RANT : Pattaya to BKK by train

[mercman24]

been to Bangkok quite a few times by bus, fancied a change, OK the train takes 4 hours to go 100ks,  ?? <deleted>. but why the hell does it leave at 14-15, the dam day is gone time one gets there , at 18-15,  and only one train a day. there was me thinking leave early get there about 10 am ,, WRONG !! grr only in Thailand springs to mind

[NCC1701A]

did you check the schedule on line? or ask when buying the ticket? you got all the way to the train station without knowing when the train would leave and how long it would take? 

 

11 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

OK the train takes 4 hours to go 100ks, 

   

[johng]

Yes only one train each way per day...on the weekend you can use the special aircon blue tourist train at premium price...don't think its any quicker though.

[Jan Dietz]

Can't beat the price though. Even walking is more expensive as you have to bring water.

[ThePioneer]

Calm down, I have just forwarded this thread to the SRT, and I expect a reply in the next few hours that in the future they will adjust their train schedule to the needs of a certain Mercman24

 

 

 

 

Edited September 25, 2019 by ThePioneer

[tubby johnson]

1 hour ago, mercman24 said:

the dam day is gone time one gets there , at 18-15

No, that's when the day - and the fun - truly starts. 

 

Kudos to you for leaving Pattaya, though. Horrendous cess pool of a town.

[HeyHeyHey]

Try BKK - Hua Hin next time

 

After 1.5 hours you will be at the exact same distance away from Hua Hin

[IvorLott]

Back in the good old days when drinking was allowed on trains, this used to be a top way of getting back to Bangkok; one we used to use often as an alternative to the bus. A nice brekkie while meeting up, a few 'looseners' in town, a cab up to the station, kick back and enjoy the gentle roll up to BKK, enjoying banter with the 'bucket girls', giving them a roaring trade, dive off the train in Makkasan, nip to the hotel in Lower Suk, quick shower then out for the night...

Oh they were glorious days and nights!!!

Sadly Thai trains aren't built for speed, nor comfort but they were fun and it beats the white knuckle road alternatives. I know that Eastern seaboard route has been touted regularly for an upgrade over the years but as yet it seems to be rather on the forgotten list. 

[Nyezhov]

Anything beats a bus. Except maybe a minibus.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Nyezhov

[Ireland32]

On 9/25/2019 at 4:41 PM, NCC1701A said:

did you check the schedule on line? or ask when buying the ticket? you got all the way to the train station without knowing when the train would leave and how long it would take? 

 

   

Seat61 google it

[natway09]

SRT are the people who think they can run high speed trains. They are the most useless Govt Dept in the world.

The dual track should have been built 50 years ago but instead they just waste all their millions of rental income on stupid things (it is certainly not maintenance) The Government needs to grab them by the ear & demand they start dual tracking all their tracks for a start & forget about the Prime Ministers schoolboy fascination for high speed trains which will put us indebt to the Chinese forever (shades of Cambodia)

[reargunnerph3]

If there was more than one a day they would probably collide so only one a day for safety. 555

[jesimps]

On 9/25/2019 at 5:37 PM, tubby johnson said:

No, that's when the day - and the fun - truly starts. 

 

Kudos to you for leaving Pattaya, though. Horrendous cess pool of a town.

There's a good chance  that if you ever get to visit here you'll change your opinion. 12 years and I still love the place. Beats living  in a hut in a jungle clearing.

[Suradit69]

On September 25, 2019 at 4:28 PM, mercman24 said:

only in Thailand springs to mind

Yes only in Thailand would some farang assume that limited train service would be rescheduled to accommodate his plans. Did you notify them that you would be traveling on a certain date so they could lay on the champagne and red carpet and also tell the driver to cut the time of the journey?

[sandyf]

55 minutes ago, reargunnerph3 said:

If there was more than one a day they would probably collide so only one a day for safety. 555

The trains run about every 20 minutes, the line is only a couple of hundred yards from my house. Been dual track now for about 5 years.

The problem is there is only the one passenger train a day the rest are freight. It leaves BKK around 06.30 and i think terminates near Sattahip, then returns to BKK. It is free to the Thais and very cheap for the foreigner, think I was 23 baht Chonburi to BKK.

It is relatively quick from Pattaya to Chonburi, about an hour, same as driving. It is further down the line it becomes slow, stopping at every small station on the way.

[Mick501]

Had the exact same problem at the airport.   Turned up and wanted to go right away, but they made me wait until the scheduled departure time.   Incompetent fools!

[1FinickyOne]

On 9/25/2019 at 4:28 PM, mercman24 said:

grr only in Thailand springs to mind

I just don't get this... you have a problem that a train departs at 2 pm?? only in Thailand? I am sure planes,trains and busses leave at 2 pm all over the world...

 

if you complain abt this, life must be pretty good... 

[johng]

The trains run about every 20 minutes, the line is only a couple of hundred yards from my house. Been dual track now for about 5 years.
The problem is there is only the one passenger train a day the rest are freight. It leaves BKK around 06.30 and i think terminates near Sattahip, then returns to BKK. It is free to the Thais and very cheap for the foreigner, think I was 23 baht Chonburi to BKK.
It is relatively quick from Pattaya to Chonburi, about an hour, same as driving. It is further down the line it becomes slow, stopping at every small station on the way.

