How to get from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi by train

As one of the most iconic and poignant railway destinations in the world, Kanchanaburi draws a huge number of visitors each year. Only two and a half hours from Bangkok by train, the town is the gateway to the infamous bridge over the River Kwai, plus various museums and memorials dedicated to the people who lost their lives building the railway.

Travelling the other way? Check out our guide for taking the train from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok.

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Route map and details

Unlike the vast majority of other services departing from Bangkok, the daily trains to Kanchanaburi don’t use Krung Thep Aphiwat Central or Hualamphong, but instead depart from a small commuter station called Thonburi, located just to the west of the city centre.

Note that an Excursion train (weekends and public holidays only) does depart from Hualamphong.

After leaving Bangkok city centre, the trains join the Southern Line before branching off to the Nam Tok Line. After travelling approximately 140km, trains reach Kanchanaburi Station. At this point, most tourists stay on the train for a few more minutes and continue to River Kwai Bridge Station, which is just before the bridge itself.

From here, the train continues for another two hours onto Nam Tok. This section of the route is stunning, passing over a viaduct and through the Thai countryside.

Timetables

Thonburi to Kanchanaburi

There are two trains per day from Bangkok’s Thonburi Station to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai Bridge Station is a few minutes past Kanchanaburi).

Train No.	Thonburi	Kanchanaburi
257	07:45	10:20
259	13:55	16:19

Hualamphong to Kanchanaburi (and Nam Tok)

There’s also one Excursion train from Bangkok’s Hualamphong station to Nam Tok via Kanchanaburi, only running on weekends and public holidays. It’s very much aimed at tourists and includes extended stops at the main stations for sightseeing and refreshments.

Train No.	Hualamphong	Kanchanaburi	Nam Tok
909 1	06:30	09:35	11:30

How to buy tickets

Unlike most other routes in Thailand, the trains to Kanchanaburi cannot be bought online via the usual ticket agencies.

The official Thai Railways site might be able to sell you the tickets for the Excursion train through to Nam Tok, but it can be hit and miss. It might be easier to enquire at Hualamphong Station as this train can sell out in advance.

For the daily train from Thonburi, you can easily buy tickets at Thonburi Station on the day of travel. This train cannot sell out and it’s usually easy enough to find a seat from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi and River Kwai Bridge stations.

Keep in mind that if you’re planning to continue on to Nam Tok, most tourists make their way to Kanchanaburi on tour buses, board at River Kwai Bridge Station, and then continue to Nam Tok, so this leg can be much busier.

How much does it cost?

There is a flat fare for non-Thai travellers of THB100 for any station between Thonburi and Nam Tok (third class carriages only).

The Excursion train is sold as a return ticket from Hualamphong to Nam Tok and costs THB120 (third class carriage).

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