Train journey from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok
(Daniel Machacek / Shutterstock.com)
Although I generally try to avoid typical tourist places during my travels through Thailand, the ten-day stay of a befriended couple from the Netherlands has led me to make the trip to Kanchanaburi once again. The River Kwai. The only nice thing about that is the train journey Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok, fifty kilometers towards Burma.
A Thai friend, Thia, takes us to the station with a rented car and will pick us up again at the end point. Right in front of the station there is a table with brochures and a friendly gentleman tells us that a ticket costs one hundred baht per person. Without thinking we pay and the station official tells us that he has given us places in the second car on the left, the best there are, because of the ravines on that side.
Delighted we walk onto the platform and are welcomed by a variety of souvenir stalls. A cheerful T-shirt with a picture of the War Cemetery would be nice, but I hold back. I now realize that a ticket for fifty kilometers can cost no more than twenty baht. Apparently we've been tricked.
The platform is packed with adventurers and buses are still carrying people. A striking number of Japanese, who apparently want to see what their father or grandfather couldn't stop talking about. One of them wants to take a picture with his daughters and me. He probably thinks that my father was a prisoner of war and that everything will be all right again. Smiling, I let his wife deal with the camera.
The train arrives reasonably on time. The old steam locomotive has been replaced by a modern diesel car in connection with Amazing Thailand. Hundreds of people are crammed into some wagons, but the second wagon is reserved for the hundred baht customers. That does make up for something. We do indeed have good seats.
Barely five minutes later – we have just successfully crossed the bridge – a friendly lad passes by. He cheerfully shouts “free” and hands the luxurious passengers a plastic box with two coffee rolls. I thank him profusely. A little later he returns with a large plastic bag to collect the empty boxes. I hand over the box and shout “free”. Now it can't break anymore. Every time he comes by, I get a full smile. My friends are also touched by the Thai friendliness.
Another servant makes an appearance. He serves cold coke. Immediately after him comes a third. He enthusiastically hands out straws. Always a generous smile. What a pleasure a train journey can be. Just before the first ravine, number one passes by again, this time with a bottle of cooled water. Buses full of people get on at various stations along the way, but fortunately they are refused in our luxury compartment.
After the ravine, those people get off again to continue on the bus. We receive from the station official, who sold our tickets, an official-looking paper that shows that we have successfully endured this dangerous journey. This paper is so official that it may not be folded, because it now appears that the straw provider can do even more. He follows the official and hands out rubber bands. And all for just a hundred baht.
Then we get tissues. Of course packed in the well-known plastic bags, which a normal person cannot open. No worries. On the way back I stop the waiter and ask for help. Handily he opens the bag and again I hear his catchy “free”.
All journeys come to an end. When we get off in Nam Tok, Thia is waiting nicely. Next time I will definitely make a luxury train trip again. My friends now understand why I live in Thailand.
A small addition, get off at the station right after the ravine. Here you can visit the Cave where prisoners of war sheltered when bombers dropped their load of bombs. There are also numerous souvenir and food stalls with a magnificent view over the ravine and the river. In short, a place where it is good to stay while waiting for the return train. If you stay until NamTok, the final station, you will arrive at a place where there is hardly anything to see and experience.
When was this trip? We drove there last week, but no sandwiches ..;)
The cave is nice. I was able to take beautiful cliché pictures of four monks in their orange robes in the cave and later when they walked one after the other on the railway. At the front a large monk with an umbrella.
It's been a nice trip. I also liked the houses on the other side of the river, just before you get to the cave. Beautiful and well cared for.
Dear Dick,
I enjoyed your story 🙂 Thank you for this great tip. Also free 😀
Daniel
The ticket on this line, regardless of the distance, is 100 Bht. We paid that from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi and also from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok in the regular train.
We certainly will thanks
It's a pity that the only fun thing you find is the train journey. I've been to Kanchanaburi four times and always saw something new. The first time when I was still working, about seven or eight years ago, with my daughter. We also visited the museum.
Later with my wife (the train journey too), but also visited beautiful temples (in the city - I don't remember the name, a Chinese and Thai temple next to each other), there are also caves and about 60 km north the Erawan Park with the waterfalls of the same name. Worth the effort.