Mahachai - Mae Klong Railway

[healthcaretaker]

Is it still in operation ?

Let's say I start from Wong Wian Yai, do the first part, tour the market & Wat, cross the river by ferry and do the second part, get to the Kuan Yin Temple and return to Bangkok, can I start at 11 am ? Is there enough time ?

[mamypoko]

Hi HCT~ last train from

Samut Sakhon departs +/- 1900hrs. (first train departs Thonburi

+/-0600hrs.). Sooo, yep! I'd say it's plenty of time. Pretty sure it's still 10 baht per haole and free for Thais. Try to include that great seafood restaurant on the river...on the market side.

If you miss that last train, buses to Rama II run 'till the wee hrs.

\\\ Wong Wian Yai Station is 02-465-2017

Edited May 20, 2012 by mamypoko

[Lakegeneve]

I agree with mamy, plenty of time. You can find the timetable for the Mahachai line on the SRT site and the Mae Klong line has 4 services a day;

Ban Laem to Maeklong runs at 7.30 am, 10.10 am, 1.10 pm and 4.40 pm.

Maeklong to Ban Laem runs at 6.20 am, 9.00 am, 11.30 am and 3.30 pm.

I haven't been for a few years but having done the trip a few times in the last decade or so these times have not changed for donkeys. It is a nice slow trip given the state of the line and rolling stock. Plenty of youtubes of the 'movable' market stalls on the line at Samut Songkhram:

(though a front view is always a bit better).

You can find a good trip report with lots of pics, some youtubes and other historical info which may be of interest at

http://2bangkok.com/forum/showthread.php?3115-Mahachai-amp-Mae-Khlong-Lines-New-rolling-stock/page6

Once the planned SRT Dark Red Line is built from Bang Sue to WWY to Mahachai (in say 10yrs time) the Mahachai line will have disappeared. It will be interesting to see what then happens to the Maeklong line. Some, including myself, advocate that when the new high speed line for the south is built it should go via Mahachai and Samut Songkhram (rather than Nakhon Pathom) linking it to Phetchaburi.

[healthcaretaker]

Thank you for the replies.

Looks like it's very rush catching 4 trains and 2 ferries trip and hardly any time time for walking around except before 7 pm for the return train to BKK., since I must catch the 1.10pm trin from Ban Laem to Maerklong and the return at 3.30pm. So it's safer to do my walking around at Mahachai after returning from the 3.30 pm train and before I catch the 7 pm train to rerturn to Wong Wian Yai.