Thailand

[MisterSheeps]

Am in Thailand currently, have done Nong Khai - Bangkok, and Bangkok - Surat Thani. The former is partly double track (Khon Kaen - Bua Yai, Saraburi - Bangkok). Not sure of the latter, much was at night, surprisingly roomy sleeper. Large investment going to elevate line around Ayutthaya. The line bypassing Nakhon Ratchasima is impressive, northbound climbs 800ft up an escarpment after crossing, on long viaducts, a reservoir. Prices are very low, £5 for 300km, DMUs are noisy. 3rd class hard seats are tolerable but take a cushion

 

[MisterSheeps]

An update, headed back north, using the line from Nakhon Si Thammarat to the main southern line at Khao Chum Thong Junction. North of this is a particularly nice section through mountains to where the Trang line joins at Thung Song Junction. Towards Bangkok, north of Chumphon is being doubled, huge investment going in, including an elevated section through Hua Hin which is nearly complete. Krung Thep Aphiwat, new central station in Bangkok is impressive and confusing to navigate, has lines on 4 levels, 23 platforms, reminds me a bit of Berlin Hbf. The rail investment must be huge, is apparently Chinese loans.

 

[MisterSheeps]

A note for prospective explorers, there is no comprehensive timetable available. Much information is simply wrong (e.g. claims there is no double track, actually several 100km), or confusing. This has downloadable summary timetables but does not list every train or station, neither does the official site. This is exacerbated by timetables still refering to the old Bangkok Central (Hualamphong) in parallel with those from KTW (new Krung Thep Aphiwat, which is near Bang Sue, and the Northern bus terminal Mochit / Chatauchak). Seat61 is next to useless, as are agencies such as 123go. Contrary to what the official site says, when you buy a ticket online, you do not need to print it, simply show the electronic PDF you are emailed, and have ready on your phone, to the railway official.
Buying a ticket entitles you to travel on a specific train on an allocated seat; there seems to be no concept of turn up and go travel on the railway (or long distance bus). There are often halts where food and drink sellers get on, is good quality, but you may need some Thai language.

 

[MisterSheeps]

An update, took the Chiang Mai line, northern part through interesting mountains, southern part undergoing double tracking near Ban Takhli (is double track for a way from Ban Phachi Junction), so slow going, though the impressive diesel loco recovered an hour of the 90 minute delay through some spirited running. Signs further north, near Lamphun of previously straightened track.

 

[zero]

Thanks for this thread, I'd like to see more of the country at some point having only done the metros in Bangkok, but I think I will give them another 10 years or so to see how the trains and infrastructure improves (my interest is in more modern stuff).

 

[MisterSheeps]

@zero, You should give it a go, though you need a level of stamina for the long distance travel. What i find interesting is the level of investment going in to the fixed infrastructure but really paltry service. The North Eastern line, to Nong Khai has 3 trains a day through quite large cities, only 1 daytime service, which is a 4 coach DMU, double track on a fair bit of it. Bua Yai to Nakhon Ratchasima is double track but only 3 local trains a day. Northern and Southern lines similar, the Eastern line (Aranyaprathet, Pattaya) is worse, 1 or 2 a day. Even out to Ayutthaya, or Ratchaburi, is barely two hourly when they are in the greater Bangkok area. I don't know if the basic problem is a lack of trains, an inertially slow bureaucracy, or a bold long term plan for greater mobility (many Thai people do not travel anywhere), however it seems long distance bus is similar pricing and time, but much better frequency, so there is travel demand, and long distance trains run with fairly high passenger loadings. There are interesting expansion plans, a long awaited, and just announced started construction of the double track Den Chai - Chiang Rai - Chiang Kong (Laos border) line.

 

[MisterSheeps]

Now back.in the UK but a bit more information.Took daytime trains Phitsanulok to Lopburi, and Lopburi to Bangkok Hualamphong. The double track ends at Lopburi going North but is being doubled to, and bypassing, Nakhon Sawan. The 4 coach DMU from Lopburi to Bangkok was 3rd class, 67 pence for 90 kilometres but air conditioned, stopped all stations to Ban Phachi then ran semifast. There does not seem to be container traffic on this Northern line but there is considerable cement powder and oil product flow, this freight, and the Nong Khai container trains, avoiding the Ayutthaya stretch by going the Chachoengsao to Saraburi freight line from Laem Chabang or Bangkok docks. At Rangsit southbound, the line is elevated, trains to Hualamphong then return to ground level before Bang Sue and proceed slowly over level crossings. It seems strange to me why the Hualamphong stretch was not elevated. Krung Thep Aphiwat (KTW) is not finished connection wise, has optimistic signage for high speed and airport rail links but these are not even started, and the airport line starts at Phaya Thai, runs on viaduct to Suvarnabhumi above the Eastern line (from Hualamphong), is cheap at 45 baht for the 25km , and standard gauge. I have not travelled the Eastern line, future project.
The Bangkok underground (MRT) is easy to use and quick, has bilingual signage, goes to KTW but called Bang Sue I do not think much of the architecturally hideous concrete monstrosity that is the skytrain (BTS) (elevated railway). Neither are cheap to use, maybe 20 baht per kilometre, but avoid the traffic jams.

