Songkhla Railway Station

Songkhla Railway Station was the terminus of the Songkhla Railway line from U-Tapao Junction Railway Station which opened on 1 January 1913. The junction then moved to Hat Yai Junction Railway Station in 1922 for better connection with the Sungai Kolok and Padang Besar lines. The road system improved in 1966 which caused lesser demand for the train, and the Songkhla Railway line was closed on 1 July 1978 though the track had not been removed. Train services had never resumed since then and the whole line is in disrepair.

After arriving in Hat Yai from the KTM MySawadee 1004up from KL Sentral, a small group of railway fans rented a car to have some transport experiences in Hat Yai and Songkhla for a day. I call this day trip MySawadeeCar.

Songkhla Railway Station

Songkhla Railway Station is located at 18 Ramvithi Rd, Tambon Bo Yang, Mueang Songkhla District, Songkhla 90000, Thailand.

With the outskirt location of Songkhla Bus Terminal, getting around Songkhla on your own is best done by car.

The decorative station sign of Songkhla Railway Station.

Heading in to Songkhla Railway Station.

The ticket counter area is still kept as it is, with logos of the stakeholders of preserving Songkhla Railway Station above the ticket counter.

The platform of Songkhla Railway Station.

Seems like there were various offices located in the station building, with doors that are shut now.

The railway tracks are still in tact within the stations.

A path right down through the tracks act as a shortcut between the front and back of Songkhla Railway Station for pedestrians.

Looking south towards Hat Yai Junction Railway Station.

Looking north towards the end of the Songkhla Railway line.

Old Songkhla Railway Station is still alive with patrons of a food outlet in the station.

There is a very classic looking drinks stall in Old Songkhla Railway Station which is very active serving up drinks to a local crowd.

There is also a small community library at Old Songkhla Railway Station.

Heading on to the northern end of the grass platform.

The original Songkhla Railway Station sign stil stands on the northern end of the platform.

Old Songkhla Railway Station as seen from the track side.

Conclusion

It’s good that has been kept in tact around the neighbourhood to serve as a landmark and a space for a night market too, according to Google Maps.

What would make Old Songkhla Railway Station is the presence of train services.

In 2017, the Songkhla Railway line was studied for rehabilitation as part of the double-track railway project between Surat Thani and Hat Yai Junction, and onwards to Songkhla. This would provide some much-needed relief to the jams on the road between Hat Yai Junction and Songkhla which was ironically the reason for the railway’s demise.