Arrived at Hualampong railway station to make a last minute night train booking to Haadyai but unfortunately no seats were available.The last train leaving the station was at 22:50 hours. There were many local travellers still hanging around the ticketing hall while some were sleeping on the floor.
An announcement was made when the last train leaves that no one is allowed inside by 12:00 midnight.
Met a guy who has just came back from his hometown in Sisaket and will be reporting for work at the Bangpli Industrial area in a silverware factory.
Since it was already midnight,cheap transport via the songtheaw is no more available other than the expensive tuk-tuk and taxi,he opted to spend a night here and catch the first songhteaw at 4:00am.
So I joined him to experience the atmosphere here.Surprisingly all available floor space surrounding the rail station corridors were occupied with local people already sleeping and some snoring away.
The station security personnels also made a half hourly interval scrutinity of the area.
About Hualampong Railway Station:
Bangkok Grand Central Railway Station is located at Rama IV Road,Rongmuang Sub-District Pathumwan District Bangkok. (outskirts of Bangkok Chinatown).
This is the railway hub for the whole country.
All Northern, Southern, Northeastern, and Eastern Train Lines have Hualamphong Rail Station as their first or final stop.
Trips on Thailand's Western Routes depart from Thonburi Rail Station, across the Chao Phraya River.
All North / Northeast-bound trains also make a stop at Don Muang Rail Station (opposite Don Muang International Airport) for convenient air/rail transfer.
Bang Sue is the Main Thai Railways Junction in and out of Bangkok for all Lines N, S, NE, W.
For Eastern Line Train Services, Chachoeng Sao is the Main Junction out of Bangkok, and Makkasan Station is the main SRT Depot.
Many types of Train Service can be found in and out of Bangkok.[ordinary train(ord),diesel railcar(drc),rapid train(rap),express train(exp),special express train(sp exp) and special express diesel railcar(sp exp drc)]
Time table Southern Lines.
1) BKK(08:05) - Nakhon Pathom(09:17) -Ratchaburi(09:55) - Petchaburi(10:28)Hua Hin(11:11) - Prachuap Khiri Khan(12:08) -Chumphon(14:28) - Lang Suan(15:16) & Surat Thani(16:30)----sp,exp,drc. (2nd class)
2)BKK(09:20) -Hua Hin(13:35)----drc(3rd class)
3)BKK(13:00) -Hua Hin(17:10) - Chumphon(21:01) - Surat Thani(00.05) - Hat Yai(05:36) - Yala(08:42) - Sungai Golok(10:45)----rap(2nd ,3rd class)
4)BKK(14:45) - Hua Hin(18:21) -Chumphon(21:47) - Surat Thani(00:40) - Hatyai(06:27) - Padang Besar(07:55) - Butterworth(11:55)----sp exp(1st 2nd class)
5)BKK(15:10) - Hua Hin(19:08) - Chumphon(23:22) - Surat Thani(01:53) - Hat Yai(07:13) - Yala(09:25) - Sgungai Kolok(11:25)----sp exp(1st,2nd,3rd class)
6)BKK(15:35) - Hua Hin(20:11) - Chumphon(00:35) - Surat Thani(03:18) - Hat Yai(09:07) -Yala(11:20)----rap(2nd,3rd class)
7)BKK(17:05) - Hua Hin(20:43) - Chumphon(01:10) - Surat Thani(04:02) - Trang(07:55)----exp(1st,2nd,3rd class)
8)BKK(17:35) - Hua Hin(21:37) - Chumphon(02:29) - Surat Thani(05:14) - Nakhon Si Thammarat(09:35)----rap(2nd,3rd class)
9)BKK(18:20) - Hua Hin(22:02) - Chumphon(03:05) - Surat Thani(05:51) - Kantan(11:05)----rap(2nd,3rd class)
10)BKK(19:30) - Hua Hin(23:19) - Chumphon(03:47) - Surat Thani(06:27) -Nakhon Si Thammarat(10:35)----exp(1st,2nd,3rd class)
11)BKK(22:50) - Hua Hin(02:08) - Chumphon(05:47) - Surat Thani(08:11) -Hat Yai(12:27)- Yala(14:25)----sp,exp,drc(2nd class only)
Southern Lines train fares(Thai Baht):
1st class air cond sleeper:-Hua Hin(1,022Baht)-Chumphon(1,234)-Surat Thani(1,379)-Hat yai(1,594) 2nd class sleeper(up,low,a/c up,a/c low):- Hua Hin(352,402,522,622) Chumphon(440,490,680,770) Surat Thani(498,548,758,848) Hat Yai(555,605,855,945)
2nd class seat(a/c,fan):-Hua Hin(382,292), Chumphon(480,380), Surat Thani(578,438), Hat Yai(675,535)
