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. 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 line details wanted... None were available when requested in March 2025.
Journey Planner
The SRT journey planner is here Check Train Schedule. Click on the Union flag but this will only display those where advance ticket purchase is possible, i.e. if the complete service is "Ordinary" or "Commuter" slower trains it will not find anything. Additionally the website frequently does not load from International IP Addresses, so to note the SRT Ticket Purchase website does, but again, only A to B bookable SRT journey information can be obtained and it is the same scenario on various private ticket selling websites and Apps. Local service tickets are only sold 2 hours before departure but are not restricted to seat capacity as these cannot be reserved.
A "Train Tracking" website by train number, station name or route does include non-bookable local services [and freight paths...] but for future dates is known to not be as accurate as the SRT or D-Ticket information. Click in the search box and the various search options then appear here.
Downloadable Timetable
SRT timetables by line is a listed option from the SRT website, specifically from here. Scroll down the page for each line. Again this frequently does not load from International IP Addresses and it is the same for the SRT App.
Printed Timetable
No country wide booklet. Previously copies for individual lines were available at stations but this appears to have been discontinued.
Summary timetables are available in some editions of the European Rail Timetable.
Engineering Information
None known
Maps
Printed Maps
None known
Web-based Maps
- Online: Raildiagram.com
- 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, and with an acknowledgement to the also very helpful Thai Train Guide website from 1st July 2024, you can buy train tickets 180 days in advance for all long distance Special Express, Express and Rapid trains but you must be travelling at least 60% of the entire route to be able to do so. If between 25% and 59% its 30 days in advance, less than 25%, one day in advance. Conversely, for local and commuter trains usually numbered 3xx or 4xx, you can only buy tickets on the day at the station. If you really must have a ticket on a set day planning well in advance and don't trust yourself with any time differences... the Agents listed on Man at Seat61 will take a request before 180 days with your payment and buy them the moment they become available; for a fee. UK Credit Card ticket purchase via the SRT D-ticket website is possible, but with no "basket" facility, there are reports of your SRT Account being blocked after a few successful purchases in a short period of time.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure Authority
None known
Network Statement
None known
Gauge
Metre gauge; the non SRT operated 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
Left but despite many sections being doubled in recent years, the network is mainly single track.
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
It was noted in March 2025 that there is now limited inter availability of single tickets between the networks.
Visit Report
Recent and Future Changes
Recent Changes
The second and local pair of trains 147 and 148 from Udon Thani via the Thai border station of Nong Khai and across the border to Vientiane in Laos were cut back to start from and terminate at Nong Khai from 1 May 2025.
A new double track cut-off of around 11km from Map Kabao to west of Muak Lek between Kaeng Khoi Jct and Nakhon Ratchasima opened on 28 July 2024, by-passing the previous stations at Pha Sadet and Hin Lap. This includes two tunnels, one over 5km which is now the longest in Thailand. On that opening a connection across to the old line west of Muak Lek was in place as an additional new section onto a lengthy viaduct [in places around 90m high] was still under construction [and not connected in February 2025]. This viaduct will result in Muak Lek station being relocated around 2km west, plus cut off a substantial U-Bend section immediately east of the old/current Muak Lek station with further realignments under construction between the viaduct end and Nakhon Ratchasima, with some at least due to open later in 2025. The old Map Kabao to west of Muak Lek line is retained for freight, perhaps due to a cement works on the by-passed section and it was used by a Thai Railfans special in February 2025. It is not known if east of Muak Lek will also be retained considering the future high viaduct.
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 reopened 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 new high speed metre gauge line, most of it elevated, is under construction from north of Rangsit via Bang Phachi Jnct, Kaeng Khoi Jnct to Nakhon Ratchasima, to link in with the already modernised and doubled line from Thanon Chira Jnct to Khon Kaen on the line towards Laos. It is suggested construction will be completed in 2028 but this is a monumental task, and with sections such as through Ayutthaya being designed much later than others is thought unlikely to all open that year. Note this is complimentary to, and not replacing the existing line [although small sections may be replaced] as evidenced by a new cut off including a 1.1km tunnel under construction in March 2025 commencing from the east end of Khlong Khanan Chit station as confirmed here.
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 and passenger use planned by the end of 2025, delayed from suggested May 2025. 19 km will be elevated and including a new Lopburi 2 station, with the old line via Lopburi city centre station still used for all local services. A lengthy section north of Lopburi to Pak Nam Pho [just north of Nakhon Sawan] is being doubled with many km's on a new formation alongside the existing single track and this is scheduled to come into use on 30 May 2025.
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 standard gauge railways, again via Nong Khai to Laos, but with others to Padang Besar and Chiang Mai. Work on the 253 km first section of the North Eastern line from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima is reportedly under way with the route for the 357 km from Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai approved in May 2024. This will include freight transhipment facilities between SRT’s metre and the standard gauge China – Laos railway in Nong Khai, implying the standard gauge will be extended from Vientiane in Laos into Thailand. Completion is scheduled for 2030.
As part of the doubling works from Thanon Chira Jnct to Khon Kaen, the line was elevated through Ban Phai and Khon Kaen, the new sections opening on 14 February 2019.
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.
