Train

[ignis]

Not sure if this should be here or under Visa ?

For something different, so emailed the train ticket Company..

Just thought would look at going over the Boarder into Malaysia via the train from BKK..

So far I have worked out that the BKK Train goes to 'Padang Beadar' [Malaysia/Thai Boarder] there everyone must get off the train and walk through Immigration........ My thinking was to spend a few hours at 'Padang Beadar' and then return by train to BKK........... Coming back through Thai Immigration to get the train back would get a new 90 day arrival card & stamp.

From what I can see on the timetable BKK 14:45 arrive in 'Padang Beadar' next morning at 08:55............

Return by train at 17:15 [the same day 8 hrs later] arrive in BKK next day at 10:30..

I was looking for the price of the Train Ticket BKK > 'Padang Beadar' > BKK......

The reply was I would need to use a Visa Run Company... go by Train to Hat Yai and Mini Bus Visa Run to Boarder.......

Why cannot work out, so far as I can see the train goes all the way to the Boarder at 'Padang Beadar' where everyone must get off and if going on in Malaysia then have to go through the Boarder Controls...

Can anyone Advise Please ?

Used the van many times to Cambodia, problem is the full page Cambodia Visa, [Passport getting full] been a few times on the Ranong Express bus to Ranong and the boat to Burma and back, just thought something different + being English do not need a Visa for Malaysia so saves a full page.

[afarang]

You should not have a problem. Where are you? If you are in Bkk., I would suggest you go to Hua Lumphong Railway Station and make enquiries at the information counter.I am not quite sure ,who actually "owns " the Padang Besar Railway Station. Is it in Thailand or is it in Malaysia?The mini bus to the border( please note spelling) will not go to P/B. .Rather it will go to Sadao.I went to Sadao many, many years ago. From memory ,I traveled in a Song Taow, not a mini bus. The mini buses only went from Hat Yai to Penang via Sadao. No pick-ups or set downs on the way.It was many years ago, so maybe things have changed.There could well be a proper bus service H.Y. to Sadao.Good luck.

[THAILIBAN]

what a hassle !

NOKAIR has promotion fares at the moment 1.090 including taxes to HDY, so why do such an exhausting train ride.

from Hat Yai you can still take the daily train to Butterworth if u r eager to do so (leaves Hat Yai at 7.00 a.m., costs 322 Baht to Butterworth and certainly much less if just crossing the border at Padang Besar.

[knocka]

Unless u have a prearranged 90 day Thai visa in your passport, u would only be granted 15 days on re-entering Thailand at Padang Besar or any other land entry point.

You really would be better to onite in HatYai and catch an early morning public bus from the HY bus station to Padang Besar, takes 1.5 hours, walk across the border and enter Malaysia, stay awhile if u like, and then walk back across the border into Thailand and then catch the bus back to HY.

But as stated unless u have a prearranged 90 day Thai visa u will only be granted 15 days upon re-entry.

Tell the bus conductor u want immigration and they will drop u off within 50 metres of the border post.

[ignis]

I am not quite sure ,who actually "owns " the Padang Besar Railway Station. Is it in Thailand or is it in Malaysia?

Yes not sure was hoping someone had been on the train and could advise..... On the Malaysian Map Padang Besar is well inside Malaysia, and shows as the last Malaysian Station before Thailand.

Live 55 km from BKK, so would be a pain to go there just to ask.

Edited June 20, 2011 by ignis

[afarang]

Oh dear, The o.p does NOT want to go to B.W. .He does NOT want to fly. I , and maybe he finds trains the loveliest way to travel.You fly -you see basically nothing of the country. You have no interaction with other people. I have made the train trip to H.Y., many many times, and have thoroughly enjoyed it and have had some wonderful nights in the carriage and in the restaurant car. Be a Brain and travel by TRAIN..Be a pain and travel by plane.

[knocka]

Yes the Padang Besar station the train stops at is in Malaysia.

[afarang]

Ignis, do you live near a Railway Station?. If you do, you could make enquiries there.You might find the , the bus from H,Y. to Sadao, offers you a good solution. Sadao is a pretty big town. Be aware that it is a popular weekend town for Malaysian tourists.But I still think it is possible to book a return train ticket from Bkk. and return to Padang Besar. P.B.is fairly small.If you can ,they take off all the sleeper cars at H.Y., so the leg from H.Y. is a 2nd class sitter.Not a big worry.The sleepers stay at H.Y and are cleaned and prepared for that evenings run back to Bkk..

