The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is delighted to invite Thai and foreign tourists to explore Thailand during this cool season by riding the ‘floating train’ and the refurbished KIHA 183 trains from Bangkok to nearby attractions including Thailand’s biggest reservoir, colourful flower fields, historical areas, and local events and festivals.
Rail Tourism is increasingly becoming popular in Thailand as an eco-friendly and sustainable mode of travel, and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has been operating special rail tourism programmes over the years.
Ride a ‘floating train’ over Thailand’s biggest reservoir!
This season, the popular annual ‘Rot Fai Loi Nam’ (floating train) programme returns with 24 day trips each Saturday and Sunday, from November this year to January next year, except on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The first trip is on Saturday 4 November and the last trip on Sunday 28 January.
The trip starts at Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station and stops for about 20 minutes over Lop Buri’s Pasak Jolasid Dam – Thailand’s biggest reservoir – for tourists to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. Tourists will then have a five-hour leisure time to walk around the dam or visit nearby flower fields, before starting the journey back.
Ticket prices for the round-trip journey are 500 Baht and 590 Baht per person in air-conditioned carriages and 330 Baht per person in regular carriages. A private rail wagon can be chartered for group tours.
Ride a KIHA 183 train for limited one-day or overnight trip!
There are 14 tour programmes, including 12 one-day trips and two overnight trips on offer between this November and December.
Scheduled on 4 and 5 November and 2 and 3 December is a one-day trip to explore the charms of Bang Pakong River basin, colourful celosia fields, and Paed Riw city (the ancient name for Chachoengsao).
On 25 and 26 November and 9 and 10 December, the one-day trip takes passengers to enjoy the magnificent chrysanthemum and sunflower fields, a scenic ‘floating train’ ride and a magical sunset in Saraburi and Lop Buri.
For tourists who are keen to dress in traditional Thai costumes to visit historical areas, there are two one-day trips to Sing Buri’s Bang Rachan Park on 16 and 17 December and two other one-day trips to Lop Buri’s King Narai’s Palace on 23 and 24 December. Both routes also take passengers to colourful flower fields and the Glorious of Ayutthaya Fair 2023.
For tourists who are keen to spend a night, there is an overnight trip to Prachin Buri highlighting Si Mahosot Ancient City and the cosmos fields at Pha Hin Son viewpoint on 11-12 November, and another trip to Chon Buri featuring marguerite and hydrangea fields, Jomtien Beach and Pattaya’s nightlife on 18-19 November.
Each trip is limited to 200 passengers, and costs 1,499 Baht per person for a one-day trip and 3,999 Baht per person for an overnight trip.
Reservations can be made at train stations nationwide and via the D-Ticket System www.dticket.railway.co.th. More information is available 24 hours through the SRT hotline 1690. (TAT)
