How to Buy Train Tickets in Thailand
In the past, if you wanted to buy train tickets, you had to go to your local railway station. However, this wasn’t useful for people who lived outside of Thailand and wanted to buy tickets in advance of coming here on a holiday. Some tourists also had a communication problem at smaller stations that didn’t often see foreign tourists. The good news is that you now have a variety of ways of buying tickets online.
Options for buying train tickets online in Thailand:
- D-Ticket (Official site)
- SRT D-Ticket App: App Store or Google Play
- 12Go Thailand (travel agency)
- Baolau (travel agency)
PLEASE NOTE: Long distance trains on the Northern, Northeastern, and Southern lines now leave from the new terminal station in Bangkok. When buying your tickets to leave from Bangkok, you need to enter “Krung Thep Aphiwat”. For local and commuter trains, including tourist trains and trains on the Eastern Line, these will still go from Bangkok Station (Hua Lamphong). You need to type “Bangkok” as your departure station for these trains.
I always like to try and use the official site to buy my train tickets, but when I was abroad recently, I had trouble verifying my payment and couldn’t buy my tickets. Other people living abroad also told me they sometimes had trouble registering or even opening the website. It is true that the official site now has an English version, but they don’t translate everything. Sometimes important information is only shown in Thai. Overall, the interface and the support is not user-friendly which is why many people choose to use an agency site such as 12Go even though there is a service fee. Agency sites have the added advantage that everything is in English including the support. You can also buy through tickets that includes buses and boats. Useful if you want to go to the islands by train.
ADVANCE TICKETS: Starting from 1st February 2024, you can buy train tickets 90 days in advance for all long distance special and special express trains. For most other trains, you can only buy up to 30 days in advance. However, for local and commuter trains, usually numbered 3xx or 4xx, you can only buy these tickets on the day at the station.
You can buy tickets up to 90 days in advance for these trains:
- Special Express (Diesel Railcar) No. 7/8 Chiang Mai
- Special Express No. 9/10 Chiang Mai
- Special Express No. 13/14 Chiang Mai
- Special Express No. 23/24 Ubon Ratchathani
- Special Express No. 25/26 Nong Khai
- Special Express No. 31/32 Hat Yai Junction
- Special Express No. 37/38 Su-ngai Kolok
- Special Express (Diesel Railcar) No. 39/40, 43/44 Surat Thani
- Special Express No. 45/46 Padang Besar
- Express No. 51/52 Chiang Mai
- Express No. 83/84 Trang
- Express No. 85/86 Nakhon Si Thammarat
- Express (Diesel Railcar) No. 71/72 Ubon Ratchathani
- Express (Diesel Railcar) No. 75/76 Nong Khai
DATES FOR WHEN TO BUY TICKETS FOR: JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH | APRIL | MAY | JUNE | JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER
You may notice that the travel agency websites such as 12Go sell tickets far in advance. These are not confirmed ticket sales. However, it does have the advantage that the minute these tickets go on sale, their agents will be in the queue to buy the ticket for you. This is very useful for popular routes such as from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.
TOURIST TRAIN TICKETS: For the Special Weekend Excursion trains, you have no choice but to buy on the official D-Ticket website or at your local train station. Change the language to English and then click ‘Exploring Thailand by Train’.
FAQ: What Does “Data Not Found” Mean When Trying To Buy Train Tickets?
FAQ: How to Change Passport Details on D-Ticket?
It costs me a lot in time and money to research this website and also to post information and answer questions on social media. If you would like to help support my work and become a patreon, or maybe just buy a coffee to keep me going, then I would be really grateful. Thanks!
HOTLINE: The SRT hotline is 1690 and they have English speaking operators. You can reserve a seat with them 24 hours a day, but you then need to go and pay at one of the stations on the list below before 10:00 p.m. of the following day. Failure to pay and pick up your ticket on time will result in automatic cancellation of your reservation.
DISCOUNTS: The following people are entitled to a 50% reduction in ticket prices (excluding fees)
- Children who are taller than 100 cm but not more than 150 cm.
- Children less than 100 cm tall can travel for free but they don’t get a separate seat
- Buddhist monks and novices and Christian priests and Muslim imams.
- Soldiers in uniform and people who have received certain medals.
- Thai people sixty years and over from 1st June to 30 September every year.
- Village Health Volunteers get 20% discount between 1st June and 30th September every year.
FINES: When a passenger is found to be travelling without a ticket, they have to pay the full ticket price plus a fine as follows
- 250 baht if onboard special express, express, and rapid trains
- 100 baht on all other trains
Exceptions to paying a fine are as follows:
- Passengers who are classified as children
- Students in uniform up to secondary school age
- Passengers boarding from a halt that doesn’t have a ticket office
- Stations which have reported a disruption to ticket sales
CHANGING TICKETS AND UPGRADING: Tickets can be changed at the office you bought your ticket not less than one hour before departure time. You will be charged 20 baht for all classes of ordinary train and 50 baht for all classes of air-conditioned/sleeping train. If you are upgrading you also need to pay the difference between the two classes.
TICKET REFUNDS: Everyone is entitled to a refund on their tickets if they inform the ticket office in time. If you paid with cash then you get your money back straight away minus the fee.
- Seek refund three days or more before the date of travel will get 80% back.
- Seek refund less than three days but not less than one hour before departure will get 50% back.
LUGGAGE: Passengers are allowed to take personal luggage for free as follows
- 1st Class maximum of 50 kilos
- 2nd Class maximum of 40 kilos
- 3rd Class maximum of 30 kilos
- Free allowance cannot exceed 15 kilos when travelling from Bangkok to Prachinburi, Kaen Khoi, Lopburi, Thonburi and Ratchaburi.
- Excess luggage may be carried at an extra charge
- Bicycles can be carried on the train for an extra charge of 90 baht
Hello Richard,
Until how many days before the booking can be done it is possible to ‘reserve’ the tickets via 12GOAsia? And is it guaranteed that they will buy your ticket, or is there as well a chance that they can’t buy the tickets? Do you know if they give priority to people who have booked more upfront?
We want to book travel end of July from Bangkok-Chiang Mai, the tickets go for sale next week. I don’t want to take the risk to book it myself because they can be sold out very fast. And for that 40 euro’s difference to book it via them or by myself via D-ticket, I would prefer 12GoAsia as I have the feeling/hope that get priority to buy the tickets, over the online sales, is that right? Thanks for all the great input and answers you give on the website.
I am nervous about replying to this. Yes, in theory 12Go are better for popular routes as their ticket agents are experts as they go to the train station every day. But, there is no guarantee in life.
Is it possible to online change passport details (document number) after booking and? I plan to buy tickets for the SE no. 9 to Chiang Mai via D-ticket website. Tickets are available from April 19 onwards for departure date July 18, but I still have to renew my son’s travel document.
Thank you.
See this blog here:
How to Change Your Passport Details when buying train tickets on D-Ticket. For example, your passport number.
https://www.thaitrainguide.com/2024/04/19/how-to-change-passport-details-on-d-ticket/
Hallo Richard
Wij gaan in December naar Thailand en willen 15 December van Bangkok naar Chiang mai kan ik deze tickets nu al kopen?
