When to buy train tickets

[haroldsson]

I'll be in BKK in November for a few days and then I'm taking the train to Ayutthaya and then on to Chaing Mai. It doesn't appear to be possible to buy tickets online, so I'm looking for advice on how far ahead I should get them or if there's always room on each train?

[Piece Corp]

I'm flying to Chang Mai, bought my round trip airfare for 2000 baht. lots of good info here for those brave enough to take the train.

 

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

[tuk]

Not been in LOS for a few years now, but always bought my tickets a few days before at the train station to get the best seats.

[haroldsson]

I'll be flying back from CM, but I wanted to get a look at the country on the way up.  Do you know how long the trains stay at each station?  I'd just like to know if we can get out and check out the area or at least buy food.

[tuk]

I've not experienced trains stopping at stations for any length of time.

 

Not sure if you can hop off at random stations then hop back on the next day or whatever ...but you could phone the train station and ask them as they tend to speak reasonable English.

 

Not been on the Chang Mai train before, but the sleeper to the Lao border is excellent.

Edited September 6, 2014 by tuk

[The Sperminator]

Have always brought about a week before travel when heading down to Yala from Hua Lamphong Station,

[Kimao]

You can't hop off and ride another day. Your ticket is only good for the day and route on the ticket.

Depending on how busy the route is you can buy tickets right before they depart but it may be full. A day or two before usually gets you want you want.

Usually you are at each station for just a short time and wouldn't walk to walk away and risk missing the train. However, at every stop many vendors will board the train and sell everything imaginable, including alcohol. That was supposed to have stopped after the young girl was raped (big news story) and they clamped down on some regulations so I'm not sure about now.

When I ride the train I just show up a little early and grab a bagful of stuff from 7/11 or some prepacked Thai meals that are sold on the platform.

[willow]

I have just turned up atthe station and brought the ticket on the day never had a problem. The train to Chaing Mai will take a long time and goes throught the night I believe so not much to see. If I were you fly. The tickets are dated so if you are coming back the following day you need to either buy single tickets or if your Thai is up to it explain to the ticket office. As far as I know a return ticket is twice the price of the single so no savings.

[reiner]

the sleeper to the Lao border is excellent.

Sorry for bringing up this old thread.

 

"Sleeper to the Lao border" sounds very interesting. I am looking for something like this in conjunction with a boat trip to Luang Prabang. Which train did you refer to, and do you know any good travel agency that could book this for me (along with transportation from the train station to the boat pier)?