Updated September 2026.
My first choice for the Bangkok to Chiang Mai train is a lower berth in second class on Special Express No. 9. It leaves Bangkok in the evening, provides a bed for the overnight journey and reaches Chiang Mai in the morning. The lower berth costs a little more than the upper one, but the easier access and window make that a worthwhile upgrade.
The main decision is whether you want to sleep through the journey or watch the route by daylight. I recommend the sleeper when the train is part of a wider Thailand trip and time in each city matters. For someone who enjoys railway travel itself, the day train offers a much longer look at the countryside. Neither choice guarantees a punctual arrival or an uninterrupted night’s sleep.
Start at Krung Thep Aphiwat, not Hua Lamphong
The main Bangkok departure station for this route is Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, formerly called Bang Sue Grand Station. Search for that name when booking. Hua Lamphong is a different station, and Bang Sue Junction refers to the older railway facilities rather than the long-distance terminal you need.
The MRT Blue Line connects at Bang Sue, with a pedestrian connection to the central terminal. Follow the signs for long-distance trains once inside. If taking a taxi, show the full terminal name and your ticket; “Bangkok train station” leaves too much room for confusion.
I aim to be inside the terminal about an hour before departure. That leaves time to find the waiting area, buy food and deal with luggage. Read the departure boards for your train number and use the announced boarding entrance. A photograph of someone else’s platform sign is not a reliable guide to your departure.
Which Bangkok to Chiang Mai train should you book?
No. 9: my recommendation for an overnight journey
Special Express No. 9 uses the newer CNR sleeping carriages. The scheduled departure is 18:40, with arrival in Chiang Mai at 07:15 the following morning: 12 hours and 35 minutes. It has first- and second-class sleepers and a dining carriage.
Budget 941 baht for a second-class upper berth or 1,041 baht for a lower berth at the fares checked for this update. The return service is No. 10; make sure you have selected the northbound journey rather than its southbound counterpart. Confirm the final fare and timetable for your date before paying.
No. 13: a useful alternative with older carriages
No. 13 is scheduled to leave at 20:05 and reach Chiang Mai at 08:45 the following morning. Its older sleeping carriages cost less: the second-class fares are around 771 baht for an upper berth and 841 baht for a lower berth. It also has first class and a restaurant carriage.
I would choose a suitable berth on No. 13 over changing an entire holiday solely to secure No. 9. The difference in rolling stock matters less than getting the right sleeping arrangement, particularly when travelling with children or someone who cannot comfortably climb to an upper bunk.
No. 7: the daytime option for scenery
No. 7 is a seated, air-conditioned day train, scheduled from 07:30 to 17:50. The journey takes 10 hours and 20 minutes, and the fare is around 558 baht. These are reclining seats, not sleeping berths. Bring food and drinks: a complimentary meal is no longer included.
This is my choice when seeing the railway route matters more than preserving a sightseeing day. It is a long time in one seat, so consider how well everyone in the group tolerates that. A sleeper gives you an evening departure; the day train uses most of a day that could otherwise be spent in Bangkok or Chiang Mai.
Other departures may appear in the booking system, including No. 51 and No. 109. Compare their arrival times as carefully as their prices. A very early arrival can leave you waiting for hotel check-in, while a late-morning arrival can rule out a morning excursion.
Lower berth, upper berth or first-class cabin?
Second-class sleepers have an open carriage layout with curtained berths along the aisle. The daytime seats are converted into beds by the attendant. Bedding is provided, and toilets are shared. The curtain gives visual privacy, but it cannot block every conversation, footstep or announcement.
The lower berth is wider, easier to enter and has the window. The upper berth requires a climb and has no window of its own once the beds are made. It is also closer to the carriage lighting. For the roughly 100-baht difference on No. 9, I favour the lower berth unless availability decides otherwise.
Two lower berths do not mean two beds inside a private compartment. If travelling as a couple, look at the carriage plan before accepting automatically assigned places. An upper and lower berth in the same pair may suit you better than two lower berths some distance apart.
First class has two-berth compartments with a door. On No. 9, the listed fares are 1,453 baht for an upper berth and 1,653 baht for a lower berth. Buying one berth does not automatically reserve the whole compartment: a solo traveller wanting exclusive use needs the appropriate single-occupancy booking.
