Practical guide
Trains in Thailand
Where the railway goes, which train to book and how far ahead
Thailand's trains are slow, cheap and comfortable, and they're the best way to cover the long north–south and Bangkok–Isan runs if you have a night to spare. The State Railway of Thailand runs four main lines out of Bangkok, north to Chiang Mai, northeast to Nong Khai and Ubon Ratchathani, east toward Pattaya and the Cambodian border, and south down the peninsula to Hat Yai and Malaysia, plus the old Death Railway west to Kanchanaburi.
Almost every long-distance train leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat, Bangkok's main station since 2023. The catch is what the railway misses. Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Pai and Chiang Rai have no station, so those trips are a train plus a bus or a boat, and often a flight is simply better. Below are the lines, the train I'd take on the popular trips with real times and fares, the classes, how booking works now that seats open 90 days ahead instead of 180, Bangkok's four stations, the sleepers and the scenic lines.
Arriving in Chiang Mai
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Can You Get Around Thailand by Train?
Yes, between Bangkok and the north, the northeast and the Gulf side of the south. The overnight sleepers to Chiang Mai, Surat Thani, Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani are the trips worth taking, and a second-class berth costs about ฿700–1,050. The Andaman coast and the islands have no railway, so for Phuket, Krabi and the Gulf islands you ride the train to Surat Thani or Chumphon and finish by bus or boat, or fly.
- Main station
- Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue), MRT Blue Line
- Lines
- North, northeast, east, south, plus Kanchanaburi
- Best trip
- No. 9 sleeper to Chiang Mai, 18:40 to about 07:15
- Sleeper berth
- About ฿700–1,050 in 2nd class
- Book
- D-Ticket or 12Go, up to 90 days ahead
- No station
- Phuket, Krabi, Samui, Phangan, Tao, Pai, Chiang Rai
Key Facts
Long-distance trains leave Krung Thep Aphiwat, not Hua Lamphong
Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue Grand) has been the departure point for every long-distance train since 2023. It sits on the MRT Blue Line at Bang Sue, and the SRT Dark Red Line runs from it to Don Mueang airport. The old Hua Lamphong station still has a few ordinary and excursion trains.
Seats open 90 days ahead, or 30 days or one day on part of a route
Since April 2026 the State Railway sells seats 90 days ahead when your journey covers 60% or more of the train's route, 30 days ahead for a quarter to 59%, and one day ahead for less. Most guides online still say 180 days.
Lower berths on the Chiang Mai sleeper go one to two weeks ahead
Lower berths on No. 9 routinely sell out a week or two ahead year-round and further out from November to February and around festivals, so book the sleeper as soon as your dates are fixed.
Trains run late, so leave slack
Overnight arrivals often run 30–60 minutes late, and the northern line can run later. Don't book a flight or a ferry tight against a train's timetabled arrival.
Where Thailand's Trains Go, Line by Line
| Line | From Bangkok to | Stops travelers use | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern | Chiang Mai (751 km) | Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Phitsanulok, Lampang | Five trains a day to Chiang Mai, four of them with berths. Since 5 December 2025 trains stop at Lop Buri 2 (Tha Wung), outside the old town |
| Northeastern | Nong Khai and Ubon Ratchathani | Ayutthaya, Pak Chong (Khao Yai), Korat, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Buriram, Surin | The two branches split at Korat. Rapid No. 133 runs on across the Mekong to Vientiane |
| Southern | Hat Yai, Sungai Kolok and Padang Besar | Hua Hin, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat | The island gateways are Chumphon (Koh Tao) and Surat Thani (Samui, Phangan, Krabi, Khao Sok) |
| Eastern | Pattaya and Aranyaprathet | Pattaya | One ฿31 train a day to Pattaya. The Cambodian border at Aranyaprathet has been closed since June 2025 |
| Western (Kanchanaburi) | Nam Tok | Kanchanaburi, the River Kwai Bridge | Ordinary trains from Thon Buri over the Death Railway, ฿100 flat for foreigners |
| Maeklong | Mae Klong | Mahachai, Maeklong Railway Market | A separate local line from Wongwian Yai, two short trains and a river ferry |
Distances and stops from the State Railway of Thailand timetable dated 5 December 2025, as used in our route guides. The northeastern line's two branches share the track as far as Korat.