Tickets can be bought up to 90 days in advance.
Dear Richard, thank you so much for your helpful webpage. I am planning to take the #43 train from Hua Hin to Surat Thani end of July. Is is advisable to book the ticket in advance with 12go or 5-6 days earlier in Bangkok at the trainstation? Thank you and best regards from Berlin
If you were were going all the way then I would say buy 2-3 weeks in advance. Going part way is not so bad but no guarantee you can get 5-6 days in advance. Maybe yes, maybe no.
Hi, Is there available advance ticket booking for Bangkok to Aranyaprathet? We are planning to go to Cambodia after Thailand tour.
No, tickets can only be bought on the day at the station just before departure. They won’t sell out.
Hello, I have first and second name and I only include first name, is it alright or I need to purchase a new ticket
It is fine as they don’t cross check with ID. But if there’s an accident you aren’t covered by their insurance. I presume you have your own though.
Hi Richard,
Thank you for this write up. I was trying to book tickets online through the official site but always face this glitch that the button for ’round trip’ can never be turned on and so the ‘return date’ button also doesn’t work. Any idea how this can be remedied?
That option is not turned on and so you have to book it separately.
Ah! thank you.
Hi there Sir,
Is the express train no 45 from Krung Thep Apthiwat terminal station to Padang Besar (Malaysia) is on time? because I plan to catch another connecting train in Padang Besar.
There is no guarantee of course as it is coming a long way from Bangkok. Plus it is single track in the far south. If a train breaks down or something they it will delay all other trains. What time is your connection?
Hi Richard. I just bought ticket train no 32 for 4 person me, husband and 2 sons by online in dticket website. How i can buy ticket for my son age 6 years old this year? Buy online or in the counter? Can she share seat with me?
They look more at height than age which puts foreign children at a disadvantage. He can only get a discounted price if he is taller than 100 cms but not more than 150 cms. On D-Ticket you can choose a child ticket to get a discount. Less than 100 cms is free but they have to share your seat.
Hi, I read that CNR train is available for booking 90 days before traveling. I tried to book ticket in CNR 31 ticket for end of March 2024. I can select the seats as well as can see come seats were booked. However when i tried to make payment, it says “Can be sold no more than 30 days in advance.”. Can someone help?
Hi Richard! Thank you very much for your great website.
I am looking to buy 3 tickets (2 adults, 1 child) from Hua Hin to Georgetown, Malaysia.
So far I understood that I have to buy 3 routes (HH to Hat Yai, then to Padang Besar, then to Butterworth) is that correct? I don’t think I can buy all 3 routes in advance, since I won’t know the exact times of the trains leaving HY and PB. Are there many trains leaving or will we have to wait long times at the train stations?
Also on 12go the price for the 1st class overnight sleeper is almost double than it is on dticket.railway. I am guessing that that they are charging full price for my son, whereas dticket is only charging for the room (2 beds). Is it still save to opt for the cheaper option?
Thank you so much for your help!
I presume you are aiming to catch the Special Express No. 31 to Hat Yai that arrives at 7:05am (new timetable). This is a CNR train and tickets go on sale 90 days in advance. As there ar eonly 12 1st Class cabins you should book as soon as possible. I always advise people to book using D-Ticket if they can but many people say they cannot and so book with 12Go.
On arrival in Hat Yai, you can buy your ticket for the shuttle train across the border. The next one goes at 8:55am. There are only three a day. You cannot buy this ticket in advance. Price is 50 baht. On arrival in Padang Besar, you can buy your ticket for Butterworth. This ticket can only be bought on the day too. Trains to Butterworth go around every hour and you shouldn’t need to wait long.
The Train Station Hotel at Hat Yai do short term rental – 350 baht for three hours if you need to take a quick shower. But 1st Class on the train does have a shower room with hot water.
Hi, I have been trying to book first class tickets from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with no success. I need first class tickets as my husband has very long legs and wouldn’t fit in 2nd class. We are looking for Feb. 2nd – express #7 train daytime. The D-tickets website doesn’t appear to be working and 12Go only has 2nd class. We are still in Canada leaving Jan. 29th and want to get them booked before we leave. Do you have any other suggestions? A reliable travel agency I could use in Bangkok? Or? thanks!
The daytime special express to Chiang Mai only has 2nd Class seats.
Hi Richard, all tickets for the number 9 train on my desired departure date are not available. Is it possible to get tickets elsewhere or purchase from the station? thanks!
The Chiang Mai route always sells out fast. 1st Class cabins within seconds. Then the rest often within hours if it is the weekend. It is best to call 1690 to see if anyone has returned tickets as that does happen sometimes. Also, they reserve seats in the accessible carriage for people in wheelchairs. These then go on sale to everyone at noon on day of travel.
Hi Richard. Thank you for sharing this-this is so helpful. I have a question for train #43. I read on some schedule said it departs at 7.30, but some said at 08.10. Since I cannot access Dticket website from my country, I am so confused which one is thw correct one?
Also, is there any 13.10 hour train from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Hua Hin? Again, some website said yes and some said no.. thanks in advance!
The timetables on the Southern Line changed on 15th December and No. 43 leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat at 7:30am. The 1.10pm train that stops in Hua Hin departs from Thon Buri Station. It’s a local train and so you can only buy tickets on the day.
Hi Richard! Thank you for your information! I have to book the night train from Ayuthaia to Chiang Mai for February 4th. The official website doesn’t let me book the first class. Are the tickets available only 30 days before the date? Thank you
Which night train? All of the CNR sleepers (No. 9 in your case) can be booked up to 90 days in advance. The other sleepers can be booked up to 30 days in advance. This is a popular route and 1st Class cabins sell out within minutes of going on sale.
Hi Richard, thank you very much for your information!
I am trying to book a train ticket Bangkok-Ayutthaya for December 29 od D-ticket website but it says that I can only buy tickets for the next 24h. Actually, if I try to book for tomorrow, it seems i can go through the payment process. How is this possible? I thought I could book 30days in advance?
Thank you for your help!!
Which train are you trying to book for? Some you can only book on the day like the local and commuter trains. Long distance trains you can book up to 30 days in advance, but if your journey is less than 25% of the route then you need to book less than 24 hours in advance as they want to sell long distance seats first. You can now book CNR sleeper trains up to 90 days in advance.
Hi Richard !
Thanks for your information, I have booked a first class sleeper on train 9 from Ayutthaya to Chiang mai with the officiel site. My question : How many time we need to arrive before the depart hours and does the pdf ticket received by email is ok or I need to go to their office to have an official ticket ?
Best to aim to be there half an hour before departure. There’s a good restaurant on the platform that serves coffee. A screenshot of your e-ticket is fine. No need to print.
