Early history
Most of the current network was designed and construction begun in the
1890's and the early years of the 20th Century. J Antonio (the 1904 Traveller's
Guide to Bangkok and Siam) states that the first railway in Thailand was
the Paknam railway. His accompanying map shows this line following the
course of the present Rama IV road, from near Bangkok Central Station
eastwards towards the mouth of the river. This line, opened in 1893, is
no longer in existence, though Thai friends remember using it in the 1950's.
Modern maps of greater Bangkok still show a Thanon Tang Rotfai Kao sai
Paknam ("Road on the route of the former Paknam railway") from
Khlong Toey eastwards towards the rivermouth.
Also shown in the map are the Korat line, opened to traffic in 1900, being
the first section of what is now the Northeastern line to Ubon Ratchathani,
with a branch line to Lopburi, the first section of what became the northern
line to Chiangmai. In 1903 a line opened to Petchaburi on the west coast
of the gulf of Siam. This eventually became the Southern line to Butterworth,
Malaysia. At that time the line commenced at the Thonburi Railway station,
now retired. He also mentions the construction of a private line from
Thonburi to Ta Chin on the coast. This must be the Mae Khlong-Mahachai
railway, now part of the State Railway of Thailand, though not connecting
with the main network. A line was under planning to Sri Ratcha on the
east coast of the gulf of Siam (present day Eastern Line).
State Railway of Thailand (SRT)
After 1951 control of the whole system passed to the State Railway of
Thailand, by which time most of the present network had been constructed.
Consequent modernisation included the replacement of steam locomotives
by diesel cars. Some of the old Steam Locomotives and rolling stock are
still visible up and down the country, for instance No 274 outside Sila
At Station on the Northern Line, or the open passenger carriage below,
seen outside Makkasan station in Bangkok.
Old Steam Locomotives can also be seen at Hua Lampong, the new Thonburi
Railway Station at Bangkok Noi, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, and
many other stations up and down the network.
Hua Lamphong
Hua Lamphong opened for service on June 25, 1916. The construction started
around 1910 to replace the old Bangkok Railway Station. A pillar nearby
commemorates the inauguration of railways in 1897.
Thonburi Railway Station
The old, elegant Thonburi Railway Station, on the west bank of the river
next to the canal Bangkok Noi, was once the start of the Burma Railway.
The station was officially decommissioned in October 2003 and the service
transferred to the Bangkok Noi station, (now renamed Thonburi Station),
about 1km away. Much of the land attached has been handed over to the
nearby Sriraj hospital for their expansion plans, and currently the station
seems to be used as a school.
The old station is almost inaccessible from east Bangkok except by river,
and therefore has a Tha Rotfai ("railway pier") on each side
of the river. As the new station is even more difficult of access, ferries
still cross the river all day between the two piers, with a songtaew (pickup-truck
bus) service to the new station.
We can provide
train tickets in Thailand at most of the big cities including:
