HOW TO BUY TRAIN TICKETS
BUYING TICKETS
In Thailand, you can buy tickets on the official DTicket website or at your local train station. Some people living abroad have reported problems opening the official SRT website or using foreign credit cards, so you may prefer using the 12Go or Baolau agency websites instead. They charge a fee, but many travellers say the process is easier.
ADVANCE BOOKING
You can buy tickets and reserve seats for Special Express, Express, and Rapid trains numbered 1-199 on the DTicket website. If you are travelling at least 25% of the total route, you can buy tickets up to 30 days in advance. If you are travelling 60% or more of the route, you can buy tickets up to 180 days in advance. If your journey is less than 25% of the route, tickets can only be bought one day in advance.
Visit the Booking Window Calculator to help you work out when tickets go on sale. If you don't know what percentage your journey is, then visit the Train Distance Calculator. You will also find tips here on how to book earlier than other travellers.
BOOKING TICKETS FOR ORDINARY TRAINS
Tickets for Ordinary, Commuter, and Local trains, usually numbered 200-499, can only be bought at the station and usually no more than one hour before departure. These tickets cannot be bought on DTicket. Seats are not reserved, and you can sit wherever there is an empty seat.
POSTPONING TICKETS (CHANGING THE TRAVEL DATE)
Tickets bought through the DTicket system can be postponed to a later date, either
online or at a train station, subject to a fee. The number of times
you can postpone is unlimited. The fee depends on how many days in advance you postponed the journey, counted from the
original departure time shown on the ticket:
1 day: 50% of the ticket price
2 days: 30% of the ticket price
3 days or more: 20% of the ticket price
Tickets for Excursion (Special) trains can be postponed once only, and this must be done at a train station.
CANCELLING TICKETS (REFUNDS)
Tickets bought through the DTicket system can be cancelled before departure, subject to the rules below. Tickets must be cancelled at least 3 hours before the scheduled departure. A 70% cancellation fee applies, which means 30% of the ticket price is refunded. Names on tickets cannot be changed and they must match the passenger's ID card or passport.
If you cancel online, the refund will be returned to the same credit or debit card used for booking. Refunds are usually processed within 45 days, depending on your bank. You can also cancel at any train station by completing a refund form. The refund will be transferred electronically, and the processing time depends on bank policy. Tickets paid for by QR Code or PromptPay can be refunded at a train station only. Tickets for Excursion (Special) trains cannot be refunded in any case.
PENALTY FEES
It is important to buy a ticket before boarding the train. The only exception is when boarding at an unmanned halt, where you are allowed to buy a ticket onboard. The penalty for boarding a Special Express, Express, or Rapid train without a ticket is 250 baht. For other trains, the penalty is 100 baht. In both cases, you must also pay the full cost of the ticket. Tickets may not be resold, and the name on the ticket must match the passenger's name. If the names do not match, the passenger is treated as if they boarded the train without a ticket.