Which class of accommodation...?
- Thai trains have three classes: 1st, 2nd and 3rd class. 1st class only exists in the form of modern air-conditioned sleeping-cars on overnight trains. 2nd class comes in both seat and sleeper versions, in air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned varieties, and is very comfortable especially on sleeper trains and the air-conditioned express railcars. Even 3rd class is surprisingly clean and acceptable even by European standards, and is an enjoyable way to travel for many shorter trips.
- Travelling overnight by sleeper, 1st class...
- 1st class sleeping-cars have lockable 2-berth compartments with washbasin - They are modern and air-conditioned, and clean bedding, soap and towels are provided. The toilet at the end of the car even has a shower (cold water only, but very welcome). Passengers travelling alone will share with another passenger of the same sex unless they to pay for sole occupancy.
- Travelling overnight by sleeper, 2nd class...
- 2nd class sleepers are what most western visitors choose, and they are comfortable and safe. Berths are not in compartments, but are arranged 'open plan' along the coach wall either side of a central aisle. During the daytime parts of a 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 some 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 is no sleeping accommodation in 3rd class, just basic seats.
Children aged 0 to 3 and less than 100 cm in height travel free, children aged 4 to 11 and under 150 cm travel at half fare, children 12 years old and upwards (or over 150 cm high) pay full fare.
The 2nd class sleeper fares shown here are for a lower bunk in an air-conditioned sleeper. The fare for a narrower upper bunk is 50-100 baht less. Non-air-con sleepers (where available) cost 160-200 baht less than the air-conditioned variety.
You can check fares on the State Railways of Thailand web site, www.railway.co.th. It's easiest to check them by selecting 'timetables' as the fares are shown at the bottom of each timetable page inclusive of air-conditioning supplement, sleeper supplement and special express supplement.
If you select the 'fares' option, don't forget to add the fast train, air-conditioning and sleeper supplements to the basic fare.
How to buy tickets - at the station...
It's easy to make reservations yourself at the station, when you get to Thailand. Reservations are computerized, and the booking office at any main station can reserve seats or berths for any journey in Thailand. Your ticket will have the train time and your seat or berth number printed on it. In Bangkok, Hualamphong Station has a well-organised reservation office, open daily 08:00-16:00.
From the main entrance, walk towards the platforms, and the reservation office is tucked away on the extreme right, more or less level with the entrance to the platforms.
There's a queuing system: When you enter, take a numbered ticket from the machine and wait until your number appears on the display, directing you to a particular reservation counter. The staff are friendly and helpful.
How quickly do trains get fully booked..?
People often ask, 'how difficult is it to get a reservation if I go to the station on the day of travel?' Generally, it's not too difficult to find seats or berths available if you book on the day of travel or perhaps the day before, but Thai trains do get fully booked from time to time, especially at peak holiday periods. If you can be a bit flexible and aren't travelling at a peak Thai holiday period, you should be fine booking when you get to Thailand.
But if it's important for you to be on a specific train in a specific class on a specific date, then book in advance and if necessary pay the small agency fee. To get a feel for how quickly Thai trains get booked up, try going to www.railway.co.th and selecting 'seat availability' - this seat availability check worked in 2004, though it was out of action for much of 2005.
If it's working (and current reports now suggest the Thai version is working, and giving results in English), it will ask you to enter a date. Try entering tomorrow's or the day after's date. It will tell you how many seats or berths are still available on specific trains on that date.
Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable...
Perhaps the most adventurous timetable ever published, the famous Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable has train, bus and ferry times for Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and every country in Asia, Africa, America, Australasia. Updated every two months, it's essential reading for any serious overland traveller, and an inspiration for armchair travellers.
Buy the latest edition for £ 11 from any branch of Thomas Cook or online at www.thomascooktimetables.com (look for 'Timetables').
Which station in Bangkok?
Most trains use Bangkok's main Hualamphong station, 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. For a metro map, see www.bangkokmetro.co.th.
Please double-check which station your train will leave from when you get to Bangkok.
