Bangkok Train Station

Hua Lamphong is the local name for Bangkok’s main train station. It serves as the main hub for intercity and international train services in Thailand.

Services from Bangkok Train Station

All train lines, except for the line to Kanchanaburi, run from this station. This is where you need to come to catch a train to most of the popular destinations such as Chiang Mai, Surat Thani, Ayutthaya, Nong Khai or the border with Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia. If you want to go to Kanchanaburi you need to travel across the Chao Phraya (the main river in Bangkok) to Bangkok’s other train terminus, Thonburi train station.

If you are not sure which train station in Bangkok you need to go to catch your train then, unless you are travelling to Kanchanaburi, most likely you need to go to Bangkok Hua Lamphong Train Station.

Buy Train Tickets online

Use the Search Box below to buy your Thailand Train Tickets.

• All popular train routes in Thailand are available to book online using the Search Box above. To search for tickets simply change the start and end point of your journey.
• All seat types including 1st and 2nd class sleeper berths as well as cheaper seat only tickets are available to book online using the Search Box above.

Train Times to Surat Thani

Surat Thani is the nearest train station to the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. There is cheap and efficient transport direct from Surat Thani train station to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, as well as to Koh Tao. This is one of the busiest routes on the train network particularly around the Full Moon Party period. Booking in advance is recommended.

Train Times to Chiang Mai

The journey to Chiang Mai takes passengers through some of the most beautiful parts of Thailand. For this reason we recommend booking the very popular 08:30 departure, which is the only train service from Bangkok which travels through the hills South of Chiang Mai during the daylight hours.

Other Journeys from Bangkok

For more information about other popular train journeys from Hua Lamphong Railway Station see our comprehensive Thailand Train Booking Guide which includes information about:

• Train departure and arrival times.
• Ticket prices.
• Train and station information.
• Recommend trains.
• Getting to and from train station to your final destination.
• Best places to eat near the station.
• Recommended hotels to stay at near the train station.
• Sights to look out for on your journey.

Local Transport to Bangkok Station

Hua Lamphong Station is on the Blue Line of the MRT (metro) system. The MRT Blue Line runs through the City up to Bang Sue train station with 15 stops along the way, including Silom and Sukhmvit. From the MRT Blue Line there are interchanges with the BTS (skytrain) overground train network at Silom, Sukhumvit and Chatchuchak Park. There is also an interchange at Phetchaburi MRT station for the Airport Link to Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok’s main international airport.

• For more information see our Guide Local transport from Bangkok Hua Lamphong Train Station.

The Khao San Road area is not on either the BTS or MRT network, so its either a taxi, bus, tuk-tuk, or the Chao Phraya Express Boat and a 16 minute walk to get to the station. The nearest Chao Phraya Express Boat pier to the Khao San Road is Phra Athit Pier on the Phra Athit Road. Boats depart every 15 to 20 minutes minutes going South and costs less than 20 THB per person one-way. For Hua Lamphong Station you need to alight at the Marine Department Pier and walk about 16 minutes to get to Hua Lamphong Station. Be warned there are some difficult roads to cross on the way from the pier to the station and you need timing and patience to do it safely.

• For more information about getting from the Khao San Road area to Bangkok Train Station follow the link.

Location of Bangkok Train Station

Quick Facts about Bangkok Train Station

• Located in Bangkok’s China Town (Yaowarat) 350 metres from the Chao Phraya river.
• Completed in 1916 based on a Neo-Renaissance design by Italian architect Mario Tamagno.
• The station has 12 train platforms, and handles around 130 train departures per day carrying approximately 60,000 passengers.
• Bangkok Hua Lamphong Station is the terminus for 4 our of 5 of the railway lines in Thailand: the Northern Line, the North Eastern Line, the Southern Line and the Eastern Line.

Information at Bangkok Train Station

If you find yourself confused and do not know where to go to buy a ticket or catch a train, do not panic there is lots of help available from helpful English speaking station staff.

• Ticket Office for Foreigners: At the top left hand corner of the train station, to the left of the ticket counter and near the side exit, there is separate ticket office for foreigner passengers. The office is open everyday from 06.00 to 20.00. This office accepts payment by credit card.

