My wife & I will visit Thailand later this month. We plan to take a train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. In between we want to stop at Ayutthaya to visit the ruin temple and summaer palace. Then we would like to take boat cruise to Bangkok. <BR>I would image that we need to hire a tour guide when we get off the train at Ayautthaya. Since we don't speak the language, we need advice from any body who's got experience. Thank you all!

Hi Chris, I can only tell you how I saw Ayutthaya and cruised to BKK. Booked a combo "A" visit and lunch cruise from BKK. Bus up, stopping at the summer palace, to the ruins, and the cruise back. I know it would be backtracking for you, tho. It was a nice, long day. Maybe others know of how to do it starting in "A".

I didn't end up going, but I had read it was fairly easy just to pick up a guide at the train station.

There are no good train connections from Chiang Mai to Ayuthaya (overnight sleeper trains do not stop there). Your best bet is to take a day tour from Bangkok (bus up/return by boat) which will cost around 1400 baht. It is however very easy to go on your own. Take a morning train from Bangkok (takes about 75 minutes) and return on the early evening one. After arriving at the Ayuthaya station, go straight west to the pier and take the ferry across to the island. Now comes the choices as to how to get around: walk or rent a bike (the city is not that big), hire a tuk-tuk driver for around 150 baht an hour or hire a guide with a car (you must bargain very hard because they quote a exorbitant price) for between 300-600 baht for 3 hours. Another alternative is to charter a long tail boat direct from the train station pier or from a pier in the newer northern section of town. There are a number of temples accessible from the river and you can get a better sense of the size and scale of the ruined city. Afterwards have a meal and then catch a train back. Total cost for two including a meal about 990-1590 baht, depending how you tour the city. The best train schedule is to take the Rapid 101 leaving Bangkok at 6.40 arriving 8.10. You can catch the Rapid 102 back leaving at 19.05 and arriving Bangkok at 20.45.

Wow, Soctetrs' reply was very gooda nd detailed, so I'll just add that 2 years ago I did the boat trip back to Bangkok (got there but A/C bus) and just loved it. The sites are spread around a little (take a tuk-tuk between them) but are all fascinating. Any good guide book will be fine. The boat back is a converted rice barge and it is a delight. Two companies (at least) run these tours and they are superb. There's also a stop at a palace on the way back. Definately do it.