Prachuap Khiri Khan sits on one of the narrowest points of Thailand, with Myanmar only a few kilometres inland, and it is one of the most relaxed beach towns you can reach by rail from Bangkok. Ten direct trains run the 318 km, leaving Krung Thep Aphiwat between 07:30 and 22:50 and taking from 4 hours 10 minutes to 5 hours 18 minutes.
The curved bay in front of the town is lined with seafood restaurants, and Ao Manao, a beach on the nearby air force base, is open to visitors.
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How to buy tickets
The easiest way to buy train tickets in Thailand is online rather than going to the station. You do pay a very small commission but the ease and convenience makes it worthwhile in our opinion.
Baolau is the best site to use for buying train tickets, they have access to the live Thai Railways booking engine, so you can easily see availability, timetables and prices.
Payment can be made using international credit cards and PDF confirmation tickets are sent to your email address within a few minutes. This is the actual ticket you need to board the train, so there’s no need to exchange it at the station before travel. You may prefer to print the pdf out, but it’s also fine to show it on your mobile phone to the conductors and station staff.
Tickets go on sale 30 days in advance, opening at 08:30 Thai time. For full details on booking windows, see the when to book Thailand train tickets guide.
Bangkok to Prachuap Khiri Khan train tickets
About the route
The morning 07:30 Special Express is the fastest and gets you there by lunchtime. The rest leave from mid-afternoon onwards, which suits a Friday evening departure if you want a weekend by the sea, though several arrive in the small hours, so check that your accommodation allows a late check-in.
Hua Hin is the better-known beach stop on the same line, and Prachuap is the quieter alternative further south. Many travellers ride on to Chumphon for the ferries to Koh Tao, since all the long-distance trains continue that way.
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