My Trip Notes for Exploring Thailand by Train 2024

During 2024, I will be doing a lot of train trips as part of my research for the Thai Train Guide. From now onwards, I will be putting my trip notes online in advance. You might find my notes useful. If you have suggestions to make it a better trip, or if there is a route you would like me to survey sooner rather than later, you can post a comment on this page or ask in the Thai Train Guide to Southeast Asia Facebook group. Thanks.

JANUARY 2024

At the end of December 2023, I took a train down to Kuala Lumpur just to catch the MySawasdee international express back to Thailand.

• 29th December – 30th December: MySawasdee International Express No. 1004 (KL Sentral – Hat Yai Junction). Lower berth MYR 89.
• 31st December – 1st January: Special Express No. 32 (Hat Yai Junction – Krung Thep Aphiwat). 2nd Class lower berth 1,103 baht.

My first weekend trip in January was to do the “Two Great Lakes Loop”. Cost of the two-day trip was 162 baht for train tickets and 440 baht for the hotel.

• 13th January: Rapid No. 135 (Krung Thep Aphiwat – Kaeng Khoi Junction). 3rd Class 50 baht.
• 13th January: Ordinary No. 439 (Kaeng Khoi Junction – Bua Yai Junction). 3rd Class 44 baht.
• 13th January: Local No. 418 (Bua Yai Junction – Nakhon Ratchasima). 3rd Class 18 baht.
• 14th January: Ordinary No. 234 (Nakhon Ratchasima – Bangkok). 3rd Class 50 baht.

I belong to a Facebook group called ชมรมคนรักรถดีเซลราง which translates as Diesel Railcar Lovers Club. They organise their own railfan trips by renting a Daewoo diesel railcar. The first trip I joined this year was for sunset viewing on the viaduct over Pasak Chonlasit Reservoir. We also stopped at Pha Sadet in Saraburi and Thanon Chira Junction in Nakhon Ratchasima. A couple of other stops, an “upside-down bridge” and a tunnel on the Bua Yai Bypass, had to be cancelled due to scheduling issues.

• 20th January: Special No. 963/964 (Bangkok – Pha Sadet – Thanon Chira Junction – Bua Yai Junction – Pasak Chonlasit Viaduct KM. 177 – Bangkok). 2nd Class 1,400 baht (all inclusive).

During the last weekend of January, I did a research trip on the Northern Line. I took my favourite night train to Chiang Mai, Express No. 51, which is the last sleeper train to head to Chiang Mai each evening. This allows it to arrive in the most beautiful stretch of countryside just as the sun starts to rise. In my opinion, the views from Uttaradit all the way up to Lamphun are the best on the Northern Line. I stayed the night at a hotel near Chiang Mai Station called At the Station.  The next morning I came back on Ordinary No. 102 in order to do a field test of my latest guide book. I didn’t go all the way to Bangkok in one day as it is a long trip. So I did a stop-over in Phichai. There’s a homestay here called Kenny’s House that I found on Facebook. Kenny picked me up at the station. He then showed me around the town and area. The cost was 1,200 baht which included bicycle and walking tours, three meals, and a night in his spare bedroom.

• 25th January: Express No. 51 (Krung Thep Aphiwat – Chiang Mai). 2nd Class lower berth 798 baht.
• 27th January: Rapid No. 102 (Chiang Mai – Phichai). 3rd Class seat 166 baht.
• 28th January: Rapid No. 102 (Phichai – Krung Thep Aphiwat). 3rd Class seat 186 baht.

Download Guide to Rapid No. 102 >>>

FEBRUARY 2024

My second trip with the railfan group I belong to is down to Chuk Samet in Sattahip. I wasn’t originally going to go on this trip, but after someone dropped out I took a closer look at the itinerary and noticed that they plan to go down some freight lines. The most important one for me will be in Rayong Province as this is the last province with rail tracks that I haven’t done a train ride on. The freight lines that we will visit on the way down to Chuk Samet are Mae Nam, Laem Chabang, and Map Ta Phut.

• 3rd February: Special No. 987/988 (Bangkok – Makkasan – Mae Nam – Chachoengsao Junction – Si Racha Junction – Laem Chabang – Si Racha Junction – Khao Chi Chan Junction – Map Ta Phut – Khao Chi Chan Junction – Map Ta Phut – Khao Chi Chan Junction – Chuk Samet – Bangkok. 2nd Class seat 900 baht all inclusive.

My first trip this year on the Japanese Kiha-183 excursion train will be to Lopburi to attend the King Narai Festival. This year it is taking place from 9th-18th February. You can go there on a regular train if you don’t want to join the tour, but as the highlights are in the evening, you are advised to stay overnight.

• 17th February: Express No. 957/958 (Bangkok – Lopburi – Bangkok). 1st Class seat 1,499 baht all inclusive.

Bangkok to Lopburi by train >>>

My second trip on the Japanese Kiha-183 excursion train will be to Phetchaburi province on 25th February. I haven’t bought the tickets yet.

 

It costs me a lot in time and money to research this website and also to post information and answer questions on social media. If you would like to help support my work and become a patreon, or maybe just buy a coffee to keep me going, then I would be really grateful. Thanks!

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