Why does SRT (State Railway of Thailand) booking website breakdown so frequently ?

[thairookie]

Is SRT the only unreliable website ?  I have been trying to book tickets on SRT official site.  80% of the time the website is not accessible.  Why ?

[Almudena]

It's best not to use it, it doesn't show all the available seats/cabins available on the trains.  Tickets can be bought up to 60 days in at any staffed passenger rail station where they have more seating options than the website and there's no booking fee.

[thairookie]

6 minutes ago, Almudena said:

It's best not to use it, it doesn't show all the available seats/cabins available on the trains.  Tickets can be bought up to 60 days in at any staffed passenger rail station where they have more seating options than the website and there's no booking fee.

I will arrive in Chiangmai, and in a matter of 3 days I will take a train from Chiangmai to Bangkok.  I'm afraid I will not be able to get a ticket, especially a cabin room where tickets are very limited.

[Golden Triangle]

It's just following the example set by it's trains ????

[Crossy]

11 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

It's just following the example set by it's trains ????

 

That was my immediate thought on reading the topic title ???? 

[Almudena]

Another suggestion would be is to get in contact will a local travel agent in Chiang Mai and get them to purchase the tickets directly from the Station for you for a nominal fee.

[Tropposurfer]

I was told its the hamsters ... they get tired and refuse to run on those treadmills 

[lopburi3]

2 billion baht in debt  -  says it all.

 

Edited October 19, 2022 by lopburi3

[NoshowJones]

"Is SRT the only unreliable website ?"  Haven't you ever used Lazada?

[Sparktrader]

Just go to station 45 minutes before. Buy ticket. Get on train. Thats what I did.

[proton]

The clue is in the word Thailand ????

[Iamfalang]

If you know it's 80% not working, then it HAS worked for you.....or else it would be at 100%.

 

Why not use it when it worked?

 

You only need it to work once.  If I book a ticket online, I don't go back and keep checking to see if the website is still up.  lol

 

 

[Heng]

They definitely have been taking educational junkets to Japan for decades and have surely seen JR in action, maybe they aren't taking notes?   Um, SWIM heard that anyway.  

[Elkski]

Can you buy tickets 60 days in advance?  Thai wife thinks it's 30.  

It's not so easy to get private sleeper cabin tickets but worth it. 

[lopburi3]

8 minutes ago, Elkski said:

Can you buy tickets 60 days in advance?  Thai wife thinks it's 30.  

It's not so easy to get private sleeper cabin tickets but worth it. 

Don't know if they have changed but IMHO private was definitely not worth it when I rode the rails.  Across carriage sleeping rolled you over every time train stopped (about every 20 minutes on single tracks).  But perhaps this is better with many dual tracks now.  2nd class sleeper was a much better trip.  Road the Bangkok/CM/Hat Yai and Vientiane routes often last century (that does sound old).  

[thairookie]

2 hours ago, Elkski said:

Can you buy tickets 60 days in advance?  Thai wife thinks it's 30.  

It's not so easy to get private sleeper cabin tickets but worth it. 

It's 30 days now.