The Big Places the Railway Doesn't Reach
Half of a typical first trip is on the Andaman coast and the Gulf islands, and none of it has a station. That doesn't rule the train out, but it changes the math, because the train only gets you to a gateway town and the last leg is a bus or a boat.
Phuket and Krabi
The nearest station is Surat Thani's Phun Phin, so Bangkok to Krabi by rail is a sleeper to Surat Thani and a connecting bus, 14 to 15 hours and about ฿930–1,260 all in. To Phuket it's 16 to 18 hours, with the Phun Phin station bus taking about six hours for ฿370. About 18 nonstop flights a day reach Krabi and about 50 reach Phuket, each about 1 hour 25 in the air, so most people fly.
Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao
This is where the train still makes sense. Night trains reach Surat Thani for the Samui and Phangan boats, and Chumphon for Koh Tao, in time for the morning ferries. For Koh Tao I'd take No. 85 at 19:50 or No. 39 at 22:50 to Chumphon, where Lomprayah's and Boonsiri's vans leave the station at 06:00 for boats that land on Koh Tao by about 08:45.
Chiang Rai, Pai and Sukhothai
The northern line ends at Chiang Mai, so Chiang Rai and Pai are a bus or van onward from there. Sukhothai has no station either, so the train goes to Phitsanulok, about an hour away by bus. Special Express No. 7 at 07:30 arrives at 11:48 for ฿397 in second class, and it's the one I'd take.
Popular Train Trips From Bangkok, With Times and Fares
| Trip | Train I'd take | Departs → arrives | Fare | Seats open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiang Mai (overnight) | No. 9 Special Express sleeper | 18:40 → about 07:15 | 2nd-class berth ฿941 upper / ฿1,041 lower; 1st ฿1,453–1,653 | 90 days |
| Chiang Mai (by day) | No. 7 Special Express | 07:30 → 17:50 | 2nd-class air-con seat ฿558 | 90 days |
| Ayutthaya | Bangkok Connex, or any northbound train | About 75 min (Connex), 50–80 min | Connex ฿50; 3rd class about ฿20 | Day before on long-distance trains |
| Hua Hin | No. 43 Special Express | 07:30 → 10:31 | 2nd-class air-con seat ฿330 | 30 days |
| Chumphon (Koh Tao) | No. 85 Express sleeper | 19:50 → 03:43 | 2nd-class air-con berth from about ฿729 | 30 days |
| Surat Thani (Samui, Phangan, Krabi) | No. 85 Express | 19:50 → 06:23 | 2nd-class berth about ฿700–1,000; 1st ฿1,300–1,600 | 90 days |
| Korat | No. 21 Special Express | 06:10 → 10:01 | From about ฿100 in 3rd class | 30 days |
| Khon Kaen | No. 75 Express | 08:45 → 15:30 | 3rd class ฿277; air-con seat ฿477 online | 90 days |
| Udon Thani | No. 25 Special Express sleeper | 20:25 → 05:39 | 2nd-class berth ฿877–977 | 90 days |
| Vientiane, Laos | No. 133 Rapid | 21:25 → 09:05 (Khamsavath) | 3rd class ฿281; lower berth ฿874 | 90 days |
| Ubon Ratchathani | No. 23 sleeper | 21:05 → 06:40 | 2nd-class berth about ฿880–980 | 90 days |
| Kanchanaburi | Ordinary from Thon Buri | 07:45 or 13:55, about 2h45 | ฿100 flat for foreigners | On the day, at the station |
| Pattaya | No. 283 Ordinary from Hua Lamphong | 06:55, about 3h40 | ฿31 | On the day, at the station |
Station (counter) fares and times from the State Railway of Thailand timetable dated 5 December 2025, as published by Richard Barrow's Thai Train Guide, thailandtrains.com and siamtickets.com, and checked in each linked route guide; booking platforms add a fee. The seats-open column applies SRT's April 2026 tiers to each train's full route. Every train except Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya's Connex and Pattaya leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat.
