With a 1510 train departure, we decided we’d have a massage between breakfast and 1200 check-out, then eat lunch before going to the train. That worked well until the massage places didn’t really have anyone there despite the nominal 1000 opening. Even though we went at 1030, they only managed to start on my massage at 1100. Fortunately, I had asked for a 30 minute extension to the room.
It was such an irony that the best massages (yesterday and today) were just next to the hotel. Along the same vein, we ate lunch a little further away at an overpriced tourist place when we probably could have had a better meal near the hotel. Ah well …
The taxi driver, as with many others here, happily turn on the meter as we set off for Hualamphong Railway Station around 1345. The train was open for boarding about an hour before hand. As I got to our carriage, panic set in. From the outside, it didn’t look like a sleeper at all. Imagine nearly 18 hours upright!! Fortunately, once we got on, it was apparent it was convertible into beds at night.
Our second sleeper ride on this trip. The map shows the time take by car but it was around 17h by train.
Hualamphong station in Bangkok.
Hualamphong station in Bangkok.
It was pleasantly cool inside with the aircon on and it was better than waiting in the station. We pulled away on time, taking about an hour to get out of Bangkok. Along the way, there were plenty of slums. Very impressive was the new Bang Sue station, the new hub for Thai railways, which was absolutely ginormous.
It soon got cold in the train. I needed my pullover and also used the loose pants I bought at Wat Phra Kaew as over-trousers.
After a couple of hours were in the lush countryside. We ate dinner around 1900. It was very good food but also very over-priced. We also ordered breakfast for the morning despite the price. We could have easily survived on the endless stream of street vendors who boarded the train with goodies through the afternoon, evening and the morning.
When viewed from outside, train didn’t look like a sleeper. Panic! But on board, it was clear they convert it at bed time.
Dinner on board was very pricey by Thai standard but delicious.
When viewed from outside, train didn’t look like a sleeper. Panic! But on board, it was clear they convert it at bed time.
The bunks came down around dinner time, which was a bit inconvenient but we managed. With the curtains drawn over the bunks, the temperature in bed was pleasant and I got horizontal around 2100.
I had a deep but short night sleep from around 2200 till around 0300 and dozed till around 0700. The train was much smoother and quieter than the one on the “Jungle Railway” from Johor Bahru to Wakaf Bharu; less rocking and screeching. And the bed was wider too but shorter.
We wondered if the train might have been electric but subsequent googling suggested not. We must have been away from the engine, and perhaps the track and wagons were good.