Information about train arrivals and departures is easy to find at Bangkok’s main train station, known locally as Hua Lamphong, all you need to do is to look at the large electronic display boards attached to the wall above the ticket counters inside the station building.
Display board showing train departures from Bangkok Train StationThe easiest way to interpret the information on the display boards is to relate it to the train number and departure time printed on your ticket. In Thailand you can normally only travel on the specific train for which you have purchased a ticket.
Departure Information at Bangkok Train Station
The Departure display board show six rows of information:
- Train: This refers to the type of service and the number of the train. For instance whether the train is an ‘Ordinary’, ‘Express’ or ‘Special Express’ service. The number after is the number of the train. All train services in Thailand have a number which does not change from day to day. For example, the daily departure from Bangkok to Chiang Mai at 18.10 is always Train #9. The number of the train you have booked will be printed on your train tickets.
- Destination: This the station where the train will terminate.
- Platf…: This the platform number from which the train will depart.
- Sched…: This is the time when the train is scheduled to depart. Again this information is printed on train tickets in Thailand and is a useful way to identify which train you need to take.
- Depart…: This row will have another time if the train is delayed.
- Remark: This row will state either nothing, or ‘Delay’ or ‘Cancel’.
Departure Information at the Platforms
Each platform has its own display board providing information about the next train to depart from that platform. There are two style of platform display board board which you will see at Hua Lamphong train station:
Train Arrival Information
To the right hand side of the end wall of the station concourse there is a second display board showing train arrivals. This information is only useful if you are planning to meet a train which is arriving at Bangkok train station, perhaps to meet one of the passengers arriving on the train or because you have sent a parcel or other cargo via train to Bangkok.
Display board showing train arrivals at Bangkok Train StationThe display information is the same as the Departure board, except for the fifth row with states ‘Arrival‘ indicating when the train will actually arrive at the station, as opposed to when it is scheduled to arrive. At the present time long distance trains in Thailand are often delayed and if you intend to come to meet a train arrival at Bangkok train station it is likely that you will end up looking at this information on more than one occasion as the period of the delay changes.