From Bangkok to Chiang Mai by Train

Day 1: Bangkok – Phitsanulok – Sukhothai

Meet our guide at 0830 at the Hualamphong Railway Station for your journey to Chiang Mai by train. Please take enough time and take into account the traffic in Bangkok. Your guide will be waiting at …… at the station. He has bought your ticket. We will travel 2nd class. This is our preferred class as it is not airconditioned, so the windows are open. This allows you to take pictures from the train. We will pass Ayutthaya, the former capital of the Siamese kingdom, which features in another of our tours.

We continue to Lopburi. From the train, you can see Prang Sam Yod, the best-known landmark of Lopburi. This monument probably dated back to the late 12th/early 13th century and was part of the Khmer empire. We continue through the lowlands of the Chao Phraya River basin to Nakhon Sawan, where the origin is of the River of Kings. It is formed by three major tributaries: the Ping, Yom, and Nan Rivers.

The expected arrival at Phitsanulok is 1312. We disembark from the train and meet our driver. It’s time for lunch which we will enjoy at a local restaurant. Sukhothai Historical Park is our next destination. UNESCO inscribed Sukhothai on its list of World Heritage Sites under the name “Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns.” The historical parks of Kamphaeng Phet and Sri Satchanalai are also part of this World Heritage Site. We will spend the afternoon in the historical park of Sukhothai. Our itinerary includes Wat Mahathat, Wat Sri Chum, and other highlights of this magnificent historical park.

We will spend the night at the Legendha Hotel, which is very close to the historical park.

Day 2: Sukhothai – Phitsanulok – Lampang

After breakfast, we will continue to visit more sites of the Sukhothai Historical Park. We can rent bicycles but leave this to you. It is a great way to explore the park, but cycling is not for everyone. At around 1100, we will drive back to Phitsanulok to board the train to Lampang. The expected departure time is 1322, so we will fill our stomachs before with a delicious lunch at a restaurant at the Yom River. We board the train at the railway station.

This afternoon you are in for a treat. We will pass through four railway tunnels. It is a very scenic ride. Before Den Chai, we will pass the Kaeng Luang rapids. We continue to Lampang through beautiful scenery. The railway station of Lampang is one of the most beautiful in North Thailand. The expected arrival in Lampang is 1730. We will take local transportation to the hotel. If you are in Lampang on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you should visit the famous Walking Street from about 1700 until 2200, not far from your hotel.

Overnight at the Auangkham Resort

Day 3: Lampang – Chiang Mai

After breakfast, our horse carriages are waiting for us. A horse carriage ride is a must-do activity as the horse carriage is the symbol of Lampang. Besides that, it is a fun thing to do. We will pass the Wang River via the historic Ratchadapisek Bridge on our way to the “Forestry Quarter.”  The next stop is the quaint Horse Cart Society of Lampang. Here the repair of the famous horse carts of Lampang takes place. It is a fascinating little place. We continue to the “Baan Louis,” the former house and office of the Louis T.Leonowens Company.

Before lunch, we visit  Wat Pong Sanuk, a beautifully restored temple that earned an award from UNESCO. Well done! We have lunch at the Riverside restaurant. After lunch, we walk along Kad Kong Ta street and admire some historic houses, such as the Moung Ngwe Zin House. Then we will visit Wat Phra Kaew Don Tao, another magnificent temple in Lampang.

To Chiang Mai by train

At about 1630, we transfer to the railway station. Along the way, we will stop at the beautiful Burmese-style Wat Si Rong Muang. We will be in time to have a look at the iconic railway station of Lampang. Our train departs at 1730. Then the train continues to the Khuntan Mountain Range. There are six protected areas in this mountain range. We pass through the lush forests of Doi Khuntan National Park, which is spectacular.

The Khun Tan tunnel is, with a length of 1362m, the longest railway tunnel in Thailand. After the tunnel, we will descend to the valley and head for the famous White Bridge at Tha Chomphu. Before we arrive in Chiang Mai, the train briefly stops at Lamphun. From there it is another half hour to Chiang Mai where we will disembark at the Railway Station. You have arrived in Chiang Mai by train! Your guide will arrange a typical Chiang Mai red taxi to your hotel.

Please also check out our other railway journey to the Ancient capitals of Thailand.