3rd class(a/c,fan):-Hua Hin(294,234), Chumphon(342,272), Surat Thani(397,297), Hat Yai(439,339)
Eastern Line Timetable(all are 3rd class seats):
1)BKK(05:55)-Phaya Thai(06:10)-Ratchaprop(06:15)-Makkhasan(06:20)-Asoke(06:26)-Khlong Tan(06:36)-Hua Mak(06:43)-Lat Krabang(06:55)-Phra Chom Klao(07:00)-Hua Takhe(07:03)-Chachoensao(07:40)-Prachin Buri(08:58)-Kabin Buri(09:48)-Watthana Nakhon(11:06)-Aranyaprathet(11:23)----ordinary
2)BKK(06:55)-Phaya Thai(07:08)-Mkkasan(07:16)-Asoke(07:22)-Khlong Tan(07:40)-Lat Krabang(08:06)-Phra Chom Klao(08:10)-Hua Takhe(08:14)-Chachoengsao(08:59)--Chonburi(09:49)-Si Racha(10:13)-Pattaya(10:35)-Yanasangwararam(10:57)-Suan Nongnut(11:04)-Ban Phlu Ta Luang(11:20)-----ordinary
3)BKK(06:55)--Chachoengsao(08:56)----drc(9 station stops)
4)BKK(08:00)--Kabin Buri(11:35)----ord(11 station stops)
5)BKK(10:10)--Chachoengsao(11:45)----drc(10 station stops)
6)BKK(12:10)--Chachoengsao(13:30)----sp,drc.(9 station stops)
7)BKK(13:05)--Aranyaprathet(17:35)----drc(13 station stops)
8)BKK(15:25)--Kabin Buri(17:35)----drc(12 station stops)
9)BKK(16:35)--Chachoengsao(17:55)----sp,drc(8 station stops)
10)BKK(17:00)--Chachoengsao(18:50)---ord(10 station stops)
11)BKK(17:40)--Prachin Buri(20:32)----ord(11 station stops)
12)BKK(18:25)--Chachoengsao(19:40)----ord(10 station stops)
Train fares(Thai Baht):
Makkasan(2Baht), Hua Mak(3), Chachoengsao(13), Chon Buri(23), Pattaya(31), Aranyaprathet(48)
Bangkok - Kanchanaburi - Nam Tok Train(3rd class seats only)
BKK(Thoburi Sation)(depart 07:45/13:55)- Talingchan(07:59/14:10) - Salaya(08:16 /14:24) - Nakhon Pathom(08:53/14:54) - Nong Pladook(09:15/51:11) - Tha Rue Noi(09:50/15:47) - Kanchanaburi((10:45/16:19) - River Kwai Bridge(10:55/16:26) - Wan Yen(11:15/17:03) - Baan Kao(11:23/17:20) - Thakilen((11:37/17:33) - Tham Krasae(11:41/17:51) - Wang Pho(11:52/18:01) - Koe Mahamongkol(12:05/18:13) - Nam Tok(12:20/18:30)
Getting in or out of the station:-
Airport Express Bus AE4 runs directly from Hua Lamphong to Departure Floor of Suvarnabhumi, THB150. Non air-cond Bus 29 to Victory Monument, 30 minutes, THB8.
Local Bus: 4 7 21 25 29 34 40 53 73 109 113 and Air-con Bus: 4 7 29 73 501 507 Mb 5 4
Passenger Boat: Hualampong Pier (Phadung Krung Kasem Canal) MRT Hualampong.
Hotels and Guesthouses nearby: At One Inn, The Chilli Bangkok Bangkok Centre Hotel Baan Hualampong Sri Hualampong
Wat Traimit is a very beautiful and remarkable temple located between the end of Yaowarat Road(1/2 km) and Hualampong rail station(1km).
In the still of the night,the temple looks like a glittering fairyland.I can't resist seeing this temple whenever I'm in Bangkok.
Inside the four storey marble temple complex housed the Golden Buddha.
This temple is opened from 08:00am till 5:00pm except for Monday.
The entrance fee to see the Golden Buddha which was perched on the highest floor is Baht40 .
The museum entrance fee is Baht100
A portrait of the King of Thailand,His Royal Highness King Bhumibol.
The temple's location is along Wanit1 Road(Sampheng Road) in the Sampanthawong District.
(Bangkok has 50 sub-divided districts"khet")
Along here was a 24hours convenience store and also a water dispenser in front of a shop nearby. For 1baht,you can fill your pep bottle container(1.5 litre) and save you money if you tend to drink a lot of water. To catch a local bus,wait near the bus stop in front of the convenience store.
The Bangkok Chinatown Gate in the Odeon Circle is less than 3km from Hualampong rail station just after Wat Traimit.
Walk further up keeping to the right is the Yaowarat Road.
Chinatown area hotels in sequence from Chinatown Gate:
New EmpireHotel ChinatownHotel Shanghai Mansion BoutiqueHotel White OrchidHotel Check Inn Chinatown Grand China Princess Hotel.
For guesthouses,there are some along the Sois off Songsawat Road.(opposite the shark fin restaurant)
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