The State Railways of Thailand are easily the best way to get around and see the country. Train travel in Thailand is comfortable, safe and cheap.

The main station in Bangkok is Hua Lamphong. From this remarkable building, the visitor can travel to many parts of the country. This beautiful 100-yesr-old building is designed in the shape of an arc. The Italian architect who designed the station was aslo responsible for the marble Anantasamakhom Throne Hall.

Most trains use Bangkok's main Hua Lamphong station, although trains to Kanchanaburi leave from Bangkok Thonburi station (also known as Bangkok Noi) across the river in the West of the city.  However, to ease congestion, State Railways of Thailand are progressively moving long-distance services out to a new terminal at Bang Sue junction station, 7km North of Hua Lamphong station, and at some point all long-distance trains will start from there instead of Hua Lamphong.  Suburban and short-distance trains will continue to run from Hua Lamphong, linking it to Bang Sue.  The new Bangkok metro also links Bang Sue to the rest of Bangkok. 

Thai trains have three classes:  1st, 2nd and 3rd class.  1st class only exists in the form of modern air-conditioned sleeping-cars on overnight trains.  2nd class comes in both seat and sleeper versions, in air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned varieties, and is very comfortable especially on sleeper trains and the air-conditioned express railcars.  Even 3rd class is surprisingly clean and acceptable even by European standards, and is an enjoyable way to travel for many shorter trips.