Thailand by Train
 

What a great resource this board is! I will be honeymooning in Thailand this September and was wondering how safe train travel there is. My fiance has never been on a plane before and we already have a superlong Chicago-to-Bangkok flight, so I've promised to keep us grounded once we get there.

(Oops... Hit "post" prematurely...) Specifically, are the overnight trains in Thailand--say from Bangkok to Chiang Mai--safe and secure? (I was once robbed on a night train in Europe, so I'm a bit wary...)

i read one report last year on fodors where someone reported being robbed on the cm train...i can't see spending the time on the train, when your time is limited, to save a one hour or less flight to CM...tell her to suck it up and hold her breath..its an easy flight...take thai air for a big plane and comfort...treat her to 1st or business class for just a little bit more cost..

i've gone up too nong kai and the train seemed safe enough I bought a 2nd class sleeper which was clean and confy..

The train is pefectly safe as long as you use the normal precautions. I would suggest that you get a first class compartment for more privacy.

We rode the train from BKK - CM it seemed safe to us. We had no problems except for the squat toilet. However it is a 12 hour trip. We used the time for catching up on writing and reading. My suggestion would be to fly if you are tight on time. We flew back, one 12 hour train trip was enough. By all means do first class, just for the comfort.

My wife were just honeymooning in Thailand a few weeks ago. We took a night train 2nd class sleeper from Bkk to SuratTani. We had no problems. With that said, the sleeper cars are quite cold, so bring an extra sweater. We felt very safe and would do it again. You will be gently rocked to sleep by the movement of the train. Enjoy your trip.

If money is not an issue, I would not recommend the train to Chiang Mai. I found the extreme air conditioning was so nauseating that I couldn't get a minute of sleep. Plus, the food was terrible. On the way back from CM I chose a bus, which was way more comfortable for about the same price and travel time. After that I stuck with plane travel for the remainder of my Thailand trip. The plane I took from Bangkok to Suratthani was probably the best $100 I spent.

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I personally would prefer to fly to save time, and I would only consider the night train--we have to sleep anyway. I've read that the buses can be turbulent, so I'm surprised to hear that it can be comfortable. Ultimately, I think we'll be spontaneous and decide when we get there.

P.S. rhkkmk, I'm the girl, and he's the guy/travel newbie. Thailand is hardly the easiest first-time experience, I suppose, but I think he'll have fun!

Hi bittersweet,
I've got trains up and down to Chang mai and Nong Khai a couple of times with no problems.

My only tips would be to go first class and bring your own food, or if you do go second class make sure you get lower level sleepers...the higher ones are close to the freezing fans, while the lower ones are warmer and you can look out the window if you wake up early.

Finally, if you do feel like flying its a great feeling to be able to buy first class flights so cheap!

The flights are so easy and so pleasant and so cheap that I would strongly recommend doing that. By the time he gets to Thailand he'll be a flight pro. :-)

By the way, how are you getting there? You might consider going to NY, staying overnight and then flying non-stop on Thai airways. It reduces the flight time considerably and the plane has one of the roomiest seat configurations in economy in the air.

Bittersweet,
I see you're a Cannuck too. I should add a disclaimer to my previous comment. I don't sleep well at all during transport. Even though I found the bus to be more comfortable overall, I didn't sleep on that ride either. My wife (girlfriend at the time) and I had 2nd class tickets on the train, but they were not sleeping quarters. We had a seat that was pretty much the same as what you would get on a bus. Hopefully you'll be in Thailand long enough to adjust your travel methods as you go.

Happy travels.

A group of us are going Bangkok to Chiang Mai on the overnight sleeper train in December. Looking forward to it.

First class, of course, is the only way to do an overnight on any train in the world. Even in the US, second class overnight is terribly uncomfortable. And in countries where the cost is already minimal, I just cannot see spening the extra $10.

Whoops! Make that last: "I just cannot see NOT spending the extra $10."

Thanks again, everyone for the great advice! I would definitely opt for first class if we decided to go with a train. The advantages of flying are clear, though, so perhaps I'll be able to persuade... Is it best to book directly with the airline?

It's very easy to book directly with the airline but I think Bob has used a travel agent in Bangkok who has gotten him good rates.