#ThaiRailways Chiang Mai to Bangkok Thailand PT5

On my visit to Thailand of course the plan is to travel around - potentially there are big distances to be covered. One for me is Chiang Mai back to Bangkok. First options were internal flight or road but fortunately I explored the rail option too. Seat 61 suggest the rail option is often not suggested by travel agents because their commission is very small compared to planes and buses.

Seat 61 were very encouraging about the rail possibilities. As usual their web site was spot on. They explained booking was necessary on express trains and the tickets could not be bought directly from Thai Rail from the UK. They recommended using 12GoAsia which I did. The system worked well - and the ticket premium tiny. E tickets are not acceptable and as 12GoAsia do not have an office in Chiang Mai tickets are collected from The Bossotel opposite the station. The tickets were waiting for me. Excellent and simple.

The last time I used the train proper was in India. A challenging experience! The Thai network is much smaller - the station places of relative calm and orderliness. There was no pushing or shoving - no hawking. I got there in good time and identified my train easily and quickly. I relaxed - decided I had time for breakfast. Veggie Paed Tai for 50BHT served at a wonderful old polished platform table by the usual smiling efficient waitress. Excellent.

The express carraige in AC2 is all you need. Modern and comfortable. They model their approach on air travel and there are courtesy drinks and a couple of free meals served over the 11 hour journey.

Much of the track is in fact single track. Often it does feel you are on an express train but other times as it winds upwards more like the old Indian Simla railway link. The views are of course what makes the rail option a serious contender. There is plenty to see and enjoy. Largely it is of a rural landscape you are looking out on. Thailand is very ordered and tidy. It is not like on many rail lines where you see litter and often squalor. It is easy to see how food production is nearly 5 times greater than the Thai's need for themselves and is a major export. Crops are growing everywhere. The latter part became more urban as you approach Bangkok and the train begins to fill more as it progresses but this is not a problem.

I would recommend this journey if you have the time and is much cheaper than air and no more expensive than road. There is something lovely watching the world going by from a train. Thailand offers so much to see. The lush green countryside, farm workers stooping over their rice crop, huge tethered bullocks, little children in their white shirts and brightly coloured tunics off to school, straw roofed elongated houses, wide lily ponds - so many variety of birds - egrets everywhere - coconut palms - wide leafed bananas. Countless fishermen fishing from the river banks and from all sorts of boats. I could go on and on!

My photos through the window and moving were not much good so I haven't included them.