Train travel

[joydivision101]

Hi all

Has any of the Bm ever traveled by train in Thailand??....i'm thinking of doing one week Phuket then Chiang Mai then pattaya

Just wondering if its a feasible / good way of seeing the country

Any info welcome, eg, Price..conditions of trains (that sort of thing)

Regards jd

[erik1]

train from surat thani to bangkok takes about 10-11 hours and is i believe a night train. Had to do it ones and will not do it again

[kjo2]

Originally Posted by joydivision101

Hi all

Has any of the Bm ever traveled by train in Thailand??....i'm thinking of doing one week Phuket then Chiang Mai then pattaya

Just wondering if its a feasible / good way of seeing the country

Any info welcome, eg, Price..conditions of trains (that sort of thing)

Regards jd

Hi - here is a VERY good link about train travel in Thailand. Just about everything there is to know. Enjoy

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

[joydivision101]

Cheers Kjo2.....will check it out

jd

[Raval]

Originally Posted by joydivision101

Hi all

Has any of the Bm ever traveled by train in Thailand??....i'm thinking of doing one week Phuket then Chiang Mai then pattaya

Just wondering if its a feasible / good way of seeing the country

Any info welcome, eg, Price..conditions of trains (that sort of thing)

Regards jd

Last Summer I traveled from BKK to Chiang Mai by train. It was a night train, leaving BKK at 6 pm and arriving in CM at 6 am. Cost about 800 THB. For that price they turn your seat into a bed at night. You could have a guite good dinner in the train and large beers where also available. But if you take this train, you won't see anything from the country, because it's dark. When you are alone I would recommend the plane. Although I found the train not bad at all, the plane is better (1 hour BKK to CM) and you will have a flight for about 1500 THB. Maybe when you are with a group, the train can be fun.

Cheers,

Raval

PS. Another possibility is by bus. It's slightly faster than the train, a little bit cheaper, but not very comfortable. And the one I had was also driving during the night, so you couldn't enjoy the view.

[joydivision101]

Originally Posted by Raval

Last Summer I traveled from BKK to Chiang Mai by train. It was a night train, leaving BKK at 6 pm and arriving in CM at 6 am. Cost about 800 THB. For that price they turn your seat into a bed at night. You could have a guite good dinner in the train and large beers where also available. But if you take this train, you won't see anything from the country, because it's dark. When you are alone I would recommend the plane. Although I found the train not bad at all, the plane is better (1 hour BKK to CM) and you will have a flight for about 1500 THB. Maybe when you are with a group, the train can be fun.

Cheers,

Raval

PS. Another possibility is by bus. It's slightly faster than the train, a little bit cheaper, but not very comfortable. And the one I had was also driving during the night, so you couldn't enjoy the view.

Cheers Ravel

I didn't know that internal flights were so cheep in Thailand...wsa thinking of the train due to price, comfort and view (theres no way i would do the bus...too long and too uncomfortable )

Think it will be a flights for me

with internal flights can i just go up to phuket airport and hop on the next one or do i have to pre book via an agent ??(just a thought)

jd

[Talbotman]

ONCE DID bangkok to huahin return by train journey time by taxi or bus 2 hours 45 minutes by train 5 hours 10 minutes the train stops at so many stations en route it was a journey from hell uncomfartable seats and to make things worse i had a dose of the eartha kitts (toilet troubles) it was a night mare would never do it again no matter what the price . Only train i would do again is the train from bangkok to kanchanaburi (river kwai) it was an unforgetable journey for me one that i intend to relive in july this year.

[JayBee]

Originally Posted by joydivision101

I didn't know that internal flights were so cheep in Thailand...
Think it will be a flights for me

Price ranges for one-way flights:

BKK to CM - Orient Air: 1350(early bird special) to 1600 Baht
Nok Air: 1450 to 1550 Baht
Air Asia: 1230(early bird flight) to 1550 Baht

BKK to Phuket - Orient Air: 1600 Baht
Nok Air: 1650 to 2000 Baht
Air Asia: 1550 to 1650

Thai Airways is about 500 Baht more.

Originally Posted by joydivision101

with internal flights can i just go up to phuket airport and hop on the next one or do i have to pre book via an agent ??(just a thought)

You can buy tickets at the airport or book online. I think you have to buy the ticket 2 hours before scheduled flight departure time. It is very easy to buy the ticket on the internet at the Nok, Orient Air, Air Asia, or Thai Air websites. If you have problems with your credit card on the website, just call the number given there, and a live person will book the flight for you at a charge of only 20 Baht extra!

[butterflyblonde]

I would suggest the plane too Joy Division.

With many flights as cheap as they are, (especially Nok Air & Air Asia) it is worth paying the extra so that you will spend more time in each destination and less time getting there

[JayBee]

Originally Posted by Talbotman

ONCE DID bangkok to huahin return by train journey time by taxi or bus 2 hours 45 minutes by train 5 hours 10 minutes the train stops at so many stations en route it was a journey from hell uncomfartable seats and to make things worse i had a dose of the eartha kitts (toilet troubles) it was a night mare would never do it again no matter what the price . Only train i would do again is the train from bangkok to kanchanaburi (river kwai) it was an unforgetable journey for me one that i intend to relive in july this year.