Hi Richard, thanks for this helpful site. I am getting no data found for a trip from Hua Hin to Pattani. This made sense after reading the info above as the trip is more than 30 days away, but when I change the date to bring it inside the 30 days, I still get nothing. In the meantime there is availability from Hua Hin to Hat Yai on the real date, because that train can be booked 90 days in advance. I don’t know whether to book that while I can or wait for a ticket to my final destination. From what I can see there should be a direct sleeper train but it’s not coming up on D-Ticket or 123. Any advice?
I just checked on DTicket and I see trains No.171, No.37 and No.169 on your route.
Hi Richard, I booked my tickets with 12goasia for bangkok- Surat Thani way in advance and paid for it already. My travel dates are Jan 1st and Jan 11 for return but I have not received any confirmation so far. What is the possibility of getting confirmed tickets as I am yet to receive any info.
Which train are you on? I heard they were overwhelmed when advanced ticketing was changed from 30 days to 90 days. Suddenly they had thousands of tickets to quickly book. So they had to give priority to people travelling in december first. Did you try writing to their support about this?
Hi Richard,
Thank you for your informative site and all the time you’ve put in to it.
3 travelers hoping to take a Sleeper train from Bangkok (Krung Thep) to Chiang Mai on the evening of Friday, Jan 5th, 2024. It’s 31 days away, but I see tickets available on Sunday the 7th, but nothing before then. “This trip is not bookable”
Does that mean that you can in fact book these trains more than 30 days, in advance? Is there any way to still get tickets?
If we travel on Sunday, it will severely alter our plans and is the 2nd class A/C car still comfortable? Again, thanks for your time and generosity.
Which train are you trying to go on? If Special Express No.9/10 then you can book up to 90 days in advance. For other trains it is 30 days in advance. Don’t forget to choose Krung Thep Aphiwat as your starting station.
Hi Richard. We were very lucky to find your website with all this information, thanks to that we were able to book without problems. So thank you very much
Is there any luggage storage service at Ayutthaya train station?
Yes there is. There are even showers for 10 baht.
Hi Richard,
Thank you so much for this. It helped a lot. We wanted to go by train from bangkok to Chiang Mai from Dec 26 (first class). Unfortunately we can’t find any available train. Are we doing something wrong or is everything already fully booked?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Kind regards,
Sara
Did you get “data not found” message? This is because you entered Bangkok to Chiang Mai. There are no trains that go that far from Bangkok Station. You have to choose Krung Thep Aphiwat.
Hi Richard,
Thanks for your reply. I did indeed choose Krung Thep Aphiwat based on your advice. I didn’t get the message: No data available. I got a screen with multiple trains to choose from, but ones i’ve clicked on it, al the next option where grey colored and I couldn’t click on them.
Also through 12go Asia I get to see only 1 train (2th class no air conditioning). Does this mean everything is already fully booked or can I try to look somewhere else?
We want to leave on Dec 26 to chiang mai in the evening.
Grey means sold out. I’m pretty sure you are out of luck as Chiang Mai is a popular route and tickets often sell out within an hour. Even more so for the new year.
Hi Richard,
We must provide our passport number when booking train tickets. One of us have to get a new one, can you adjust that later?
Many thanks!
Eva
Not at all. When I buy tickets at the station, if they ask for my passport I just show them my Thai driving license. Really they are only interested in entering your name. And then on the train, ticket collectors do not cross check anything. In theory, you could travel with a ticket with someone else’s name. However, this doesn’t mean that in the future they will be more strict.
Hi Richard, thanks a lot for all the information on this site. It really helps me a lot. I’m planning to travel in the Christmas/New Year holiday, but I kept in mind that the tickets were released 30 days in advance and thus missed the opportunity to buy those CNR tickets.
Anyway, when I was looking for tickets from Chiang Mai back to Bangkok, I noticed a train no.6 which never showed up before. When I clicked into that specific train, it said data not found. Do you know what route this train runs on? I did some digging and found nothing about it.
They are putting on a special train for the holidays as demand was large. Special Express No. 5 to Chiang Mai and Special Express No. 6 for the return trip. I posted details and dates on my social media recently.
Hey,
Is it normal that you can now book train number 9 from Bankog to Chiang Mai more than 30 days in advance? Or is it an error?
Best regards
U can find on dticket and now it is open 90 days ahead. i cant book as it is sold out really fast. you should also check fast for your travel date
Hey,
thanks for your answer !
We book a ticket for the 15.01 sleeping train from bangkok to chiang mai.
It was really hard to get one…
Thank you ! 🙂
Your article is very helpful! Just a quick question about refunds. We booked a ticket from Bangkok to Hat Yai junction for December 27. It appears, however, that the previous booking we did was charged to our account even though we did not receive a confirmation. We used a debit card so I am wondering if there is a way to refund it? Thank you!
Did you buy on D-Ticket? If so, then just log in there and click on Cancel Ticket. If you do in advance I believe the fee is 170 baht. Nearer the time it will cost you more.
Hi Richard,
Recently I am unable to find trains on the official site, it always says “data not found” even if I search for close dates like tomorrow. Do I do something wrong or the site is down? I am about to travel on 23rd of December, so it would be crucial to make my reservation in time.
What do you recommend if I am searching for 1st class sleeper car because I do not find this option on 12goasia?
The most common mistake here is using Bangkok Station instead of Krung Thep Aphiwat Station. No long distance trains go from Bangkok Station to Chiang Mai Station.
Thanks Richard, yes you are right, that was the mistake – but by now they are sold out, so I have to find some other solution.
Hi Richard, I also have data not found, for Pran buri to Prachuap, though according to the timetable, there are trains passing through Pran Buri to Prachuap kiri Khan but the search gives no result for 24th january
and when I search for 26 january from Prachuap to Surat thani, there’s only one train in the evening, whereas the timetable show many more. What do you think?
Ordinary No. 251 and No. 255 are considered local trains and you can only buy tickets on the day at the station. Don’t worry, tickets don’t sell out.
Hi! Thanks a lot for your blog post, very helpful in arranging my holiday trip 🙂
If I select a train journey from Nakhon Lampang – Chiang Mai on 05/12/2023 10:01, I see a message saying “The selected train is on 4 December 2023” in red underneath the option. Do you know what this means? Does it just mean that the train leaves from its origin station (Bangkok) the day before?
Yes, that’s what I believe it means. I’ve only recently started to see that.
Hi Richard, Thank you so much for your really informational blog.
We are two Couples with three kids and another couple without kids. we want to travel by train from Bangkok to koh pangan.
we are going to leave Bangkok on February the 2nd. 12go asia is recently only offering tickets by bus and speedboat.
I did this trip in 2019 by train in the class with beds and curtains without air-conditioning and found it super comfortable. afterwards, we had a bigger bus which took us from the train station in surathani to the port, where we took the big ferry (raja) on the island. Recently, I saw that they probably offer only speedboats with a smaller amount of seats. as we are traveling with the kids we want to avoid the speedboat solution. we prefer to go with the ferry where the kids are more free and can walk around etc. our
problem at the moment is that we cannot find any solution to book this trip from here in Germany. Do you have recommendations for us? Is it true that the train recently only has air-conditioning? The class with a curtain beds without air-conditioning would be perfectly fine for us. I don’t understood if this still exists.
we would prefer to book this trip as a All inclusive travel solution as I did in 2019. But we would also book train, bus, and boat separately. I am only worried about the train being late so that we cannot catch the bus for the ship. Just a few thoughts.