Train Types and Classes, and Which to Book
Two labels matter on a Thai ticket, the train type and the class. The type tells you how many stops it makes, and the class tells you what you sit or sleep on.
Special Express, Express, Rapid and Ordinary
Special Express trains are the fastest and carry the air-conditioned sleepers and the day railcars. Express trains stop a little more, Rapid trains more again and run the cheapest berths, and Ordinary trains stop everywhere with third-class fan seats only. For a long trip I'd book a Special Express; for Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi or Pattaya the ordinary train is half the fun.
First class
First class is a lockable two-berth cabin. On the Chiang Mai sleeper it's ฿1,453 for the upper berth and ฿1,653 for the lower, and ฿2,453 if you travel alone and want the whole cabin. Only first-class passengers on No. 9 and No. 10 get a shower.
Second class
Second class is the one most travelers book, an open carriage of upper and lower berths with curtains that fold back into facing seats by day, or reclining air-conditioned seats on the day trains. The lower berth is wider and has the window, and costs about ฿100 more. Second-class fan seats and berths still run on some Rapid and Express trains.
Third class
Third class is fan-cooled padded or wooden bench seating, unreserved on the ordinary trains. It's fine for two or three hours and a long night for anything more.
How to Book Thai Train Tickets, and How Far Ahead
There are three ways to buy a ticket, and for a sleeper the only question is how early.
Online with the State Railway (D-Ticket)
SRT's own D-Ticket site sells every reserved train at the station price, in English, with an e-ticket you show on your phone. It's the cheapest way to book online.
Online through 12Go
12Go resells the same seats with a service fee on top, and it's easier if you want a train and a bus or boat in one booking, or a card that D-Ticket won't take. A 12Go price isn't the official fare, which is lower.
At the station
Any station counter sells what's left, and the ordinary trains are only sold there, on the day. Outside December to February there's often a sleeper berth left on the day at Surat Thani and other mid-route stations, but in high season they go.
The 90-day window and its tiers
In April 2026 the State Railway cut advance booking from 180 days to 90, in three tiers. A journey covering 60% or more of the train's route opens 90 days ahead, a quarter to 59% opens 30 days ahead, and anything shorter opens the day before. So Bangkok to Chiang Mai on a Chiang Mai train opens at 90 days, while Bangkok to Hua Hin on a Hat Yai sleeper opens only the day before, because Hua Hin is a small part of that train's run. Book the Chiang Mai, Surat Thani and Isan sleepers as soon as the date opens if you're traveling November to February.
Bookable departures · refreshed daily
Bangkok → Chiang Mai: departure times you can book now
Every departure currently on sale through 12Go for this route, by class. Fares are the spread across the classes shown; the exact price for a seat and date is on the booking page.
Train
| Class | Departures |
|---|---|
| 2nd Class Sleeper AC | 14:32, 18:40, 18:57, 20:22, 22:30, 22:47 |
| 2nd Class AC seats only | 09:05, 09:20 |
| 2nd Class Fan seats only | 14:15, 14:32, 20:05, 20:22, 22:30, 22:47 |
| Class 3 Fan | 14:15, 14:32, 20:05, 20:22, 22:30, 22:47 |
Times and fares as sold on 12Go, refreshed daily. Services sold only locally — ordinary trains, weekend excursion trains, walk-up pier tickets — are not listed; see the table above for those. Sponsored link: we may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
Bangkok → Chiang Mai
Check the sleeper trains from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
12Go shows the five daily Chiang Mai trains with the berths left on your date, in English with e-tickets. It adds a fee over the station price, so D-Ticket is cheaper if it takes your card.
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Bangkok's Four Train Stations, and Which One You Need
Most mix-ups on Thai trains happen before you board, at the wrong station. Check the station on your ticket, because Bangkok has four that travelers use.
Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue Grand)
Every long-distance train to Chiang Mai, Isan and the south leaves here. Take the MRT Blue Line to Bang Sue, which connects straight into the station, or the Dark Red Line from Don Mueang. The Blue Line starts at about 06:00, so for the 06:10 trains a taxi or a hotel nearby is safer.
