Thailand’s sleeper trains aren’t just a way of getting from A to B, they’re an essential part of any family travel adventure to the country, offering a safe, affordable and unforgettable journey.
In today’s fast-paced world, sleeper trains offer a journey back to an altogether more sedate time. As far as memorable family travel experiences rank, a Thai sleeper train is right up there, combining enjoyment, safety and value for money, while all the time moving you (gently) towards your next destination.
Sleeper trains are an ideal way for families to travel around Thailand, avoiding an environmentally-unfriendly flight (and the hassle of navigating airports with kids) or a long bus journey with limited space and comfort. Plus, if you’re travelling overnight, the comfy beds and rocking motion of the train are a recipe for sound sleep, and you save the expense of a night’s accommodation into the bargain.
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Thailand has an extensive railway network, with all lines radiating out from Bangkok and its recently opened, state of the art (if slightly soulless) station, Krung Thep Aphiwat. Most places on a family Thailand itinerary are reachable by train, otherwise they’ll have a station nearby with excellent connections.
We’ve been riding Thailand’s sleeper trains as a family for years and have bundled together all our tips, tricks and knowledge to help you get the most out of your own iconic overland journey.
How to book your Thailand sleeper train
For convenience and simplicity, it’s usually best to book your Thai train tickets online using Baolau. You could book at the station but in the vast majority of cases, this won’t be as convenient as booking online and communication can be an issue.
There are several websites available to book tickets (including the slightly cumbersome official site), but we’ve always used Baolau and had no problems. They have excellent customer support via email if you ever need them, and there are no issues using an international credit card to make the bookings. They also have access to the Thai railways database, so you can see real-time availability and choose your seat.
Tickets are sent to your email address as a pdf within an hour and you can either print this off or display on your phone/tablet.
When booking your tickets, remember to double check all names and passport numbers before confirming your purchase, as the ticket inspector will check they match when you’re onboard.
How far in advance can you book tickets?
It’s a bit complicated.
The long-distance trains that most tourists use (e.g. those going from Bangkok to Chiang Mai/Surat Thani/Padang Besar, etc) can be booked 180 days in advance. However, to complicate matters, you can only book that far in advance if you’re travelling for more than 60% of the entire route.
If you’re travelling between 25% and 60% of the entire route, you can book 30 days in advance. Journeys less than 25% are only available one day in advance.
It sounds more complicated than it is in practice. Most tourists will probably be travelling from Bangkok to a popular destination, which is likely to be at the end of the line. But do keep this in mind if there’s an ‘off the beaten track’ place you plan to visit that’s midway between major stations. When you’re checking availability on the Baolau site, it’ll just say ‘Not open yet’ or similar, so you’ll just need to come back later, or use their handy form that signs you up for notifications.
If your travel plans are fairly well set, it’s best to book tickets as far in advance as possible, particularly if you’re travelling around busy Thai holiday periods. The trains from Bangkok to Chiang Mai are by far the most popular and these do sell out well in advance. For other routes, you might have some more leeway but, if you’re travelling as a family and need four berths next to each other, don’t expect to find much availability if you try booking just a few days in advance.
All tickets can be cancelled with at least a part-refund, so you won’t be completely out of pocket if your plans change.
How much does it cost and are there reductions for children?
Thai trains are excellent value and usually cheaper (and much more fun) than taking a flight. And remember that if you take an overnight sleeper, you’ll also be saving on a night’s hotel bill.
Here are some example fares in a second-class AC berth:
- Bangkok to Chiang Mai (12 hours): THB800 (£18)
- Bangkok to Surat Thani (10 hours): THB750 (£17)
- Bangkok to Padang Besar (17-20 hours): THB900 (£21)
There are reductions for children, depending on height. Those under the age of 3 (and less than 100cm) can travel for free if they share with an adult. They won’t get their own berth so, depending on the cost of the ticket, you might prefer to buy them a ticket anyway to give you more space to play with.
Children aged 3-11 and under 150cm get a discount of between 10% and 20% depending on the route. Anyone aged 12 and over (or over 150cm) must buy an adult ticket.
Seating layout
Most Thai trains come with several different levels of class with a different layout in each. Typically there will be:
- Second-class berth with AC (some non-AC carriages are in use too). This is our top recommendation for travelling families, it’s especially comfortable if your family is an even number of people as you’ll get two seats opposite each other during the day, which then turn into upper and lower berths at night.
- Second-class seat. What you might think of as a ‘normal’ train carriage, with soft seats arranged in rows of two by two. The seats do recline so they could be used for sleeping, but they’re a better option for a shorter daytime journey.
- Third-class seat. Hard seats (either wooden or plastic), these are ok for a very short daytime journey if you’re either short on money or keen to experience an ‘authentic’ trip, but otherwise best avoided.
Some of the more tourist-focused trains will often have a carriage of first-class berths that accommodate two people, with a lockable door and shared bathroom with the compartment next door. Many tourists book these berths but soon regret their choice once they get onboard.
In our opinion, the first-class compartments can seem cramped and you feel locked away from the world, missing out on at least part of this magical experience. Bear in mind that the second-class berths have privacy curtains for when you go to sleep, so they feel quite private too. There’s no doubt the first-class compartments are more secure (not that you need to unduly worry about safety in any case) and offer more privacy, but we much prefer second class. Plus, if you’re travelling with more than one adult and one child, you won’t have any shared space to interact with the rest of your family.