We are looking forward to hearing from you and thank you very much in advance. Best regards, Jack and family and friends.
Hi Richard, its me again.
I just found my old E-Mails from thailandtraintickets.com where I remotely booked by email our traintickets in 2019.
We took the train Nr 167 and I found some infos on that on your site:
https://www.thaitrainguide.com/timetables/no-167/
What I see is, that this trains has the curtain beds without aircon (second class) which should be the exact way we traveled with in 2019.
This makes it easy for us to choose this train.
What would you suggest us as booking platform from here in germany?
Then we will separately book the bus and ship transfer to pangan and pray for the train arriving on time in surathani.
If you have any further tips / suggestions w would apreceate hearing from you.
Thank u in advance and best regards
Jack and Families
Is Baolau reliable?
Plenty of people use them without complaint.
Hi, yes I used them without issue and found their customer service very helpful too. Although the ticket alert I signed up to didn’t alert me 🤷♀️
Hey There,
We want to book first class train from Bangkok to Chiang mai with train 9.
We want to book for the 10.01.2024. So we need to check the official Website for Tickets at 10.12.2023 at 08:30am ?
We book from Germany.
Is this correct ?
December has 31 days. So by my calculation, tickets will go on sale on 11th December.
Thanks for your quick answer !! 🙂
With a time difference of 6 hours from German time, I would have to search the site for tickets from 2:30 a.m. on December 11th, right?
Best regards.
hi Frederik, I’m trying to do the same from the uk for 18th December, if your January tickets are on sale on the 11th December then yes you need to try and book 2.30am on the 11th December, good luck!
I booked tickets for travel on 25/11 on 26/10 08:00 – the first day they became available – and there were very few tickets left. I think if I had left it until later in the day there would have been none left. I used Baolau as it was all in English. This time of year and January is high season. Last year I booked less than 30 days before travel during August and got a ticket easily. Good luck!
Hello Richard!
I board Ordinary Type Trains on the Eastern Line occasionally, but I have yet to get on the train from a railway halt.
The article here states that passengers boarding from stations without offices like a halt are excepted from paying a fine.
But then would that mean I have to pay a ticket price?
This wouldn’t really matter for local travel, but in the case of traveling a long distance while boarding from a halt, this could be a problem.
Thanks,
The conductor can collect money and issue tickets on the train.
Hi Richard,
thank you so much for giving us the insides on the slightly complicated Thai train booking systems… 😉
I am currently looking for train tickets to go from Ayutthaya to Bangkok (Krung Thep Aphiwat) on December 01, 2023.
As far as I understand your explanations, I can only get those tickets like 24 hours in advance as they are for a short-distance ride… Is this assumption correct and in case, does the ticket sale open the day before or really 24 hours in advance.
As we will leave back to Europe late on December 01 we have to be quite sure to get a ticket for an afternoon train… 😉
Thanks for your reply and kind regards from Munich / Germany
Conny
You didn’t say which train you were looking at. For 3rd Class local trains you can only buy an hour or so before departure. For long distance trains, as you are doing less than 25% of the journey, you can only attempt to buy within 24 hours. However, if you are worried you won’t get a ticket, don’t. On local trains they never stop selling tickets. You just might not get a ticket with a seat number!
Hi Richard, your website has been super helpful thank you! I am trying to book 1st class Bangkok (Krung Thep) to Chiang Mai on Nov 30th, so 30 days from now. I was able to select train #9, but when I get to selecting cabin/berth type all the options are greyed out and I can’t select anything. Does this mean they have sold out already or aren’t available yet? I am in NZ so ahead of Thailand timezone wise, so would seem odd that they are sold out already. Thanks for any help you can give!
Tickets go on sale at 8:30am Thai time 30 days in advance. There are only 12 1st Class cabins on that train and as it is the most popular route it always sells out within minutes.
Hey, 830 which TZ?
Thailand of course!
Hi Richard, appreciate your website and your help in figuring this stuff out. Your website solved a couple of mysteries already; here’s another question for you – I’d like to book 2 1st class seats on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. From what I can tell, the travel agencies you recommend only sell 2nd class seats (1st class always says unavailable). On the official train website, I do see 1st class seats as an option, but whenever I pick the furthest date out (eg 30 days out) it shows them to be sold out.
do you know of any travel agencies that would book 1st class seats for us?
Is it possible that tickets just sell out immediately for 1st class on each train? We’re looking to travel Nov 10, so that 30 day window is opening soon, and I really don’t want to miss booking it. Any help or advice would be much appreciated!!
Special Express No. 9 to Chiang Mai is the most difficult train to book a 1st Class cabin. It will sell out within hours. I just checked now and all the cabins are booked for 9th November. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. for 10th November. That is a Friday and so it will probably sell out within minutes. A friend of mine wants me to book tickets for him on this exact same train for Monday 13th November. I am not confident I can get it online and so I am going to drive to the train station and camp out at the ticket office as it counts down to 8:30 a.m. I cannot really give any advice other than to say good luck! Or go by 2nd Class.
Thought I’d share an update – i thought i had figured out when tickets become available online (i’m 11 hours behind Bangkok). I thought it was midnight Bangkok time and was ready and prepped to log on then – so I was surprised to find the day I was attempting to book already available at least an hour earlier (eg 11pm). Sure enough first class was sold out on both trains (though for a fleeting moment it did appear bookable, but then the site crashed), and even bottom berths in 2nd class were unavailable (booking directly seems to only ever show one car at a time, is it possible there’s only one 2nd class sleeper??) Final result after some under-breath muttering and several attempts was 2 beds in 2nd class, 1 upper and 1 lower, but not next to each other. Will pack ear plugs and hope for the best!
Moral of the story – be ready to click and check in frequently around the time you expect your day of travel to open up!
Thanks for reporting your experience. It is not the best of websites. Officially, tickets go on sale at 8:30 a.m. though that time may vary a little. As for your comment that there only seems to be one or two 2nd Class carriages available, that is because on the sleeper trains they don’t sell all tickets online. They will only sell one or two carriages at a time. The rest are sold at the stations. I was just booking on the Malaysian site and you can see all of the carriages. So much easier.
Hi Richard. I saw a reply in which you said you can see the remaining sleeping carriage that are sell offline at the counters in Malaysian site. Would you mind sharing the sites please. Thank you in advanced.
It is https://online.ktmb.com.my
Hi. I booked this year with Baolau and it only showed one carriage to choose from and only had 3 seats left – fortunately for me two together so top and bottom together. And this was at 7.30 am UK time on day 30 prior to travel date – the date of release. So if I had left it until later on that day I’m sure they would have all sold out. Travel end November so high season. Last August I booked less than 30 days and had no trouble booking a seat and on the day the train was almost full.
The App download QR code isn’t working for iPhones. it only conenct to Google Play ( on this site) from the Railways of Thailand website, none of the QR code or links to the App download center works either. Just a note so that it can be adjusted.
