Bangkok To Chiang Mai By Train

[TravelerED]

We are considering taking a train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and then flying back to Bangkok. (We will have visited Ayutthaya prior to the train trip.)

We have heard the train ride is about 8 hours and the nicest train is the 8AM from Bangkok. Our questions are:

1. Is the above correct? If not, what is the correct information and/or opinion?

2. Is there more than 1 train leaving at the recommended time? Which do we take? Which seating class should we reserve?

3. Is the train trip worthwhile for seeing the countryside? We have the time.

Thanks,

TravelerED

[lopburi3]

1. I assume the 8 AM train is the Diesel Rail Car (DRC) one class service - air conditioned 2x2 seating like a bus/aircraft. It is faster than a normal train with large window area and one of the few trains that operate during the daylight hours for long haul.

2. Believe there is one DRC per day and one class - if more than one class reserve the most expensive.

3. It is worthwhile as you will get a pretty good idea of the countryside and change are you approach Chiang Mai.

Be aware that train service has been disrupted on this service several times due to landslides/washouts of track this year and believe is currently not operating the full distance (several days ago know it was out of service).

[ilyushin]

Here is a helpful site. The Schedule of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) Please also follow the weather reports while traveling during the rainy season.

Hope it helps.

[TravelerED]

Thanks for the help. We will be traveling in January, so rain shouldn't be a problem (hopefully).

TravelerED

[newyorker]

i believe i have taken this train before, about 2 yrs ago so not sure if it the same one.

My only comment is that 8 hrs was a very long time to be sitting on a train. I was in an a/c car, however the car behind was fan only, however the two cars were open, and so cooler air was leaking out back. It was a little warm.

I've also done this route 1st and 2nd class night trains. Although you cant see much, it is the best way to spend 8 hrs on a train i think.

[bmanly]

I have done the overnight train trip to CM several times, I love it. Second class sleeper has aircon, nice clean sheets are put on the bed when you are ready to sleep. Most of the trip is overnight so you don't get to see that much but you get a few hours of scenery in the morning. I think it is better and safer than bus and much more comfortable.

[Florin]

I'm also a fan of the overnight sleeper...the scenery is really not that stunning and there is no proper restaurant car to enjoy an 8-hour daylight trip (F&B are available, though).

[briley]

Takes more than 8 hours - without checking isn't the night train out of Bangkok at 6pm and arrive Chiang Mai around 7am - and the daytime train about the same length of time, 13 hours?

[tim77]

In 1st class, you get a private room for two people. It is a bit cleaner than 2nd class air-con. More importantly, the bunks are perpendicular to the aisles, and this lets the person in the top bunk sleep a bit better.

In 2nd class air-con, the bunks are parallel to the aisles. This means that every time the train stops at a rail station, the person in the top bunk gets the lights from the rail station shining in on him.

You might also want to be aware that the train staff tends to wake you up - so they can readjust the bunks - about an hour before you get to Chaing Mai. So you might want to catch the later train out of Bangkok.