Experienced Thai travellers claim most locations in the country are accessible by bus from Bangkok. It mostly only requires passengers to change buses once from an intercity service to a local one. Intercity buses also offer more frequent departures. For example, buses for the northern city of Chiang Mai depart at 15-minute intervals from very early in the morning with the last one scheduled for around 23:00.
In contrast, trains are slower yet offer a travel experience reminiscent of the golden age of travel. Booking a sleeping berth on trains plying routes to Chiang Mai, Nong Khai, Ubon Ratchatani or Hat Yai allows passengers the freedom to get up and walk around and even get off for a stroll or a snack at longer station stops.
The second class sleeping cars are open-plan and spacious while the segregated berths are partitioned off with curtains to allow for a relaxing night’s sleep. The clackety-clack of the train’s wheels on the track is like a hypnotic lullaby. The main downsides of the Thai train system are that it only serves four main routes, services are limited to six a day and they are often late arriving.
Travel on Thai trains versus buses
News in Asia
Many international tourists visiting Thailand find they are in a bit of a quandary when it comes to deciding whether to travel by train or bus. The Thai bus network is more comprehensive than that of the railway system. It also has the bonuses of getting you nearer your destination and more quickly than the train does.