Thailand

Country Details

See Wikipedia

National Railway System

National Railway Operator

State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

UIC code

None known

Timetable

Information but not for all branches is available at the Man in Seat 61.

Journey Planner

The SRT journey planner is here Check Train Schedule. Click on the Union flag. This does not seem to find all possible services, for example if requesting Bangkok - Chiang Mai it will only provide details of the faster Express services, not slow trains. A different "Train Tracking" website finds details by train number, station name or route here. Click in the search box for these options to appear.

Downloadable Timetable

SRT timetables at the Download page.

Printed Timetable

No country wide booklet. Leaflets by line were previously readily available at Bangkok Hua Lamphong station but on a 2023 visit the Enquiry office had none but turned their computer screen so you could take a photograph of the travel details wanted...

Summary timetables are available in some editions of the European Rail Timetable.

Engineering Information

None known

Maps

Printed Maps

None known

Web-based Maps

• See Seat 61 map of train routes in southeast Asia
• Railways Through Europe
• There is a downloadable basic Bangkok Area Rail Transit Area map - scroll down for English versions.

Ticketing

The Man at Seat61 website gives a summary of how to purchase via the SRT website or various Agents, but to note that SRT appear inconsistent in booking periods as an EGTROW Compiler advises in March 2024 that tickets for a long distance service [not an overnight] had sold out before the alleged 30 day ahead booking period opening. A UK Credit Card ticket purchase via the SRT website went through with no difficulty.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Authority

None known

Network Statement

None known

Gauge

Metre gauge; the rapid transit lines are standard gauge

Electrification

Only the Bangkok rapid transit lines are electrified.
The Airport Rail Link to from Suvarnabhumi Airport is 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead
The BTS Skytrain and Metropolitan Rapid Transit (Bangkok) are 750 V DC third rail

Rule of the road

Almost the entire network is single track but left when double.

Distances

No source known

Other Railways

None

Tourist Lines

None but part of the National Network and a recognised tourist attraction is the isolated train service from Ben Laem to Maeklong that runs right through a market in Maeklong. Stalls completely cover the tracks, and their awnings and shop fronts are pulled back and products moved to allow a train to pass. A 2018 visit on arrival found the market packed with Tourists photographing the train so the "ripple opening" was negated as the route was already prepared, but this effect in reverse was observed on departure. Although Maeklong is only 40km from Bangkok, access by train requires a Metro, walk, SRT train from Wongwian Yai to Maha Chai, a ferry over the Tha Chin River then a walk to the isolated branch line terminus at Ben Laem.

Not so obvious as no retractable awnings, but the Wongwian Yai to Maha Chai services go through the middle of a market at Maha Chai.

Metro and light rail systems

Bangkok

Note a number of the lines shown on the Network Map are Monorails or rubber tyred peoplemovers. See the Urbanrail website.
BTS Skytrain operate the two elevated Green [Sukhumvit] and [Silom] Lines plus the rubber tyred peoplemover Gold Line.
Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company (BEM) operates the underground Blue and Purple Lines under a concession from the Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA).
The Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link to/from Phaya Thai does not appear to have an official webpage but BangkokAirporttrain.com has some information
The two Red Lines north from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central [Bang Sue] are actually State Railway of Thailand suburban services. As it is the access to Don Meaung Airport there is some timetable information available here

Note there is no inter availability of tickets/day passes etc between the networks.

Recent and Future Changes

Recent Changes

The Bangkok - Nong Khai service was extended cross border into Laos from 19 July 2024 to terminate at the new Vientiane Khamsavath station, 9km from the centre of Vientiane and its other railway station.

Approximately 4.7km of the old main line through Hua Hin was elevated from street level including a new high level station for services after noon on 11 December 2023.

The Bangkok Hua Lamphong - Ban Plu Ta Luang service was extended 11.5 km to Chuk Samet on 10 November 2023.

The Sawankhalok Branch Line was due to reopen on 15 July 2023 after temporary closure in April 2020.

On 19 January 2023 the new Bangkok Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal station (Bangkok Revolution Central Station, formerly known as Bang Sue Grand) opened to long-distance passenger trains, transferred from the existing Hua Lamphong terminus. All long-distance trains except those on the Eastern line and with numbers in the 200 and 300 series now use the new station. With 26 platforms, [including many used only by electric services] it is the largest station in Southeast Asia.

At some point after the opening of the elevated MRT Dark Red Line from Bang Sue Grand to Rangsit on 2 August 2021 all SRT passenger services through Rangsit were diverted onto tracks parallel to the raised MRT and ceased using the ground level route north from Bang Sue. The ground level route remains available for freight services.

The Bangkok - Aranyaprathet trains were extended 5 km to Ban Klong Luk Border in July 2019 and the station is right at the Thai/Cambodia checkpoint. Limited freight services across the border commenced in 2023.

Future Changes

A 29 km long by-pass on the Northern Line to the west of Lopburi from Ban Klap to south of Khok Katiam is under construction with completion planned during 2024. 19 km of this will be elevated. A Press Article here claims the old line via Lopburi will be retained.

It was hoped to commence a cross border passenger service into Cambodia, but the latest information is Cambodian Royal Railways ran test trains in July 2024 from Battambang via Sisophon but only to Poipet, with timings giving enough time for passengers to walk to the Border and connect onto/from the SRT train at Bang Klong Luk. Earlier suggestions had been for a through SRT service from Bangkok via Poipet to at least Sisophon for bus connections to Siem Reap [for Angkor Wat].

Bangkok Central Terminal Station will be served by the Don Mueang–Suvarnabhumi–U-Tapao high-speed railway and planned high-speed routes to Nong Khai, Padang Besar and Chiang Mai when they open.

Special Notes

Travel to the southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, and southern Songkhla province, is not advised owing to the risk of terrorist attacks.

Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services

See Thailand - Lines with Obscure or Sparse passenger services.