Hi there,
We’re heading to Thailand in February 2026 and we’d like to take the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Can we book two first-class tickets? I’m only seeing second-class options.
Thanks
Original post
Bangkok to Chiang Mai Train
by Verneyfrank
Translated into English.
Hi there,
For 1st or 2nd class, reservations only open 6 months in advance*. On the SRT** website, 1st-class sleeper berths (trains 9 and 13 only) are already waitlisted for some December dates.
*Except for partial journeys on long-distance trains: - 30 days in advance if the trip length is less than 60% of the train’s route - 1 day before if the trip length is less than 25% of the train’s route
**Thai State Railway https://dticket.railway.co.th/DTicketPublicWeb/home/Home - Change language in the top-right corner - It’s a bit slow - Cheaper here (regular prices) than on booking sites like 12Go - For Bangkok’s main station, write "Krung Thep Aphiwat"
For 1st or 2nd class, reservations only open 6 months in advance*. On the SRT** website, 1st-class sleeper berths (trains 9 and 13 only) are already waitlisted for some December dates.
*Except for partial journeys on long-distance trains: - 30 days in advance if the trip length is less than 60% of the train’s route - 1 day before if the trip length is less than 25% of the train’s route
**Thai State Railway https://dticket.railway.co.th/DTicketPublicWeb/home/Home - Change language in the top-right corner - It’s a bit slow - Cheaper here (regular prices) than on booking sites like 12Go - For Bangkok’s main station, write "Krung Thep Aphiwat"
Hello,
We’re heading to Thailand in February 2026 and we’d like to take the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Can we book 2 first-class tickets? I can only find second-class ones.
Thanks
Hi, We’re also going to Thailand in February (during the school holidays for zone C) and we decided not to go to Chiang Mai because of the burn-offs. We’re doing Bangkok (with a day trip to Ayutthaya) – Kanchanaburi – Koh Yao Noi – Phuket. For us, it falls at the end of February, so the burn-offs are guaranteed... Have a great trip!
We’re heading to Thailand in February 2026 and we’d like to take the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Can we book 2 first-class tickets? I can only find second-class ones.
Thanks
Hi, We’re also going to Thailand in February (during the school holidays for zone C) and we decided not to go to Chiang Mai because of the burn-offs. We’re doing Bangkok (with a day trip to Ayutthaya) – Kanchanaburi – Koh Yao Noi – Phuket. For us, it falls at the end of February, so the burn-offs are guaranteed... Have a great trip!
don’t go to Chiang Mai because of the burning season.
?? No, Chiang Mai isn’t burning—the burning is in the countryside. Sure, you might feel it in the city, but unless you’re staying for a month or you’re elderly or have really sensitive lungs, the health risks are minimal, especially since most tourists only stay 3–4 days. Don’t freak out over nothing...
Bangkok (with a day trip to Ayutthaya)
A day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok isn’t enough—you’ll spend more time traveling there and back, no matter how you go, than actually exploring the place at a rushed pace.
?? No, Chiang Mai isn’t burning—the burning is in the countryside. Sure, you might feel it in the city, but unless you’re staying for a month or you’re elderly or have really sensitive lungs, the health risks are minimal, especially since most tourists only stay 3–4 days. Don’t freak out over nothing...
Bangkok (with a day trip to Ayutthaya)
A day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok isn’t enough—you’ll spend more time traveling there and back, no matter how you go, than actually exploring the place at a rushed pace.
It's 1–1.5 hours from Bangkok, so not much transport (in my opinion).
As I wrote, we're tied to school holidays, so we can't afford 3 or 4 weeks.
I watched a lot of videos on YouTube, and Chiang Mai at the end of February is impressive. For me (again, just my opinion), "breathing smog" is the opposite of "enjoying a vacation."
If the author of the question is going at the beginning of February, why not. But the school holidays for zone C are at the end of February...
