Hi does anyone know if there's a train ticket office in the Nimmen area? Cheers

Best get a red van and go direct to the station. You'll need to take your passport. I booked a return ticket a week ahead recently.

Remember to take a lunch box with you, as the lunch served on the train is rather ghastly.

Try not to get a set right up the front of the train; carriage 2 is better. Very noisy in the front, esp if you want a nap!

Think you can also book online nowadays ,but may need a Thai-based visa card.

Think you can also book online nowadays ,but may need a Thai-based visa card.

Nope.

"Online booking is still unavailable" it says on their site. Has been like that forever.

So you have to go to the station and buy the ticket in advance.

Nothing changed in the last 25 years.

As an aside, I'm assuming you're taking the train for sight-seeing purposes or the 'experience' (as it makes very little sense otherwise), so with that in mind, the most scenic part is actually between Chiang Mai (well, Lamphun) and Lampang or Den Chai (near Phrae). If you take a night train you won't see anything of it, and a day train takes forever. So for the experience you could get a day train to Lampang or Den Chai / Phrae, spend a little time there and then take an overnight bus to Bangkok. (Assuming Bangkok is the destination)

Can't imagine why you would want to take a horrible Thai train when air fares are so cheap, but if you insist....I recommend going about 5-7 days in advance of your departure date. Recently we tried to send a teenage relative to Bangkok. Went to the station 4 days in advance of the travel date and everything was completely full. Had to make other arrangements.

^ For the EXPERIENCE!

(Experience of what travel was like in Granddad's age. And online booking just wouldn't fit with that, by the way. So visit the railway station. By samlor pedicab, preferably.)

I agree if you're going to BKK fly. However if you like trains..........

If you're getting the sleeper to Bangkok take a 2nd class ticket on the Special Express

Opt for a centre carriage berth, if you're stuck near the door the opening and closing will drive you nuts.

If you are able to communicate, tell them you don't want to be in a carriage with a bunch of foreign drunks, partying all night unless of course that's what you want to do too. They know who is sat where, so opt for a Thai carriage, they go to sleep by 9pm.