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Train Travel in Thailand
Thailand has an excellent railway network and train travel is one of the cheapest and most comfortable ways to travel around Thailand . Often preferred for long distance journeys train travel with the main advantage of sleeper berths which can make an overnight journey seem very quick indeed. Also by train you can stretch your legs and have a walk around which is important considering some destinations may take 12 or more hours to reach. Train travel is of course not restricted to the main roads of Thailand and cuts through much of the countryside allowing passengers to really appreciate the beauty of Thailand .
All trains have a restaurant coach where you can purchase food and drink at reasonable costs, though following the tradition of worldwide train travel the food is not the best and for those that may get hungry on a long journey it is worth taking some of your own food with you. On sleeper trains you will at some point be asked if you would like to order a breakfast dish that will be ready for you when you wake in the morning. Vendors will continually travel the train coaches selling cold soft drinks and beer, and at every train stop people will get on to sell their local food stuffs to you, whether it's fruit, meats, biscuits and cakes, or rice dishes.
There are four major railway lines in Thailand and the only major town which cannot be reached by train in Thailand is Phuket.
Thailand Railway Lines
Northern Thailand Railway Line
One of the most popular train travel routes in Thailand, this railway line leaves from Bangkok up to Chiang Mai passing though many towns including the well known Ayutthaya and Lop Buri. You can also reach Don Muang train station on this route for access to Bangkok International Airport .
North Eastern Thailand Railway Line
For train travel into the Isaan area of Thailand there are two lines one of which travels to Nong Kai on the Laos border and the other to Ubon Ratchathani, passing through Ayutthaya, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani amongst others. Once again you can reach the airport at Don Muang via this railway line.
Eastern Thailand Railway Line
The Eastern railway line is relatively short and you can travel from Bangkok to Ban Plutaluang, passing through Aranyaprathet, Chonburi and the popular beach resort area of Pattaya City .
Southern Thailand Railway Line
This line travels to the Southern Thailand border where you can connect with the Singapore line which runs through Malaysia . It starts of course at Bangkok and passes through many towns including Petchaburi, Hua Hin, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Trang, Hat Yai, Yala, Sungai Kolok, Padang Besar and Butterworth. For those people that wish to travel to the South Eastern Islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangnan then you need to alight at Surat Thani and take a boat across. If you wish to travel to Koh Tao then you can also stop at Chumphon and take a boat from there.
Western Thailand Railway Line
Actually considered part of the Southern Line this is the shortest railway line that travels through the popular River Kwai area in Kanchanaburi and as far as Nam Tok.
Thailand Railway Travel Classes
There are three ticket classes for train travel in Thailand .
1st Class Thailand Train Travel
As expected the most comfortable way to travel, First class train travel provides a lockable air conditioned sleeper compartment which has room for two people. First class train tickets sell out the quickest so you will always share with one other person, though for safety and to ensure degree of privacy this is always someone of the same sex. Each berth contains a washbasin, stow away table and fresh bedding, towels and soap are provided.
If you wish to travel by first class you need to book early and choose the correct train as first class berths are only available on selected overnight trains. Luggage is stored in your berth and you are advised to buy your ticket very early as they are booked out quickly especially during Thai national holidays.
2nd Class Thailand Train Travel
Second class trains do not have their own private berths but instead come as air conditioned and non-air-conditioned (fan cooled) coaches. For the train travel by day on the shorter trips you can choose just a seat, and for the longer overnight journeys then you choose a sleeper.
When you choose a second class sleeper during the day you have seat at around 9:00 pm staff come round to place the seats together to form a lower bunk and fold the upper bunk out of the wall. At this point you will also be provided with fresh bedding and a set of curtains to give you a little privacy in your bunk. When you book your ticket you can choose upper or lower berth with the upper berth being a little cheaper as they are slightly narrower, although they do tend to get folded away later than the lower berths so if you need that little extra sleep in the morning then they may be more suitable. In general the lower bunks are turned back into seats around 7:00am with the upper bunks being folded away a little later.
Luggage can be stored in racks next to your bunk and the State Railway of Thailand's official luggage allowance is one big bag or suitcase per traveller though it does not seem to be strictly adhered to. Foreign visitors usually travel by second class and air conditioned coaches are generally preferred by most, tickets are of course best purchased as soon as possible and at least 1-2 days before you wish to depart as they may otherwise be booked out especially during Thai holidays or when special events or on in the area you wish to travel to.
3rd Class Thailand Train Travel
Unless you're travelling for a short time then the 3rd class train coaches are best avoided as they are usually very crowded and only provide small hard seats to sit on. Train tickets for 3rd class travel cannot be pre-booked and sell just before the train departs and the only real advantage of this class of train travel is it's very cheap.
Thailand Train Travel Safety
The State Railway of Thailand has a good safety record and it's a cheap safe way of travelling around Thailand . Incidents of theft are very rare though if you would like to take extra precautions you can of course lock your luggage making it harder to access and of course a little common sense should be exercised such as not leaving valuables lying out in the open. For your extra protection travel police patrol the trains day and night ensuring the safety of passengers.
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