It's 1h-1h30 from Bangkok
You’ve been misinformed. By minivan from Mo Chit, it’s 1h30. By train, it’s 1h30 to 2h (plus the trip from your hotel to the bus/rail station). But most importantly, you’ll be forced to leave and return during the worst traffic jams of the day (roughly from 6:30 AM to 10 AM and from 3 PM to 8 PM), and of course, doing the whole excursion by taxi or through an agency from your hotel won’t solve the problem. Plan for at least 2h30 minimum for the one-way trip.
Try to spend at least one night in Ayutthaya, or better yet, if your flight from France arrives in Bangkok before 2-3 PM, spend your first two nights directly in Ayutthaya—it’ll be much more relaxing than Bangkok for recovering from the long flight (if you’re on a budget, take a taxi from the airport to Ayutthaya; the driver will know how to bypass Bangkok to avoid traffic as much as possible). Then, following the same idea, from Ayutthaya, there are tourist shuttles to Kanchanaburi (the only direct public transport option), which are really convenient (book them the day before through your Ayutthaya accommodation).
You’ve been misinformed. By minivan from Mo Chit, it’s 1h30. By train, it’s 1h30 to 2h (plus the trip from your hotel to the bus/rail station). But most importantly, you’ll be forced to leave and return during the worst traffic jams of the day (roughly from 6:30 AM to 10 AM and from 3 PM to 8 PM), and of course, doing the whole excursion by taxi or through an agency from your hotel won’t solve the problem. Plan for at least 2h30 minimum for the one-way trip.
Try to spend at least one night in Ayutthaya, or better yet, if your flight from France arrives in Bangkok before 2-3 PM, spend your first two nights directly in Ayutthaya—it’ll be much more relaxing than Bangkok for recovering from the long flight (if you’re on a budget, take a taxi from the airport to Ayutthaya; the driver will know how to bypass Bangkok to avoid traffic as much as possible). Then, following the same idea, from Ayutthaya, there are tourist shuttles to Kanchanaburi (the only direct public transport option), which are really convenient (book them the day before through your Ayutthaya accommodation).
thanks so much
Hi
In Ayutthaya, the sites are quite spread out, but you can easily find shared tuk-tuks (4-6 seats) that take you from one site to another for 300 baht per hour.
In Ayutthaya, the sites are quite spread out, but you can easily find shared tuk-tuks (4-6 seats) that take you from one site to another for 300 baht per hour.
Hi there,
I hope you don’t mind me jumping into this discussion. I’m replying to Songsam, but I’d love to hear from others too. 🙂
Are the agricultural burns in northern Thailand still an issue in January?
I hope you don’t mind me jumping into this discussion. I’m replying to Songsam, but I’d love to hear from others too. 🙂
Are the agricultural burns in northern Thailand still an issue in January?
Basically, it's mostly from February to April for the high season.
While traveling around the country, you’ll see there are trains running pretty much all year round.
While traveling around the country, you’ll see there are trains running pretty much all year round.
« Tout le monde s'interroge sur comment laisser une meilleure planète à nos enfants, mais on devrait plutôt penser à laisser de meilleurs enfants pour notre planète. » Clint Eastwood
I think the question is about the consequences of slash-and-burn farming not in urban areas but in the countryside.
A rural trip.
Beauty of the landscapes if there’s fire, smoke clouds, etc.
Beauty of the landscapes if there’s fire, smoke clouds, etc.
Ponts du monde : concours de photos amical de juillet 2026
Rubrique Jeux Voyages
C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !
Hey,
the overnight train? meh... outside the cities everything is pitch black
For those who also want to enjoy the scenery, you shouldn’t take an overnight train but a "day-and-night" train. The #51 is ideal: it leaves BKK at 10:30 PM, arrives in Chiang Mai at 12:10 PM, and has 2nd-class A/C sleeper berths. Its big advantage is that from Sila At*, where it passes around 7 AM, it starts the long, steep climb with tight curves through beautiful mountain landscapes, all bathed in the soft light of sunrise, making it quite spectacular. The climb continues up to Khun Tan, the highest station in the country, where it stops around 11 AM—right at the exit of the Khun Tan railway tunnel, the longest in Thailand. After that, the line gently descends.
