Train to Pattaya

December 13, 2025

I’m in Thailand.

Above is my view from my balcony on the 7th floor of the Krungkasem Srikrung Hotel, around 7am. The Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) railway station is on the extreme left.

Another view of the canal, the Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem. According to Wikipedia in order to serve as a new outer moat for the growing city, the canal was excavated in 1851.

The Hua Lamphong Train Station. It is the “former central passenger terminal in Bangkok and the former railway hub of Thailand. … Long distance trains moved to the new central station at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in 2023.” The railway station opened in 1916.

My room in the Krungkasem Srikrung Hotel, at $AUD 50 (NTD 1000) a night including a substantial breakfast.

I decided months ago to take the train from Bangkok to Pattaya.

There is a third-class train leaving at 6:55am. The distance is around 150 kilometers, but the train takes around 4 hours.

The hotel buffet opens at 6:30am, just enough for me to scoff enough food. The photo above is of a different day, where I took a leisurely breakfast of salad, red curry, fruit, and hot coffee.

I dashed across the road to the train station, passing tuk-tuks. “The humble Thai tuk tuk is an icon of Thailand … There’s something about the buzz of spinning around Bangkok in one of these open-air, three-wheeled vehicles. … Tuk Tuks are unmetered, so the key is to always agree the price of your ride before you get in. The driver will likely quote an initially overpriced fare, anticipating that you will knock him or her down to at least some degree. In general, will be a little more expensive than a taxi.”

There is a portrait of King Rama V (I checked in Google Gemini) above the entrance-way to the platforms.

The platforms. I was running late, but fortunately I snapped the above photo the day before.

I took my seat on the blue-covered benches, and soon the train was moving slowly out of the station. The photo above is of a roving vendor selling food to some passengers.

The above is a Dancing Bacon clip. where they eat snacks on a train going from Bangkok (sadly, not to Pattaya). The content creator lives in Singapore, but regularly travels to neighbouring countries, in this case Thailand, to eat.

We trundled gently though Bangkok.

This was a contrast with the shabby low-rise buildings by the side of the tracks and the smart skyscrapers in the background.

The train went through some slums (above) close to the railway line. The building with the Thai flag is a little shop; outside there is a man standing on a small path inches away from the train.

The train went through a level crossing (above).

At Khlong Tan train station.

The train passed over the Khlong Saen Saep. “Did you know that Bangkok was once known as the ‘Venice of the East’? With over 1,500 kilometers of canals crisscrossing the city, These waterways tell a story that’s often overlooked by the average visitor. … These waterways offer a unique perspective, allowing you to travel through the city and avoid traffic, while observing the communities that live along its banks.” When I lived in Bangkok I used to take the rapid canal-boat every weekday morning on my way to lectures.

The train entered the outskirts of Bangkok. The above photo is of a little restaurant by the side of the tracks.

Some people watching the train go by.

At a stop I saw some people stepping over the railway and along the path.

Now the train was in the countryside.

There were many rice-fields (above)…

…and little stations.

Now the train was close to Chachoengsao.

The terminus of the Khlong Saen Saep.

The train went over the Bang Pakong River. According to Wikipedia, there are alternate theories for the name of this river, but these solely are concerned with fishing, whether catfish, prawn, or barramundi.

The train turned southwards. The above photo is of mountains rising abruptly from the plain.

Pattaya, at last.

A view of passengers disembarking…

… and boarding a couple of red songthaews. “Songthaews are covered pickup trucks with rows of seats in the back that transport people along set routes in Thailand, and they are a common way to get around. The word ‘songthaew’ literally means ‘two rows’ in Thai. You’ll see songthaews in almost all urban areas and lots of beach areas, too. Once you know their routes and how to pay for the ride, you will likely find them to be a convenient way to reach your destination. They are popular among locals as well as travelers and typically are the cheapest kind of transportation available, except for using your own two feet.”

I didn’t catch a songthaew, instead hopping on a motosai. “One of the unique experiences in Bangkok is hopping on the back of a motorcycle taxi – called moto-sai by Thais. Motorcycle taxis are useful for short trips; you know – a distance that is too long to walk in the Bangkok heat, but too short to bother with a taxi or risk getting stuck in traffic. The moto-sai is convenient because the driver can weave in & out of traffic, unaffected by gridlock, and deliver you to your destination in a matter of minutes.” Cost was THB 100 ($AUD 5, NTD 100). The motosai dropped me across the road from the street where I was staying (above).

I walked a short distance down the street to my hotel, the Queen Victoria Inn (above). The cost is approximately again $AUD 500 (NTD 1000) per night.

There was a motorcycle cart in front of the hotel. Google Gemini says the motorcycle carts are in effect mobile kitchens on a motorbike, offering low-cost food and drink, everywhere from city streets to rural areas – an authentic slice of Thai life. 

Inside the Queen Victoria Inn. The hotel looked as if somehow transported from southern England, complete with obese older English men propping up the bar.

One word of warning – the Queen Victoria Inn is right in the heart of a red-light district; it is very blatant. Women especially should be wary of the road outside the hotel, especially at night.

At the end of the street is Pattaya Beach. Photo facing northwards…

… and southwards.

There was a tourist market, the Runway Market.

Among the stalls there was a booth selling crocodile meat. That’s part of a crocodile revolving slowly on a horizontal spit in the above photo. Apparently there is a stall selling insects, a common sight in Thailand, but I didn’t see it.

Towering over the market is a Boeing 747!

It’s quite a sight. That aircraft is massive. Jet Photos says the Boeing 747-200B was in service with CP Air, PIA and Orange Air.

There are tables under the aircraft. I ate dinner there directly under the Boeing 747.

A close-up view of the nose-wheel. My walking-stick is propped against the landing gear.

More to come.