Mahachai-Mae Klong Railway

The Mahachai-Mae Klong railway is a little known commuter line serving the ports of Samut Sakhon(Mahachai) and Samut Songkhram(Mae Klong) some 60km west of Bangkok. It is the continuation of a line that originates in Bangkok and ends in the huge wet(fish) market at Samut Sakhon on the East bank of the Tha Chin River.

The Mahachai-Mae Klong railway is often called Thailand’s secret railway since no reference to the service can be found on the State Railway of Thailand timetables.

The line was originally completed at the turn of the twentieth century and runs 33km from Ban Laem on the West bank of the Tha Chin River to  Mae Klong station on the East bank of the Mae Klong River in Samut Songkhram. It seems likely that this section of the railway and the one from Mahachai to Bangkok were originally intended for goods traffic between the two ports and Bangkok. The lines were never connected and to this day remain separated by the Thai Chin River with a ferry service connecting them.

The easiest way to find Ban Laem station is to take the ferry from Mahachai across the Tha Chin River since the pier on the west bank is adjacent to the station, however if approaching by car along the Tha Chalom peninsula,  look out for a roundabout(there’s only one) and take the first exit to Wat Laem Suwannaram( see map below) which has ample parking and is about a 100m walk to the station.

Ban Laem station is a single platform affair with a few kiosks selling refreshments.

Trains to Mae Klong leave Ban Laem four times a day at 07.30, 10.10,13.30, and 16.40. Return trains leave Mae Klong station at 06.20, 09.00, 11.30 and 15.30. The journey takes about 60 minutes. These times are strictly adhered too and have been in place since at least 2003. Foreigners pay 10 Baht(20p) for the single journey and Thais travel free, ticket kiosks open half an hour before the train leaves or you can pay on board.

The rolling stock used on the line are two car Diesel Multiple Units(DMU) with a driver unit at each end of the train. The DMU’s are fairly basic with fan cooling and plastic seats but comfortable enough for the length of the journey.

The journey from Ban Laem initially passes down the Tha Chalom peninsula within touching distance of track-side properties, before crossing the access road and following the strip of land between the sea and Highway 35. Later the line crosses under the highway to follow in on the north side on the approach to Mae Klong.

There are about ten small stations on the line although when I travelled the train only stopped on five occasions.  The route passes through a variety of coastal terrain including palm plantations, mangrove and salt pans where brine is dried in the sun for later collection.

The highlight the journey (for me) was the approach to Mae Klong station, for the last 800m or so the train passes through a working market.  Stall holders rapidly remove awnings and produce from the line in front of the approaching train before quickly replacing them as soon as it passes. A truly unusual sight.

Quite why the market is spread along the railway track is a question that remains unanswered for me since I fancy the railway was there before the market. Perhaps its just an extension of the stalls that occupy the area inside Mae Klong station.

Judging by the reactions of my fellow travellers it seems that few foreigners actually travel on the Mahachai-Mae Klong Railway.

That said everyone was very friendly including the Thailand Railways staff who let me film from the open door of the cab unit as we approached the market.

Opinion:

A rather unique(cheap Charlie) way to visit the charming seaside province of Samut Songkhram. True its slow compared to road travel but its a very relaxing and interesting way to arrive. A must for any rail enthusiasts.

Samut Songkhram despite its relative closeness to Bangkok is not really on the tourist route which is a pity since it has a lot to offer, for example it is the birth place of the famous(original) Siamese twins. Chang and Eng where Thai conjoined twins, who later took the surname Bunker when they moved to the USA after taking part in various freak shows popular in the early 20th century. There is a memorial and small museum dedicated to them about 4km from the station.

Equally interesting, just north of the city is the floating market at Amphawa, an original, not made for tourists example of how Thais who live on the countries waterways carry out their daily business.

Close by the station is Wat Phet Samut Worawihan, a Royal temple that has an interesting story relating to the Buddha images on display there which were recovered by fishermen in the Gulf of Thailand.

Map Mahachai-Mae Klong Railway.

Related posts:

1. Unseen Thailand Trip
2. Thailand Railways Timetables and Online Booking
3. Thailand Railways
4. Thailand Floating Markets
5. October in Thailand