* Sila At is just a district of Uttaradit, barely 1 km north of the city’s main station (which is already served), so why do all the trains stop there anyway? Because it’s a locomotive depot roughly halfway between BKK and Chiang Mai. Trains stop there to change crews and add a helper engine to tackle the climb up to Khun Tan.
the overnight train? meh... outside the cities everything is pitch black
For those who also want to enjoy the scenery, you shouldn’t take an overnight train but a "day-and-night" train. The #51 is ideal: it leaves BKK at 10:30 PM, arrives in Chiang Mai at 12:10 PM, and has 2nd-class A/C sleeper berths. Its big advantage is that from Sila At*, where it passes around 7 AM, it starts the long, steep climb with tight curves through beautiful mountain landscapes, all bathed in the soft light of sunrise, making it quite spectacular. The climb continues up to Khun Tan, the highest station in the country, where it stops around 11 AM—right at the exit of the Khun Tan railway tunnel, the longest in Thailand. After that, the line gently descends.
* Sila At is just a district of Uttaradit, barely 1 km north of the city’s main station (which is already served), so why do all the trains stop there anyway? Because it’s a locomotive depot roughly halfway between BKK and Chiang Mai. Trains stop there to change crews and add a helper engine to tackle the climb up to Khun Tan.
I think the question is about the consequences of slash-and-burn farming not in urban areas but in the countryside.
A rural trip.
Beauty of the landscapes if fire, smoke cloud, etc
Yes, exactly. I should’ve been clearer. The landscapes are still less appealing when the sky is hazy because of the smoke.
I see you know our way of traveling.[;]
Beauty of the landscapes if fire, smoke cloud, etc
Yes, exactly. I should’ve been clearer. The landscapes are still less appealing when the sky is hazy because of the smoke.
I see you know our way of traveling.[;]
Thanks so much
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1) 2 days before departure: email announcing a change of departure station for the outbound trip—Bercy Seine bus station instead of Gare du Nord. 2) Change of schedule: 4:00 PM from Bercy instead of 5:45 PM from Gare du Nord. 3) Change of transport mode!! A bus from Paris to Brussels, then an overnight train from Brussels to Berlin. No functional toilets on the bus. No children under 4 allowed on the bus. 4) On the sleeper train at 9:30 PM: no functional toilets in our carriage, so we had to go to other carriages, even in the middle of the night, to find working ones. 5) The onboard staff, though very friendly, were as lost as we were. In particular, they didn’t know how to handle the lower berths, so people using them had less space (armrests and backrests). Berth numbers weren’t respected, so some passengers had to move. The staff also didn’t know who was supposed to join the compartment during the journey. 6) Arrival at 7:30 AM in Berlin instead of 10:00 AM. No arrival announcement. Passengers had to search for staff to get breakfast and ended up with just a coffee (breakfast = 15 €, not bad for just a coffee). 7) Return trip: drastic schedule change announced by email on 26/05/2026—departure at 7:30 PM instead of 6:30 PM, with arrival between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM in Paris instead of 10:00 AM. No change in transport mode announced. 8) Change in transport mode announced by email on the same day (05/06/2026)!! Overnight train from Brussels to Berlin, then a bus from Paris to Brussels. No functional toilets on the bus. Children under 4 banned from the bus, and families in this situation were asked to find another way—after being notified the same day. 9) The overnight train arrived at Berlin station with a 30-minute delay on top of its initial delay (scheduled for 6:31 PM, then 7:30 PM, finally arriving at 8:00 PM). The heating was blasting in the compartment with no way to turn it off. No functional toilets in the carriage. From that point on, customer service stopped responding to my messages. 10) Woken up at 5:00 AM with an announcement in all carriages about arrival in Liège. 11) Woken up again at 6:00 AM to be told we’d arrive in Brussels at 7:00 AM. 12) Arrival in Brussels at 7:00 AM and a one-hour wait for the bus to Paris. No functional toilets on the bus. 13) Arrival at Paris Nord at 12:30 PM, so 2.5 hours late compared to the originally scheduled time. 14) The overnight trains used are very old—I recognized the carriages from 20 years ago!! No functional power outlets, no Wi-Fi, no air conditioning. Five people per compartment is a bit cramped, but I consider these conditions expected (especially the air conditioning), so I’m not complaining about that. There’s already plenty to gripe about with the travel conditions.
