Sleeper Train – Bangkok to Chiang Mai

After hearing many different versions of people’s experiences on the sleeper train I didn’t really know what to expect, but I can safely say it was an experience I would never take back!

I booked a second class train with air conditioning from Hua Lamphong station which was rather cold so take a jacket with you. To book this I went with a company called 12GoAsia, they book the ticket for you in advance and you can just go pick it up whenever; quick and efficient! Would highly recommend.

When getting to the train station it’s advised to go about an hour earlier, there is a Dunkin Donuts and a lovely coffee shop there to pass the time. In fact whilst I was in the coffee shop I met a Buddhist Monk named Brother Mark who told me much about his way of life as a travelling monk which helped broaden my mind once more . You never know who you’re gonna meet!

When your train arrives it will appear on the large screen in English along with the platform it’s on, it’s a relatively small station so everything is easy to find. I took the latest train which departed at 19:35 and arrived in Chiang Mai at 8:40. Once on the train, there will be about an hour wait until someone comes around to pull the beds out. I recommend booking a bottom bed as you will have the window to watch the sunrise in the morning 👌

There will also be someone who comes round offering food, I would advise not to, I was a bit skeptical on the hygiene so I stopped at a 7-Eleven along the way.

The train travelled through some main areas such as Ayutthaya and Lopburi, and my experience was, all in all, a good one, if you’re looking for a more aesthetically pleasing and chilled ride I would recommend the train over flying. It is relatively cheap aswell, using 12GoAsia it cost me around £20 which isn’t bad.

Here are some pictures I took in the morning looking out my window.