Advance Booking Of Railway Tickets

[keestha]

Does anybody know if it is possible at all to book railway tickets in advance, by internet or telephone, directly at State Railways of Thailand?

Please don't tell me to go to a travel agency. I have a resort and offer travel agency services myself. I also know that you can make advance bookings at railway stations.

It happened a few times that people staying at my resort booked a railway ticket in advance at another travel agency. The results were not so satisfying, they were kept waiting for several days. The closest railway station from here is Surat Thani about 200 KM away, guess the travel agency just accepted the deal knowing that a cousin or so would go to Surat Thani in a few days, and therefort being able to purchase the ticket at the railway station.

So is there a possibility to make advance bookings directly at the State Railways of Thailand, other than at a railway station?

Their website doesn't mention this.

[asanee]

Does anybody know if it is possible at all to book railway tickets in advance, by internet or telephone, directly at State Railways of Thailand?

By web: no, not direct-those services that appear to offer this are agencies in disguise. The all-world railsystem site seat61.com is in fact refering to this. SOMetimes, when they feel like it-the SRT itself has someone checking the emails of prospective farang customers-but this works like fone: deadline and have to collect in person. It also appears that in very busy times they only serve the Thai for that anyway-farang have enough money+know what other means there are.

By fone: yes, call the station you want the tickets to have picked up: BUT; they give you a deadline-usually end of next day-when you must have appeared and tickets collected+paid for-it seems you live on some island, maiing this impracticle. Can be very handy if you stay in BKK away from the lines. Any bookings can be made 60 days advance for travel-though except for very busy days-this may be like 61 or 59/58-when they unblock a new quota in the system.

[torrenova]

No way to guarantee online that I am aware of. Just had a thread on this here. Have to use your imagination or have someone go to a station for you.