Yesterday afternoon I took a flight from Phuket city to Bangkok city due to work relations I needed to meet a client the next day near the Hua Lampong Railway Station arriving into Bangkok airport yesterday later evening I took the Skytrain to the closest point of my hotel I was going to be staying at hotel I had booked for the night and it was virtually across the road from Hua Lampong Railway Station which would make meeting my client a lot easier. Getting of the Skytrain near China Town I negotiate with a Tuk-Tuck driver to take me to my hotel which wasn't far from China Town even thought it was a humid evening to ride in a Tuk-Tuk I chose this because I wanted to see and feel the night vibes of China Town while snapping a few photos along the way through China Town.
I haven't been to explore China Town as yet it is on my bucket list and seeing the night version I am excited to come and explore this area but for now I needed to get to my hotel have some dinner rest up and organize myself for the meeting in the morning. The views from my hotel looking across to Hua Lampong railway station and Bangkok city beyond were quite breathtaking I always try and book a hotel room at it's highest levels I love looking out at all them glittering city lights.
The next morning I was up and ready for my meeting which was going to take place at a coffee shop across the road from my hotel very convenient and after the meeting which was going to be not more then a couple of hours, my intention then was to go and visit the famous old Hua Lampong Railway Station of Bangkok, I had heard that they had a few very old vintage steam trains in there and I love the old steam trains.
The Hua Lamphong Railway Station, is the main train station in the center of Bangkok city, it was built in a Renaissance Revival architectural style design by Italian architect Mario Tamagno, it opened it's doors in 1916 and it has 12 platforms and about 120 trains a day leave for these platforms heading south, east and to north areas of Thailand as far as Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia borders. The whole railway station looks amazing like a enormous airport hanger.
Walking into this train station I noticed it was spotless clean, elegant looking with a very simple layout with lots of ticketing booths huge waiting areas and a couple of massive English/Thai information boards displayed so you couldn't get lost and there are many trains to choose from depending where you were wanting to go and how comfortable you wanted to be on your journey and no matter what class of train you took the prices were very affordable compared to our western prices.
These are no Bullet Trains here in Thailand yet but you will enjoy the train ride if you are in no hurry to get anyway and you have time on your hands these are the best trains were you get to see the country side instead of just seeing a blur flying pass in a Bullet Train and I remember my trip on one of these trains a few weeks back going to Kanchanaburi, it was about a 4 hour trip and I enjoyed every minute of it, at average speed I got to see a beautiful country side Thailand along the way.
They do have what they call the SRT PRESTIGE Train which is the classiest train of them all this train is faster but still no where as fast as a Bullet train, it is fully air-conditioned with more classy sleeping booths, fully operational kitchen on board more comfortable soft leather seats and lounges and even has a meeting room cabin for those businessman.
The two steam trains the 824 and 713 that are displayed in the railway station date back as far as 1949 they were given to Thailand as present from the Japanese government and have served the Thailand passengers for years but have now been retired and sit in Hua Lampong Railway Station as part of countries history.
I never imagined this train station would be so massive it took a few hours to walk around checking every little detail and the history behind this train station is definitely worthwhile a visit if your ever here in Bangkok city and maybe even take a ride on one of these amazing trains up country you will not be disappointed.