For me, the reason to pay for first class is having a compartment with a door. For two adults travelling together, compare the total for both berths with the cost of a flight and an extra hotel night. Second class remains my preferred balance of price and comfort.
How to book without confusing a request with a ticket
I start with the State Railway of Thailand’s D-Ticket booking system. Create an account and complete the email confirmation before your preferred travel date opens for sale. Have the passenger names and passport details ready, especially if booking for several people.
The advance sales limit was reduced from 180 to 90 days in April 2026. For this full-length journey, plan around a maximum of 90 days and use the dates actually offered in D-Ticket. Shorter journeys can have different booking windows, so a rule for travelling all the way to Chiang Mai may not apply to a short intermediate section.
Select Krung Thep Aphiwat as the origin, Chiang Mai as the destination and the date you board in Bangkok. On an overnight service, the arrival date will be the following day. Then compare trains, choose the class, enter passenger information and inspect the assigned places before payment.
The payment confirmation and issued ticket matter. Save the ticket offline, keep a backup and carry the identification used for the booking. I check the departure date, train number and berth designation immediately, while there is still time to correct a mistake.
An agency can be convenient if direct booking fails or you want help in English. Compare its total price, service fee and cancellation terms with the direct option. An advance request placed before sales open is not the same as an issued rail ticket, even if the agency has taken payment.
For a fixed festival trip, secure the train before building non-refundable plans around a particular morning arrival. If the preferred sleeper is full, check another departure or adjacent date. For a family, I give suitable berths together priority over a particular train number.
What to prepare for the night on board
Pack a small bag for the berth with your ticket, passport, valuables, warm layer, toothbrush, earplugs and eye mask. Put it somewhere reachable before the beds are made. Digging through a large suitcase in the aisle after other passengers have settled down is awkward.
The CNR carriages have power sockets, but a charged power bank is still useful. Download entertainment and anything needed for the next morning before leaving; I would not reserve the journey for work that depends on continuous mobile coverage.
Buy drinking water and something you are happy to eat before boarding. The restaurant carriage is useful, but check the current menu and service rather than assuming every meal is included in your ticket. Anyone with a strict dietary requirement is better off bringing a suitable meal than relying on a particular dish being available.
A light jacket helps with air conditioning, while an eye mask matters especially in an upper berth. Keep shoes where you can find them for a trip to the toilet. Ask the attendant where larger luggage should go and leave the aisle clear.
For wheelchair access or other boarding assistance, contact the railway before purchase and request the suitable carriage and berth. No. 9 has an adapted carriage, but booking an ordinary place does not by itself arrange the help or layout a passenger may need.
How much scenery will you actually see?
The Northern Line passes through the central plains before reaching the hillier country around Uttaradit and Lampang, then continues towards Lamphun and Chiang Mai. The wooded approaches around Khun Tan are one reason to consider daylight travel.
On a night train, darkness covers much of the journey. The landscape available in the morning depends on the season, the departure and whether the train is running late. I would book the sleeper for the overnight transport and treat the morning view as an extra, rather than promising a complete scenic tour from the window.
If you want to stop in Phitsanulok or another town en route, build that into the ticket plan. A reserved berth on one train is not an open pass allowing you to get off for sightseeing and board a later service. Buy the separate legs you intend to use and leave enough time for the stop.
Arriving in Chiang Mai: plan breakfast before a tour
Chiang Mai railway station is east of the Ping River, outside the Old City. You still need to reach your accommodation. Taxis, red songthaews and app-based rides are options; agree the destination and whether a quoted songthaew fare is per person or for the vehicle before loading bags.
My arrival plan is simple: accommodation first, leave the bags if the room is not ready, then breakfast. Ask about early check-in ahead of time if a shower and bed on arrival are essential. A morning train arrival does not normally move a hotel’s check-in time forward.
I keep the first morning flexible. A prepaid mountain tour departing soon after the scheduled train arrival leaves little tolerance for a delay, and the same applies to a flight connection. Choose nearby things to do in Chiang Mai for that day and save the tightly timed excursion for the next morning.