 

[M&NEJ]

there seems to be no concept of turn up and go travel on the railway

I just got back from Thailand and, while many of my journeys were long-distance, booked in advance, I did a few shorter trips on a turn-up and go basis using 3rd Class. 3rd class is very cheap (e.g. Chiang Mai to Lampang, over 2 hours of mountain scenery for 23 baht / 55 pence). It doesn't guarantee a seat of course; but the advantage over pre-booked Air Con class is that you can happily lean out of the windows and take photos!

Krung Thep Aphiwat (KTW) is not finished connection wise, has optimistic signage for high speed and airport rail links but these are not even started

I thought KTW was an awful place! Got off the sleeper tired and hungry but avoided the refreshment area at KTW because I couldn't be bothered to walk to / from that corner of the station. It's on the opposite corner to the exit for MRT Bang Sue - I'd estimate about a kilometre walk from food to underground platforms!

Maybe I'm biased though; I've been using Hua Lamphong until now (the old, central station in Bangkok) because I like its charm and there are some good hotels across the road from there. Anywhere worth staying near Bang Sue / KTW I wonder?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Buying a ticket entitles you to travel on a specific train on an allocated seat; there seems to be no concept of turn up and go travel on the railway (or long distance bus).

For clarity you CAN turn up and go but tickets are train specific and can sell out. However provided some are available (which, unlike India, there usually will be) there is nothing stopping you rocking up and buying one for a train in a few minutes (don't know if there's a cut-off, but I've done so pretty close to departure before).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Maybe I'm biased though; I've been using Hua Lamphong until now (the old, central station in Bangkok) because I like its charm and there are some good hotels across the road from there. Anywhere worth staying near Bang Sue / KTW I wonder?

KTW is a bit like, er, Old Oak Common. The idea being it's conveniently sited for onward travel, though in this case by car.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

@MisterSheeps Did you manage to ride the 158s whilst in Thailand? (in case you don't know, Thailand also has class 158s, known as the ASR class there)

State Railway of Thailand ASR class - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MisterSheeps]

@MisterSheeps Did you manage to ride the 158s whilst in Thailand? (in case you don't know, Thailand also has class 158s, known as the ASR class there)

State Railway of Thailand ASR class - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Sorry for delay in replying. The third photo of post 7 shows a 158, wondered if anyone would catch on . I believe the 158's work the Eastern line, apparently well regarded. The Japanese DMUs working the daytime Chiang Mai, and Nong Khai services were not a great travel experience, but I did like the loco hauled services

 

[MisterSheeps]

tickets are train specific and can sell out.

Yes, sorry, is what i meant, Thailand does not have the idea you can buy an 'anytime' single/return and travel which service you choose without specifying it in advance, as you can in Europe. Is same in the US on Amtrak, specific service. As is the requirement for identity : Thai identity card or foreign passport.

I thought KTW was an awful place

Architecturally it is impressive, massive overkill for current service level; yes, agree, the food court was cramped and bad quality junk food. I did manage to get to Mochit 2 (Northern bus station) from there, but not back again It seems horribly confusing, stairs to platforms you cannot use, and a Euston like admission to platforms at short notice

 

[M&NEJ]

the food court was cramped and bad quality junk food

You've aroused my curiosity there, because on another visit I had a very good mango salad - what did you have that was junk?

massive overkill for current service level

I suppose the Thais have a vision of high-speed services coming and going on the second floor and also a much increased metre-gauge service on the first floor, after they have doubled all the metre-gauge tracks to north, south and east!

 

[MisterSheeps]

what did you have that was junk

Can't quite remember but it involved cold french fries and some kind of burger ... wasn't what i associate with Thailand, but i was spoilt as travelling with a Thai person so tried all manner of strange and mostly delicious foods
We were going from the NE line to the Southern, former was late, so didn't have time to be discerning. Same issue on way back, grabbed 24 donuts (promotion) and fed half the carriage

much increased metre-gauge service

yes ... i found service levels paltry, compared to the regular long distance buses. We failed to get sleepers 3 times, so there is more demand than provision, ditto for daytime express services, which are the execrable (noisy, dirty, smelly, uncomfortable) Japanese NKF DMUs on the North Eastern and Northern lines. Once used reclining seats, ok, then non air con 3rd class soft seats to & fro Chiang Mai, ok as it is cool at night.