Consider Taking the Train from Bangkok to the Cambodia Border! (Episode 2)

     The next morning, I left home as early as 6 a.m., and it was just a 15-minute walk to the Hua Mak station. There, I bought a ticket - they don’t make seat reservations, so any seat is available unless it is for the monks, which they indicated clearly. 

a 275 ticket to the border

The station was not very crowded, likely because this was not the starting station as the train came from Bangkok Railway Station. So, if you want a good seat, get from there. The train arrived at 6:47, so 4-minute delay, which is acceptable to me. It waited briefly for people to get on. 

My first impression of the train was positive - people were chilling, no one was being bad-mannered like shouting and spitting, and the train itself was very clean (I was even stunned), unlike those in my country Myanmar where trains smelt shitty, now probably worse. 

The seats were okay - although not very comfortable, it was much more than 45 baht could offer. They also have overhead steel racks for the luggage.

Then, it was off to the border. I would say it’s an underrated way to see real Thailand - it passes through many villages and towns, big and small, not to mention the spectacular views along the way. One thing I must mention here is the air - as soon as it left Bangkok, the air became fresh and clean, likely because of the rain, but the freshness was undeniable.   

It was a 41-stop journey, 47 if it was from the Bangkok Railway Station where it started, so it stopped very frequently, and there are fewer chances you will get proper sleep unless you are a deep sleeper.

Despite this, the ride was calm and serene - you will see herds of buffalos grazing, groups of small monks playing around, birds darting in random directions and a cold breeze sweeping through the soft green grasses. And it was smooth and steady, too - no bouncing at all, unlike those in Myanmar.

And you don’t really need to worry about filling your stomach if you are okay with any food, for food vendors are coming in at every stop. You can get everything from drinks to local snacks. But it’s not a bad thing to be cautious of getting food poisoned - if that’s the case, then better get your own snack or food in advance to the train.  

seats

a town of Prachin Buri

a station

    (continue reading on episode 3)