Train 1st Class Sleeping Compartment

[noise]

Everyone I have talked to who has taken the train to/from BKK says there are no private sleeping compartments anymore. But I found the info below on the web. Can anyone comment.

1. seat61.com/Thailand.htm#Bangkok%20to%20Chiang%20Mai shows a private 2 person 1st class air conditioned sleeping compartment and describes it as also having a sink. Pictures included as you scroll down the page. If you keep scrolling you find schedules. Up near the top is the following: Page last updated: 26 May 2008

2. The State Railway of Thailand web site http://www.railway.co.th/English/Car_ANF.asp states the following compartments are available (maybe one car per train if only 12 compartments???):

AIR CONDITIONED FIRST CLASS DAY AND NIGHT COACH

Type of Car: Air Conditioned First Class Day and Night Coach

Abbreviation: A.N.F

Number of rooms: 12 Rooms/2 persons each

Number of Sleeping Berths: 12 upper, 12 lower

NOTE: can not tell the date this site was last updated

Edited June 20, 2008 by noise

[FarangCravings]

Everyone I have talked to who has taken the train to/from BKK says there are no private sleeping compartments anymore. But I found the info below on the web. Can anyone comment.

1. seat61.com/Thailand.htm#Bangkok%20to%20Chiang%20Mai shows a private 2 person 1st class air conditioned sleeping compartment and describes it as also having a sink. Pictures included as you scroll down the page. If you keep scrolling you find schedules. Up near the top is the following: Page last updated: 26 May 2008

2. The State Railway of Thailand web site http://www.railway.co.th/English/Car_ANF.asp states the following compartments are available (maybe one car per train if only 12 compartments???):

AIR CONDITIONED FIRST CLASS DAY AND NIGHT COACH

Type of Car: Air Conditioned First Class Day and Night Coach

Abbreviation: A.N.F

Number of rooms: 12 Rooms/2 persons each

Number of Sleeping Berths: 12 upper, 12 lower

NOTE: can not tell the date this site was last updated

I believe they are still available however sell out fast but they are far from 1st class maybe its thai 1st class but more like 3rd class anywhere else plus its expensive you can fly for the same price.

The bunks aint much better

[ricklev]

02-220-4444

Official booking number for trains in Thailand. They speak ok English and are really nice and helpful (usually)! Business hours.

Edited June 20, 2008 by ricklev

[Ulysses G.]

The attendant in the first class section pretty much demands that you tip him to do any of his duties - like putting the bed down at night or up in the morning - which got on my nerves. They never pull that in 2nd class.

It is only worth doing if you rent both beds and are against flying for some reason.

[palm]

You could always take the Eastern Oriental Express from BKK to Chiang Mai

http://www.orient-express.com/web/eoe/journeys/3_81380.jsp

Real First Class with a price to match.

[Rasseru]

It is not directly responsive to the OP's question, but it may be useful information, so I will add this comment. I much prefer the second class coach to the first class coach. One reason is that every time I have used one of the first class bunks, the (unadjustable) air con was set too high and the room was freezing. Apart from that, I find second class more comfortable and interesting, for the variety of people you can observe around you. I have always found the service to be somewhere between perfectly adequate and fine in both first and second class.

[FolkGuitar]

Something to consider when booking your overnight train ride.....

The beds in the First Class coach are at 90 degrees to the motion of the train travel. You are rocked head to toe all night long!

In Second Class, the beds are parallel to the tracks so all that lovely rocking is side to side as in a hammock,

sweetly rolling you in the arms of Morpheus!

Get lower bunks; more head room when you sit up in bed.

[infernalman7]

It's just fun sometimes to use SRT. The only problem is that now flying is cheaper

[Lite Beer]

I really liked the train

1st class is really good. But it is for 2 people. Ok if you are a couple. The stewards will bring you beer and food. I found them very friendly

2nd class is also very good. Much better than a bus even though it takes longer.

[Pond Life]

I tried 1st class sleeper one time.

I thought it was like sleeping in a dirty broom closet.

Before the train left CM I got off & went to a shop to buy bug killer spray, it was crawling.

I've used 2nd class aircon sleeper many times, much better & more fun.

2nd class class non aircon sleeper is the same except its dirty because the windows are open.

[ovenman]

The first-class cabins are a bit on the small side. That can be a bit of a problem if you are carrying a fair amount of bags (IMO a good reason for using the train over flying with its excess baggage charges). It's also a problem if the person with whom you wind up sharing the first-class cabin has a fair number of bags.

[sabaijai]

It is not directly responsive to the OP's question, but it may be useful information, so I will add this comment. I much prefer the second class coach to the first class coach. One reason is that every time I have used one of the first class bunks, the (unadjustable) air con was set too high and the room was freezing. Apart from that, I find second class more comfortable and interesting, for the variety of people you can observe around you. I have always found the service to be somewhere between perfectly adequate and fine in both first and second class.

Every 1st-class carriage I've travelled in had A/C nozzles in the ceiling that were fully adjustable (from closed to partially open to fully open). In fact it's in 2nd class A/C that I've been too cold. I prefer 2nd-class Non-A/C or else 1st with adjustable nozzles.

I've always slept well in 1st class, despite the comment about rocking. For one thing the mattresses are thicker than in 2nd-class. Maybe my body just prefers head-to-toe rocking over side-to-side YMMV

1st-class is still available, but as always (for some time now anyway) only on special express trains.

Yes flying can be cheaper but don't forget the taxi fare, compared with arrival at Bang Seu, Samsen or Hualamphong.