Thailand Train Times & Tickets

Use the links below to find a guide to your 2023 Thailand Train journey. Our guides are indexed by the station from which the journey starts. Links to each of the guides are in red.

Buy Thailand Train Tickets

Buying tickets in advance for train travel to destinations all over Thailand is easy with Thailand Trains. Use the Search Box below to find your Thailand train tickets. All seats types including sleeper seats are available.

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  • Step 1: Search for trains by travel date and destination.
  • Step 2: Buy your tickets online by credit or debit card or through PayPal.
  • Step 3: Print out your train ticket or save the image to your phone for inspection by the conductor on the train.

Tickets cost a small amount more than they would if you booked in person at a train station in Thailand. The advantage of paying a fee to book online is that you are guaranteed a seat. It is often necessary to book a week or more in advance to secure a seat, particularly a sleeper berth, on busy routes such as Bangkok to Chiang Mai and Bangkok to Surat Thani (for travel to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan).

Trains from Aranyaprathet

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Trains from Ayutthaya

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For an excellent train journey take Train #7 departing at 09:47 from Ayutthaya train station on the Northern Train Line to Chiang Mai. Train #7 is the only train to do almost all the journey in daylight.

Buddha head in Bodhi tree in Ayutthaya
Buddha head in Bodhi tree in Ayutthaya

If you travel on this particular train dusk falls just as you descend from the mountains past the lakes just past Pang Puay train station. From there the route flattens out as the train detours around Doi Khun Tan National Park and onto Lamphun and finally Chiang Mai.

Trains from Bangkok

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Out of all the trains journeys you take in Thailand, the trip from Bangkok up to Chiang Mai has the best scenery, although the first parts of the journey to Ubon Ratchathani are also very beautiful. The train journey to Surat Thani is the second most popular Thailand train journey with foreign visitors. This is because Surat Thani is the stopping off point for bus and boat connections to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan (for the Full Moon Party).

Krung Kasem Canal in Bangkok

If you are planning to go to the Full Moon Party be sure to book your train tickets well in advance because seats, particularly 1st and 2nd class sleeper seats, normally sell out before the day of travel for all intercity trains to and from Surat Thani for up to 2 days before and 2 days after the night of the Full Moon Party. There are direct transport services departing from Surat Thani train station to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.

Trains from Bang Saphan Yai

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Trains from Ban Krut

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Trains from Buri Ram

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Trains from Cha Am

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Trains from Chaiya

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Trains from Chiang Mai

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Thailand’s Northern Train Line running from Chiang Mai to Bangkok passes over mountains, past lakes and through endless plains of paddy fields. It is the best way to tour the central and northern regions of Thailand. The train from Chiang Mai stops at Ayutthaya (location of a UNESCO listed world heritage) and Lopburi (location of the famous monkey temple).

International Horticultural Exhibition in Chiang Mai
International Horticultural Exhibition in Chiang Mai

To reach Sukhothai take the train to Phitsanulok and from there take a local bus onward to Sukhothai bus station. For Phrae take the train to Den Chai and from there take a local bus onward to Phrae town.

Trains from Chumphon

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Chumphon is the main connection point between Thailand’s railway network and the popular Island of Koh Tao. The ever reliable Lomprayah High Speed Ferry Company provides joint bus and boat connections from Koh Tao direct to Chumphon Train Station all year round, making the Chumphon to Bangkok train route very popular with people returning to Bangkok after taking diving courses in Koh Tao.

Southern Thai Style Temple in Chumphon
Southern Thai Style Temple in Chumphon

The first daily departure from Koh Tao to Chumphon Train Station leaves at 10:15 and arrives at 13:00. The second departure leaves from Koh Tao at 14:45 and arrives at Chumphon Train Station at 17:15. Depending on which train you take the journey from Bangkok to Chumphon is scheduled to take between 8 hours 34 minutes and 11 hours 34 minutes.