I'm even closer less than 100 meters but a bit further south towards Sattahip..the dual track stops in Pattaya ,further south it's still single track...everyday there is 2x passenger service ,4 man inspection train,very long oil tanker train and at least 1 long shipping container train.

[newnative]

On 9/25/2019 at 5:37 PM, tubby johnson said:

No, that's when the day - and the fun - truly starts. 

 

Kudos to you for leaving Pattaya, though. Horrendous cess pool of a town.

     Thank you for managing to get your nasty comment regarding Pattaya into your response.  I'll add you to the growing list of posters that just can't quit Pattaya and must always make a bad comment at any opportunity on a place they don't live in--but clearly maintains quite a hold on them or why bother to comment.

[Gandtee]

I used to love the train from Plutaluang to Bangkok. A couple of beers or a flask of gin and tonic. Sit back and relax. Now I do the mad dash by car. Why? Don't ask me.????

[liddelljohn]

problem is the train swings by Chacheongsao   and thats why its 4hours instead of 3 ,, also the 60kmh speed and that its stops at every rural nowhere place ,, if they ran it at 120kmh and express  only major cities it could be less than 2 hours ,with the appropriate rolling stock and upgrades

[IvorLott]

16 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

I used to love the train from Plutaluang to Bangkok. A couple of beers or a flask of gin and tonic. Sit back and relax. Now I do the mad dash by car. Why? Don't ask me.????

 

I hear you my friend! The train in Thailand used to be a great way to have a few beers, roll into Bangkok primed for meeting pals and having a night out. When I lived in Lopburi, it used to be a great little run into BKK every Friday evening. I used to get the 2.30 (ish) train down, find a bit of space, slam on the tunes, pop the top off a few, and roll into Bangkok a few hours later, refreshed and relaxed, having made the bucket ladies richer by some way. God forbid if I ever missed that train and had to rely on the minivan which pelted down at nasty speeds and wasn't conducive to a nice peaceful start to the weekend, though I think the OP would disagree as he seems to want to be everywhere 'yesterday', as I understand the saying goes.

[zhorik]

I would imagine the problem is not enough sidings and an useless signalling system combined with poor software.

It does seem incredible that any rail system would not capitalise on what it has, it could surely place a few higher speed trains

that do not stop at every station.  After all the Thai system is newer than the british system. Maybe they shoudl  get a THai DR beeching.

[mrbeerguy]

I really loved those train routes as well.Buying from the bucket ladies and seeing a different scenery along the tracks and People watching.I think I will try again soon.13 Baht fare in the 90”s Stayed in Chachoengsao and Lopuri on these runs.great memories going to lower Sukh.as well.

[Nyezhov]

10 hours ago, IvorLott said:

 

I hear you my friend! The train in Thailand used to be a great way to have a few beers, roll into Bangkok primed for meeting pals and having a night out. When I lived in Lopburi, it used to be a great little run into BKK every Friday evening. I used to get the 2.30 (ish) train down, find a bit of space, slam on the tunes, pop the top off a few, and roll into Bangkok a few hours later, refreshed and relaxed, having made the bucket ladies richer by some way. God forbid if I ever missed that train and had to rely on the minivan which pelted down at nasty speeds and wasn't conducive to a nice peaceful start to the weekend, though I think the OP would disagree as he seems to want to be everywhere 'yesterday', as I understand the saying goes.

I like the trains and up to about 4 hours, even the 3rd class is fine.

 

I like the fact that I can go 250 kilometers for like 90 cents. SRT works for me.

[TPI]

15 hours ago, sandyf said:

The trains run about every 20 minutes, the line is only a couple of hundred yards from my house. Been dual track now for about 5 years.

The problem is there is only the one passenger train a day the rest are freight. It leaves BKK around 06.30 and i think terminates near Sattahip, then returns to BKK. It is free to the Thais and very cheap for the foreigner, think I was 23 baht Chonburi to BKK.

It is relatively quick from Pattaya to Chonburi, about an hour, same as driving. It is further down the line it becomes slow, stopping at every small station on the way.

Travelling by VIP bus takes 4 hours from Pattaya via Sri racha, Au "something", Chonburi, chat chun sao to get anywhere near equal to BKK...a nonsense trip!

[essox essox]

as far as I know it takes around FIVE hrs to get to Bkk....leaving patts and is MORE than 100kms...

The return train leaves bkk at 6.55 in a morning....arrive patts 5 hrs later.

It takes so long as it stops at many smaller stations en route....!!

[mercman24]

yes i did do a check, just fancied a change, lived here for years, some stupid replies on here by the way, (usual keyboard idiots to be expected)i would have thought it was common sense to have an early train going to the Capital City, whats up with you lot it was tongue in cheek <deleted>, the bus is 119 now (up from 109) and takes just over 2 hours

Edited September 28, 2019 by mercman24

[essox essox]

Just now, mercman24 said:

yes i did do a check, just fancied a change, lived here for years, some stupid replies on here by the way, (usual keyboard idiots to be expected)i would have thought it was common sense to have an early train going to the Capital City, whats up with you lot it was tongue in cheek <deleted>,

look the timetable has been the same as long as I remember....2006 when i came and, i think, the ticket costs 39 baht now......

[essox essox]

23 minutes ago, TPI said:

Travelling by VIP bus takes 4 hours from Pattaya via Sri racha, Au "something", Chonburi, chat chun sao to get anywhere near equal to BKK...a nonsense trip!

it is AU UDOM !!!