• Train Information Office: On the right hand side of the station of the station concourse there is a Train Information Office. This office can answer any questions you have about train travel from Bangkok, however, please note that you cannot book information here.

• Display Boards: Above the ticket counters and on each train platform there are electronic display boards. These display boards provide information about the departure and arrival times of trains to and from Bangkok train station, arrival and departure platforms, and information about any delays. For more information see our guide to the display boards at Hua Lamphong Train Station.

Transporting Bicycles from Bangkok

You can transport bicycles on trains from Bangkok Hua Lamphong Station if the train in question has a Freight Carriage. Some trains do, others do not. Unlike other forms of cargo, in Thailand you need to load and unload bicycles yourself which means you need to travel on the same train.

To purchase a ticket for a bicycle go to the Freight & Parcel Office at the train station after you have purchased your own train ticket.  Keep the ticket for the bicycle safe as you will need to show the ticket at your destination in order to collect your bicycle. For more information see our guide to tansporting bicycles on Thailand Trains.

Facilities at Bangkok Train Station

Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Train Station has lots of facilities including shops and restaurants. In addition there are a growing number of shops and restaurants which have opened in recent years in the area around the train station.

• Left Luggage: at the front entrance of the station, to your left as you enter, there is a left luggage office.

• Toilets: there are toilets to the right of the tickets counter at the far end of the station from the main entrance.

• Food: on the Ground Floor of the station there are food stalls on the left hand side selling a variety of take-away food including pies and pastries. There is also a branch of KFC and Dunkin Donuts. This is a good place to stock up for the journey. On the right hand side on the Ground Floor there is also a food hall selling inexpensive Thai food. On the first floor also on the left hand side there is a branch of Black Canyon Coffee with seating for customers. For more information see our guide to food and drink at Bangkok Train Station.

• Shopping: On the left hand side of the station near the left luggage office and the main entrance there is small bookshop. On the right hand side of the station, by the main entrance, there is a supermarket.

• Sending Things by Rail: There is a Freight and Parcels office and to the left hand side of the train platforms. You can send packages to most train stations in Thailand from the Freight and Parcels office in Hua Lamphong station. You pay by weight. You do not need to travel on the same train as the package you are sending, but you do need the receipt they issue at the cargo office from which the package is sent in order to collect it on arrival.

Eat and shop near Bangkok Train Station

• 7-Eleven: If you go out of the main entrance of the station and go left, there is a 7-Eleven convenience store. This is a lot cheaper than the supermarket inside the station. Remember if you want to buy alcoholic drinks for your journey (alcoholic drinks are no longer sold on Thai trains) the current rules are that the alcohol can only be sold by shops between 12:00 and 14:00 and then from 17:00 to 24:00.
• Chicken and Rice Shops: For a cheap and tasty meal, and somewhere to sit down and have a beer (whatever the hour) go out the main entrance, turn left and cross the main road. There are three ‘chicken and rice’ shops located opposite the station with tables and chairs outside, as well as inside. The menus are in Thai but there are three basic options: ‘Khao Man Gai’ (Hainanese chicken and rice), ‘Khao Moo Dang’ (pork in a sweet red sauce with rice) and ‘Khao Ka Moo’ (pork leg in a light gravy with rice and a stewed cabbage like vegetable). Expect to pay 40 THB to 50 THB per dish and around 100 THB for a large beer.

Things to See near Bangkok Train Station

If you have some time before your train departs we suggest that deposit your bags in the Left Luggage Office at the train station and take the time to see some of the local sights. Hua Lamphong Railway is located on the edge of Bangkok’s China Town and near to the river. There is plenty to keep you occupied for a few hours before your train departs, and below we list only a few of the things you might do and see before your train departs.

1. Visit Wat Traimit 

550 metres walk from the train station is Wat Traimit which is famous for its Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon statue: a solid gold Buddha weighing 5,500 kilograms making it the largest solid gold statue in the world with a value in excess of $250 million dollars.

The amazing history of the large golden Buddha is that the statue had been covered in clay since the 1700s and it was not until they dropped the statue attempting to move it in 1955 that the monks discovered that it was made of solid gold. The temple has recently been rebuilt and is itself worth a visit.

