As my hostel was near the Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) Railway Station, and I was meeting a friend in the city for dinner, I figured the fastest way to get to our meeting point was by none other than the railway itself. Of course, it turned out to be the cheapest way too.
Price I paid from Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) to Phaya Thai: ฿2 (around S$0.08, rounding up)
That wasn’t a typo. My journey did cost a grand total of 8 cents, making it one of, if not the cheapest paid transport in Bangkok and possibly in the world.
If originating from Bangkok, the 2 baht fare applies up to Sukhumvit 71, the equivalent of Ramkhamhaeng station on the Airport Rail Link City Line, and after that, based on distance it will increase in stages of 1 baht ($0.04).
Refurbished ex-Queensland coaches running on Commuter 371 on my trip.
However, do take note of the lack of announcements and signages, as I actually got off at the wrong stop on my trip. This is Urupong, with my train departing without me to Phaya Thai, my actual destination. Thankfully it wasn’t a far walk to Phaya Thai.
This is the actual Phaya Thai station, below the BTS and Airport Rail Link lines.
Why I got confused initially was because Urupong and Phaya Thai share the same platform/pavement, meaning to say that the two stations combined looks like one very long and straight station. Also, only a few trains stop at Urupong, and it was my first time experiencing a stop there, so I assumed that it was Phaya Thai. So beware!
While not listed on Bangkok’s transit maps, the SRT Eastern Line runs parallel to the Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link City Line, though it is slower and less frequent. But if you have a timetable in hand, you can easily find out what train you should catch for your journey.
As you can see, the line has interchanges with most Airport Rail Link City Line stations, and at Phaya Thai, you can connect to the BTS Sukhumvit Line. It is also an actual railway line, so do expect crowds going to faraway destinations such as Pattaya or onwards to Cambodia via Aranyaprathet. If you are on an extreme shoestring budget, you can also get the SRT Eastern Line from Bangkok to Lat Krabang for just 6 baht and then change to the Airport Rail Link City Line to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Do also note that not all trains stop at all stations listed, but major stations such as Phaya Thai, Makkasan, Hua Mak and Lat Krabang are served by all trains.
Aside from the tuk-tuk rides, maybe this could be your next adventure in Bangkok?
3 comments