The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has launched a trial run of the “Hamanasu” tourist passenger train, which has been refurbished into the “SRT Royal Blossom,” consisting of five carriages.
The trial run was conducted to Lampang province to inaugurate the first Black Bridge Railway Garden Festival during the past weekend.
SRT Governor, Nirut Maneepan accompanied members of the media on a trial ride on the newly renovated SRT Royal Blossom train. The train was refurbished from the “Hamanasu” passenger train provided by the JR Hokkaido Company.
After assuming the position in 2020, Mr. Nirut saw the excellent condition of a batch of 10 Hamanasu carriages, parked at Sri Racha in Chonburi province.
He assigned the SRT engineering team to refurbish five carriages. The exterior of this tourist train is adorned with red and gold motifs, symbolizing the petals of a flower, which is the emblem of the tourist train.
The main components inside the train are made from durable cedar wood, and the specially designed windows provide a wider panoramic view compared to regular passenger trains.
The front and sides of the train feature the logo “SRT Royal Blossom,” inspired by the 10th reign’s yellow star blossom, symbolizing the flourishing era of railway travel. It is anticipated that this new tourist train service will be available in mid-2027 at an affordable price for the public.
Initially, the service will offer round-trip tours on short-distance routes such as Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, Bangkok to S Dam, and Bangkok to Chachoengsao, before expanding to longer routes. Additionally, the train will be available for rent for recreational tourism, accommodating 200-300 passengers. (TNA)
