Depart Wangian Yai SRT Station for Samut Sakhon

Experience Thai Flavour of Travel and Cuisine Using Local Transport

Travel by BTS Skytrain, SRT Train, Ferry, and a second SRT Train to Samut Songkhram.

It is assumed you are a seasoned and flexible traveller and will understand from time to time there may be disruption to passenger services for various reasons. You should realise that this is a suggested trip and you are undertaking it at your own choosing. Information given is based on personal experience using these modes of transport in the region. As far as possible alternative means of transport are suggested should the recommended modes be out of service due to floods, upgrades, or other. Seats on trains may be taken quickly at times so make a choice smartly.

Include a visit to Amphawa aboard a local Songthaew to the historic and delightful village upstream with its Friday, Saturday and Sunday Floating Market.

Spend a night or two at one of the many choices of delightful Amphawa Homestays with an evening boat-ride to see the fireflies.

Next morning, by boat, tour the numerous klongs and visit the impressive Buddhist wats alongside the waterways. Return to the market, relaxing with the delicious food by the klong or shopping or sampling for whatever is your taste.

Include a day trip to the mouth of the Maeklong at Don Loi Hod and catch Razor Clams or take a boat ride into and Explore the Mangroves.

Extend another day and return in the morning by the same trains and ferry, or catch a minibus back to Bangkok. You could visit Maeklong market easily and return by train in one day, but to visit Amphawa also would be a hurried trip and definitely require return by minibus from Amphawa direct to Bangkok. Songthaew from Amphawa to Samut Songkhram next day would be the choice for trains.

How to Get The Train to Samut Songkhram

After travelling from Central Bangkok on the Silom Line, depart the BTS Skytrain at WongwianYai BTS station and continue through the building to the end. Turn right and descend to street level and proceed again in the same direction westward for about 200 metres to a busy intersection

~~where you turn right.~~

NOTE CHANGE (Due To demolition of pedestrian bridge and Construction of Elevated Rail)

Continue straight ahead over this road on the pedestrian crossing, turning right on reaching the footpath. In about 200 metres you will find the entrance to the Wongwian Yai SRT (Standard rail station), almost hidden, and snuggled between the buildings.

Wangwian Yai SRT Railway Station (Not BTS)

Trains depart about every 45 minutes and the only final destination and terminus is Samut Sakhon. The trip takes about an hour and stops at numerous small stations on the way.

Buy a ticket to MAHACHAI (Samut Sakhon)— Cost 10 Baht.

If the train is about to depart, jump on and buy it on board.

Trains Depart: 5.30 am, 6.25, 7.40, 8.35, 9.40, 10.40, etc….

Visit website: train36.com for complete schedule.

How long does it take to get to Samut Songkhram from Bangkok?

Just over an hour from Bangkok by bus to Samut Sakhon and another half hour to Samut Songkham, the two fishing ports that provide Thailand with a vast array of seafood. Any day of the week the streets are lined with stalls full of fresh produce of every imaginable type of catch from the sea.

In addition you will find fruit, clothing, or whatever else you require and street food in abundance.

Arriving Halfway at Samut Sakhon Fishing Village

You will now need to leave this train and walk out of the station past the ticket office and out onto the street where you turn right and continue along the busy market street until arriving at the end of a wide divided road. Veer left here and proceed towards the river where you will see the Ferry Terminal. You might have time for a bowl of noodles here. Check the time of the train departure from Ban Laem. You need to allow about 20 min for the crossing and walk to the station.

Busy Market street at Samut Sakhon

Fresh seafood market at Samut Sakhon. Many small cafes and food stalls.

Unloading the fresh catch near the market.

Crossing the Tha Chin River from Mahachai Station.

A Ferry provides a regular service. The crossing only takes a few minutes -followed by a ten minute easy walk to Ban Laem Station

Train from Samut Sakhon Ban Laem Station to Maeklong Station at Samut Songkhram

Ban Laem Station is set on the inside of a loop of the Tha Chin River and as the train leaves the station you will see as you watch out the right side of the train (if you are lucky), a couple of large cruisers docked at the wharf. The journey passes through mangrove swamps and palms, creepers, wetlands with an abundance of birdlife appearing frequently.

Summary

This journey has commenced with the discovery of the hidden SRT station at Wangwian Yai. Unconnected to the main grid, the train, as it departs Bangkok squeezes between the buildings and streets almost hidden from view apart from moments when it it flashes into sight while crossing the busy streets. The trip is fascinating in its quirky lurching and swaying on the uneven rails— slowing at times for safety, and racing ahead with the diesel engine roaring and the rattling and clacking of the carriages as they pass over the multitude of small bridges. No amount of description can justify the immersion the trip presents. Even locals, schoolkids, workers, shoppers and other passengers seem on a high with big smiles of enjoyment and transfixed by the dashing of the encroaching leaves through the open windows. The buffeting of humid but refreshing air only adds to the effect. Only a rare westerner is seen on the train. You will come away with complete amazement at the experience you have been through. I have repeated the trip many times with no lessening enjoyment. The train pauses briefly at the many small stations on the journey through the countryside punctuated by crops of corn, bananas, cassava and lagoons blooming with lotus flowers. Villages and factories appear regularly, until after an hour since departure, the train arrives at Samut Sakhon, half way to Samut Songkram. After you leave the train you will now walk to the river and cross over to the next train at Ban Laem Station.

How To Get To Samut Songkhram from Bangkok