The first day with any seats on trains to the southernmost provinces is Wednesday 3 January. Slower trains to the likes of Cha Am, Hua Hin and Chumphon have seating availability but only in cheaper second class fan cooled carriages.
12GO ASIA says staff at Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station and other key State Railway of Thailand stations are bracing for the usual influx of travellers heading off to pastures anew for the New Year holiday. Media sources in Bangkok say the rush began yesterday. Hua Lamphong, the city’s three long-distance bus terminals, Don Mueang Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport were far busier than usual.
The 12GO ASIA team notes that third class trains are an alternate, albeit not the most comfortable, option to the south. There are still plenty of bus seats available to most destinations but these are selling like hot cakes so it is best to buy now.
Thai rail operator reports southern trains booked solid for New Year
News in Asia
According to the State Railway of Thailand, seats and sleeping berths to the south are fully booked until after the New Year holiday. There are a few seats on long distance trains from Bangkok to Suratthani but from there on down to destinations such as Hat Yai and Yala there is almost no availability.