SRT

Tag Archives for SRT.

Riding the Famous Thai Market Train – how You can do it!

Have you see pictures or videos of that train which goes through a Thailand’s Maeklong market? As the trains pass through, the market stands are packed up and then re -opened.  I have been determined to visit the market for some time.  Now I have done it! Location and Orientation The market is a genuine working market located in Mae Klong which is just 70km (40 miles) from Bangkok.  The town has a very relaxed feel. There are just four trains a day through the market in each direction (eight trips in total) so you…

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Snug & Comfy Thai Sleeper train Surat Thani to HuaHin

Last month, I travelled by train, the 1,500 km (900 miles) km from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia to Bangkok, the Capital of Thailand. Stopping off along the way, the six train trips took 25 hours 35 minutes and it cost me $US72. The longest section (by time) was from Surat Thani, the jumping off place for beautiful Koh Samui up to the lovely resort town of Hua Hin. I chose to ride this section in a brand new Chinese-built First Class sleeping car. Scheduled Departure: 23:57  Arrival:  06:26 – 6 hour 29 min ride Total distance: 300 miles / 1,671…

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A 2nd Class Thai Train ride is almost 1st Class! Surat Thani from Hat Yai

Last month, I had five train journeys which took me on an epic rail voyage from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok. As part of this week-long ride, I had two Second Class train trips with State Railways of Thailand. The first was from one of the southern most cities in Thailand: Hat Yai (E on the map below) 292 kilometres (181 miles) up to Surat Thani (jumping off point for Koh Samui).  Scheduled for a 16:23 departure this four-hour eight-minute train journey in Second Class comes with a meal for nine US Dollars!  The other Second Class train…

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Challenges on the Malaysia/Thai Border- A Rail Journey through Asia Part #2

Padang Besar to Hat Yai, State Railway Thailand (SRT) Third Class Scheduled Departure: 18:00  Scheduled Arrival: 18:10 1 hour 10 min (time change at border) Total distance: 35 miles / 60 km  There is now just one State Railways of Thailand train that crosses the Thai/Malay border. All previous trains no longer operate. This may change again, of course. In an ideal world, the Malaysian Railways electrified line that goes to Padang Besar should be extended all the way to Hat Yai, allowing the Express Train Service to run between Kuala Lumpur and Hat Yai. Immigration and border procedures should be conducted on…

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Asia Rail Experience: Journey #1 – Kuala Lumpur to the Malay/Thai Border

  KUL: Kuala Lumpur to Padang Besar (border of Thailand) KTMB ETS Class 93 Platinum Scheduled Departure: 10:42  Scheduled Arrival: 15:57 5 hour 15 min  Total distance: 260 miles / 417 km  The first part of my 1,500km 900 mile  journey from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok was on Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (Malaysian Railway system) ETS “Electric Train Service“. The journey took me from the heart of the Malaysian capital to Padang Besar, on the border with Thailand. There are now only two rail services that originate in Malaysia that cross the Thai border. One is the ultra-luxury Eastern and Oriental Service and the other starts at…

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Bucket List Check: 900mi By Train from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok

Bucket list… check! A journey I have been wanting to do for over a decade! Over the last week, I travelled by rail from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) in Malaysia to Bangkok (BKK) in Thailand. I have previously ridden a sleeper train from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (before Singapore closed its main train station). Six trains took me over 1,500 km (900 miles). Travel time was 25 hours 35 minutes (including delays and wait times). It cost me $US72 for a mix of travel in First, Second and Third class. If you went for the cheapest option (which…

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Now riding 900+ miles on rail through Asia

Currently riding the rails from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok about 1,500 km (930 or so miles) through Malaysia and Thailand. This is about the same distance from Boston to Atlanta or almost as far as Melbourne to Brisbane in Australia or Paris to Warsaw in Europe. A few years ago,  I travelled from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by train. Sadly, the line into the heart of Singapore is no more. The Singaporean government closed it it 2011 after almost 80 years of operation. It has been one of my dreams to do the next stage from…

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