Bangkok - Chiang Mai Rail Service

[stevewhale]

First off I should like to thank all who answered my request for "Information" a couple of weeks ago. All the responses were very helpful.

I should be able to find this information but to this time I have not been sucessful. Can anyone tell me if the trains from Bankok to Chiang Mai stop to pick up passengers at Bangkok Int'l Airport. I understand that there is a train station there. Also could someone tell me a little bit about the Sprinter rail cars? Are they comfortable? Would you reccomend them?

Thanks again,

Stevewhale

[BambinA]

Can anyone tell me if the trains from Bankok to Chiang Mai stop to pick up passengers at Bangkok Int'l Airport. .

yes

http://www.railway.co.th/English/Time_HTML.asp

Also could someone tell me a little bit about the Sprinter rail cars? Are they comfortable?

emm ... sort of .. it's faster than normal train ,the sprinter has air-con and food for serving

why you dont take a low cost flight?? the price is not difference from sprinter train , but its faster as 1+ hr vs 7-10hrs

[BambinA]

this is the list of low cost flight

http://www.nokair.com/nokconnext/aspx/welc...?currlang=en-US

http://www.fly12go.com/en/main.shtml

http://www.airasia.com/site/en/home.jsp

honestly i can't stand for sitting on train that long...but if u want to see scenery ..try train then

[stevewhale]

this is the list of low cost flight

http://www.nokair.com/nokconnext/aspx/welc...?currlang=en-US

http://www.fly12go.com/en/main.shtml

http://www.airasia.com/site/en/home.jsp

honestly i can't stand for sitting on train that long...but if u want to see scenery ..try train then

Yes I agree but we do want to see the country so.....I guess my rear end will suffer some more.

Thanks

stevewhale

[miltonbentley]

I love the train as an experience and would recommend all but the most rushed traveller to try it at least once.

They potter along at a snails pace but are very comfortable. You always seem to meet interesting people both Thai and Farang and for people watching trains are unbeatable.

We always book a second class sleeper and once on board head straight for the dining car. It is an excellent place to have a few beers and watch the comings and goings onboard while Thailand meanders along outside.

[chanchao]

Check out seat61.Com note after September 28 the new airport will be open and the new one is not on the railway line. For the old airport all trains stop there. Imho the 19.35 departure is the best train to take. Aircon sleepers, and by the time you get to the good scenery in the North, dawn will have arrived so you actually see stuff. For the sprinter: i don't like it.

[Pond Life]

I agree with Milton B, the overnight sleeper is good fun, but you'll miss alot of the scenery as its dark most of the time.

Second class a/c is the best in my experience, 1st class was a private dirty prison cell & 2nd class fan was dirty & noisy.

I think the sleepers leave Bankok about 6pm & arrive about 7am in Chiang mai.