Thank you
Asoka
Thanks. I will check it out.
Why is does 12Go only charge in Euros?
I think that is to do with your own settings as I have never paid in Euros.
Hi Richard,
Quick question. Is the train to Kanchanaburi stil leaving from Thonburi en can you buy the tickets at the station the same day?
Thx
Alice
I actually just started putting a page together about this line: https://www.thaitrainguide.com/death-railway
To answer your questions, yes the train goes from Thonburi and yes you can only buy the ticket on the day at the station.
Hello,
Im struggling to find 1st class berth tickets, they seem to be sold out or not released yet. do you have any advice?
Isobel
1st class tickets sell out quickly as there is only one carriage and 12 cabins. The most popular one is the new CNR train on the Chiang Mai route. You might want to try 12Go to buy it for you as they send ticket agents to the station to buy the second tickets go on sale. Or go there yourself if you have a station near you. I have managed it on D-Ticket but you have to be quick.
Tickets go on sale 30 days in advance at 8:30am. If you are using DTicket make sure you register in advance to save time.
As 12Go online tickets are almost double or 50% higher than original price, is it possible to buy 2nd Class AC Sleeper Train Ticket (Bottom bunk bed with window view is a must for me) for Bangkok to Chiang Mai one or two days in advance from Bangkok rail station? Will it be available?
I will be traveling solo to Bangkok on mid-September. I have heard a lot about the overnight Bangkok to Chiang Mai train journey and want to experience it. I will land in Bangkok on 8th September, Friday early morning.
I would like to buy a 2nd class AC sleeper ticket for Bangkok to Chiang Mai… As 12Go online tickets are very expensive, I would like to buy it in person if possible. Either train 9 or train 13 will be preferred. My Approximate date of journey from Bangkok to Chiang Mai will be 10th September, Sunday, a weekend holiday.
But I heard the tickets of 2nd class AC sleepers get sold out fast. Shall I be able to find 2nd class AC sleeper tickets (Bottom bunk bed with window view is a must for me) For Bangkok to Chiang Mai if I try to buy the ticket one or two days in advance from Bangkok rail station? I really want to avoid buying from 12go due to some budgetary constraints. Hence, buying in person upon reaching Bangkok would be better for me.
Thanks in Advance
Hi! I’m trying to book the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai but for the date I am looking at it’s already complete. I have my already booked my hotel rooms and other internal flights, so I can’t really change the travelling date. Do you think that it’s possible that in a few days there are some cancellations and I might have the opportunity to book my place, does this happen normally? I still have a bit of time since is for the 1st of August. I also wonder if in the city of Bangkok there are agency offices where I can go to book my tickets.
Thank you in advance!
The sleeper trains to Chiang Mai are the most popular route and sell out quickly. If you are in Thailand call the 1690 hotline as sometimes people return tickets and they are the first to know. Or you can try the 12Go agency as they send their agents to the ticket counter for you. Sometimes not all tickets are sold online. The following trains have tickets for 1st August as of this minute:
Special Express No. 7 (day train)
Special Express No. 13 (sleeper train) – 2nd Class seats only, no berths
Express No. 51 (sleeper train) – berths still available. My favourite sleeper though it arrives at mid-day in Chiang Mai and so not so popular with tourists
How to Buy Train Tickets: https://www.thaitrainguide.com/tickets/
Hello,
Several times I attempt to make booking on D-Ticket official website for Chiang Mai – Don Mueng for end of July, but at last step after I write my Credit Card(Visa) information and after payment appoved, KTC System rises “System Failure” and I can not buy tickets ( I checked my credit Card and payment has not been done) , Is there anybody with similar problem
Hello. I have a question.
First, my background
As 12Go is quite expensive and Thailand railway official websites are at times unreliable (I am from Bangladesh). I will probably try my luck booking the Bangkok to Chiang Mai overnight train directly from the Bangkok Krung Theph Aphiwat station 2 days in advance. Either train 9 or train 13.
Now my question is
For my return journey, Can I book the Chiang Mai to Bangkok overnight train ticket directly from the Krung Theph Aphiwat station in Bangkok or should I have to reach Chiang Mai first to be able to purchase the Chiang Mai to Bangkok overnight train ticket from the Chiang Mai rail station ticket booking counter?
So, in short, Can I buy Chiang mai to Bangkok train tickets from the Bangkok Krung Theph Aphiwat station’s ticket counter or should I have to buy it from the Chiang Mai station’s ticket booking counter?
Hello, Richard!
I want to go directly from Don Mueang Airport to Ayutthaya, and noticed the train station is right the opposite of the airport. I have a few queries, hoping you are willing to answer:
1. For the express or rapid trains, can we book on the day or should we book far ahead?
2. For the same train, express or rapid train, can we buy the ticket at the station instead of the app/website instead?
3. There are two don mueang train station: Don Mueang and Talad Don Mueang, which one i should choose for the one who sit opposite the airport?
Thanking you in advanced
As Ayutthaya is not far away, you cannot buy an advance ticket for a long distance train. It is fine buying on the day. There is now only one Don Mueang Station. The one on the ground level has been closed. From the airport there is a sky bridge to the station. No need to go down to street level.
Thanks for the details
I am from Bangladesh. I will be traveling Thailand soon. I want to experience the Bangkok to Chiang Mai overnight 2nd class AC sleeper coach train.
I have some queries
1. You mentioned sometimes facing problems on the D-ticket official website. But how about the SRT D-Ticket App? Is it stable and reliable enough?
2. Does the SRT D-Ticket App platform charge any extra fee there? On some websites, I saw online ticket prices are higher than offline charges. But on the app, I found the ticket price to be as same as offline ticket price mentioned on other websites. Is it really the case?
3. Does Bangkok To Chiang Mai 2nd class Ac Sleeper Coach have individual power outlets for each seat to charge
smartphone? Asking for both the Newer CNR Carriages and older Daewoo sleeper carriage
Thanks in advance !
D-Ticket should be the first choice as there are no service fees. It is the same price as at the station. Agencies like 12Go charge a service fee. Their agents literally go to the station to buy your ticket the second tickets go on sale. Not all tickets are put on sale on D-Ticket. Particularly with the CNR train to Chiang Mai. So the agents might have a better chance.
Only the CNR trains have power sockets for every passenger to charge devices. Some of the Daewoo carriages have been upgraded to have power sockets, but there is no guarantee your carriage will have a power socket by your berth. Most carriages only have two sets of sockets per carriage. You will never know which carriage they will use on the day.
Hello Richard,
I want to book night train tickets for Bangkok Chang Mai line at the end of July for my family live on the SRT website but creating the account is not working.
When I try to register, it tells me that I am already registered (which is not the case) and when I do “forgot password”, it does not send me a link (nor in spam) . Do you have an idea ?
Is it always 30 days before?
THANKS
Jerome BOUCOMONT
Some people have problems like this which is why they choose to use an agency such as 12Go even though there is a service charge. Less problems.
This is very helpful.