What to expect onboard a Thailand sleeper train
Thai sleeper trains are well-looked after and feel totally safe and secure while you’re onboard. When you first board, a ticket inspector will quickly check your ticket to make sure you’re boarding the correct train and carriage.
Then, at some point in the first hour of the journey, the ticket inspector will make their way through the carriage and properly check your ticket, sometimes asking to see your passport as well. This is to check the name on the ticket matches your ID, and it’s increasingly being enforced.
Second-class AC berths are our preferred class of travel as they offer the best balance between cost, experience and privacy. During the day, the beds are folded down to provide a pair of wide, comfortable seats facing each other. If you’re a family of four, and you managed to book seats across the aisle from each other, it almost feels like your own private compartment.
On overnight journeys, at some point in the early evening, an attendant will appear and make up the beds for you, including pillows, sheets and blankets. For those with younger children (or if you’re just feeling tired), it’s usually possible to find the attendant and ask them to do this earlier if they’re available.
The beds are comfortable and, with the rocking motion of the train, it’s usually a recipe for a good night’s sleep. It can sometimes be a problem when the train stops in the middle of the night, with passengers struggling to find their berth or those disembarking lugging heavy suitcases down the aisle, but you get used to it after a few stops and are soon dropping back off the sleep.
On most long distance trains, a buffet car is hitched on, offering affordable meals which you can eat at simple tables. Ever since an isolated incident over a decade ago, alcohol is no longer served on Thai trains, nor are you allowed to bring your own supply.
If you’re travelling with backpacks, they can often slide under the seats, otherwise there’s a small luggage rack next to each seat, and a larger one at the end of each carriage. Large, rigid suitcases are more difficult to manage, you might need to leave them at the end of the carriage with padlocks in that case. It’s another reason to pack lightly and only bring a smaller backpack on your trip if possible.
Each pair of seats have their own electrical sockets to charge small devices like mobile phones or tablets.
Are the sleeper trains safe?
Yes, we’ve always felt completely safe and relaxed on Thai sleeper trains, although we know from our inbox that safety is a concern for a lot of families.
The main worry most people have is: how safe will the kids be sleeping in a berth on their own? If you’re with very young kids, you may feel happier if they sleep with you (ideally on the lower bunk as this is wider), although this isn’t by any means necessary. Technically, kids under the age of 12 aren’t allowed to sleep in the upper bunk, but it’s very loosely enforced, particularly after lights go out.
The chances of anything untoward happening to your kids are vanishingly small and you shouldn’t let it stop you booking a ticket. We do remind our boys not to go wandering off in the night though, particularly if they need the toilet.
If you have backpacks with you, it does make sense to either have them in the berth with you, or lock them to the luggage rack using a safety cable lock. Again though, this is more for peace of mind rather than any specific risk of theft. The guards are always hovering around at station stops, and they keep their eyes out for anything untoward.
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How clean are the trains and what are the toilets like?
The train carriages are kept clean and fairly free of litter throughout the journey. There are some newer Chinese-built carriages in operation that are more modern and feel slightly more spick and span (you’ll recognise these at the booking stage as they’re a bit more expensive). The older trains can show their age in places, although on the whole they’re perfectly fine and have their own unique charm.
The toilets are probably not as bad you’re expecting, usually kept clean and stocked-up with toilet paper, although do have your own supply in case you’re caught short. As the journey progresses, the odour can become more challenging but the cleaning staff do a good job throughout.
Typically there will be one western-style toilet and one ‘squat and drop’ at the end of each carriage, where you’ll also have access to a sink for washing hands and brushing teeth. We always take some hand sanitiser with us as well.
Do we recommend?
We love Thailand’s sleeper trains and often find they’re one of the most memorable parts of any visit to the country. It’s a true travelling highlight to wake up, pull back the curtain and see the Thai countryside whizzing past your bedroom window.
The boys love them too and definitely prefer them to flying or a long, disjointed bus journey.
Tips for your Thailand sleeper train
- Bring a few snacks with you. Biscuits, crisps and bottles of water are handy to have in reserve if you don’t fancy the food cart.
- Double-check you’ve entered the correct details when booking tickets.
- Don’t worry about printing the tickets out; showing them on your phone is fine and what everyone else does.
- There’s no need to be paranoid, but a safety cable lock is a good idea when you need to leave your bags unattended.
- Book as far in advance as you can, especially if you want to keep your group next to each other.
- Have a copy of the timetable handy so you can keep track of progress.
- Luggage allowance is officially 20kg but isn’t vigorously enforced. Backpacks are infinitely more convenient than large, rigid suitcases and will slide under the beds much more easily.
- Have an offline Google Maps covering the entire route so you can see where you are.
- Take an eye mask if you or your kids are light sleepers and sensitive to light. It’ll never be pitch dark during the journey.
- Don’t forget your favourite travel games to pass the time.
- Have a plug and cables handy if you plan to charge any devices.
Final thoughts on riding a Thailand sleeper train
Thailand has one of the most comprehensive railway networks in Southeast Asia and it’s an ideal way to travel around the country as a family. Many of the most visited cities are either directly on the network or well connected to it, so it’s often the most convenient way to travel between the popular sights.
For many travelling families, an overnight sleeper train is a must-do activity, trundling through the countryside past rice paddies, mountain ranges and an endlessly green vista. With affordable fares, comfortable beds and a safe experience, Thailand’s sleeper trains aren’t just a means of transport, they’re often a highlight of your visit.
You may also like to read:
Thailand with kids travel guide
Visiting Bangkok with kids
Riding a Vietnam sleeper train