Thailand Guide
Getting around
By train
Managed by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) www.railway.co.th , the rail network consists of four main lines and a few branch lines. The Northern Line connects Bangkok with Chiang Mai via Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Phitsanulok and Lampang. The Northeastern Line splits into two just beyond Ayutthaya, the lower branch running eastwards to Ubon Ratchathani via Khorat and Surin, the more northerly branch linking the capital with Nong Khai via Khon Kaen and Udon Thani. The Eastern Line also has two branches, one of which runs from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet on the Cambodian border, the other of which connects Bangkok with Si Racha and Pattaya. The Southern Line extends via Hua Hin, Chumphon and Surat Thani, with spurs off to Trang and Nakhon Si Thammarat, to Hat Yai, where it branches: one line continues down the west coast of Malaysia, via Butterworth, where you change trains for Kuala Lumpur and Singapore; the other heads down the eastern side of the peninsula to Sungai Kolok on the Thailand– Malaysia border (20km from Pasir Mas on Malaysia's interior railway). At Nakhon Pathom a branch of this line veers off to Nam Tok via Kanchanaburi – this is all that's left of the Death Railway, of Bridge on the River Kwai notoriety.
Fares depend on the class of seat, whether or not you want air-con and on the speed of the train. Hard, wooden, third-class seats are very cheap; in second class, you can often choose between reclining seats or berths, with or without air-con, on long journeys; and in first class you get a private two-person air-conditioned compartment. Female passengers can sometimes request a berth in an all-female section of a carriage. Nearly all long-distance trains have dining cars. Advance booking of at least one day is strongly recommended for first- and second-class seats on all lengthy journeys, and for sleepers needs to be done as far in advance as possible; at least 24hr ahead of departure. It should be possible to make bookings at the station in any major town or online www.thairailwayticket.com . The SRT has a 24-hour hotline (T1690) and publishes clear and fairly accurate free timetables; the best place to get hold of one is over the counter at Hualamphong, or from their website.