Surat Thani Train Station

The city of Surat Thani lies about 650 kilometers south of Bangkok. It is a well-known starting point for travels to Southern Thailand. And some of the country’s most popular beach and island destinations, like Phuket and Koh Samui. As a well-used transport hub, you can travel in a variety of ways to and from Surat Thani. Go by airplanes, buses, and trains, the latter of which use the Surat Thani Train Station. The train station is situated outside of the city and on the Southern Line of the State Railway of Thailand.

Read about:
• How to Get to Surat Thani Train Station
• Schedule and Destinations from Surat Thani Train Station
• Train Tickets and Reservations for Surat Thani Train Station
• Facilities at Surat Thani Train Station

How to Get to Surat Thani Train Station

Surat Thani Railway Station is actually located in the small town of Phun Phin, about 10 kilometers by road from the center of Surat Thani. The train station has an interesting history. It was first built in a different location back in 1915. Back then it was named Phun Phin Station after the town that it’s situated. During World War 2 the station was used for military activity by the Imperial Japanese Army, leading to it being bombed and destroyed in 1945. A new Surat Thani Train Station was built and used for several years after the war ended. Until it was demolished to make way for the Chulachomklao Bridge. So, Surat Thani’s current station is technically its third and was opened in 1954.

It is easy to travel between the Surat Thani city center and the Surat Thani train station, using either taxis or a public bus. Taxis are a good option because it only takes 20 to 30 minutes to get to the train station. Book a Taxi to pick you up at your hotel or a different convenient location of choice. Buses are good for saving money and traveling with the local Thai people. The public orange/red colored buses run every 15 minutes during the daytime. The bus service finishes quite early around 7 pm. The downside to these buses is that they make multiple stops. The buses, therefore, take 40 to 50 minutes to get from Surat Thani city center to the train station.

Surat Thani Airport is 15 kilometers away from Surat Thani Train Station. A taxi ride takes about 20 minutes and costs as little as 600 THB. Another option is to take a local bus. Surat Thani Train Station is located between Surat Thani airport and Surat Thani city center. Make sure to get a bus that stops at Surat Thani train station. Otherwise, it is a much longer journey to first travel to Surat Thani city center and later get a connecting bus back to the train station.

Schedule and Destinations from Surat Thani Train Station

By far the most popular train to Surat Thani train station runs from Bangkok. Surat Thani is your first stop from Bangkok if you’re heading to Phuket, Khao Sok, or Koh Samui. They are some of Thailand’s most visited beach destinations. Koh Samui is an island in the Gulf of Thailand and is accessible by bus and ferry from Surat Thani. Phuket is on the Andaman Sea coast, on the opposite coast side of the railway line and further away from Surat Thani.

From Bangkok to Surat Thani there are around 10 trains per day (read more in our guide: Train Travel Guide: Bangkok to Surat Thani). They depart from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station. Train rides take anywhere from 10.5 to over 14 hours, depending on the train service. There are many different train types available. When heading back to Bangkok, the trains are even slower. With scheduled journey times of as long as 15.5 hours.

Bangkok is not the only destination from Surat Thani railway station. The station is on the Southern Line of the State Railway of Thailand. It is the longest line in the country at 1,144 kilometers, running from Bangkok to Sungai Kolok on the border with Malaysia. Surat Thani train station is about halfway down the Southern Line and is used for travels to many places in the south of Thailand. Destinations include Trang and Hat Yai to the south of Surat Thani. Chumphon and Hua Hin are on the way north before reaching Bangkok. Ten trains per day operate between Surat Thani and Bangkok. If you want to head all the way south to the Malaysian border, there is just one daily train to Padang Besar.

Train Tickets and Reservations for Surat Thani Train Station

There are ticket counters in the ticket hall on the right side of the train station as you go in. Unlike bus stations, there is only one train operator (State Railway of Thailand). You won’t be faced with multiple choices when buying your ticket, except deciding which ticket type you would like. These range from the cheapest ticket a seat with a fan in third Class. Second Class Fan Seats are a little more comfortable and have a train hostess. Next are the Second Class and First Class Air Conditioned. Then there are the most expensive Sleeper options for both classes.

It is possible to buy your tickets on the day of travel at the Surat Thani Train Station. But, if you want a Sleeper ticket, buy these in advance as they often sell out days before the departure date. Look online for bookings to make life easier, using a service such as 12go where you can search for many trains and compare ticket prices.

Facilities at Surat Thani Train Station

Surat Thani train station has many foreign tourists visiting, and is set up well to handle non-Thai speakers. There are signs in English to make it easier for visitors to find what they need, as well as English-speaking staff on-hand to help. Public Announcements are made in both Thai and English. Many of the staff at the information desk speak English. There is security staff who may not be as good at English but can help direct you to the right platform for your train.

Surat Thani train station has several options if you want something to eat. This includes a café and small food stalls serving local foods in the evenings. You can also buy drinks and snacks to take away from a few small shops right inside the station. Another option is to head about 100 meters outside, where you’ll find places such as 7-Eleven and a mart.

Surat Thani train station has public toilets. There is a left luggage service on Platform 1 where you securely can leave any bags for a fee.