My travel plan is to board the 2nd class night sleeper train (#10) from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. Instead of booking online, I’d rather buy the ticket from the terminal for a less hassle transaction. My travel plan is for July 8, 2023 and I am going to buy the ticket at Chiang Mai train station on July 2, 2023 (the very same day I landed in Chiang Mai).
My question is, given the dates and the route, and how early I am going to buy, what are the chances of me getting a booking a berth for my trip?
I just checked the tickets for the Saturday one week from now and there are some left. So, I would say your chances are good to do the same for July.
Oh ok sorry. How do you know there are some seats left? Where can I check that myself?
Great information here Richard, thanks.
I believe you wrote earlier online tickets are available from 08:30 am. Do you know if the ticket office at Krung Thep Aphiwat station opens earlier than this?
I want to maximize my chances of getting first class sleepers tickets on the Bangkok – Chiang Mai no. 9 train.
Yes I know people who were doing exactly that. But I cannot remember offhand exactly what time.
If you don’t know, there are ticket offices each end. There is a smaller one next to the entrance to the MRT and Red Line trains if that is how you are going there. Good luck!
Hi Richard,
I want to book train from chiang mai to bangkok on 31 May 2023, but when I checked on dticket web it always shown “Data not found”. I don’t know what the problem is
Please read this blog: What does “Data not found” mean when trying to buy train tickets in Thailand?
Hi Richard, I’ve been following you on FB from Belgium. Great job! I’m looking for tickets Bangkok-Chiang Mai for beginning of August at 12GoAsia and it seems most days there are no sleeping trains. I was wondering if this possible that all sleeping trains for several days are already fully booked with 12GoAsia? Thx!
Officially tickets cannot be booked more than 30 days in advance.
Yes, I’m trying to get ticket from Padang Besar to Bangkok, the system keep show same issue.. “Data Not Found “.. I try several days.. still the same.. anyone can help ??
Probably because trains don’t go to Bangkok Railway Station from there. All long distance trains on the Southern Line now go to Krung Thep Aphiwat, the new terminal station.
Hi, firstly, great resource you are maintaining here, thank you!
I booked through dtickets for Bkk-Chiang Mai and then Chiang Mai-Bkk, but the website seems to have a bug! The Bkk-Chiang Mai tickets are for 13th May, which I have got, but if I now check the website for my trips, the description says 12th May, even if the ticket download is 13th May. Then the Chiang Mai-Bkk tickets were to be for 17th May, which is as shown on the My Trips page, but i just realised that they ticket says departure on 18th May! We only found out because the visa processing centre asked us about where we are staying on the 17th.
How do I connect with Thai railways from outside Thailand and get this sorted? I am nervous about asking for a trip change as the same confusion could happen. I can’t even make out if the printing error is at the ticket end or at the website display end.
I don’t think I can connect with 1690 from outside Thailand. Is there anything you can recommend? Thanks!
I’ve never done it but you should be able to change your tickets on the D-Ticket website. I haven’t seen the error you describe before and so I am not sure what to advise.
Thank you. Yeah I know this is a weird one. Is there any official email ID for customer support that I could write to or call from outside Thailand?
I could try the change tickets page, but now I am absolutely petrified that that one will make a similar mistake – i book for one date and it issues for another! Refunds mean some losses too.
I just had the same problem. We booked for the 24th of June. Our email and emailed tickets say 24/06/2023 departure. The app says 23/06/2023 departure.
Was there a resolution to this problem? Will my wife and I be able to use the printed paper in place of the app? Did we just get conned into paying for a ticket change?
Are you using the official D-Ticket website to buy the tickets or the app? Are you booking from abroad? Maybe it is something to do with your time difference? I am trying to understand what is going on here. But I would go with the date that is printed on the tickets.
Hello,
I’m trying to figure out at what time the next day gets available on D-ticket in order to book as soon as possible.
Do you know at what time (Thaïland time) they open the next day booking?
Thank you.
Yes, officially from 8:30am onwards though I have seen them going on for sale a bit earlier.
Bonjour
je souhaite réserver deux cabines 1ere classes pour le 28 octobre.
Nous sommes 2 adultes et 3 enfants (17-14-8 ans), pensez vous que l’on puissent tous occuper ces deux couchettes (la petite dormirai avec moi) ou dois je acheter un autre ticket en deuxième classe par exemple ?
Je crois que les cabines 1et2 et 3et4 sont communicantes ?
Si je comprends bien, les réservations ouvriront le 28 septembre à 8h30 (heure locale thaïlandaise ?)
merci pour votre aide précieuse
Hello, I am trying to figure out how to get from Krabi to Bangkok and have settled on bus to Surat Thani and train from Surat Thani to Bangkok but I am not able to figure out how to book the train ticket.
Please advise if possible.
Thankyou.
You have two choices. Either use the official D-Ticket website or use an agency website like 12Go. Links are at the top of this page. Just enter Surat Thani as the origin and Krung Thep Aphiwat as the destination. This is the new terminal station in Bangkok for long distance trains. I am actually doing this train trip in a couple of weeks. I am taking the overnight sleeper train.
You can buy on official D-Ticket site or 12Go. Links here: https://www.thaitrainguide.com/tickets
Hello, I am trying to book a ticket from BKK to Ban Klong Luk border for the end of this month. But the website and the app of D-ticket don’t show me a train to book, I tried other routes to check and those can be booked. It is less than 30 days, so it should be possible. Is something up with that train to the border?
For this train you can only book on the day. It goes from Hua Lamphong station.
Hi, i have planning to take a trip from Sungai Kolok to Bangkok using 2nd Class sleeper train 172. Do you have any information the seat number for lower bed located on right row (facing east). i want to see the scenery of the thailand sea.
Above the plan, on the left and right, it shows the direction the train is going. Unfortunately for you it says the destination name in Thai สถานีกลางกรุงเทพอภิวัฒน์ which is Krung Thep Aphiwat. So in this case the train is going to the right and the berths in the bottom row are on the righthandside of the train (good for sunrise in the morning). So, for example, berths, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 etc.
When booking train tickets through 12go for a trip including children, do you know if they issue the 50% refund on the ticket after booking? I wasn’t sure what their policy was for this trip, but we’re considering going by train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in July. Thank you!
I’m sorry, I don’t know the answer to that one.
Greetings from South Africa. I’m hoping you can help. I see a fair amount of literature on social media and websites, about a first class sleeper between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. I cannot, however, find any platform on which I can book this. Has this particular first class cabin been discontinued? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
It’s there but it sells out very quickly on that route. Certainly at this time of year because of the holidays. You can buy on the official website or agency sites like 12Go.
I used 12go asia service to buy joint train\ferry ticket to Thai gulf islands from bangkok.
Now they have only buses ..i wrote to them and answered they dont offer train ticket anymore like that.
Any idea where else i can book something like that ? (bangkok to koh phangan or tao )
We’re trying to book single tickets from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal to Ayutthaya for five of us. I tried to do it via 12GO and through the official Thai Railways site but keep getting error messages. Any advice? We’re coming off an overnight train from Surat Thani (arriving 7.45am) and want to book onward tickets that minimise our wait.
