Go To Krabi on the Train

The State Railway of Thailand operates the train system in Thailand. There are train lines to many parts of the country. The northern route extends the whole way to Chiang Mai. There are also lines which reach Nong Khai and Ubon Ratchathani in the Northeast. However, there is only one line which extends into southern Thailand. The southern line heads south along the Gulf of Thailand and connects with Hua Hin, Surat Thani and Hat Yai before crossing the border into Malaysia. Unfortunately, the southern line does not extend to the southwestern areas of Thailand such as Phuket and Krabi. Therefore, it is not possible to go to Krabi directly on the train.

However, if you enjoy train travel, you can board a train in Bangkok and head to Surat Thani. Express Train #85 leaves Bangkok's Hualampong station at 7:30 p.m. and arrives in Surat Thani at 6:27 a.m. the following morning. When you arrive in Surat Thani, board a bus to Krabi which leaves at 7:00 a.m. The Thailand train system is a very economical way to travel throughout Thailand. However, it is not unusual for trains to be delayed for various circumstances. If your train is delayed, do not worry. Buses leave for Krabi every 30-45 minutes. Travel time from Surat Thani to Krabi is four to five hours.

Another option is to take the day train from Bangkok which leaves at 8:05 a.m. and arrives in Surat Thani at 4:30 p.m. the same day. However, you will probably have to spend the night in Surat Thani as the last bus to Krabi leaves at 4:00 p.m. If you ride the day train and still want to reach Krabi the same day, you can hire a private taxi to Krabi at most anytime.

For true train enthusiasts, it is possible to stay on the train the whole way to Trang and then board a bus to Krabi. If you go to Krabi via Trang, your travel time will definitely be longer. To reach Trang, take Express Train #83 which leaves at 5:05 p.m. and arrives in Trang at 7:55 a.m. the following morning. Mini buses, or vans, leave Trang for Krabi throughout the day. Travel time from Trang to Krabi is about two hours.

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