Trains from Den Chai

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Trains from Don Mueang Airport

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Trains from Hat Yai

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Hat Yai Junction Railway Station is right in the centre of Hat Yai, the largest city in Southern Thailand. The journey by train from Hat Yai to Bangkok takes between 14 and 19 hours depending upon which service you use.

Hat Yai train station
Hat Yai Train Station

We recommend booking your train service from Hat Yai in advance to ensure you get a sleeper berth. All the fast services towards Bangkok travel overnight which makes the journey easier because you can sleep through most of it and also save money on hotel rooms. Sleeper trains in Thailand are useful for cost conscious travellers.

Trains from Hua Hin

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From Hua Hin you have the option of travelling northwards towards Bangkok or south towards Penang. The day time train journey to Surat Thani takes 6 to 8 hours, northward to Bangkok the journey takes 5 to 6 hours.

Hilton Hua Hin Resort
Hilton Hua Hin Resort

The train is a lot more relaxing than travel by car or bus. There are direct links from Surat Thani train station to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party.

Trains from Kanchanaburi

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Trains from Khon Kaen

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Travel overnight in a sleeper seat for an effortless 9 hour journey arriving refreshed in Bangkok the next morning, or break up the journey by stopping on route in Ayutthaya for a visit to the Ayutthaya Historical Park.

Alternatively travel the short distance north via Udon Thani to Nong Khai and head over the border into Laos and its capital city of Vientiane.

Trains from Koh Lanta

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Trains from Koh Lipe

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Trains from Koh Phangan

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Trains from Koh Phi Phi

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Trains from Koh Samui

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Trains from Koh Tao

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Trains from Krabi

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Trains from Lampang

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Trains from Lamphun

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Trains from Lang Suan

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Trains from Lop Buri

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Trains from Nakhon Pathom

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Trains from Nakhon Ratchasima

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Trains from Nakhon Sawan

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Trains from Nakhon Si Thammarat

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Trains from Nam Phong

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Trains from Nong Khai

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Nong Khai is on the border with Laos and is the closest border crossing between the Laotian Capital of Vientiane and Thailand. Train travel is a popular option for travellers from Laos onward to Bangkok and the historic city of Ayutthaya.

Royal Nakhara Hotel
Royal Nakhara Hotel is the most popular Nong Khai hotel for our readers

From Nong Khai the North Eastern Line travels South via Udon Thani, Khon Kaen and Ayutthaya before terminating at Hua Lamphong Train Station in Bangkok. The fastest train from Nong Khai to Bangkok is Train #76 departing at 07:00 and scheduled to arrive 10 hours 10 minutes later in Bangkok at 17:10.

Trains from Pak Chong

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Trains from Pattaya

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Trains from Penang (Malaysia)

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For a real flavour of Southern Thailand take the train all the way to Bangkok. There is something special about crossing international borders by train. Passengers are required to briefly leave the train at the Thai-Malay border crossing (Padang Besar) before continuing swiftly towards the final destination of Bangkok at the top end of the Southern Train Line.

From Penang itself you need to travel to the mainland of Malaysia to catch your train at Butterworth Railway Station. There are several ways to make this short trip from George Town or other points on Penang Island to Butterworth. If you have lots of luggage consider taking a taxi. If you are more mobile and have the time take one of the car ferries from George Town to the Butterworth. It takes 20 minutes and costs next to nothing.

Trains from Phatthalung

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Trains from Phetchaburi

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Trains from Phitsanulok

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Phitsanulok is the closest railway station to Sukhothai Historical Park. For onward travel by train from Sukhothai you first need to travel by road to Phitsanulok Train Station, a 62.7 km journey. There is a regular local bus service between Sukhothai and Phitsanulok. The bus station in Phitsanulok is 2.1 km away from the train station.

Sukhothai Historical Park is near Phitsanulok
Sukhothai Historical Park is near Phitsanulok

From Phitsanulok Train Station you have the choice of train services heading Northward toward Chiang Mai or Southward towards Bangkok. A third alternative would be to travel part of the way back to Bangkok and then change trains in Ayutthaya for travel to the North East of Thailand on the North Eastern Train Line.