Only long distance trains go from Krung Thep Aphiwat. Yes they do indeed stop in Ayutthaya, but when your journey is less than 25% of the total distance you cannot buy in advance.
I need help to purchase 2 Special Express Sleeper tickets from Chiang Mai to Bangkok on May 6 2023 before I book air tickets from Koh Samui to Chiang Mai (4/24-5/1). Please let me know what are Chiang Mai and Bangkok train station’s names.
Thanks for your help.
The main terminal in Bangkok is called Krung Thep Aphiwat. You can only book 30 days in advance. If you are abroad and need assurance of getting a ticket then it is best to use the services of an agency such as 12Go. Link is in the original post.
Hello Richard,
first of all, thank you for this useful website.
We would like to book tickets for the #85 sleepertrain from Nakhon Pathom to Surat Thani through 12goAsia. But 12goAsia doesn’t offer these tickets. So my question, if we book tickets from Bangkok to Surat Thani, can we board the train in Nakhon Pathom instead of Bangkok with these tickets??
Second question, is it true you have to pick up the tickets from 12goAsia by yourself in Bangkok (that is what I understand from there website?) Or do they give you online tickets?
Thank you in advance, whishing you a nice day
To answer your first question. Yes you can board the train at a later station and also get off at an earlier station. Obviously you cannot do it the other way round to extend your journey.
Yes your problem with 12Go would be that they will probably ask you to pick up your tickets in Bangkok if you booked from there. I don’t really understand why they don’t send you an e-ticket.
Maybe if you live in Thailand you might want to use the official website a D-Ticket.
Hi Richard 🙂 Thank you for the great post! I have booked separate tickets for me and my friend, ended up having two tickets with my name and passport. How do I manage this? Is it possible to change the name and passport from one of the tickets? I cannot find any info at the webpage, or any section where to do it. Also, is there any way to call the call center (1690) from outside Thailand? It doesnt seem to work if you call from EU (including the Thai prefix number). Thank you!!
They’ve never cross checked the name on my ticket with my passport. I’ve given tickets away to people before with no problem.
Hello Richard,
This is Ayan here. First of all, kudos to you for such an effort. You almost pick every piece of information and build a website which in turn make life easy for other travelers.
However, I do have a question related to SRT ticket booking. In case someone book the ticket from location which is outside of Thailand and choose “pay at the station” option while making the payment. Then within how many days the ticket has to be collected from the counter. For eg. if I book my ticket for March 11 and choose “pay at the station”, then is it possible to collect the ticket, from the counter, on the journey date(11th March)?
Thanks!
That option is no longer available. It stopped last week. Online you can only now pay by credit card or debit card.
I realize most trains out of Bangkok leave from the new station, but can one still buy tickets at Hualamphong for departures from other stations?
Yes you can buy tickets at any station for any train as it’s all computerized now to a central database.
Thai Railways train tickets delivery by 12go.asia. What is the easiest way to pick up tickets when leaving from Krung Thep Aphiwat? It there an office near Krung Thep Aphiwat? Can you relay on the delivery of ticket to the hotel in Bangkok?
I don’t know for sure but someone I met there said he picked his up from the cargo office at Bang Sue Junction next door.
I am trying to get from Bankgok ro Chumphon by train with a touring bicycle. Do all trains take bicycles, or do I have to know which do and which don’t?
I assume I cannot book the bicycle in advance, so I am guessing I am best off to book everything at the station when I get there. Is this a fair assumption?
Thanks for the great website – coffee or three will be on their way when I get to BKK
You can only take a full sized bicycle on a train that has a cargo carriage. For example trains No. 171, 169, 167, 85, and 83 all head south. Unfortunately you cannot load it at Krung Thep Aphiwat. You need to take it to Bang Sue Junction next door about three hours before departure time. Then there’s no guarantee there will be space.
However if you have a folding bike then it is no problem to take it onboard yourself for free.
Hi Richard. Thanks for everything, very helpful.
Question. I have 3 names (First-Middle-Last).
On the SRT D-Ticket app they have First Name and Last Name columns. But I realise they don’t allow “Space” in between.
Eg; Since I have 3 names, I’ve got to group either my “1st and 2nd name” or “2nd and 3rd name” together in one of the columns without a “Space”.
Eg; Real Name: Richard John Barrows
First name; RichardJohn
Last name; Barrows
OR
First name; Richard
Last name; JohnBarrows
I was wondering if this would cause an issue if I book a ticket?
Thanks Richard
Do you really need to enter your second name? Best to just use your first name and family name. And anyway, they don’t actually cross check with your passport on the trains.
There are 8 of us. We plan to travel from Hat Yai to Bangkok and then to CHIANG Mai on 13 March 2023 and back to Hat Yai on 19 March. We plan to travel in 1st class sleeper train all the way. Are tickets still available online? Pl advise.
13th March – Hat Yai Junction to Krung Thep Aphiwat: Special Express No. 32 https://www.thaitrainguide.com/timetables/no-32
Nine 1st class Cabins still available.
14th March – Krung Thep Aphiwat to Chiang Mai : Special Express No. 9 https://www.thaitrainguide.com/timetables/no-9/
Only 2nd class carriages available for this route as 1st Class sells out very quickly.
From Krung Thep Aphiwat to Nakhon Sawan, only the Northern line or the NE line also?
I don’t see Krung Thep Aphiwat listed on D-Ticket web site.
very hard to figure out round trip weekend trip.
Thank you for all the work on this, very helpful
There are seven trains from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Nakhon Sawan. It’s on the Northern Line. The best one is Special Express No. 7 which is 2nd Class with A/C and meals included: https://www.thaitrainguide.com/timetables/no-7
A cheaper and slower train is Rapid No. 111: https://www.thaitrainguide.com/timetables/no-111/
One of my next jobs is to do route planners to help people. My apologies I haven’t done it yet. My day job keeps me busy and I only just came back from a weekend train trip and had to go straight to work from the station.
How can I buy train ticket bangkok to surathani in15 days in advance
Buy on the D-Ticket website. Link at the top of this page.
Hi Richard,
i planning my trip to Thailand. I and my 5 friends wish to travel by Train from Surat Thani do Bangkok. Is there possibility to by ticket for six peaople by one registered account?
Thanks,
Chris
Yes, one person can buy on behalf of others. You will have your name on each ticket in the top lefthand corner that says “Reserved by…”. But you need passport details of each person.
Bonjour Richard, je voudrais réserver un trajet sur le site dticket. Il faut s’enregistrer et y mettre une identification. Je ne sais ce que cela signifie.
Je voudrais réserver un billet le 18/2 de Bangkok à Chiang Mai avec un arrêt à Ayutthaya et reprendre le train de nuit.
Merci
It means your passport number. If you are having trouble then you should use one of the agency sites such as 12Go.
Hey Richard,
Fantastic website – thanks for all the hard work you’ve put in!
