GETTING TO AMPHAWA: 1. WONGWAIAN TRAIN STATION

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Ampawa
June 21st 2014

Published: June 22nd 2014

Edit Blog Post

Xeaman

Wongwaian Train Station-11

Only train to Mahachai

1. WONGWAIAN TRAIN STATION

My new plan is to go somewhere each weekend, repeat or not, doesn’t matter but go somewhere.

Pim, my instructor for the Basic Thai cooking skills class was trying to organize the group of students to do this trip but at the end of the day she was schedule for a pro class on Saturday and everyone else had something to do… so I decided to stick to the plans and do it on my own, “the local way”.

The local way to amphawa is to do the train route to Maekhlong (where the railway market is, that I blogged about before) and from there take the bus to Amphawa and spend the night in town because of two reasons: Amphawa has a night time floating market and second, it has a fleet of modernized longboats that take you to see the glowworms right after sunset.

The itinerary that was written for me was like this: First thing in the morning go to Wongwian Yai BTS walk 15 min to Wongwian Train station or take a 20THB tuk tuk. Then take the train to Mahachai station. It takes about 1hr to 1hr 30

Fruit lady posing for me at Wongwaian Train Station

min and it costs 10THB. Then take the ferry across the river to Tachalom. Walk across town towards the far right behind a temple to the Tachalom train station and take the train (2hrs for 10 THB) to Maeklong Station. Once there maybe hang out for a while, photograph another train go through the market and then take the bus to Amphawa.

Well. Things didn’t really work out quite that well. I was bit from our walk around china town with Tim and Chef the day before and eventhough I got up at 5 am my body needed more bed time. I didn’t really make it to the Wongwaian BTS until mid day. I still tried. Wonwian Yai is not touristic and there are not many motorcycle taxis around and most of the way from the BTS to the train station is on an overhead so I ended up walking to the train station instead of taking a tuk tuk. I missed the train station and walked right by it because it looks just like a hallway with street vendors. One of the vendors pretty much took me by the hand to the station. I was just next to

Busy lady tasting that her food is right at Wongwaian Train Station-8

it. He was laughing. Then I saw the railway that ended right there. Then I was laughing with him. I bought my ticket and waited for the train. They let me in the office to change my phone while I went for a small photo walk. Just before the train arrived all the locals stock up with food for the road. I should have done the same because the ride was close to 1h30 minutes. The train is known to be the slowest train of Thailand at 30km per hour and it doesn’t have windows. I was in for the photos but I was disappointed to find out that the way is pretty much covered by trees and there is nothing to see. So I took a nap. There was no way to get lots. The railway ends at my destination: Mahachai.

Here is a short video of the train departing Wongwian Yai train Station destination Mahachai, slow train, no windows excellent for people watching.

To see a short video of the arrival to Mahachai please click here:

You can't miss it! It is the last stop and there railway ends there.

2. FERRY TO

Kids get out of school and go home at Wongwaian Train Station-9

TACHALOM

When I got to Mahachai it took me a little while to find the Ferry station. It is a bit of a walk to the right at the clock tower through a small market full of vendors of dehydrated seafood covered with flies. I paid my 3 cents to go across the river and one nice lady helped me figure out that I had to go to the right about two blocks all the way to the end passed a temple and I would find my train railway to the second leg of my trip to Amphawa.

3. TACHALOM TRAIN STATION

The next train (and last of the day) was at 4:40. 1h and 40 minute wait for me. It is a 2hr ride from Tachalom to Maekhlong and I still had to take a bus to Amphawa. I didn’t really want to make it to Amphawa and night. Maybe it was better to head back to Bangkok and try another day that I can get up early to catch the first train. So I asked around for an alternative route and someone that spoke English told me to go back in the ferry across the

Wongwaian Yai Train Station-2

Railway ends (or begins) at Wongwian Yai

river to Mahachai station and take the van to Maekhlong for 30 THB. So I did!. I was excited to have an alternative….

But before continuing the story let me say just this: The scenic train ride to Maekhlong is the second leg of the trip from Tachalon to Maekhlong. But only 3 trains leave Tachalon at 0805 at 12:05 and at 4:40. The BTS in Bangkokg starts working at 6 so there was no way that I was going to make it to my second leg to Mekhlong in the first train. I heard there is an earlier BTS than 6am but you have to buy the ticket the night before and I didn’t. Maybe I could have done the second train but really the Maeklhong Railway market is best in the morning….so there you have it. If you realy want to make it to the first train in the second leg of the trip better figure out how to get there by 8 am.

Pim still wants to do the train voayage because of the scenery of the second leg and I told her that if she does it I will do it with her.

Wongwaian Train Station-3

4. FERRY BACK FROM TACHALOM TO MAHACHAI

Going back to my story: I took the ferry back to Mahachai and during the ride I could see gray clouds. When I got on I saw a bunch of motorcycles that was pretty cool to catch.

The guy had told me that the van station is very easy to find just in front of the ferry tickets. Well I went to the train station and it was closed until 4ish. Damn It. It started to rain. I tried to ask the tuk tuk guys and they made fun of me. Signaling that they couldn’t jump the river on the tuk tuk. I repeated van but they kept laughing…they could have been swearing and I wouldn’t know the difference. I walked away when it started to poor seriously. I saw one of the vendors had cold water (very hard to find in some places) and she let me wait for the rain there and she spoke a little English and she was super nice. She sort of explained to me how to get to the van station on the other side of town across from the ferrys. She was wearing stickers

Wongwaian Train Station-4

on her eyelids. I asked her if it was make-up and she said:”No stickers to make my eyes bigger”. I tried to tell her that she could make her eyes look bigger with make up and we had a laugh.

I walked in the middle of the rain towards the van looking for an open dry space to set my tripod and take a photo of the rain but it was absolutetly packed with people and super wet. When I made it to the van there was one spot left for me. Lucky!!! Off I went to Maekhlong in a van. The ride was short and cheap. I say about 30hr or so. I don’t wear a watch…. Now I was in a hurry to get to Amphawa and find a hotel, once in Maeklhong I didn’t even think about seeing the train go through the market. I went straight across the street to take the bus to Amphawa. Grabbed some noodles on a bag and eat them while I waited. I didn’t want to miss it.

I was dropped off in a corner and the driver signaled me the direction to walk on. I walked half a

Wongwaian Train Station-5

block and I saw a superbusy market in a hallway....It was the Amphawa Market!!

In a few words it took me just about 6 hrs to get to Amphawa form Bangkok and it cost me a total of 96 THB betweek BTS, train, ferry, bus and van and 600 THB for the room….just in case this is helpful to anyone. The rooms average 1000THB and go up from there. And I do think the prices lower if you speak thai. It is best to go on a Friday to warranty a good room. And next time I would look for a room along the river. I picked up the flyer for a pretty nice one I saw while walking. The website is: www.thanicha.com and their prices start at 1500 THB all the way up to 2800 THB

Additional photos below

Photos: 30, Displayed: 28