Bangkok to Hat Yai: Overnight Train From THB 753 a Berth, Train 31 at 16:50

The overnight train is the classic way from Bangkok to Hat Yai: train 31 leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat at 16:50 and arrives at 07:05. A 2nd class sleeper berth costs THB 1,003 upper or THB 1,103 lower on train 31, and from THB 753 on the Rapid trains. A direct flight from Don Mueang takes about 1 h 30 min.

By Vincent Nguyen and team

Overnight trains from Bangkok to Hat Yai

If you have a night to spare, the train is the most comfortable way to cover Thailand’s long southern run: five SRT trains leave Krung Thep Aphiwat in the afternoon and pull into Hat Yai Junction the next morning. That timing is the whole appeal, because you lose no daylight and you wake up in the deep south.

Trains 37 and 45 leave together at 16:10, but they carry different coaches: train 37 has seats and a 1st class sleeper as well as the 2nd class berths, while train 45 carries only the 2nd class air-conditioned sleeper. Whichever you pick, expect to be on board from the afternoon until the next morning.

What the train costs

Every one of the five trains has a 2nd class air-conditioned sleeper, and on each the lower berth costs more than the upper. Fares follow the train type: the Rapid trains are cheapest, the Special Express in the middle, and the CNR train 31 dearest.

First class exists on only two of them, trains 31 and 37, and you can buy a single berth or a whole room.

If you would rather sit than lie down, the fan seats are the budget play. On Rapid train 171 a 2nd class seat is THB 453 and a 3rd class seat THB 258; train 37 charges THB 533 and THB 338. A night in a fan seat is hard going, so we recommend paying the extra for a berth unless money is genuinely tight. Women and children travelling on train 31 get their own 2nd class sleeper coach at the same THB 1,003 upper and THB 1,103 lower.

All fares above are what the booking system showed for 18 November 2026 departures, so check the date you plan to travel.

Which train to pick

For a slightly shorter night with the earliest arrival, take Rapid train 171: it leaves at 15:10 and reaches Hat Yai at 05:50, the cheapest berth of the group. That 05:50 arrival is early, so it suits you if you are heading straight on to a connection rather than checking into a hotel.

Train 31 is our pick for comfort. It leaves at 16:50 and arrives at 07:05, a civilised hour to step off, and among the southbound trains it is the one with a coach for women and children. Train 169 is the slow one, arriving at 09:18, so choose it only if the departure time suits you better.

Trains back from Hat Yai

Coming north, you have the same choice of five trains, all of them overnight: 172, 32, 38, 46 and 170.

On train 32 a 2nd class sleeper berth is THB 1,003 upper or THB 1,103 lower.

Flying from Bangkok to Hat Yai

If a day on the train is more than you want to spend, a direct flight lands in about 1 h 30 min. Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air fly it from Don Mueang, and Thai Vietjet serves Hat Yai from Suvarnabhumi.

Don Mueang to Hat Yai fares start from THB 1,208, so a train berth can work out cheaper once you count the hotel night you skip. Fares move by the day and these are single sampled dates, so compare your own. Before you buy, read the baggage rules for Thai domestic flights so you know what your fare includes.

By bus

Transport Co., the government bus operator, runs a Bangkok to Hat Yai to Songkhla route. Its tickets go on sale up to 60 days ahead, or 90 days around major holidays. Each passenger may carry two pieces of luggage up to 20 kg in total, and a ticket must be refunded at the counter at least 3 hours before departure. For times and prices on your date, call the 24-hour line on 1490.

We would still pick the sleeper train for this trip, since a berth beats a bus seat for a night of this length.

Booking the train

You book SRT trains on the D-Ticket website, searching from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Hat Yai Junction.

A ticket covering 60 percent or more of the train’s distance can be bought up to 90 days ahead. The booking asks for the traveller’s passport number and a phone number, and the SRT hotline for help is 1690.

A child taller than 100 cm and up to 150 cm pays 50 percent of the fare, though the discount does not cover fees. Sort your ticket out before boarding, because on a Special Express or Rapid train a passenger found without one pays the fare plus THB 250. For fees, changes and refunds, see our Thai train booking guide.

Going on from Hat Yai

Heading on to Malaysia by land? The entry and exit rules are in our land border guide. If Koh Lipe is your goal, start with the Koh Lipe guide, and for other routes around the country see getting around Thailand.

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Not confirmed: Transport Co. confirms a Bangkok to Hat Yai bus route but publishes no readable timetable or fare; ask at the counter or on 1490. Train and flight fares are for the dates sampled, so check yours.

Prices, timetables and opening hours change; check with the operator before you travel. See how guides are checked.

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