Looking for some insight from the knowledgeable members of this site.

I'm considering getting a rail pass. Of course I wanna utilize it as much as possible. So it looks like Ban Plu Ta Luang Station is as close as I can get to Rayong by rail. Not sure how to complete the second part of my journey.

Any thoughts???

http://www.railway.co.th/English/Time_HTML.asp

The second part is to catch a bus from Sattaheep to Rayong (about 40 km)

From Bkk (Hualumphong) 6.55am to Ban Plu Ta Luang 11.20am ( from Monday to Friday only)

You can catch a bus from the Plu Tha Luang intersection. The buses that run from Mor Chit to Rayong on the motorway come down that road past the train station and then turn left on to Sukhumvit Highway.

You buy a ticket and board the bus at one of the shophouses near the intersection.

You can catch a bus from the Plu Tha Luang intersection. The buses that run from Mor Chit to Rayong on the motorway come down that road past the train station and then turn left on to Sukhumvit Highway.

You buy a ticket and board the bus at one of the shophouses near the intersection.

Cool. Thanks. Have any idea if it'll be a long ride? I understand some of the buses stop frequently.

Cool. Thanks. Have any idea if it'll be a long ride? I understand some of the buses stop frequently.

The buses that travel down the old sukhumvit highway from the Ekamai station make a million stops. But the ones that come from Mor Chit via the motorway are more your "express" type buses. After Phu Tha Loong they typically stop in Ban Chang, Map Tha Phut and then Rayong. Shouldn't take too long.

What are you afraid of?

This train (IF it runs, its often cancelled from the ChaChoengsau junction), takes forever and stops at every palmtree. And then you fear slow buses, that are still twice as fast as that train? I dont get it. Also the busride on the express direct from BKK to Rayong is likely even quicker. Most of the blue 1st-cl buses dont even make all those stops and take another, even faster route.

Also I think the railpasses are not sold anymore. This train is most likely one of the slow-rot thammada with green cars=free rides anyway.

I realize that a rail pass would be paid for but do you realize that the train fare between Bangkok and Ban Plu Ta Luang is a whopping 37 baht?

What are you afraid of?

This train (IF it runs, its often cancelled from the ChaChoengsau junction), takes forever and stops at every palmtree. And then you fear slow buses, that are still twice as fast as that train? I dont get it. Also the busride on the express direct from BKK to Rayong is likely even quicker. Most of the blue 1st-cl buses dont even make all those stops and take another, even faster route.

Also I think the railpasses are not sold anymore. This train is most likely one of the slow-rot thammada with green cars=free rides anyway.

Relax dude! hehe

I realize that a rail pass would be paid for but do you realize that the train fare between Bangkok and Ban Plu Ta Luang is a whopping 37 baht?

Right??? So...

I realize that a rail pass would be paid for but do you realize that the train fare between Bangkok and Ban Plu Ta Luang is a whopping 37 baht?

Right??? So...

The point being that it's hardly worth buying a rail pass (assuming they're even still available) in anticipating of covering "big expenses" such as this. A pass won't guarantee you a seat on any given train and as far as I know (somebody correct me if I'm wrong), a pass won't cover the cost of supplements such as sleepers which you'll have to pay as extra charges. But hey, it's your money....

Cool. Thanks. Have any idea if it'll be a long ride? I understand some of the buses stop frequently.

The buses that travel down the old sukhumvit highway from the Ekamai station make a million stops. But the ones that come from Mor Chit via the motorway are more your "express" type buses. After Phu Tha Loong they typically stop in Ban Chang, Map Tha Phut and then Rayong. Shouldn't take too long.

Thanks again, dekestone.

I realize that a rail pass would be paid for but do you realize that the train fare between Bangkok and Ban Plu Ta Luang is a whopping 37 baht?

Right??? So...

The point being that it's hardly worth buying a rail pass (assuming they're even still available) in anticipating of covering "big expenses" such as this. A pass won't guarantee you a seat on any given train and as far as I know (somebody correct me if I'm wrong), a pass won't cover the cost of supplements such as sleepers which you'll have to pay as extra charges. But hey, it's your money....

I'm just curious. Have you traveled to Rayong? And if you have, have you done it this way?

Edited August 7, 200817 yr by hanumanix

I'm just curious. Have you traveled to Rayong? And if you have, have you done it this way?

I've been to Rayong three times in just the past year. I've traveled the train down that line as far as Pattaya, more than once. There is only third-class ordinary service offered, one train per day, and only on weekdays. The train is dirt cheap but the timing is not particularly convenient leaving Bangkok IMO (the return journey timing is good however).

