Take the train in Thailand, an unforgettable experience …

The first time I took the train in Thailand, it was to return back from Laos. So I went to the railway station in Nong Khai, just one kilometer from the border. I previously informed myself about the train schedules on the website (not very convenient) of Railway of Thailand (http://www.railway.co.th/checktime/checktime.asp?lenguage=Eng). The site is available in English and Thai languages.

The departure was scheduled at 13.03, and arrival in Nakhon Ratchasima scheduled at 19:25.

The first experience is to buy a ticket from a seller who does not speak a word of English. He finally understood that I want to go to Korat ! Then, I discovered that the train has no air conditioning, and there is only a 3rd class … I paid the paltry sum of 64 baht (about 1.5 €) for the ticket fare, beyond any competition  !

Then Nong Khai station … pretty dilapidated, and not very well-famed. There was a homeless man who was sleeping on the floor of the main hall … buttocks in the air!

The train arrived about 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time. I then discovered inside the car in which I sitted for more than 6 hours … It’s ok! I imagined the worst …

The train must be over 40 years. All windows are open, allowing air to flow slightly in the absence of air conditionning. By cons, when it starts to rain, you risk getting wet, because many windows will not close. There are also metal shutters to protect from the sun, but they do also function only very rarely.

Nevertheless, it was an unforgettable experience for me. Firstly because of the passengers. They were all surprised to see a “farang” traveling in an old train, and in the third class! I got many smiles and a few kind words from often very poor people, but these people were so generous that they even offered me to share their food.

Then it was ballet of salespeople in the journey that surprised me. More than a dozen vendors will come and constantly, changing from station to station and offer drinks, whole barbecued chicken, sticky rice, fruits, desserts and more …. at a really price low.

Finally, all the way, you’ll discover another Thailand, that far from roads that can see only if you take the train with a journey that will takes you to the middle of rice fields. You will see the beautiful landscape of simplicity and truthfulness. You will see rice fields, buffaloes, farmers, traditional houses …

Take the train in Thailand, it is not just getting from point A to point B, it’s an unforgettable experience in contact with the local population. It is to discover Thailand, otherwise … with the eyes … and the heart …