Trains from Surat Thani to Chiang Mai

To travel by train from Surat Thani to Chiang Mai you need to change trains at Bangkok’s main train station.  You have the option of either taking a sleeper train from Surat Thani to Bangkok to connect with the day train to Chiang Mai, or of taking a sleeper train to Bangkok and then another sleeper train to Chiang Mai, which gives you a free day to explore Bangkok’s exciting China Town. The main attractions of Bangkok’s China Town are within walking distance of Bangkok train station. The journey by train from Surat Thani to Bangkok takes from 9 to 13 hours and the journey by train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai takes 11 to 14 hours depending upon which trains you take.

Train Tickets from Surat Thani to Chiang Mai

You need to book two separate train tickets for this journey. There are several different combinations of trains you can book, and different seat types available. Below is our suggestion as to the best combination of trains to take on this jouney, travelling in 2nd Class A/C sleeper seats.

• Train 1: Surat Thani to Bangkok

• Train 2: Bangkok to Chiang Mai

• Cost: The total cost of these two tickets booked online is 2,439 THB.
• Waiting Time: The scheduled waiting time between trains is 9 hours 45 minutes, although trains from Surat Thani to Bangkok are frequently 1 to 2 hours late so the waiting time is likely to be less.
• Activities in Bangkok: Bangkok train station is located in the historic China Town district of Bangkok, and walking distance from the river, so there are plenty of places nearby to visit whilst you are waiting for the train to Chiang Mai.
• Left Luggage: We recommend that you make use of the inexpensive left luggage service at Bangkok train station. Click on the link in red for more details.

Buy Tickets to Chiang Mai

Use the Search Box below to find your train tickets from Surat Thani to Chiang Mai:

For individual train tickets from Surat Thani to Bangkok and from Bangkok to Chiang Mai you need to change the origin and destination of the journey in the Search Box.

• Surat Thani to Bangkok: For the first section of the journey search for ‘Surat Thani’ to ‘Bangkok’ to find Surat Thani to Bangkok train tickets.
• Bangkok to Chiang Mai: For the first section of the journey search for ‘Bangkok’ to ‘Chiang Mai’ to find Bangkok to Chiang Mai train tickets.

Trains to Chiang Mai

There are 10 direct trains per day from Surat Thani to Bangkok and 5 direct trains per day from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Trains from Surat Thani terminate at Bangkok Hua Lamphong Train Station and trains to Chiang Mai also depart from the same station.

• Please note: The services shaded in grey are not currently operating.

Times of connecting train services from Surat Thani to Chiang Mai:

• If you arrive into Bangkok after 08:30 in the morning then you need to take one of the 4 overnight trains (Trains #109, #9, #13 or #51) from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
• If you want to enjoy the great scenery on the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai then take Train #7 from Bangkok to Chiang Mai departing at 08:30, which means you need to book one of the trains from Surat Thani arriving in Bangkok before 08:30 in the morning to make your connection.
• Train #42/44 departing from Surat Thani at 21:05 is a sprinter train with no sleeper berths. All the other overnight trains from Surat Thani to Bangkok have sleeper berths available.
• All 4 overnight trains from Bangkok to Chiang Mai have sleeper berths available. The least comfortable overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is Train #109 which is an older model of train with no air-conditioned carriages. Climate control on Train #109 is ceiling fans and open windows.

Surat Thani Train Station

Surat Thani train station is not located in Surat Thani itself, but in the small town of Phunphin around 16 km to the West of Surat Thani City Centre. For more information about travel to Surat Thani train station click on the links in red below the location map:

See more information about:

• From Koh Samui to Surat Thani
• From Koh Phangan to Surat Thani
• From Koh Phi Phi to Surat Thani
• From Koh Lanta to Surat Thani
• From Phuket to Surat Thani

Spending Time In Bangkok

Bangkok train station, known locally as Hua Lamphong Railway Station, is the terminus for 4 out of 5 of Thailand’s major railway lines. The Southern Line running from Sungai Kolok to Bangkok, via Surat Thani, terminates at Hua Lamphong Railway Station and the Northern running up to Bangkok starts at Hua Lamphong Train Station. If you plan to change trains in Thailand, most likely you will end up spending some time at Hua Lamphong Railway Station. Hua Lamphong Railway Station was constructed in 1916 right in the heart of what was then Bangkok’s commercial centre: the Yaowarat District of Bangkok, commonly known as Bangkok China Town. Yaowarat is one of the most interesting parts of Bangkok with lots of temples, markets and other historical buildings all within walking distance of the train station.

There are literally hundreds of things to do and see within walking distance of Hua Lamphong Railway Station, but the most popular three attractions are:

• Wat Traimit: Only 550 metres walk from the train station this impressive temple houses the world’s largest gold statute. The Buddha statue at Wat Traimit weighs an incredible 5,500 kilograms of pure gold and has an interesting history. The monks at the temple had no idea the statue was made of gold until one day in 1955 the statue was dropped whilst being moved and the clay casing around the gold broke revealing the solid gold underneath.
• Sampeng Lane Market: 1,300 walk from the train station, Sampeng Lane Market is the largest and most exciting market in Bangkok’s China Town. The market runs for several kilometres along the narrow Soi Wanit 1 (Sampeng Lane). The market has different sections selling everything from clothes to watches. Much of what is on sale is wholesale and this is where the market traders you see in other parts of Bangkok, such as Patpong Night Market, come to buy their wares.
• Chao Phraya Express Boat Pier: 1,200 metres walk from the train station is Pier Number 4 (The Marine Pier) of the Chao Phraya Express Boat Company. This is Bangkok’s commuter service on the river and it is very cheap (14 to 18 THB for most journeys). As well as being one of the cheapest river cruises you will find in any capital city in world the Chao Phraya Express service connects Bangkok train station to other exciting locations near to the river, such as the Khao San Road and the Grand Palace.

Chiang Mai Train Station

Chiang Mai train station is located on the Charoen Muang Road on the East side of the Ping River. From Chiang Mai train station it is 3.3 km to the Tha Phae Gate ,which is closest of the four entrances to Chiang Mai’s old town.

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