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Hi there,
I’d love to know if any of you have recently eaten on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
We’ve always ordered food on the train, and it was really good (and super convenient). But in 2022, we ended up feeling like total idiots (with our 4-year-old daughter...) when we boarded the train only to find out that this service was no longer available... (It was the first time we’d traveled right after COVID.)
That’s also when we saw once again how kind Thai people are—they all offered to share their food with us, even though we were mortified. In the end, we managed to buy some instant noodles, which was better than nothing. Anyway, that’s the little story behind it.
In the following years, we’ve always brought our own meals.
I’ve read online that meal trays are back in service (could you confirm this, please?), but that the quality is really poor. I’ve also seen multiple reports that, even though you can eat well everywhere in Thailand, the train meal was the worst food travelers had during their trip...
Could you give me a recent opinion on this? We’ll be departing from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station—do you know if there’s anywhere to buy a meal there before boarding the train?
Thanks so much for your help, and have a great Sunday!
I’d love to know if any of you have recently eaten on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
We’ve always ordered food on the train, and it was really good (and super convenient). But in 2022, we ended up feeling like total idiots (with our 4-year-old daughter...) when we boarded the train only to find out that this service was no longer available... (It was the first time we’d traveled right after COVID.)
That’s also when we saw once again how kind Thai people are—they all offered to share their food with us, even though we were mortified. In the end, we managed to buy some instant noodles, which was better than nothing. Anyway, that’s the little story behind it.
In the following years, we’ve always brought our own meals.
I’ve read online that meal trays are back in service (could you confirm this, please?), but that the quality is really poor. I’ve also seen multiple reports that, even though you can eat well everywhere in Thailand, the train meal was the worst food travelers had during their trip...
Could you give me a recent opinion on this? We’ll be departing from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station—do you know if there’s anywhere to buy a meal there before boarding the train?
Thanks so much for your help, and have a great Sunday!
Hi everyone,
For traveling in Rajasthan by train and bus, could you give me some info: where to buy tickets, cost, purchase locations, websites, etc.?
Any tips you have would be super helpful.
Thanks
Hi there,
We’re traveling to Java on October 23, just the two of us. I’ve read that it’s best to book train tickets in advance on tiket.com. Is that true, and how far ahead do you recommend? Are the tickets changeable?
Thanks for your help!
Nicole
We’re traveling to Java on October 23, just the two of us. I’ve read that it’s best to book train tickets in advance on tiket.com. Is that true, and how far ahead do you recommend? Are the tickets changeable?
Thanks for your help!
Nicole
Hi everyone,
I’m planning to travel from Ulaanbaatar to Irkutsk by train this summer but I’m a bit worried about crossing the borders. How does it work? Could anyone share their experience? (I’ve found quite a few accounts of people going *from* Russia *to* Mongolia, but entering a country is never the same as leaving it—especially in this context!)
Thanks in advance! 😊
Thanks in advance! 😊
Hi
Can anyone tell me how to book train tickets online? We're planning to travel from HANOI to HO CHI MINH CITY by train, making several stops along the way. I'd also like to find the schedules and the stations where the trains stop.
There are four of us, and we've already planned stops in HANOI / DONG HOI / HUE.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
Mounette74
Can anyone tell me how to book train tickets online? We're planning to travel from HANOI to HO CHI MINH CITY by train, making several stops along the way. I'd also like to find the schedules and the stations where the trains stop.