Trains from Phuket

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Trains from Prachuap Khiri Khan

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Trains from Ratchaburi

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Trains from Sikhoraphum

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Trains from Sisaket

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Trains from Sungai Kolok

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Sungai Kolok is at the far Southern end of Thailand’s Southern Train Line. The journey on Train #172 from Sungai Kolok to Bangkok is the longest train journey in Thailand scheduled to take 23 hours and 32 minutes. Sungai Kolok train station is 1.4 km from the border crossing to Malaysia.

Train at Sungai Kolok Railway Station
Train at Sungai Kolok Railway Station

The majority of foreign visitors who pass through Sungai Kolok do so to either visit the Perhentian Islands on Malaysia’s East Coast  or the Thai Embassy in Kota Bharu to apply for a visa. The border crossing at Sungai Kolok is one of the most convenient ones to reach by train for people planning on returning to Hat Yai or the islands of Surat Thani province such as Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.

Trains from Surat Thani

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Surat Thani is closest train station to the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. Click on the links in red for information and ticket bookings for transport from Koh Samui to Surat Thani train station and Koh Phangan to Surat Thani train station. Surat Thani is about half way between Bangkok and Penang on Thailand’s Southern Train Line.

Surat Thani Train Station
Surat Thani Train Station

The highlights of a journey on the Southern Train Line are travelling through the suburbs of Bangkok, the coastal scenery of Prachuap Khiri Khan province and Hua Hin Train Station, the prettiest railway station in Thailand. Travelling South from Surat Thani the train passes through Hat Yai on the way to the Malaysian border near Sungai Kolok Train Station. From Sungai Kolok it is a 1 hour journey by road to the Malaysia city of Kota Bharu to apply for a visa at the Thai Consulate.

Trains from Surin

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Trains from Trang

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Foreign visitors tend to come to Trang only as a connection point to the Southern Andaman Islands of Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe, Koh Mook, Koh Kradan and Koh Sukorn. However, Trang is a popular destination for Thai holiday makers who come for its rich and diverse cultural heritage, but less so foreign visitors who are yet to discover the area’s unique qualities in any great numbers.

Trang
Trang is known as a culinary centre in Thailand

Trang is also well known, amongst other things, for its Chinese and Muslim food. The town has several very popular Dim Sum restaurants and many Thai people come to Trang specifically eat Dim Sum.

Trains from Ubon Ratchathani

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Ubon Ratchathani is the final station on the Eastern branch of Thailand’s North Eastern train line. The North Eastern splits into two branches at Thanon Chira Junction with the other branch heading northwards towards Nong Khai.

Fantastic scenery on route from Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok
Fantastic scenery on route from Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok

From Ubon Ratchathani the Eastern branch of the Northern Eastern line terminates in Bangkok. The major stops on route are Sisaket, Surin, Buri Ram, Nakhon Ratchasima, Pak Chong, and Ayutthaya.

Trains from Udon Thani

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By rail there are two directions you can travel from Udon Thani. Going north the next major stop is Nong Khai Train Station on the border with Laos. Alternatively, you can travel south towards Bangkok which is around 10 to 12 hours away.

Udon Thani train station
Train ready to depart from Udon Thani train station

On the way to Bangkok the train stops at Ayutthaya, which has some interesting and very old temples and is a great place to stay for a few days.

Trains from Uthumphon Phisai

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Trains from Uttaradit

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Trains from Vientiane (Laos)

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Trains from Yala

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Online Ticket Purchase

The State Railways of Thailand have recently introduced a new ticketing system. You no longer need to collect a printed ticket before you travel. If you book online through Thailand Trains you will be sent a ticket by e-mail which you can either print out yourself or show to the train staff on a mobile phone screen.

Train #83 to Surat Thani
Train #83 to Surat Thani at Bangkok Train Station

All the train services listed in the Guide above are on intercity trains most of which can be booked in advance. There are other slower trains which can only be booked at the train station on the day of travel. The slower trains only run short distances, have 3rd class wooden seats and generally take a long time to travel anyway because they stop at even the smallest stations.

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