Getting from Bangkok to Surin by train usually takes around 7 hours, although this can vary depending on the type of train and how late your particular train is. Thai trains are almost always late. Surin is a fairly small town in Thailand’s northeastern region, also known as Isaan. Isaan is well worth visiting, as the people from this region tend to be among the friendliest in Thailand. Surin is around 430 km from Bangkok by train.
Buying Train Tickets In Thailand
We opted to get the 10:05 train that was due to arrive in Surin at 17:00. So that’s a journey time of just under 7 hours. Tickets cost 389 baht ($11) each for 2nd class aircon seats. Our train left on time and arrived about 15 minutes late.
Train Times Bangkok To Surin
There are 9 trains a day that run from Bangkok to Surin. We opted for the No. 71 Express train that left Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong station at 10:05 and arrived in Surin at 17:00.
Hua Lamphong Train Station
Hua Lamphong is quite an impressive station, although it does look a bit rough around the edges. There is a huge main hall where passengers wait for the trains, but this has currently being taken over for the late king’s funeral ceremony.
The sad thing is that this station will close to an intercity train in two years time, as a new main station is being built in Bang Sue, which is about 10 km away. We will miss our trips from Hua Lamphong station.
The ticket office is the main hall, with separate sections for the same day and future date tickets.
To the left of the main ticket office is a small ticket office for foreigners. We’ve bought tickets here a couple of times in the past. The staff speaks English and there is aircon, so it’s a good option. The ticket prices are the same. It was closed on this visit though, so I’m not sure if this is temporary or permanent.
Most Thai train stations have colorful displays of some sort or other, and Hua Lamphong is no exception. Above and below you can see two of these.
Left Luggage At Hua Lamphong Train Station
The is a small left luggage office at the station that’s open 04:00 to 24:00.
Our Train From Bangkok To Surin
Our train’s final destination was Ubon Ratchathani, which is about 170 km passed Surin. The train left from platform 10.
Above you can see what a 2nd class aircon carriage is like. This carriage looked like it had recently been refurbished, as the seats, fans and luggage racks all looked pretty new.
We had seats 31 & 32, and I’d definitely avoid this seating area in the future, as there was an incredible amount of heat coming from the floor. The aircon didn’t seem to work very well either, so we had to rely on the fans to stay a little cool. Once the carriage emptied a little we changed seats.
Surin Train Station
Surin train station is quite small, with only three platforms. It’s right in the city center, so is pretty convenient.
Getting From Surin Train Station To Your Hotel
There are always tuk tuks and samlors outside the train station, and usually, the drivers will be waiting on the platform for the train to arrive. Expect to pay around 60-100 baht ($2-3) to be taken to most hotels. Above is the tuk tuk we got. They are very old compared to the ones you see in Bangkok.
Where To Stay In Surin
For our four days in Surin, we decided to stay at Maneerote Hotel, which is where we usually stay. It’s centrally located, clean, very reasonably priced, and has a cafe on the ground floor.