how can it be foreseen whether on a specific date there will be enough seats for all those tourists who have bought Thailand 20 day rail pass?
There is no Railway Pass anymore.
nice and handy with my planed railfan trip date unkown at this point
does thailand have an all lines pass
I’m afraid there is no longer a rail pass.
Downloaded your guide for KTW station for my trip down south to Penang today on Train 37/45. Some really nice and helpful information you got there that enabled me to make the journey to my train an almost seamless experience without encountering any difficulty or getting lost in the vast expanse of KTW Central Terminal 👍 Thanks so much for your veru helpful guide 🙏
** I asked around if the SRT had published any printed Train Time-Tables for all the different lines operating out of KTW; like those they had previously for trains out of Bangkok Hua LamPhong station that lists all stations along the line and their corresponding Arr/Dep timings… But they said they still do not know when those Time-Tables will be published/printed. I guess they are still a little behind on such things… 😓
Thanks for your kind feedback. Yes, I am still waiting for them to publish the official timetables. In the meantime I will continue making my own based on various sources.
Hi. I’m looking at this same train journey down to Penang from Bangkok. I’d prefer to not do it in one sitting as i’d like to check out places in between. Is it possible to ‘hop on hop off’ as you please at any of the stations along the way…like travel 2-4 hours get off, but a ticket the next day etc to stay at some of the smaller desitinations on the journey. I’ve kind of mapped out BKK to Hua Hin, HH to Surat Thani, ST to Penang…but are there other options? I guess these main stops are the online available ones, but stop to stop, random station to random station would same day purchase? Hope that all makes sense, and appreciate your time.
This is the kind of thing I need to put in a guidebook. So thanks for the good question. But yes, you can split up your journey going south. When I did it last year, I did Bangkok > Hua Hin > Hat Yai > Padang Besar > Butterworth > Penang. Doing short trips you can only buy tickets on the day. But if you are doing Bangkok to Hua Hin you can buy in advance.
Thanks so much for the many useful work! I hope you continue many years.
Thanks. Yes it is a long term commitment. I am mixing my two interests of tourism and trains in this one project.