Dining carriages to return to Thai trains

[snoop1130]

Flickr/John Dale

 

The State Railway of Thailand is resuming dining car services on a number of routes from January. It follows a closure of nearly 3 years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

According to a TTR Weekly report, the service will be run by the Advance Marketing Service company, with an outsourcing agreement signed earlier this month.

 

This means that from January, train travellers can once again enjoy eating in the dining car on board 8 trains on main services from Bangkok.

 

These include the Special Express Train No. 9/10 Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Bangkok, the Special Express Train No. 31/32 Bangkok-Hatyai Junction-Bangkok, the Isan Special Express Train No. 23/24 Bangkok-Ubon Ratchathani-Bangkok, and the Isan Special Express Train No. 25/26 Bangkok-Nong Khai-Bangkok.

 

It’s understood the SRT hopes to further expand the service by next April, with outsourcing agreements expected to run for 3 years. From April, the SRT plans to provide additional food offerings on a number of other routes and up to 10 trains.

 

According to the TTR Weekly report, these will include the Special Express No. 13/14 Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Bangkok, the Express No. 51/52 Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Bangkok, the Special Express No. 37/38 Bangkok-Sungai Kolok-Bangkok, the Express No. 83/84 Bangkok-Trang-Bangkok, and the Express No. 85/86 Bangkok-Nakhon Si Thammarat-Bangkok.

 

Food and beverage services were suspended on all Thai trains in April 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/dining-carriages-to-return-to-thai-trains/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2022-12-19

 

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[anrcaccount]

Good move. Unbelievable that dining has been banned for this long. 

 

Normality slowly returning 

[RichardColeman]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

This means that from January, train travellers can once again enjoy eating in the dining car

Think 'enjoy' may be pushing it a little. 

[daveAustin]

Good news. Bet beer is still off the menu though. 

[IAMHERE]

Can these trains be boarded at Hua Lamphong Station? GF says only Bang Sue .

[RT555]

It's a shame, it took 1 (one) Thai male to ban ANY alcohol consumption on the trains. I can travel to Chiang Mai without any booze, but would just like to sit in the dining car, have a beer and meet some travelers.

[Dante99]

On board kitchen prepared meals or boxes and bags prepared hours or days ago?

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, IAMHERE said:

Can these trains be boarded at Hua Lamphong Station? GF says only Bang Sue .

Not yet, been postponed regularly but maybe this time.

 

From January next year, all commercial trains will switch from the old Bangkok station of Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue, explained Nirut Maneephan, State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bang-sue-grand-station-thailands-new-rail-hub-finally-ready-to-roll/

[sandyf]

15 hours ago, anrcaccount said:

Good move. Unbelievable that dining has been banned for this long. 

Not what you would call "dining", and anything but normal.

Most people take their own food or buy it at stations on the way.

[AhFarangJa]

27 minutes ago, RT555 said:

It's a shame, it took 1 (one) Thai male to ban ANY alcohol consumption on the trains. I can travel to Chiang Mai without any booze, but would just like to sit in the dining car, have a beer and meet some travelers.

Alas, is that not the case all over the world. There are ways and means around the ban though....................

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, anrcaccount said:

Good move. Unbelievable that dining has been banned for this long. 

 

Normality slowly returning 

The step-on step-off services of local delicacies ladies on my regular route never stopped.

[SmartyMarty]

Double pricing for farangs?

[Tropposurfer]

Groovy ... Pad Thai and icy Leo on the roll ????????

[SunsetT]

2 hours ago, sandyf said:

Not what you would call "dining", and anything but normal.

Most people take their own food or buy it at stations on the way.

Before the ban it was standard Thai fast food that can be bought anywhere. Freshly cooked and decent portions. What is not 'normal' about that?

[dinsdale]

8 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Good news. Bet beer is still off the menu though. 

Be interesting to see. Air Asia domestic now selling beer. Small can of not even close to cold chang for Bt90. Can get ice.

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, SunsetT said:

Before the ban it was standard Thai fast food that can be bought anywhere. Freshly cooked and decent portions. What is not 'normal' about that?

You are entitled to your opinion but "Freshly cooked and decent portions." doesn't make it good street food. And as for the breakfast, one look and it was obvious abstentsion was the best choice.

[SunsetT]

4 minutes ago, sandyf said:

You are entitled to your opinion but "Freshly cooked and decent portions." doesn't make it good street food. And as for the breakfast, one look and it was obvious abstentsion was the best choice.

I didnt say good, I said normal, which was the term you used. . And I meant Thai fast food restaurant food not street food. Ive never tried the train breakfast.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 12/20/2022 at 12:03 PM, RichardColeman said:

Think 'enjoy' may be pushing it a little. 

LOL. I always enjoyed the dining experience on the night train. Certainly beat the rubbish on UK Virgin trains ( prepackaged, overpriced sandwiches eaten at seat ). 

However, I wasn't fussy about hygiene, decor or even the food.

I actually enjoyed almost all of my Thai train trips.

Edited December 21, 2022 by thaibeachlovers

[thaibeachlovers]

17 hours ago, SunsetT said:

I didnt say good, I said normal, which was the term you used. . And I meant Thai fast food restaurant food not street food. Ive never tried the train breakfast.

One always ate better food if one bought every meal from the station convenience store before boarding. I did like the big cups of OJ bought on the train though

[Paul Catton]

23 hours ago, hotchilli said:

The step-on step-off services of local delicacies ladies on my regular route never stopped.

Took the train from Hua lampong to Hua Hin yesterday, (5 schedules were cancelled).

Managed to get 2 x 3rd class fan seats.

Bought food from near the station for the journey.

In hindsight, wish we had got the step-on step-off services from vendors of local delicacies, cheaper, more variety and looked a lot more appetizing.

Another memorable journey. 

[lujanit]

4 minutes ago, Paul Catton said:

Another memorable journey. 

I did the same trip years ago in the same 3rd class seat (I couldn't get anything else as it was booked out).  It was a bone shaking miserable trip.  At every stop vendors piled on board selling all types of food and drink.  Yes that included beer.  For the return trip I took a bus.

[hotchilli]

30 minutes ago, Paul Catton said:

Took the train from Hua lampong to Hua Hin yesterday, (5 schedules were cancelled).

Managed to get 2 x 3rd class fan seats.

Bought food from near the station for the journey.

In hindsight, wish we had got the step-on step-off services from vendors of local delicacies, cheaper, more variety and looked a lot more appetizing.

Another memorable journey. 

I do the Nakhon pathom to Hua Hin service... 3 hours.

Every station stop gets the local delicacy... Phetchaburi being one of my favourites.