There are four of us, and we've already planned stops in HANOI / DONG HOI / HUE.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
Mounette74
Hi everyone,
I’m heading to Japan for the second time with my 20-year-old son. During our first trip, we spent two weeks in Tokyo and Kyoto (plus the surrounding areas). This time, we’re planning to stay in Tokyo for at least 4-5 days and then head to the island of Naoshima. I’m looking for suggestions and advice: Is getting to Naoshima from Tokyo complicated? If so, do you have any recommendations for a stopover somewhere? Given that we’d prefer not to move every day, we’d rather settle in one place and then explore on day trips... Do you think it’s possible to do something like this: 5 nights in Tokyo (Shinjuku) 3 nights in Kyoto 2 nights in Naoshima (or is one night enough??) and if one night is enough, where could I spend a second night on the way back to Tokyo? 2 nights in Tokyo (I’d love your advice on staying in a different neighborhood—last time we stayed near Ueno Park)—keeping in mind we’re flying out of Narita.
I’m considering maybe skipping Kyoto, which I love but has apparently become *very* touristy... Not really keen on Osaka... since we’ll already have done Tokyo as our "big city." I’d prefer towns where nature is present... (a bit like Kyoto, which offers all that...)
For info, we’ll be traveling by train. Thanks in advance for all your suggestions and help!
I have one last little question: Is cash still widely used in Japan, or not at all anymore?
Thanks so much,
Karine
I’m heading to Japan for the second time with my 20-year-old son. During our first trip, we spent two weeks in Tokyo and Kyoto (plus the surrounding areas). This time, we’re planning to stay in Tokyo for at least 4-5 days and then head to the island of Naoshima. I’m looking for suggestions and advice: Is getting to Naoshima from Tokyo complicated? If so, do you have any recommendations for a stopover somewhere? Given that we’d prefer not to move every day, we’d rather settle in one place and then explore on day trips... Do you think it’s possible to do something like this: 5 nights in Tokyo (Shinjuku) 3 nights in Kyoto 2 nights in Naoshima (or is one night enough??) and if one night is enough, where could I spend a second night on the way back to Tokyo? 2 nights in Tokyo (I’d love your advice on staying in a different neighborhood—last time we stayed near Ueno Park)—keeping in mind we’re flying out of Narita.
I’m considering maybe skipping Kyoto, which I love but has apparently become *very* touristy... Not really keen on Osaka... since we’ll already have done Tokyo as our "big city." I’d prefer towns where nature is present... (a bit like Kyoto, which offers all that...)
For info, we’ll be traveling by train. Thanks in advance for all your suggestions and help!
I have one last little question: Is cash still widely used in Japan, or not at all anymore?
Thanks so much,
Karine
Hi everyone,
We’re planning this *very* last-minute—I know! But we’d love to spend 4 days soon (within the next 10–12 days) on a city getaway with our young adult kids. Ideally by train, and for this short trip, we’d prefer not to spend more than 4–6 hours in transit, leaving from Lausanne (Switzerland). We’ve been considering Milan, Strasbourg, or Freiburg im Breisgau, but I’ll admit I’m feeling a bit lost...
Venice was our original plan, but the connection changes in Domodossola or Milan are making the travel time longer this year.
It’s peak summer, so there’ll be tourists and it’ll likely be hot, but oh well...
Any suggestions? We love wandering around, taking photos, exploring cities on foot, trying out restaurants, and keeping things low-key.
Thanks to anyone who wants to chime in! :o)
We’re planning this *very* last-minute—I know! But we’d love to spend 4 days soon (within the next 10–12 days) on a city getaway with our young adult kids. Ideally by train, and for this short trip, we’d prefer not to spend more than 4–6 hours in transit, leaving from Lausanne (Switzerland). We’ve been considering Milan, Strasbourg, or Freiburg im Breisgau, but I’ll admit I’m feeling a bit lost...
Venice was our original plan, but the connection changes in Domodossola or Milan are making the travel time longer this year.
It’s peak summer, so there’ll be tourists and it’ll likely be hot, but oh well...
Any suggestions? We love wandering around, taking photos, exploring cities on foot, trying out restaurants, and keeping things low-key.
Thanks to anyone who wants to chime in! :o)