Overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Thailand. February 2006.
We booked a second class, air conditioned, sleeper train after reading reviews on the web. Excellent choice. Cost around £10.00 per person with allocated seat numbers. Leaves around 6.00pm and arrives about 7.00am the following morning.
Unfortunately it was dark for the whole trip so we missed the beautiful scenery we had read so much about. We had a top and bottom bunk.
The porter erected a table between the seats and we chose an evening meal from the menu, for around £2.00 per person. Not bad considering it was 3 courses!
Around 9.30pm the porter converts the seats into bunks with crisp white sheets, a pillow and blanket, with curtains around for your privacy. Unfortunately the lights do not dim so its quite bright on the top bunk.
Apart from the noise of the clacking of the train its relatively quiet and you try your best to get a few hours shut eye! At the rear of each carriage there was a sit down stainless steel toilet (where the waste goes straight onto the track!) and loo roll provided. There were two wash hand basins with cold water.
As 6.00am approaches the porters get busy again, putting the bunks back to seats and serving breakfast to anyone that pre-ordered it for about £1.20. Think I would give that one a miss next time.
We chatted to several people on the train who had done the trip before and managed to get a few tips for our onwards travels into Laos.
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