Trip to Malaysia to catch MySawasdee Holiday Express to Thailand

DESTINATION: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
DATE OF TRIP: 28 December 2022 – 1st January 2023

For this trip, I will be taking the train down to Kuala Lumpur just to take the ‘MySawasdee’ holiday express to Hat Yai. These trains don’t run that often, I think this is only the fourth or fifth time, and so I am keen to experience an international train that goes from Malaysia to Thailand. Only the locomotive will change at the border. But after I booked this trip, and all the other trains to get me there, there was a bombing on the tracks between Hat Yai Junction and Padang Besar. Then there were some really bad floods to the north of Hat Yai which lead to the cancellation of the No.45/46 train from Bangkok to Padang Besar, and a change in schedule for the ‘Mysawasdee’ express. Passengers coming up from Kuala Lumpur had to change to a bus at Padang Besar to reach Hat Yai. The same for the return journey. Although the flood damage has now been repaired and my first train is running, no-one seems to know when the bomb damaged track will re-open. I guess I will find out on the day.

DAY ONE: Special Express No. 45 from Bangkok to Padange Besar (3:10pm – 9:50am +1) – 960 Baht for lower berth
NIGHT ONE: Onboard sleeper train No. 45

DAY TWO: ETS EP9277 from Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur (1:40pm – 7:14pm) – 177 Ringgits/1,382 Baht for Business Class (includes meals)
NIGHT TWO: Hotel near KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur

DAY THREE: MySawasdee from Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai (10:10pm – 7:25am +1 Thai time) – 97 Ringgits/758 Baht for lower berth
NIGHT THREE: Onboard sleeper train MySawasdee

DAY FOUR: Special Express No. 32 from Hat Yai to Bangkok (5:45pm – 11:30am +1) – 1,105 Baht for lower berth
NIGHT FOUR: Onboard sleeper train No. 32

DAY FIVE: Arrive in Bangkok at 11:30am.