We are two adults and three children (aged 11, 9 and 5) looking to book an overnight train from Surat Thani to Bangkok (and ideally connecting on tom Ayuthaya). Two quick questions: what class would be best given there are five of us – can we all squeeze into two first class cabins? And how can we book – I read that booking an e-ticket is not advised as the kids might be placed in upper berths, which is not allowed. Any advice? Is there a reputable travel agency that might be able to sort all this for us?
Thank you!
Train 85 is the most popular one for this route as it arrives at a good time (8:35am). It also has 1st Class sleeper carriages. You can book two cabins next to each with connecting doors to make more space. If you child is less than 100cm tall than they can travel for free and yes they can share the cabin. If all children are taller than 100cm then you would need to book three cabins or go 2nd Class. The child under 100 cms has to share your seat/berth. In 1st Class berths are quite wide. As for allowing children in the upper berth, I am not sure if there is a specific rule or not, though I have seen children up there. But to be honest, once the curtains are pulled no-one really cares and so it is up to you if you then switch around. Even easier to do in the private cabins as they have locks on the inside.
No. 167 is an alternative sleeper to take. This arrives at 7:47am. However there are no 1st Class Cabins.
Call the hotline 1690. Their English service is very helpful. For booking tickets, you could try 12Go as they have English language support. You won’t get that support on the official website.
Thanks for your kind words. The website actually has a long way to go to be very useful. A page on catching a train from Bangkok to Chumphon and Surat Thani for the boats to the islands is on my list of things to do. I plan to do this trip in March/April which is my summer holidays.
BTW, these trains now leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat station. Timetables have changed so double check before you go. I’m still waiting for them to release the official timetables. I only have timetables that were leaked from the back office.
Hello,
I’ve tried to book night train tickets to Chiang Mai forApril, but as you mentioned, you can only buy 30 days in advance with the D-Ticket website.
I tried 12Go but they only have 1 seat left in 1st class (we’re 4).
Does that mean the train is already fully booked or will it be possible to buy tickets 30 days before the departure date?
We don’t want to wait until then and risk that there’s no ticket available.
Thank you in advance!
I am not sure why 12Go would say there is only one ticket left for April when tickets don’t officially go on sale until 30 days before. But I do know that 1st Class carriage to Chiang Mai always sells out quickly. There are only 12 cabins. Two berths per cabin.
I am planning on meeting up with 12Go next week to have a tour of their office and to chat about how they do things. I might be in a better position to answer next week.
Hi Richard, brilliant website, thank you. We are 2 friends travelling from Koh Tao to Chiang Mai 21 Aug. Are we able to book now using 12Go or do we need to wait until 30 days prior? Do we need to stay overnight in Bangkok to catch the 1st class from Krung Tgep Aphiwat? The website mentions village health volunteers receive 20% discount. I will be teaching English as a volunteer in an orphanage. Do I just need my O visa as proof? Thank you.
If you book on the official D-Ticket website you cannot book more than 30 days in advance. but if you book through 12Go you can do it far in advance and they will be the first in the queue the minute tickets goes on sale. 1st Class is very difficult to book as it sells out quickly. The train eaves in the evening and so if you arrive in Bangkok in the morning then there is no need to stay the night. I don’t believe foreigners can get that discount.
Hello! I’ve been looking into taking the overnight sleeper Train #9 from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, and looking to get a 1st class cabin, however it seems only possible to buy 2nd class tickets via the links you provide. Am I missing something? Would appreciate any advice!
Have you tried the official D-Ticket website. That might be easier.
Hi Richard.
Thank you for useful article. I would like to ask if there is any chance that one can buy ticket at train station for train that is fully booked online ( similar to tourist quota idea – that some tickets remain available for over the counter purchase only ). Do you know if Thailand railways keep some extra quota tickets available?
in other words, if there is no ticket at D ticket site – does it make sense to go in person to train station and ask if they might have ticket for such train?
Thank you for answer
Yes, that is correct. They don’t put all tickets for sale online. So if it is full, then either call 1690 and ask them or go to your local station.
Hi Richard,
When you buy your ticket online, can you access the train with your electronic ticket or do you have to exchange it at the station for a printed one?
thanks for your answer
You can just show them the screenshot of your ticket. No problem. Some conductors now have QR-Code Readers and all they need to do is to scan the QR Code on your ticket.
I am trying to book a train from Padang Besar to Bangkok, but everything more than 7 days in advance is showing up as unavailable. Does this route have stricter limits on how far in advance you can book? Or is there some issue right now with online bookings?
Seems fine to me. Are you using the official Dticket website? Are you choosing Padang Besar and not Padang Besar (Thai)? If travelling from 19th January, are you choosing Krung Thep Aphiwat as your destination?
Hello Richard,
I’ve been trying to buy first class tickets last few days from the official Thai Railway site, but tickets always show sold out as soon as new date gets updated. So, Will I be able to get tickets if I go to station and book from there?
I presume this is for one of the CNR sleepers. Popular routes like Chiang Mai sell out quickly as soon as they go online at 8:30am. You can reserve by calling 1690 but you will have to pay at the station within 24 hours.
Hi Richard,
I wish you could do an article on how to bring motorcycle on the train. I see some people bring motorcycles on train.
Would love to know what’s the procedure.
Planning to ride to the north of Thailand from Malaysia.
The train ride really help saves on time and cost to go to the north of Thailand.
Thanks
Zyra
I will try and work on a guide. I saw cargo carriages with motorcycles at Su-Ngai Kolok station. So you can cross the border from there. For Padang Besar, you probably cannot put your motorcycle on a train until Hat Yai.
I will pay more attention to this and add info to the guide.
Hi Richard & Sawardeekap 🙏
Always enjoy reading your updates and posts on rail travel in Thailand and your train journeys 👍
Can I ask if it is possible to purchase tickets for my upcoming trip on Sleeper Train 45 to Padang Besar at Thonburi Train Station near my home instead of going to Hua Lamphong or KrungThep Aphiwat stations? I’m planning to travel on 3rd February. When do ticket sales start for this train?
I understand I can also purchase tickets via the D-Ticket website, but just like to explore more options.
Thanks Richard 🙏
Yes, in theory you can buy tickets from any station. They should all be hooked up to the computer network. Tickets go on sale 30 days in advance. I am actually on this train this afternoon though I don’t know yet if it will go all the way to Padang Besar due to the bombed track.
I wish to purchase a ticket from Chiang Mai to Bangkok departed on 21 Jan 2023 but it stated data not found. May I know how many days in advance I can start to purchase the ticket which supposed to be departed on 21 January 2023.
Please revert asap as I don’t want to miss a train departed on 21 January 2023 (Sleeper train).
Thanks
Fadhil
You need to choose the destination as Krung Thep Aphiwat as after 19th January trains don’t go to Bangkok Railway Station.
Hi Richard, I found your site and specifically this info by googling the same error message (Data not found when looking up the trains from Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok). Very helpful, thank you so much!
It seems to be a common problem. Maybe I should write a separate blog about this.
yeah this problem occured almost a week before already and do not know what is happening ? hope they fix it asap as i’m going to travel to thailand in the early of april by songkran with my family there. god bless