# Train travel in Thailand



## ZTraveler

Of course, as I continue my research on Thailand (wanting to be fully prepared upon arrival), I was thinking that, no matter where in the country I am, if I have to travel out of the country for visa renewal I thought I might use the train!

Why? Because I love train travel, and I wanted to see if the trains were adequate for long-distance. I found a rail website that said, "Thailand has one of the best metre-gauge rail systems in the world, and train travel is easily the best way to get around & see the country." With that kind of praise I had to check it out!

So, with out-of-country travel for visa purposes, I thought of going South to Singapore, and the website said, "Taking the train is also a wonderful way to travel between Bangkok, Penang, Kuala Lumpur & Singapore, the 1,249-mile journey to Singapore takes 48 hours & costs a mere $60/£40 or so one-way including a sleeper berth for both nights." Wow! Impressive and cheap.

If I go North to visit my friends in Vientianne, the site said, "It's easy to travel from Bangkok to Vientiane (or vice versa) by train, using the daily overnight sleeper train direct from Bangkok to Nong Khai and a special connecting local train to the new international rail terminal at Thanaleng in Laos, some 13 km outside Vientiane. The train uses the new rail link over the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong river into Laos, opened on 5 March 2009. You can then take a local bus or tuk tuk to central Vientiane. It's safe, cheap and comfortable." Again, seems right up my alley.

So, if you need to travel out-of-the-country for visa purposes, seems rail might be the way to go. If you want to check this information for yourself, check out Train travel in Thailand | Train times & fares from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Ko Samui, Phuket, Nong Kai etc. :shocked:


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## jb44

ZTraveler said:


> Of course, as I continue my research on Thailand (wanting to be fully prepared upon arrival), I was thinking that, no matter where in the country I am, if I have to travel out of the country for visa renewal I thought I might use the train!
> 
> Why? Because I love train travel, and I wanted to see if the trains were adequate for long-distance. I found a rail website that said, "Thailand has one of the best metre-gauge rail systems in the world, and train travel is easily the best way to get around & see the country." With that kind of praise I had to check it out!
> 
> So, with out-of-country travel for visa purposes, I thought of going South to Singapore, and the website said, "Taking the train is also a wonderful way to travel between Bangkok, Penang, Kuala Lumpur & Singapore, the 1,249-mile j[COLOR="[B]Black"]ourney to Singapore takes 48 hours & costs a mere $60/£40 or so one-way including a sleeper berth for both nights." Wow! Impressive and cheap.[/B]
> 
> You will not be saying that when you wake up in the morning,that is if you ever get to sleep.
> Fly down to Penang,Butterworth (Penang) take the night sleeper if you must to KL,take pre paid taxi to Petronas Tower(,need to get in q early ,before 8) Night there then onward to Singapore,no Fri or Sat stay ,hotels are expensive,see the WW 2 battlesite.
> Back to Gervis (Malaysia) night in Tropicana hotel,then jungle line up to Thai border,get off 2 stops before terminus,taxi to Thai border ,then train to BKK (if you must)
> 
> Half price if over 60 in Malaysia and Singapore. Think Rail travel now fin in Singapore tho


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## Mweiga

ZTraveler said:


> Of course, as I continue my research on Thailand (wanting to be fully prepared upon arrival), I was thinking that, no matter where in the country I am, if I have to travel out of the country for visa renewal I thought I might use the train!
> 
> Why? Because I love train travel, and I wanted to see if the trains were adequate for long-distance. I found a rail website that said, "Thailand has one of the best metre-gauge rail systems in the world, and train travel is easily the best way to get around & see the country." With that kind of praise I had to check it out!
> 
> So, with out-of-country travel for visa purposes, I thought of going South to Singapore, and the website said, "Taking the train is also a wonderful way to travel between Bangkok, Penang, Kuala Lumpur & Singapore, the 1,249-mile journey to Singapore takes 48 hours & costs a mere $60/£40 or so one-way including a sleeper berth for both nights." Wow! Impressive and cheap.
> 
> If I go North to visit my friends in Vientianne, the site said, "It's easy to travel from Bangkok to Vientiane (or vice versa) by train, using the daily overnight sleeper train direct from Bangkok to Nong Khai and a special connecting local train to the new international rail terminal at Thanaleng in Laos, some 13 km outside Vientiane. The train uses the new rail link over the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong river into Laos, opened on 5 March 2009. You can then take a local bus or tuk tuk to central Vientiane. It's safe, cheap and comfortable." Again, seems right up my alley.
> 
> So, if you need to travel out-of-the-country for visa purposes, seems rail might be the way to go. If you want to check this information for yourself, check out Train travel in Thailand | Train times & fares from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Ko Samui, Phuket, Nong Kai etc. :shocked:


Don't forget you only get 15 days visa for entries into Thailand by land while airport entries get the full 30 days. The train / road route may be fun the first couple of times but will get pretty wearisome when you have to do it repeatedly every two weeks.


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## duncbUK

A valid point by the second person to respond to your post re: land entry borders to thailand being 15 days
I agree train travel is nice, and better than (from where I am ) spending 500b in a taxi to go to the airport, wait in queues...... arrive in another airport, and another taxi somewhere, is not my idea of fun. From my experiene trains in thailand are clean and comfortable and often have a "catering" coach where you can drink, eat, smoke.... as is your choice. 

Enjoy



Mweiga said:


> Don't forget you only get 15 days visa for entries into Thailand by land while airport entries get the full 30 days. The train / road route may be fun the first couple of times but will get pretty wearisome when you have to do it repeatedly every two weeks.


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## Song_Si

The up to 15 days is a '_permission to stay_' stamp, not a visa, if a person arrives via a land crossing; it is for up to 30 days for arrival by air.

If Ztraveler is considering train/bus/land crossing for visa travel - he can apply for a Tourist Visa in any of Singapore/KL/Penang and return by land/train, allowing 60 days plus another 30 on extension from Immigration within Thailand.

EDIT - now have a thread containing Tourist Visa info


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## Song_Si

*On the rails of Thailand*

article here - *On the rails of Thailand* - from the Asia News Network about train travel in Thailand

The scene along the route to Chiang Mai was gorgeous. I got up in the early morning of the second day and found the view outside the window noticeably different from Bangkok and its suburbs. The train was travelling through the mountain jungles of northern Thailand, distinctive from the plains near Bangkok. When it moved into the basins within the mountains, beautiful paddy fields and banana plantations flew past in front of me. I was amazed by the tropical scenes as if I entered into a magical kingdom.​
full story


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## Song_Si

this site 
A beginner's guide to Train travel in Thailand . . . ha plenty of information, links and timetables

and info from State Railway of Thailand (SRT)

and even more reading here: Introduction to Thai Railways









Bangkok Hualamphong Station, showing ticket office & the advance booking windows


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