Buying train tickets
 

Does anyone know of a reliable website or travel agent for buying train tickets from outside of Thailand. I tried www.thailandtrainticket.com as recommended by seat61.com but that was flagged up by google as an unsafe site. Thaifocus.com charges extortionate fares. Any thoughts? I am keen to book prior to arrival as it will be in the busy period and I want to get a1st Class if possible.

Thailandtrainticket.com had their site hacked last week, and they're currently trying to fix it, but it seems to be taking some time. In the meantime, you can email them to order tickets at [email protected]

You can buy tickets online now at www.tharailticket.com, but remember that

(a) this system only has an allocation of places, not all of them (so may show 1st class a full up and unavailable, when there are lots of places left if you asked at the station or contacted thailandtrainticket.com) and

(b) it won't sell some tickets such as the combined train+bus Bangkok-Phuket or train+Ferry Bangkok to Ko Samui.

Many thanks Man in Seat 61. I think will book with thailrailticket.com when the 60day booking window opens on Saturday. Their booking system reassures me as it has the "verified by Visa System. Hopefully, they will have availability then. I am not keen to revel my cc info to a site that has been hacked just in case it happens again!

BTW I think you website is an excellent resource! I have used it extensively in many parts of the world and found it invaluable. keep up the good work.

seat61.com/thailand

best there and worldwide for train info

for me kudos to MIS61

www.sawasdee.com #1 site there for me

excellent reptuable folks to work with also

from past experience.. Happy Travels!

Man in Seat 61 - Finally managed to purchase tickets CM to BKK via www.thairailticket.com it was a bit of a struggle and i would probaly have given up if it hadn't been for the excellent advice re the booking process on your site! Thanks once again.

crellston. Not sure of your date but currently trains are not running from BKK to CM. We expect travel disruption for quite a while.

Thanks for the thought Hanuman. I was aware that the trains are not currently running from the Thai State Railways site but as we are not travelling from Ching Mai to BKK until late December I am hoping that things will be getting back to normal by then.

We are planning on spending the last few days of our trip in Bangkok before flying home but most of our time on this trip will be spent the north which now seems to be recovering from the floods. No plans to change anything at this stage but will obviously keep an eye on things.

Best wishes to you and your family - I can only imagine what you must be going through at this time.

I just hope the Eastern Line from Aranyaprathet to Bangkok stays open, we'll be finishing our trip from Hanoi, Saigon and Phnom Penh that way in a week and a half!

Good luck with that M61! Let us know how it goes. Watch yourself at the border, scams abound at immigration on both sides!