Hua Lamphong
The old central station on the MRT Blue Line still runs ordinary trains, including No. 283 to Pattaya at 06:55, No. 261 to Hua Hin at 09:20 and slow trains to Ayutthaya, plus the weekend excursion train to Kanchanaburi and the seasonal Royal Blossom.
Thon Buri
On the river side of the city, Thon Buri is where the Kanchanaburi trains start, at 07:45 and 13:55, and two ordinary trains to Hua Hin at 07:20 and 13:10.
Wongwian Yai
The small station for the Maeklong line. A train to Mahachai (฿10, about an hour), the ฿3 river ferry and the Ban Laem train to Mae Klong (฿10, about an hour) get you to the railway market.
Arriving in Chiang Mai
Top-Ranked Hotels in Chiang Mai
The top of my ranked list of the 10 best hotels in Chiang Mai. Each button opens the hotel on Booking.com with your dates filled in.
#2Anantara Chiang Mai Resort4.7 (2,377 reviews)
A luxury riverside resort in the heart of Chiang Mai, blending colonial elegance with Thai heritage.
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#4Meliá Chiang Mai4.7 (2,054 reviews)
A premium hotel on Charoen Prathet Rd offering elegant rooms, a spa, and rooftop bar with city views.
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#5Mad Monkey Chiang Mai4.8 (1,595 reviews)
A social party hostel in central Chiang Mai with a pool, bar, organized events, and a lively backpacker crowd.
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Thailand's Sleeper Trains
A sleeper is the best reason to ride a Thai train, because the berth replaces a hotel night and you wake up 700 km away. They run every night to Chiang Mai, Udon Thani and Nong Khai, Ubon Ratchathani, and down the south to Surat Thani, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Hat Yai and the Malaysian border.
The newest trains
The Chinese-built CNR sleepers on No. 9 and No. 10 to and from Chiang Mai, and on No. 31 to Hat Yai, have a socket and reading light at every berth, a dining car, an accessible carriage and a carriage for women and children, which I'd take if it's offered. Older stock, like No. 13 to Chiang Mai, is ฿170–200 cheaper and still comfortable.
Toilets, showers and sleep
Each carriage on No. 9 has three toilets and second-class cars have two washbasins. Showers are in first class only. The lights stay on all night in second class and the rail joints are loud, so earplugs and an eye mask help, and the air conditioning runs cold enough that I'd bring a layer.
The sleepers by route
Our route guides have every sleeper on each line with its berths and fares. The ones I'd book are No. 9 to Chiang Mai, No. 85 to Surat Thani, No. 25 to Udon Thani, No. 23 to Ubon Ratchathani and No. 133 to Vientiane.
What a Thai Sleeper Looks Like
Two travelers' films of the overnight Chiang Mai train, which show the berths better than a description can.
What Riding a Thai Train Is Like
Thai trains are utilitarian and friendly. They're safe, the staff are used to foreigners, and on the long routes an attendant makes up the berths in the evening. They're also slow, so a train is a trip in itself rather than the fast option.
Expect delays. Overnight arrivals often run 30–60 minutes late and the northern line can be worse, so don't hang a flight or a ferry on a train's arrival time. Food comes from a dining car on the Special Express sleepers, from vendors on the slower trains and from the station shops before you board, and a bag of snacks and water is never wasted. Big luggage goes on the racks at the ends of the carriage or under the lower berth.
There's no high-speed rail in Thailand yet. As of 2026 the Bangkok–Chiang Mai high-speed line is unfunded with no construction date.
Scenic Trains and Day Trips by Rail
Some of the best train rides in Thailand are short ones, and the ordinary trains are the point rather than the transport.
The Death Railway to Kanchanaburi
Two ordinary trains a day leave Thon Buri at 07:45 and 13:55, reach Kanchanaburi about two and three-quarter hours later and roll straight across the Bridge on the River Kwai. Foreigners pay a flat ฿100 at the station on the day. On weekends and holidays an excursion train leaves Hua Lamphong at 06:30, stops at the bridge and runs on to Nam Tok, for ฿120 in a fan coach or ฿240 with air-conditioning. In the rainy season, call SRT on 1690 before riding beyond Kanchanaburi, because floods closed the line beyond Tha Kilen for a few days in late September 2026.
