I recently traveled as a backpacker for six weeks in Thailand, Laos, and China, and during that time, I got to experience the newly opened long-distance train station in Bangkok, the Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station (formerly Bang Sue Grand Station). It was quite an impressive experience that I would like to share with you all.
The Amenities of the New Main Train Station in Bangkok
The new Main Train Station in Bangkok was built with Japanese funding and radiates an extremely modern atmosphere. The building almost resembles an airport. From here, all long-distance trains departing from Bangkok will operate in the future, and you can immediately sense this from the size and modern design.
There are numerous food shops in the Bangkok station, but I could only find cold snacks there. However, I really liked the bento boxes – surprisingly fresh and quite affordable at just 60 Baht (approximately $1.50).
The amenities leave nothing to be desired: plenty of restrooms, free showers (you should show your ticket, but in practice, this wasn’t really enforced), and huge luggage lockers that can easily accommodate two large hiking backpacks (50-60 liters).
The facilities leave nothing to be desired: Numerous toilets, free showers (you should show your ticket, but in practice this wasn’t really enforced) and huge luggage lockers, which can easily fit 2 large hiking backpacks (50-60 liters) without any issues.
Boarding – Almost like at the airport
Boarding the trains was a very positive surprise for me. Unlike in Germany or France, where there are already conductors who greet you at the door and direct you to your seat.
The seats are assigned at the time of booking. At the Krung Thep Aphiwat Station, you then scan your ticket at a gate, similar to boarding an airplane. After that, you are guided by signs directly to the correct stairs or elevator that will take you to the appropriate car. Everything is very clear and straightforward.
Ticket Purchase for the Bangkok Train Station
The tickets for train journeys can be easily purchased online. I used the D-Ticket platform of the Thai railway, which is a bit clunky and requires you to know the Thai names of the train stations, but in the end, you receive the ticket directly on your phone. Alternatively, you can book through 12go.asia, which is in English and easy to understand, but it’s a bit more expensive, and you’ll need to print the ticket. Since printing was too cumbersome for me, I went with D-Ticket. However, you can also receive PDFs there that you can print out.
Tip: Bring snacks!
I would recommend everyone to grab one of the delicious bento boxes at the Bangkok Station – they are really good. However, it’s best to bring your own snacks, as they are somewhat expensive at the station and the selection is not very wide. You can find chips, drinks, or a noodle cup with hot water, though. The immediate area consists mainly of vacant lots, highways, and industrial zones, so a quick stop at a 7/11 unfortunately isn’t possible.
If you have time to wait, I can recommend the free showers at the new Bangkok station. The water is “cold,” but in the Thai heat, even regular tap water is quite warm – even for someone like me who usually only showers with warm water.
Making the Most of Waiting Times at Chatuchak Mall
If you have a longer wait, you can quickly take the subway to the nearby Chatuchak Mall. The connection from the Bangkok Main Station is straightforward, although Google Maps didn’t display the subway connection correctly during my visit. With a contactless credit card, you can easily pass through the automatic turnstile into the subway and pay directly for the distance traveled. For the round trip, I paid only about 90 Baht, which is roughly (07.2024) around 2$. The mall offers many cafés, restaurants, and local shops – perfect for passing the time.
Conclusion
Overall, the new train station in Bangkok was a very pleasant surprise for me as a backpacker. It is ultra-modern, well-equipped, and makes traveling by train in Thailand truly enjoyable. So, if you are planning to travel north or south from Bangkok, I can highly recommend this station. Additionally, my journey on the night train from Bangkok station, which I will describe in another article, was extremely comfortable and, in my opinion, a better option than flying to the north or the Thai islands.
All in all, the new train station in Bangkok was a very pleasant surprise for me as a backpacker. It is ultra-modern, well-equipped, and makes train travel in Thailand really enjoyable. So, if you’re planning to travel north or south from Bangkok, I can highly recommend this station. Additionally, the ride on the night train from Bangkok station, which I will describe in another article, was extremely comfortable and, in my opinion, better than the option of flying north or to the Thai islands.
Related Articles
M.Sc. in Business Informatics and IT Consultant
I am Pascal, IT developer and consultant from Cologne, specialized in cloud infrastructure and DevOps. In my free time I like to travel, do sports or deal with technology, SmartHome or other nerd topics 🙂