Did BKK to Hua Hin. Had a great time eating and drinking in the diner car! The ticket was only 382 Baht. I found the seats to be very comfortable. Everyone got two seats to himself as it was very uncrowded. It did take 5 hours, but htey leave you off only a block from the middle of town, so it is very convenient.

On the way back, it may have been better to take the bus, because the train was coming all the way from south of Surat Thani and was over an hour late getting to Hua Hin! Except for that, it was a nice ride.

I rode 2nd class sleeper this year, very comfy from BKK to Surat Thani for only 450 Baht. Had a great dinner, drinks, and laughs in the diner, and slept ike a baby until we reached Surat Thani in the morning. Much cheaper than spending the night in a hotel, plus I got to Surat Thani. From there bus and boat to Samui was 290 Baht. All in all, a very enjoyable time.

On the way back, took 1st class. Very, very comfy. Great if you've got a girl with you, as you have your own private compartment for two people. A bit more pricy, though. 1500 Baht per person including boat/bus tickets. But given the fact that there are no discount airlines between Samui and BKK,not so bad. The cheapest airfare for two was 7500 Baht vs. train/boat fare of 3000, so I still saved over a $100 US.

I've ridden back and forth from Chiang Mai to BKK before. There again, you catch the train around 5:00 or 6:00, and get to your destination the next morning. If you like to eat, drink, and sleep on trains, as I do, it is a great deal: good transportation, fun, and save a night's hotel expense. I can't remember what a ticket cost me. But I still remember the Dutch girl I met on the train! Great time with her, and she showed me around BKK, as well!

I only took the train from Phuket to BKK once, and wouldn't do it again. The ride from Phuket to Surat Thani train station in a minibus was long and tedious, then there was a long, boring wait at a bus station in Surat Thani before going to the train station. All in all, it took 24 hours to get to BKK. Unacceptable!!

But by and large, if you are not in a hurry, and you like trains, as I do, it is a great way to go. And you do see a bit of the country, as the trains leave when it is light out and arrive after sunrise, so there is an hour or two where you see the countryside along the way, even when you take the night trains!

[wylos]

i found the train service to be alright(for a change)..........

i done the Udon to surathani(mission),with a couple of days in BKK stopover

got my head down from udon to BKK,with visit up to the buffet cart,which was good,nice grub and cold beers,well id be kicking up a fuss if they didnt.

but the BKK to surathani was messy to say the least,we had shit loads of alchool(just stocked up from LAOS).
there was 4 of us already gettin on the drink,by the end of it the whole carrage was havin a party,despite a few telling us to be quiet.
we had the 2nd class sleeper,which is just like 1st,but less the AC,and with fans which i prefered,well if i known we were gonna be up allnight drinking i would of just bought a seat ticket,even cheaper .
With a group
it can be fun and if u got time on your hands,why not??,but for those on 2 week holiday,id say its precious time lost(depending on your destination).i.e...if your going to phuket....have to wait at surathani for maybe1-2-3 hours for your bus,then that takes another 3 hours or so.....

we did consider using the bus,maybe a tad quicker and a bit less pricey....but i like the idea of being able to get up (more space) and have a walk around.

just my thoughts.

[joydivision101]

Cheers all.....the plan was to see abit of the country...ie landscapes as it goes by...i NEVER sleep when i travel no matter what i do so night train would have to be a miss...on reflection to the sort of landscapes that i saw last time i;ll give train (and definatly bus) a wide bearth..as Wylos put it..getting up and walking round has alot to say for it...but your not in the air for long

as Butterfly put it
With many flights as cheap as they are, (especially Nok Air & Air Asia) it is worth paying the extra so that you will spend more time in each destination and less time getting there

it will be worth the few extra quid and the sorter space of time to fly

jd

[mars]

Thai air also have a daily direct flight from Chiang mai at 11.15 landing Phuket 13.10 but a bit more expensive at B5,095.

I thought there was one in the other direction but can't find it now.

[sandymellis]

I have recently returned from my first trip to Thailand ( Chiang Mai - Phuket - Bangkok)

I used 3 different domestic carriers for my internal flights, all of which I easily booked online before leaving the UK.

Bangkok - Chiang Mai - Airasia
Chiang Mai - Phuket - Thaiair
Phuket - Bangkok - Nokair (upgraded to Nokplus for the extra luggage allowance)

I really cannot fault any of these airlines as each flight left on time and from check-in to arrival everything was spot on.

Originally Posted by JayBee

Price ranges for one-way flights:

BKK to CM - Orient Air: 1350(early bird special) to 1600 Baht
Nok Air: 1450 to 1550 Baht
Air Asia: 1230(early bird flight) to 1550 Baht

BKK to Phuket - Orient Air: 1600 Baht
Nok Air: 1650 to 2000 Baht
Air Asia: 1550 to 1650

Thai Airways is about 500 Baht more.



You can buy tickets at the airport or book online. I think you have to buy the ticket 2 hours before scheduled flight departure time. It is very easy to buy the ticket on the internet at the Nok, Orient Air, Air Asia, or Thai Air websites. If you have problems with your credit card on the website, just call the number given there, and a live person will book the flight for you at a charge of only 20 Baht extra!