The Maeklong Railway Market
On the tracks in Samut Songkhram, about 80 km southwest of Bangkok, the market pulls its awnings back each time the Mae Klong train rolls through at walking pace. Riding the line there from Wongwian Yai, with the river ferry in the middle, takes most of a morning.
Ayutthaya by Bangkok Connex
Since August 2026 Bangkok Connex has run direct air-conditioned trains on refurbished Japanese railcars to Ayutthaya, about 75 minutes for ฿50, which makes the old capital an easy day trip by rail.
The Royal Blossom
SRT's Royal Blossom, ten refitted ex-Japanese panoramic coaches, runs day trips from Hua Lamphong to Hua Hin in announced seasons, every weekend from late April to 1 June in 2025 at ฿1,999 all-inclusive and on 7, 8 and 15 March in 2026. Watch SRT's announcements for the next dates.
Crossing Borders by Train
Two of Thailand's borders can be crossed by rail, and one can't.
Laos
Rapid No. 133 leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat at 21:25, stops at Nong Khai in the morning for Thai exit checks on the platform, crosses the Friendship Bridge over the Mekong and arrives at Khamsavath station, 7 km outside Vientiane, at 09:05.
Malaysia
From Kuala Lumpur, the 09:55 ETS from KL Sentral reaches Padang Besar, and the No. 46 sleeper leaves there at 18:00 Malaysian time and reaches Krung Thep Aphiwat at 09:05, about 24 hours door to door. A second-class berth is ฿848 upper or ฿918 lower.
Cambodia
The eastern line still runs to Aranyaprathet, but Cambodia's land crossings have been closed since June 2025 and hadn't reopened by October 2026, so fly to Cambodia.
Every route guide below has the full timetable, every class and fare, and the return trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Trains in Thailand.
Yes, between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Isan, Hua Hin and the Gulf side of the south, and the overnight sleepers are comfortable. Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Pai and Chiang Rai have no station, so those trips need a bus or boat after the train, or a flight.
The station and the State Railway's own D-Ticket site charge the same official fare. 12Go and other resellers add a service fee, in exchange for an easier site and combined train-and-boat tickets.
D-Ticket, the State Railway's site, for the official price. 12Go if D-Ticket won't take your card or you want the train and a ferry or bus in one booking.
Up to 90 days since April 2026, when your journey covers 60% or more of the train's route. A quarter to 59% of the route opens 30 days ahead, and anything shorter the day before. The old 180-day window still quoted online no longer applies.
Yes, every night to Chiang Mai, Udon Thani and Nong Khai, Ubon Ratchathani, Vientiane and the south, with the newest CNR carriages on No. 9 and No. 10 to Chiang Mai and No. 31 to Hat Yai.
Every carriage has toilets, three per carriage on No. 9, and second-class cars have washbasins. Showers are in first class only, on No. 9 and No. 10, so second-class passengers should pack wet wipes.
No. The nearest station is Surat Thani's Phun Phin, and a connecting bus makes it 14 to 15 hours to Krabi and 16 to 18 hours to Phuket. Most people fly, about 1 hour 25 minutes.
From ฿20 in third class to Ayutthaya and ฿31 to Pattaya, ฿330 for an air-conditioned seat to Hua Hin, and ฿941–1,041 for a second-class berth to Chiang Mai, with first class ฿1,453–1,653 a berth.
Yes. The usual cautions apply on any overnight trip, so keep valuables in the berth with you, and on the trains that have one, women traveling alone can book the women-and-children carriage.
Not yet. As of 2026 the Bangkok–Chiang Mai high-speed line is unfunded with no construction date, and the fastest trains are the Special Expresses.
Sources
- D-Ticket online booking (opens in new tab) · State Railway of Thailand
- Thai Train Finder and timetables (opens in new tab) · Richard Barrow's Thai Train Guide
- State Railway of Thailand (opens in new tab) · SRT
Where to stay in Chiang Mai
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Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
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