How to get from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi by train

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 at Nong Pladuk Junction. After travelling approximately 120km, trains reach Kanchanaburi Station. At this point, many tourists stay on the train for a few more minutes and continue to Saphan Kwae Yai (River Kwai Bridge) station, which is just before the bridge itself.

From here, the train continues for another two hours to the end of the line at Nam Tok. This section of the route is stunning, passing over a famous wooden viaduct at Thamkrasae and then continuing through the countryside for another hour.

Timetables

Click here to check all Thailand train times

Thonburi to Kanchanaburi

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

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.

How to buy tickets

Unlike most other routes in Thailand, the trains from Thonburi to Kanchanaburi cannot be bought online via the usual ticket agencies, but 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 towards Nam Tok, so this leg can be much busier.

Tickets for the Excursion train from Hualamphong to Nam Tok can be bought online via the Baolau site. Just remember to choose either a weekend or public holiday departure date.

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:

What to expect onboard the Ordinary trains from Thonburi

The third-class carriages used on the Thonburi to Kanchanaburi service might look outdated and uncomfortable, but they’re actually a key part of what makes the trip so memorable. You never quite know which type of third-class carriage you’ll get until you climb onboard: some are simple wooden benches, others might have plastic padded seats, and you may even get a headrest on others.

All carriages are non air-conditioned, so you’re relying on fans and open windows to provide some relief from the heat. When the train is moving, it works pretty well and you won’t be too hot. Station stops (and random stops in the middle of nowhere waiting for the signal to change) can be more challenging, although it’s only for a few minutes and more than manageable.

Thonburi has much more character and charm than the main station in Bangkok (Krung Thep Aphiwat), and it’s easy to navigate and buy tickets. There’s a THB100 tourist fare for the journey between Thonburi and Kanchanaburi (locals pay a different fare), payable at the ticket office.

As the trains originate at Thonburi, they’ll be waiting at the station ready for you to board. Cross the tracks (check for other trains!) and choose an empty seat. If you’re boarding twenty minutes or so early, there should be plenty of choice.

The train will be travelling west for most of the journey but there’s a short section after Khlong Bang Tan where the train heads north. To avoid the sun, if you’re on the 7.45am departure, try and sit on the left side of the train. For the afternoon departure, you’re best off on the right.

Once you’ve broken free of the western suburbs of Bangkok, the view is dominated by rural scenes, passing rivers and farmers working in the fields. The mix of passengers is split between tourists and locals, with the train becoming full an hour into the journey, when it might be standing-room only.

What are the toilets like?

Toilets are fine, certainly not as bad as some we’ve encountered in Southeast Asia. As it’s only a two hour journey, there’s not much time for them to become too unclean and they are well looked after by the train staff. The flush will deposit the contents directly onto the track, so try and avoid popping in during a station stop.

Catering options

Thonburi has a small food court opposite where you can buy hot meals, snacks and drinks.

There’s no restaurant carriage attached to the train, but food vendors wander along the aisle for almost the entire journey, so you won’t go hungry. Expect to pay around THB20 for drinks, and THB50 for noodles or rice. Snacks are usually only around THB10-15.

Journey description

With the cute carriages, windows open and fans whirling away, the journey from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi feels like a real adventure. This definitely isn’t an express service where you’re shut off from the outside world in an air-conditioned bubble. From the very beginning, the train creeps past corrugated-iron shacks next to the tracks, over bridges and through fascinating neighbourhoods, the sounds and smells of Bangkok filling the carriage. It’s hot but lots of fun.

After thirty minutes, the view changes from urban to rural, but the progress is still slow-going, stopping every ten or fifteen minutes at tiny rural stations, sometimes collecting more passengers, but often just pausing for a few seconds before the whistle sounds and the train continues west.

As you get closer to Kanchanaburi, the mountains appear on the horizon, framed by a bright blue sky and the green expanse of rice fields and farmland. There are two stations in town: Kanchanaburi is best if you’re staying in town and need access to the main hotel and restaurant area. But many tourists stay on until Saphan Kwae Yai station, just before the famous bridge. After exploring the historic area, it’s easy to arrange a Grab or tuk-tuk back into town.