Why The Train Is The Best Way To Get From Bangkok To Ayutthaya

I’ve wanted to visit Ayutthaya for a very long time now – let’s say almost a decade of dreaming. While I’ve been to Thailand a few times before my year of slow travel, I saved Ayutthaya for when I can spend a few nights in the ancient city. While there are many ways to get to Ayutthaya, I always knew train travel would be my preferred method of transportation.

Because Ayutthaya is only 85km (52 miles) from Bangkok, people tend to make a day trip from Bangkok to visit the city. Thanks to its proximity to Bangkok, there are only about a gazillion transportation options for Ayutthaya (ok, mainly six).

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Options on how to get from Bangkok to Ayutthaya

You can get to Ayutthaya by

• Bus
• Minibus
• Boat
• Car
• Motorbike
• Train

Which option should I choose from Bangkok to Ayutthaya?

We choose the train because it was easy for us to get to the Bangkok train station and because ticket prices are pretty low. We also loved our first train ride to Bangkok during our stopover and wanted to continue exploring the country via train. Because the train ride from Bangkok to Ayutthaya was a scenic one, we decided to go with this option.

Tickets were 345 baht per person ($10.70 USD or $13.50 CAD) for second class. You can also buy tickets for third class service for as low as 20 baht $0.60 USD or $0.80 CAD) if your budget is really tight.

How do I book tickets for the Bangkok to Ayutthaya train ride?

Unlike the rest of our journey where we could buy our tickets in advance online, tickets to Ayutthaya are only available at the station. I’m not too sure why, but that’s something to note for when you plan your travels.

So on the day of departure, we arrived at the train station at around 9 am, one hour before departure. I read online that the wait to buy tickets can be long, but it took us under ten minutes to get our tickets. The lineups weren’t as bad as we had expected and we were able to get everything done in a short amount of time.

What happens on the day of the Bangkok to Ayutthaya train ride?

The train station was busy, and it was hard for us to find a place to sit but we managed to grab a seat. A few snacks later, it was time to head to the platform. The wait wasn’t very long since passengers need to board the platform 30 minutes before departure. As we made our way to the platform, our train was already there, and it was ready for us to get onboard.

While delays are frequent, we didn’t experience any setbacks on our ride. The train left on time, and as soon as we were moving, an attendant came by to give us a meal, which was a surprise for us!

Our train was pretty empty with only a dozen other passengers onboard. The passenger car was not as new as the one we took from Surat Thani to Bangkok but was still in good condition. There was also a lot of leg room under our seat, which was perfect for our luggage. Again, I was super concerned about storage space on the train when I was planning this trip. One look at the area and I realized I made much ado about nothing.

The staff is very attentive

Clumsy me spilled water on the ground, to which one employee came by and cleaned up the mess before I finished uttering “uh oh.”

The seats are very comfortable with lots of space to recline backward. There is a tray in front of your seat that you can bring down for meals, writing, or other miscellaneous uses.

Unlike the Thailand bus rides where there was zero warning to get off the bus, the train attendants were much more thoughtful. They always came by to give us a five-minute heads up to gather our things and leave the train.

Once we hopped off our train, we spent a bit of time exploring Ayutthaya train station. This station reminded me of the Surat Thani one, albeit a bit bigger and cleaner.

Of course, there will be tons of tuk-tuk drivers chatting you up to see if you’ve booked a place to stay. We politely waved no and kept walking to our guesthouse.

Did I feel safe on the Bangkok to Ayutthaya train ride?

I felt very safe on the train and was not worried about anything on this leg of our trip. It felt no different than the train rides that I took back home, save for the fact that it was in Thailand.

Can you charge your phone on the train?

There are no places to charge your phone, but since this trip is under two hours, you won’t need to worry about battery juice.

Is it easy to ask questions in English?

The staff members on the train had good English and made sure to confirm our destination when we were on the train. As we got closer to Ayutthaya, an attendant gave us a heads up for us to start packing our stuff to get ready to leave.

Is there food on the train?

We had no idea until we boarded the train that food was included in our ticket! We each got a boiled egg, chicken Penang curry, jasmine rice and a cup of water.

Where to keep luggage and storage options for the Bangkok to Ayutthaya train ride?

Luggage space was my biggest concern when taking the train in Thailand because of our suitcase. I swear, I searched high and low for information about storage space but to no avail.

Well, I’m happy to tell you that the trains in Thailand are spacious! If you have a big suitcase that doesn’t fit near your seat, there’s always a few storage spots at the end of each carriage.

Any other tips for taking the train?

Bring wet wipes for your hands and bring snacks for the train ride.

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