Train travel to Chiangmai
I'm
glad to report that train travel in Thailand is a much more convenient
& pleasant experience than train travel in Malaysia.
We had taken a Malaysian overnight sleeper train to Perhentian earlier this year and it was fraught with inconveniences & displeasure:
1. Although you could buy tickets online, you paid a much higher price. Example: online, a ticket from Singapore to Wakaf Bahru costs $25 SGD and the return ticket costs $25 SGD. But, if you buy the ticket in person at the station, the return ticket costs you $25 Ringgit (about $12 SGD!)
2. When you buy tickets in person at the Singapore station, they do not accept credit card, NETS or cheque. Nowhere on the website do they tell you this though! Major bad.
3. Malaysian trains are regularly late in arriving at their destinations. Our ticket said we'd arrive by 7am, but we arrived at 10am!
4. Finally, Malaysia train toilets can be quite filthy. They don't flush properly and if you take the overnight train, by the time morning comes, it can be quite a horrifying experience using the toilet.
The
Thai trains were sooo sooo much better. Firstly, husband did all the transactions
online at www.railway.co.th The
website is well-updated and provided all the necessary information. No
difficult to understand lingo like the Malaysian train website. When it
came to payment, we were unable to make credit card payment (though the
option was available) and had to fax over the forms. The Thai side was
very prompt in replying to us and they even agreed to drop off the hard-copy
tickets at our hotel, so that we could pick it up when we arrived! Everything
went smoothly. :)
My husband decided to buy first class tickets because we didn't want to risk a repeat of the Malaysian train experience. The tickets were a tad expensive - about $50 SGD per person, one way. On hindsight, now that we know that the trains are really very decent, I think 2nd class would have been perfectly fine.
Still,
1st class came with our very own air-conditioned cabin. The cabin had
several hooks for clothes, a nice window, a small sink, a dustbin &
even some bar soap and mineral water. We ordered dinner & breakfast
which was brought to us and when we were ready to sleep, a smiley man
(in pic on left) came over to pull down our beds for us - there were two
bunk beds, one on top of the other. He also put extra mattresses, with
fresh bed sheets, and covered the pillows with pillow cases. Blankets
(vacuum sealed for freshness) were also provided. I'd say, 1st class is
pretty worth it! Here's some pics of the cabin we slept in & our very
heaty breakfast!
I'm quite a light sleeper and I did find it difficult to sleep with all the rumbling going on (the rumbling of train wheels I mean, not my husband!). But, on the journey back from Chiangmai, I got used to it and had very good sleep.
All in all, I would totally recommend train travel in Thailand. We wandered around the 2nd class cabins and found them more spacious that Malaysian trains. And the best part of it is, the trains actually arrived on time! The train left Bangkok promptly at 6.30pm and arrived the next morning at 7am. On the return journey, the train left Chiangmai at 5.50pm and arrived the next morning at 6.30am. Timeliness is important especially when you've arranged to be picked up and sent to your hotel at a certain time.
Our
trip to Thailand, Dec 04:
main page
5 things Singaporeans will like about
Bangkok, Chatuchak vs. Suan Lum,
Thai massage in Bangkok, Cabbages
& Condoms restaurant
Train travel to Chiangmai, Chiangdao
Mini-Nest Resort
5 things Singaporeans will like about Chiangmai,
Chiangmai
Thai Cookery School