How to Catch the Sleeper Train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai

Travel from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is often undertaken by the traveller/tourist by sleeper train.

There are other options to get to Chiang Mai so it all depends on your timeframe, budget or sense of adventure.

You can fly, bus, day train, sleeper train or drive.

This blog is more of an informative write up on how we caught the sleeper train as opposed to a story on our travel adventures.

We always research a few sites to glean as much information as possible before undertaking any sort of travel. I hope someone may find this information helpful, interesting or just may inspire someone to do the same on their travels.

Bangkok Airport to Hua Lamphong Train Station

There are two International Airports in Bangkok.  One is called Don Mueang Airport and the other is Suvarnabhumi Airport. 

On this occasion, we flew into Suvarnabhumi Airport.  It is possible to catch the Airport Rail Link from the airport terminal which connects you to the two main train services in Bangkok – BTS and MRT.

We needed to get from the airport to the Hua Lamphong Train Station (or sometimes called Bangkok Train Station) which is where the Sleeper Train to Chiang Mai departs from.

We caught the train from the airport and travelled to Makkasan (x5 stops).  This cost us 70THB/$3NZ for two of us.

We then walked from Makkasan train station to Phetchaburi MRT station.  This is about 400 metres of a covered overhead raised walkway.  There is no need to battle with the chaotic Bangkok traffic or negotiate death-defying road crossings when you have luggage in tow.

We caught the MRT for another 5 stops to Hua Lamphong Station.  This ride cost us 60THB/$2.62NZ for two of us.

Total costs for transport from the airport to Hua Lamphong cost us 130THB/$5.70NZ and took us 1.20hrs.  This is much cheaper and probably a lot quicker than a taxi.

Booking and Ticket Collection

We have used 12GoAsia on previous occasions to make our bookings for some of our transport requirements.

They offer great service and act as a Booking Agent for most modes of transport across Asia.  They not only handle trains but also buses, ferries, transfers and flights.

We booked and paid for our sleeper train tickets online and received a booking reference number.  Their offices are only a 100-meter walk (lefthand side) from the Hua Lamphong MRT train station (Exit 1) and right across the road from the Hua Lamphong (Bangkok) Station.

They have a couple of staff working in the office, you need to show your passport (the same name as on the credit card used for payment), show the e-mail confirmation and they will issue you with your train tickets.  They explained where we needed to go, pointed out the different platforms and what time we needed to be at the train.

Hua Lamphong train station is a short walk from their office.  I would recommend that you go back down to the MRT station and walk through the subway and come up the other side of the road to the station.  It was a bit daunting trying to cross the roads with our packs and there was no cross signal.  It was a hit and miss situation – luckily it was a miss this time!!

Tickets at Station

There are Ticket Counters at the Hua Lamphong (Bangkok) Station where you could buy your tickets.  As with any transportation purchases, there is no guarantee that there will be any space available on the train.

Another helpful site to check out for all things trains is The Man in Seat 61.  This website covers off heaps of information for all train transport.

Sleeper Train Options

Since 2016, they have introduced new train carriages running between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

Train No. 9 and Train No. 10 Overnight Sleeper Train is the ones to look out for when booking.  These trains are powered by electricity so they are way more quiet and smooth compared to the old ones.  Make sure you choose carefully when buying your train tickets.

If you are taking the train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Train No.9 leaves Hua Lamphung Station at 6.10pm and arrives in Chiang Mai at 7.15am.  The train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, Train No.10 leaves Chiang Mai Train Station at 6.00 pm and arrives in Bangkok at 6.50am.  Both trains are daily.

Aside from trains No.9 and No.10, there are other trains but those are the older and slower (therefore cheaper) trains.

1st Class vs 2nd Class

When we booked our tickets online, we were early enough to secure a 1st Class Cabin.  This meant that we would be able to have a cabin to ourselves, separated from the other travellers.

Now, we have travelled a couple of times on 2nd Class on Sleeper Trains.  We have never had any issues with having our own cubicle amidst many others on a carriage.  Of course, it is always more noisy with passengers coming and going or having rather loud conversations with each other.  It is all part of the journey.

We did opt for a slightly more comfortable journey this time around and it isn’t that much more expensive.

Costs

1st Class

If you want privacy and don’t mind paying extra, then consider travelling on 1st Class which is a private room good for 2 passengers.  Each train has 12 private rooms, with shared shower rooms and toilets.  If you are travelling in a group of 4 or a family with 2 kids, there is an inter-connecting door which can be unlocked by the staff.

Be aware that the upper bunk is cheaper than the lower bunk.  Scotty has always taken the top bunk while I have the bunk below him…..what can I say, I’m worth the extra expense.

For a 1st Class private cabin it will cost you 1,453THB/$64NZ  for an upper bunk.  For the lower bunk, it will cost 1,653THB/$72NZ.  

As we booked through 12GoAsia our combined train ticket cost us 3656THB/$160NZ for both of us.

2nd Class

For an upper bunk in 2nd Class it will cost you 941THB/$41.42NZ and for a lower bunk, it will cost 1041THB/$45NZ.

Dining Options

The train has a Dining Car where you can buy snacks, food and drinks.  The food sold here are frozen reheated type meals, similar to what you would get at a 7-11 store. 

We always stock up with snacks before boarding the train.  There is a very substantial convenience store at the Hua Lamphong Station and a food hall.  If you want an even cheaper option, there are numerous 7-11 stores on the way to the station.

A lot of trains that we have travelled on have always had hot water stations.  This is brilliant for those tasty instant noodle meals or for those coffee sachets obtained from your last accommodation.  Note, you are out of luck if you were hoping for an instant noodle dinner as there are no hot water facilities on board.  The instant noodles would have to wait!

Room Service

A hostess will wander the corridor offering room service in the 1st class cabins.  We ordered a morning coffee and breakfast dumplings to be delivered at 6 am.  There is an LCD touch screen in the cabin for ordering delivery service but at the time we travelled, this was not working.

Prices, of course, are more expensive than what you would normally pay but that is to be expected.

Hua Lamphong Station

Hua Lamphong, or Bangkok Train Station, is the main terminal to northern, eastern, northeastern and southern Thailand.  You can imagine how busy it gets here!

It was built in 1916 and designed by an Italian architect which is quite evident with its domes, giant clock on the front gable and open-air passenger galleries.

It is quite a simple layout so there is no chance of getting lost.  There are 26 ticketing booths and two giant English/Thai electronic information display boards.  These feature departures and arrivals and platform numbers.

There are a handful of food outlets and shops on the ground floor as well as on the mezzanine level.

Filling in Time

We had around 4 hours to fill in and on previous occasions, we have paid to have our packs stored at their luggage storage facility.  This is a dodgy looking area, wedged into a small slot beside the back stairwell.  There are signs everywhere banning any sort of food as to not attract rats.  Taking our packs down, it was certainly an area that you could imagine being rat infested.

It is a shame that they do not have the clean and secure lockers available that we have seen at many of the MRT or BTS  stations.  

It doesn’t matter if you store your bag for 1 hour or 10 hours, it is still the same price.  For our two backpacks, it would have cost us 160THB/$7NZ.  We decided to keep our packs with us this time.

To fill in some time, we went to the coffee shop upstairs for coffees and snacks.  They don’t seem to check how long you are sitting at their tables but we were there about 4 hours.  Otherwise, you will be probably sitting on the floor as there are limited seats compared to the number of people waiting around.

Summary of helpful websites:

Hua Lamphong Train Station

Chiang Mai Traveller

12GoAsia

Man in Seat 61

Click on the link below for a video of our highlights on the Sleeper Train to Chiang Mai.