Night Train #13 to Chiang Mai
After spending the afternoon walking around, I decided to head over and wait for the train. Upon arrival I learned that there is no wifi available in the station. However, if you go across the street there is a line of cafes with wifi available. There's also a 7-11 if you want to buy snacks and drinks for the train.
More money spent!
I went back to the train station an hour before departure. While sitting inside, chatting with my friend, I heard a whistle blow and then music started to play. A local sitting next to me motioned to stand up. This was the music I had read up on that is played in respect to the king. So if you happen to be sitting in a public place and you hear a whistle blow and music play; make sure you stand up! This is important to the locals and you're better off being respectful in their country.
The seats I managed to purchase were the 2nd class. 1st class was sold out, but to be honest, I'm not picky. My friend wanted the 1st class. I heard the announcement over the intercom that it was time to board. It's a bit of a walk down to the lower number cars so don't wait around too long to board. There were ushers along the way to help guide you to the correct car.
Once inside it was easy to find the correct seat. There were 4 beds per area for the passengers to sit and sleep on. The top bunks were already made up, but the bottom were left unmade so you can have some time to sit and chat. There was one outlet provided to charge your devices. So if you need to charge, be quick about it or wait your turn.
The bed itself wasn't too bad. Just a pad with a sheet, pillow and thin blanket. There is also a curtain running around the bed so you can have some privacy. Beware though. The crew does not turn off the lights. If you have something to cover your eyes then you'll be better off. Ear plugs too if you can't sleep to the sound of the wheels on the track. Aside from that, it was pretty comfortable.
Here is a picture from the foot of my bed in the morning. Above my head is the storage area for people's bags and luggage. Everything stayed in place over the night so I didn't have anything fall on my head.
Win!
Overall I have to say that this was a fun experience. It was recommended to me to avoid buying food on the train. The staff comes around with food and drinks for sale and there is also a dining car for those who want to give it a try. I brought water and snacks from 7-11, but I wasn't even hungry on the ride. I just drank the water. The only advice I can offer is to make sure you purchase your train ticket early on to avoid any issues with scheduling or missing out on the seats that' you want. My friend spoke with some people who had to purchase tickets through a travel agency and were forced to buy add-ons with the train ride.
More money spent!
I went back to the train station an hour before departure. While sitting inside, chatting with my friend, I heard a whistle blow and then music started to play. A local sitting next to me motioned to stand up. This was the music I had read up on that is played in respect to the king. So if you happen to be sitting in a public place and you hear a whistle blow and music play; make sure you stand up! This is important to the locals and you're better off being respectful in their country.
The seats I managed to purchase were the 2nd class. 1st class was sold out, but to be honest, I'm not picky. My friend wanted the 1st class. I heard the announcement over the intercom that it was time to board. It's a bit of a walk down to the lower number cars so don't wait around too long to board. There were ushers along the way to help guide you to the correct car.
Once inside it was easy to find the correct seat. There were 4 beds per area for the passengers to sit and sleep on. The top bunks were already made up, but the bottom were left unmade so you can have some time to sit and chat. There was one outlet provided to charge your devices. So if you need to charge, be quick about it or wait your turn.
The bed itself wasn't too bad. Just a pad with a sheet, pillow and thin blanket. There is also a curtain running around the bed so you can have some privacy. Beware though. The crew does not turn off the lights. If you have something to cover your eyes then you'll be better off. Ear plugs too if you can't sleep to the sound of the wheels on the track. Aside from that, it was pretty comfortable.
Here is a picture from the foot of my bed in the morning. Above my head is the storage area for people's bags and luggage. Everything stayed in place over the night so I didn't have anything fall on my head.
Win!
Overall I have to say that this was a fun experience. It was recommended to me to avoid buying food on the train. The staff comes around with food and drinks for sale and there is also a dining car for those who want to give it a try. I brought water and snacks from 7-11, but I wasn't even hungry on the ride. I just drank the water. The only advice I can offer is to make sure you purchase your train ticket early on to avoid any issues with scheduling or missing out on the seats that' you want. My friend spoke with some people who had to purchase tickets through a travel agency and were forced to buy add-ons with the train ride.
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