Aesthetics of Everywhere

Going from Bangkok to Chiang Mai on Thailand’s northern rail line is a comfortable and affordable way to travel, albeit more slowly than by plane. It was also my first experience on an overnight train. If you have the time to go by train, it’s a no-brainer: besides than the charm of long-distance rail travel, you also save on the cost of a night’s accommodation (if going by sleeper train; if not, meals are at least included on the daytime train).

Waiting to depart from Bangkok.

I’d definitely recommend bringing either earplugs or a charged iPod if you’re taking the sleeper train – it’s very loud and rickety. If you have a choice, spend a tiny bit more for the bottom bunk because it’s larger and more comfortable getting in and out of bed.

I took the overnight train when I went from Bangkok to Chiang Mai (in northern Thailand), and the daytime train from Chiang Mai back south to Bangkok because I had a flight to catch that same evening. That made for a long day of transit, as the train was from about 8am to 8pm plus some extra time for delays. And yes, expect delays. I came into Chiang Mai 3 hours late because of problems on the rail. They had to offload the entire train and transfer us to buses to ride the rest of the way from the Nakhon Lampang station to Chiang Mai.

Find Thailand’s rail schedules and ticket prices here: State Railway of Thailand time table.

And practice not falling into squat toilets.