Last time I was in Pattaya, I motorbiked to Rayong via Highway 331 riding right past the Ban Plu Ta Luang train station. Being a railfan myself, on the way back I stopped in at the station to check out the end of the line. Here's what I found:

Does anyone know how long in advance do I need to purchase tickets on this train?

Does anyone know how long in advance do I need to purchase tickets on this train?

You have to give them enough lead time to scrape some of the rust off the carriages and clean up the broken glass.

My thought was that the SRT must keep these spiffy extra carriages in Ban Plu Ta Luang just in case they need extra capacity for that peak weekend/holiday demand... then I remembered that they don't run trains on this line either on weekends or on holidays, so that idea was a non-starter (much like the carriages themselves).

Does anyone know how long in advance do I need to purchase tickets on this train?

You have to give them enough lead time to scrape some of the rust off the carriages and clean up the broken glass.

My thought was that the SRT must keep these spiffy extra carriages in Ban Plu Ta Luang just in case they need extra capacity for that peak weekend/holiday demand... then I remembered that they don't run trains on this line either on weekends or on holidays, so that idea was a non-starter (much like the carriages themselves).

Perhaps they are pre-positioned to the station in anticipation of the track being built heading east towards Rayong?

The track does actually go East but into the Map Tha Phut Industrial Estate so if there's any hobo in the OP he could maybe try his luck jumping onto a freight train to get furher on down the line.

The track does actually go East but into the Map Tha Phut Industrial Estate so if there's any hobo in the OP he could maybe try his luck jumping onto a freight train to get furher on down the line.

Yes, I knew about the freight line running out that way to the chemical waste dump known as Mapthaput. I was referring to some story from TRT days about the SRT having a bullet-train like Japan has that went down the Eastern seaboard... but perhaps these rail cars aren't suitable for that purpose.

The track does actually go East but into the Map Tha Phut Industrial Estate so if there's any hobo in the OP he could maybe try his luck jumping onto a freight train to get furher on down the line.

Yes, I knew about the freight line running out that way to the chemical waste dump known as Mapthaput. I was referring to some story from TRT days about the SRT having a bullet-train like Japan has that went down the Eastern seaboard... but perhaps these rail cars aren't suitable for that purpose.

By the appearance of those coaches, they look as though they may well have taken a few bullets.

Edited August 7, 200817 yr by ovenman

I'm just curious. Have you traveled to Rayong? And if you have, have you done it this way?

I've been to Rayong three times in just the past year. I've traveled the train down that line as far as Pattaya, more than once. There is only third-class ordinary service offered, one train per day, and only on weekdays. The train is dirt cheap but the timing is not particularly convenient leaving Bangkok IMO (the return journey timing is good however).

Last time I was in Pattaya, I motorbiked to Rayong via Highway 331 riding right past the Ban Plu Ta Luang train station. Being a railfan myself, on the way back I stopped in at the station to check out the end of the line. Here's what I found:

So yes and no.

Alright. I'm way too unmotivated to actually figure out all the costs. And obviously I'm considering getting a rail pass because I plan to do a substantial amount of traveling. I'm not gonna go into the details. But I'm nearly certain that a rail pass will be cheaper for this.

Anyway trains are tight. I'll most likely give it a try. (i.e. to Ban Plu Ta Liang by train. bus the rest of the way)

"Ah ha, hush that fuss

Everybody move to the back of the bus

Do you wanna bump and slump with us

We the type of people make the club get crunk"~OutKast

I'm just curious. Have you traveled to Rayong? And if you have, have you done it this way?

I've been to Rayong three times in just the past year. I've traveled the train down that line as far as Pattaya, more than once. There is only third-class ordinary service offered, one train per day, and only on weekdays. The train is dirt cheap but the timing is not particularly convenient leaving Bangkok IMO (the return journey timing is good however).

Last time I was in Pattaya, I motorbiked to Rayong via Highway 331 riding right past the Ban Plu Ta Luang train station. Being a railfan myself, on the way back I stopped in at the station to check out the end of the line. Here's what I found:

I'm way too unmotivated to actually figure out all the costs.

You might want to now also factor in medical costs for your trip...

Rayong declared dengue disaster zone

RAYONG: The Rayong provincial administration announced that the province is a dengue disaster zone after 1,397 people were infected and two of them were killed this year.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=204994

Rayong declared dengue disaster zone

RAYONG: The Rayong provincial administration announced that the province is a dengue disaster zone after 1,397 people were infected and two of them were killed this year.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=204994

hmmm....