• Walking Distance: 550 metres
• Walking time: 7 minutes
• Location of Wat Traimit:

2. Super Cheap River Cruise on the Chao Phraya Express Boat

1,200 metres walk from the train station is the Pier Number 4 (The Marine Department Pier) of the Chao Praya Express Boat Company. For between 8 and 40 THB you can travel to any pier along the Chao Phraya River, which runs the length of Bangkok, making this one of the cheapest river cruises in the World. The Chao Phraya Express Boat is one of the main commuter routes in Bangkok with stops at major river side destinations of importance. Alight at the Pier Number 8 (Tha Tien Pier) for the Grand Palace, Wat Po and the connecting cross river ferry to Wat Arun.

• Walking Distance: 1.2 kilometres
• Walking time: 16 minutes
• Location of Chao Phraya Express Boat Pier 4:

3. Going shopping at Sampeng Lane Market

1,300 metres walk from the train station is Sampeng Lane, one of the biggest markets is the Yaowarat (China Town) district. Sampeng Lane is also one of the most exciting markets in South East Asia and must do for many travellers. The market is long, narrow and split into sections and ending in Bangkok’s Little India area. Sampeng Lane is an intense experience and not for the ‘faint-hearted’, although you can choose to do only short section of the market by enter and exiting via the many side streets leading off Sampeng Lane.

• Walking Distance: 1.3 kilometres
• Walking time: 16 minutes
• Location of Sampeng Lane (Soi Wanit 1):

4. See the exhibits at the Thai Railway Museum

And finally, if you do not have much time, or don’t fancy walking, at least check out the Railway Museum. This small museum is located inside the station building. The entrance is on the left of the grand entrance to the station but the doors onto the concourse.

This is a very small museum and it will take you no more than 15 minutes for a good look at the exhibits. It is free and open every day from 10.00 to 18.00 (except Sundays, Mondays and public holidays).

Buying Tickets at Bangkok Train Station

At the far end of the station concourse there is row of ticket counters selling tickets for travel on the same day. For advance booking use counters 15 to 22 at the top right hand side of the station.

• Thailand Trains Tip: Tickets for intercity trains and sleeper trains in particular often sell out in advance and you should not rely on being able to turn up at the station and buy a ticket on the day of travel.

For the route between Bangkok and Surat Thani (for ferries to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan), especially during high season or the Full Moon Party period, you often need to book tickets more than a week in advance.

• Advance Booking: For advance tickets either visit any train station in Thailand up to 60 days before you intend to travel to purchase a ticket or book through Thailand Trains by using the Search Box below. To buy an advance at train ticket at Hua Lamphong Train Station use counters 15 to 19 at the top right of the station.

Future of Bangkok Train Station

State Railways of Thailand initially announced that the plan was to close Hua Lamphong as a functioning train station in 2021, and turn it into a museum. Hua Lamphong Railway would have been in use for 105 years by that time. A new station has bee constructed near the existing Bang Sue station to the North of Hua Lamphong railway station, which the State Railways of Thailand had planned to move all services to. Concerns about traffic congestion around the station, which is in the busy Yaowarat (China Town) district, were the official reasons given for the move.

Update: Following opposition to the plans to close Hua Lamphong Railway Station in its entirety, in December 2021 the State Railways of Thailand has announced that a limited number of long and short distance train services will continue to operate from Hua Lamphong Railway Station in 2022, whilst the majority of services will still move to the new station which is called Bang Sue Grand Station.

Krungkasem Srikung Hotel

• Walking distance from Station: 400 metres by road or 150 metres (via canal bridge)
• Star Rating: 2 stars

To reach the hotel from the station, turn right on coming out the main entrance of Bangkok train station, go across the car park and over the closest canal bridge. The hotel is directly in front of the over side of the canal bridge, across the road.

This long established budget hotel has basic rooms with free WiFi, air-conditioning, en-suite bathroom, balcony and satellite TV from 980 THB per night. For the price it is great value for money and the views over the train station and the city are some of the best in any Bangkok hotel.

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