How is 2nd class train travel in Thailand?
 

I'm about to go off to Thailand for two weeks. We're taking the overnight train from Bangkok to Chaing Mai - we wanted 1st class sleeper compartment but they only had 2nd class available.<BR><BR>I'm not at all a travel snob, but I am a very poor sleeper on public transport! Has anyone had any experience with travelling 2nd class overnight, and how is it in terms of noisiness, general comfort, etc? Also, I'm about 6'2 so how are the sleeping berths for large Westerners?<BR>Thanks!

I travelled 2nd class, I think. You got a seat and a bed. It was fine. About $10 from Bangkok to Surat Thani. I suggest a bottle of Sang Thip with your supper to help you sleep.

What's Sang Thip?

Sang Thip is Thai Whisky.<BR><BR>The best way to describe 2nd class on Thai trains is to visualise those old b/b movies of the 50's in the states where you have the 1 up and 1 down beds on each side.<BR><BR>You must get a lower berth because with your height you could not stretch out fully on an upper berth.<BR><BR>It is transport, so don't expect that much quiet. 1st class is excellent.

Is it possible to go by train during the day from Bangkok to Chaing Mai? I'm not sure that a plane wouldn't be about as cheap as first class train tickets, but I enjoy daytime train travel, and like Dave -- just can't sleep on the darn things.

Never mind the above post. I found train schedules and see that it is possible, but it looks like there is no first class on the day trains, and I didn't find out the cost.

Why not fly instead--it's pretty cheap and much quicker. You could check lonelyplanet.com and get lots more info on the train mode of travel.

I took the 2nd class train to Chiang Mai close to this time last year. I figured we would get sleepers, but we didn't. It was a very long 13 hour ride north and it was nearly impossible to get any sleep. If you can believe it they had the air conditioning cranked up so high that they passed out blankets for people to stay warm. I travelled back to Bangkok by bus and found that a little bit more bearable. I later took a plane from Bangkok to Suratthani and found that it was well worth the price!

There is a special Thai Airlines packages that you must buy before leaving the US that allows you to fly several times within Thailand for a very good price. We flew 4 flights for about $250. But individual flights are also not expensive. The flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is about 1 hour 10 minutes. And it goes often during the day.