Thailand, Ratchaburi - Train Journey

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In May and June of 2024, I had the joy of going on a long train journey from Bangkok to Singapore.

This was not a single journey where I simply boarded a train in Bangkok and disembarked from the same train in Singapore. The whole journey was made up of multiple trains rides where I stopped at different cities in Thailand and Malaysia, even spending a night at some of these cities. And there was also an overnight train ride between the Thai cities of Prachuap Khiri Khan and Hat Yai. Throughout the journey, I rode in different cabin class from Class 1 (air-conditioned with sleeper bed in a dedicated cabin) to Class 3 (non-air conditioned with only drafts from the ceiling fans in the cabin and wind from the windows to keep cool).

The journey was meant to mimic the train travels of the old days when air travel was not so common and train travel was the norm. Since I was born after those days, I could not experience such travels and could only read about it in books. This train journey, traversing three South-East Asian countries from Thailand through Malaysia to Singapore, was the closest I can get to simulate train travels of the old days.

I am a fan of train and train travels. Therefore, this was indeed a great trip for me. It was not all comfortable and luxurious. But, train travel in the old days were not meant to be all comfortable and luxurious, unless we are talking about the Orient Express. And the Orient Express this was not. What this was, was a great adventure to enjoy train travels, sweat and grim included. And of course, to visit cities in Thailand and Malaysia that are off the beaten tracks. 🚆

Me inside the Class 3 Cabin of the SRT Rapid 171 traveling from Bangkok to Hua Hin, somewhere in Ratchatburi Province, Thailand (2024)


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