Special Express No. 43: Bangkok to Surat Thani

This is Special Express No. 43 day train that goes from Bangkok (Krung Thep Aphiwat) to Surat Thani in 8 hours and 50 minutes during daylight hours. It is an air-conditioned diesel multiple unit (DMU) built by Daewoo in the 1990’s. Top speed is around 120km/hour. The train leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station at 7:30 a.m. and arrives in Surat Thani at 4:20 p.m. Tickets cost 524 Baht for adults and 402 Baht for children. You can book tickets up to 180 days in advance if you are doing at least 60% of the entire route and up to 30 days in advance if you are doing at least 25%. Otherwise you have to try your luck on the day.

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Popular stops along the way include Hua Hin (330 Baht), Prachuap Khiri Khan (373 Baht), and Chumphon (429 Baht). Carriages are all 2nd Class and air-conditioned. The seats recline and have drop-down trays in the back of seats. There are also curtains to block out the sun. It is a comfortable ride but the carriages are starting to show their age. For the time being, there is no catering service on the train. Carriage attendants may help you order food from stations further down the line but it is not guaranteed. You are advised to bring your own food. The Return journey is made by Special Express No. 40.

TRAIN TIMETABLE ตารางรถไฟขบวน43

Timetable Updated: 9th August 2025

All times are subject to change, Please check with the station master where you bought your ticket or call 1690.

REVIEWS

Chawaphol Puavilai: Always go for the lead/end carriages (usually car 1 and 3) these have a higher chance to be the wide Daewoo railcars (APD .60), as its name suggests, has a wider body, thus a wider cabin. Some slim Daewoo railcars (APD .20) do not have a driver’s cab, these cars always go in the middle.
For an unobstructed window view, opt for these seats: 5-8, 13-16, 21-24, 29-32, 37-42, 49-52, 57-60.
Edit: Seats with 220v power outlet are as follows:
APD .60 (Wide) – 1-2, 31-32 ,33-34, 63-64
APD .20 (Slim) – 1-2, 3-4, 39-40, 43-44
Please note that the last car (usually car 3) is always flipped, therefore, seats 1-4 will be at the very back. The same goes for the returning Special Express No. 44, the first car (usually car 4) is always flipped. However, this isn’t reflected on the booking system.

The partition does indeed differs between each variant. For the APD .60 (Wide), the partition is between seats 29-32 and 33-36, while on the APD .20 (Slim), it’s between seats 37-40 and 41-44. These seats should also be avoided, as the partitions double as trash bins.

ALTERNATIVE TRAINS ON THIS ROUTE

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