Guide to train travel in Thailand

When and how to buy train tickets to travel in Thailand?

There are two main ways to buy train tickets in Thailand: at any train station in the country, or online. You can also buy them through local travel agencies, but this is becoming less common. If you want to book your train journeys before arriving in Thailand – which is recommended for overnight sleeper trains – booking online is your only option.

The official release dates for train tickets in Thailand vary depending on the train and the distance and, to be honest, can be a bit complicated to understand, although things are becoming clearer with more standardized rules. That's why websites like the first one in my list below can be very helpful! Here is the general rule (in force since April 30, 2026, the date of the latest update) for trains with reservable seats:

• If you travel less than 25% of the train's total route: tickets can only be bought 1 day in advance.
• If you travel between 25% and 59% of the total route: tickets can be bought up to 30 days in advance.
• If you travel 60% or more of the total route: tickets can be bought up to 90 days in advance.

Note that for trains departing from Thonburi station (notably to Kanchanaburi) or Wongwian Yai station in Bangkok, tickets can only be bought at the station on the day of travel.

Keep in mind that for overnight sleeper trains, which need to be booked in advance, you will almost always fall into the category that allows booking up to 90 days ahead. As sleeper berths are very limited, they tend to sell out quickly once released, especially on the Bangkok – Chiang Mai route.

If you want to work out the ticket release date for a specific train journey in Thailand, you can use this calculator.

Buy your Thai train tickets online

There are several options for buying your train tickets in Thailand:

• the SRT (State Railway of Thailand) website, which lets you buy your tickets online and receive them as a PDF. Unfortunately, the website is a bit complicated and not very intuitive to use – even switching the language to English is difficult if you can't read Thai. Hopefully that will change! Tickets can only be booked once they are released (see the rules above). Another complication is that the site doesn't let you search for all trains departing from Bangkok in a single search: you must choose “Bangkok” for trains leaving from the old station and “Krung Thep Aphiwat” for trains leaving from the new Bangkok terminal.
• the 12Go website, an online transport ticket agency. In my opinion, it is the most reliable and efficient website for booking transport in Thailand. There are additional fees, of course, but their website is much easier to use. It also lets you pre-book train tickets on the most popular routes before the official release date: they take care of buying them for you as soon as they go on sale.
• the Baolau website, a competitor of 12Go that arrived later and doesn't yet have the same reputation.
• the SRT D-Ticket smartphone app which, like the official website, is not very intuitive.

Reserve your tickets before they go on sale

Sites like 12Go let you buy your train tickets before the official release date. However, your tickets are only confirmed once they actually go on sale (the site buys them as soon as sales open, at 8:30 am; if you book early, it almost never happens that tickets are not confirmed in the end). I'm just telling you this to explain how it works. Booking through them is also a way to secure your sleeper berths; otherwise, you will have to be on the SRT website at the right time.

Two other things to know: trains in Thailand are slow and often late, and apart from night trains and sometimes Special Express trains, there are always seats available, even at the last minute. But once again, for a night train berth, book in advance!

Customer support

If you have a problem or need to change or cancel train tickets bought on the SRT website, you will need to call the train hotline on 1690 (only from within Thailand). They have English-speaking staff but, depending on who you speak to, it's not always easy to make yourself understood, even in English.

12Go has better English-speaking staff. You can contact them through their online support form in many languages. They are quite responsive and accommodating when possible, especially for ticket changes. That said, double-check your dates and times before confirming an order.

Baggage policy on Thai trains

In theory, baggage weight is limited per person depending on the type of ticket, but in practice you can board a train in Thailand with as many bags, and as much weight, as you like. There is only a specific procedure, with a fee, for taking a bicycle, and bicycles can't be taken on all trains – ask at the station beforehand.

Train delay policy

In Thailand, no compensation is offered for a train delay, however long it is. And trains are often late – usually not by very much, but allow some margin, especially if you have to connect with another means of transport, such as a flight from Don Muang Airport.

Taking the train in Thailand with a pet

Animals are only allowed in 3rd class cars on Thai trains. A fee must be paid, and animals weighing more than 30 kg are not allowed on board. I haven't tried it and have never seen anyone at a station buying a ticket for their dog or cat, so I don't really know how it works in practice. Ask for details at the station.