[ignis]

Oh dear, The o.p does NOT want to go to B.W. .He does NOT want to fly. I , and maybe he finds trains the loveliest way to travel.You fly -you see basically nothing of the country. You have no interaction with other people. I have made the train trip to H.Y., many many times, and have thoroughly enjoyed it and have had some wonderful nights in the carriage and in the restaurant car. Be a Brain and travel by TRAIN..Be a pain and travel by plane.

Be a pain and travel by plane, that's a good one, yes the new BKK airport is a pain + 120 km each way to get to + cost of parking, been many times to the airport., as you say see nothing, always fly to K.L. or Hanoi, the only long distance train I went on was back in 2002 to C.M. slow but different and wonderful views.

Driven many time as far as Phuket over the years... never thought I would say it but long distance driving is no longer a joy.. Driving to the South Bus Station and getting on the 1st class Ranong Express Bus is so much easier, just thought this time may look to go overland by train to Malaysia.

If best to go to H.Y and then mini bus, then is a question fly to H.Y from the old BKK airport is an option, but doing that may just as well go to Ranong again, stay in the Tinidee Hotel, just phoned them and is still 590 baht per night + is 4* Spar Hotel, so total trip is no more expensive then the Cambodia mini bus trips as NO expensive full page Visa needed to cross over to Burma.

Is the 'Mae Sot' Border still closed ?

[PattayaParent]

I went many moons ago (about 12 years) and booked the train to Padang Besar and back from Hat Yai same day.

You get off the train at PB, cross the border leave the station and walk back over the border by road to Sadao on the Thai side.

You can also get a shuttle bus across.

Once back on the Thai side there is a bus stop on the other side of the road to take the local bus to HY and wait for the train back to Bangkok.

[bangkokburning]

This is how you do it. Take the train arrivies HY early morning. Find a cheap GH and stash you bag (I dont give mine out sorry). Walk to the bus station. Take a minibus to Padang Besar/Sadao for about B55. Do the formalities on the border. Walk into Malaysia and take care of it on that side. Walk out picking up duty free on way out. Check back in thru Sadao post. Go across the street and jump on the first big orange bus that comes along. 1 hour and you are back in HY, if you are lucky it will be at the bus station ;-)

Easy Peazy

You will save time if you do the HY-PB leg via road. I love the train ride but prefer to break the journey one night in HY before coming back. Book the return on the sleeper about 1830 next day.

Edited June 26, 2011 by bangkokburning

[bangkokburning]

flying in this tiny country with such good and cheap infrastructure, what madness.

the girlfriend booked tickets to hy to see her friend and all of us go to lipe. i felt like a spoiled freak sitting in don muang waiting for the plane. of course, tix were b300 pax so i wasnt arguing but with tax, it was still more than the train -even ac.

get on the nice fan or even ac train, crank up the ipod, settle in to a book, have a sleep on the clean white sheets and you wake up more or less in hy in the morning saving you a hotel stay in the process.

[PattayaParent]

This is how you do it. Take the train arrivies HY early morning. Find a cheap GH and stash you bag (I dont give mine out sorry). Walk to the bus station. Take a minibus to Padang Besar/Sadao for about B55. Do the formalities on the border. Walk into Malaysia and take care of it on that side. Walk out picking up duty free on way out. Check back in thru Sadao post. Go across the street and jump on the first big orange bus that comes along. 1 hour and you are back in HY, if you are lucky it will be at the bus station ;-)

Easy Peazy

You will save time if you do the HY-PB leg via road. I love the train ride but prefer to break the journey one night in HY before coming back. Book the return on the sleeper about 1830 next day.

So you have lots more time to spend in that exciting metropolis that is Had Yai?

[afarang]

This is how you do it. Take the train arrivies HY early morning. Find a cheap GH and stash you bag (I dont give mine out sorry). Walk to the bus station. Take a minibus to Padang Besar/Sadao for about B55. Do the formalities on the border. Walk into Malaysia and take care of it on that side. Walk out picking up duty free on way out. Check back in thru Sadao post. Go across the street and jump on the first big orange bus that comes along. 1 hour and you are back in HY, if you are lucky it will be at the bus station ;-)

Easy Peazy

You will save time if you do the HY-PB leg via road. I love the train ride but prefer to break the journey one night in HY before coming back. Book the return on the sleeper about 1830 next day.

So you have lots more time to spend in that exciting metropolis that is Had Yai?

Indeed , he will have. H.Y.- Songkhla has a lot of good things. I have been there mavbe 20 times. Went to Pattaya once, Arrived 14.00. left next morning 10.00 Horrible place. Never went back, Showed good taste , Didn't I ?