How to Ride Train from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok

train from/to Malaysia - Bangkok

Halo dear friends who have a lot of time and want to try a carriage ride from Malaysia to Thailand, track of Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok's interesting to try.

I want to share my experience of riding a train from Kuala Lumpur (KL) to Bangkok. KL - Bangkok by train can be accessed via two routes, namely: 1. KL - Hat Yai - Bangkok, 2. KL - Butterworth - Bangkok (please adapted to your flight respectively)

I took a train to Bangkok twice and always used the 2nd routes KL - Butterworth - Bangkok because I wanted to stop by the island of Penang first. On the first time (April 2013) from KL - Butterworth I took a train Senandung Mutiara (currently this train is not operated) and then further continue using Antar Bangsa Railway / International Express  No. 36 from Butterworth to Bangkok. The 2nd experience from KL - Butterworth I used the bus from Puduraya and got off right in front of Butterworth Station.

Antar Bangsa railway is a cooperation between KTMB (Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad, Malaysia) and SRT (State Railway of Thailand). The 2nd class sleeper trains are really good for long trips. The price is also quite cheap. For the lower bed is around RM 111.90 and RM 103.90 for Upper bed. I recommend buying the Lower bed because it has windows and wider. From Butterworth to Hat Yai, this train just brings 2 carriages, and from Hat Yai combined with other.

Arriving at Padang Besar station, all passengers are required to get down to take the process of immigration out of Malaysia and get into Thailand. The crew and locomotive are also changed from KTMB into SRT. 

Butterworth - Bangkok usually taken approximately 22 hours, but still comfortable because we can sleep soundly on a train and get new friends as well.

Important Notes :

• Train tickets KL - Butterworth can be booked online at ktmb.com.my
• Train tickets Butterworth - Bangkok can be ordered via email to KTMB call center (callcenter@ktmb.com.my) and pay at KL Sentral or Butterworth Station maximum of 12.00 on the day of departure. In October 2015, my 2nd time rode a train; there was a changing in the system I can not book via email. I took my luck to buy on the spot, fortunately, I got the ticket even though the upper bed.
• Train tickets Butterworth - Bangkok can be booked 30 days before departure at the Butterworth station
• Train ticket to the opposite route Bangkok - Butterworth ONLY be booked in Thailand (come straight to the station, CAN NOT BUY ONLINE)
• Antar Bangsa Railway from Butterworth depart at 14:30 and arrive in Bangkok at approximately 10:30 the next morning
• For those who run out this train ticket, can go directly to Hat Yai (take the train or van) and take another a sleeper train from Hat Yai to Bangkok
• Other important information can be found at seat61.com (information about train riding around the World)
• For the one who curious about the train appearance could check in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUaVycfPx58

So far It was exclamation to ride a train in Malaysia and Thailand. Hopefully the information helpful.