How to get from Bangkok to Hua Hin by train

Average journey time: 3 hour 34 minutes

Hualamphong to Hua Hin

There’s also one daily train from Bangkok’s Hualamphong station to Hua Hin, plus an Excursion train that runs on weekends and public holidays:

Train No.	Hualamphong	Hua Hin
9111	06:30	10:54
261	09:20	13:50

Average journey time: 4 hour 27 minutes
¹ Weekends and public holidays only

Thonburi to Hua Hin

Two Ordinary trains run each day from Bangkok’s Thonburi station to Hua Hin:

Train No.	Thonburi	Hua Hin
255	07:20	11:46
251	13:10	17:31

Average journey time: 4 hour 23 minutes

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.

What to expect on board

All of the daily trains departing from Thonburi or Hualamphong will have third-class carriages only. Seating will usually be hard wooden benches, although will sometimes be padded seats. All of the carriages are fan-only (no air-conditioning) but the windows can (and will) be fully opened by other passengers.

Many tourists discover they actually enjoy the slightly austere conditions on third-class trains and remember them fondly. It’s relatively cool when the train is moving (and become too breezy), but it does quickly get hot again when the train is stationary. The four and a half journey time from Bangkok to Hua Hin is at the upper limit of how long you’d want to spend on a hard seat in Thailand, but it’s well worth trying at least once.

Long-distance trains offer a mixture of first, second and third-class carriages, with either seats or sleeper berths.

First-class sleeper compartments are the most expensive option and also the hardest to book, due to the small number available on this route. They’re popular with overseas tourists who place a premium on privacy and some added comfort. Whenever we’ve used them, we’re always grateful that the lights and air-conditioning are adjustable for each compartment as they can both be overpowering in second-class. The first-class carriages also have their own toilet and washing facilities, and are a step up from the second-class versions.

The only downside to first-class (aside from the cost) is that it can feel less sociable than second-class but is definitely worth considering if you prefer your own space. It’s also possible to book the entire compartment (also known as a ‘room’ on the Thai booking engine) if you’re prepared to pay for the privilege.

Note that it will be very hard to book first-class carriages on this route. They’re only available on the trains travelling deep into the south of the country, so you can only book them 24 hours before travel. It’s highly likely that other travellers will have already booked them by then.

Second-class carriages are less private than first class, although each berth does have its own privacy curtain so you won’t be on display during the night. During the day, berths are configured as upright seats facing each other, making for a pleasant space to relax, especially if you’re travelling with someone. Sometime around 7.00pm, attendants will make their way down the carriage and convert the seats into berths, ready for sleeping.

Lower berths are the most popular, mainly because they have the window and are slightly wider. They’re also much easier to access than the upper berth, which requires some effort to navigate the ladder and confined space. Upper berths don’t have a window and are more affected by the bright ceiling lights that stay on for the duration of the journey. One common complaint about Thai sleeper trains are these bright lights, and you’re in full glare on the top bunk. An eye mask is a great addition to your luggage.

What are the toilets and wash facilities like?

First-class carriages have excellent facilities, sometimes even featuring a hot shower on the newer carriages. As there are only a few first-class compartments on each train, you won’t normally need to wait and the staff keep them clean and tidy, with soap and toilet paper stocked up.

In the rest of the train, the toilets are also kept in decent condition, perhaps not as fancy as in first-class but more than good enough for the duration of the journey. Many people worry about using the toilets on trains but the ones in Thailand are nearly always well looked-after, so there’s nothing to worry about. It does make sense to bring your own toilet paper and hand-sanitiser though, just in case.

Toilets on the third-class trains from Hualamphong and Thonburi are more basic, but still usable for this length of journey.

Catering options

A restaurant car is attached to the train for the journey, serving cheap and reliable Thai meals. Although they might not look great in their plastic boxes and served from a slightly makeshift kitchen area, the meals are usually excellent quality and never too expensive. They’re definitely a step up from crisps and biscuits you see many other travellers consuming.

It’s convenient and sociable to eat in the restaurant car but if you’d rather stay at your berth, train staff also walk up and down the carriage with a menu, offering to bring meals to you. A small tip is appreciated if you use this service.

As this is Thailand, there’s never a shortage of food and drink vendors walking along the train offering meals, snacks and drinks. Expect to pay around THB40 – 120 for a meal and THB20 for soft drinks.

Journey description

Whether you’re departing from Krung Thep Aphiwat, Hualamphong or Thonburi, the route is the same down to Hua Hin once you’ve left the vibrant western suburbs of Bangkok.

Turning south at Nong Pladuk Junction, the route takes you within a few kilometres of the Gulf of Thailand coastline for the majority of the journey, before riding within touching distance for the final few minutes into Hua Hin’s central railway station.