After being closed for a long time, on March 31, 2016, the Ban Laem-Mae Klong train line resumed service as usual, with the addition of faster trains. This post will take you on a trip by taking the free train on both routes: Wongwian Yai-Mahachai (which is an older route than the other routes) and Ban Laem-Mae Klong. Use a variety of transportation such as sky train, free train, boat, tricycle, and two-row car. Take a walk at Mahachai Market, see the train at Rom Hub Market, eat non-stop, and take a boat to worship the Buddha and see the church in the tree at Amphawa. It's a one-day trip that's worth the time and budget-friendly. Let's get started...

Our rough itinerary starts with >>> taking the train to Wongwian Yai Station >>> taking the train from Wongwian Yai to Mahachai >>> taking a ferry across the river to Tha Chalom >>> you can either walk or take a car, take the second train at Ban Laem Station to Mae Klong Station and wait for the train to leave Mae Klong Station to take pictures of the Umbrella Market >>> then take a songthaew to visit Amphawa Floating Market.

How to get from Victory Monument to Wongwian Yai Railway Station

Take the BTS from Victory Monument to Bearing.

Get off at Siam station to change sides to Bang Wa (Silom Line)

Take the exit 1 or 2 at Wongwian Yai Station and walk straight until the end of the skywalk. Follow the sign to Taksin Intersection.

Just keep walking straight.

Until the right-hand exit, which is signposted to Wongwian Yai.

After getting off the skywalk, walk straight ahead and you will see a pedestrian bridge. You need to cross the bridge. If you stand on the bridge on the right-hand side, you will see Wongwian Yai Railway Station.

Traveling by train

This trip requires two train lines: the Wongwian Yai-Mahachai line and the Ban Laem-Mae Klong line. Both lines are independent and not connected to Hua Lamphong in any way. Planning is necessary because there are only 4 trains per day from Ban Laem to Mae Klong. The schedule should be calculated to arrive on time for the desired round, with the train schedule from Ban Laem to Mae Klong as the main reference.

Train timetables for both routes

We recommend the 10:10 AM train from Ban Laem to Mae Klong, as it will not be too early. You should not leave Wongwian Yai Railway Station later than 8:35 AM. This time is already quite tight, as the train from Wongwian Yai to Mahachai takes about 1 hour + the time to take the ferry and the car to the train station, which should not exceed 20-30 minutes. If it were us, we would leave Wongwian Yai at 7:40 AM and arrive in Mahachai at 8:39 AM. This would also give us some time to walk around the Mahachai market.

What if I can't make it in time for the 08.35 round???

The next train to Maeklong from Ban Laem is at 13:30, arriving at Maeklong Station at 14:30. You can then wait for an hour to capture photos of the train leaving Maeklong Station (the last train leaves at 15:30) and passing through the Umbrella Market on its way back to Ban Laem Station. In the afternoon, some shops in the Umbrella Market may be closed (please note that this is only some shops). If you want to visit the Amphawa Floating Market, you will need to take a van back.

Travel by van

If you don't want to take the train but want to visit the Umbrella Market, take a van to Mae Klong Market. If you take a van to Mae Klong to wait for the train to enter the station, just walk according to this map.

If you don't want to visit the Umbrella Market or wake up early, get out of bed at 9:00 AM, leave home at 10:00 AM, and take a van to Amphawa, you can still make it. Get off at Victory Monument, walk towards Century Mall, the alley before 7-Eleven, and walk in. There will be a sign saying Amphawa, Damnoen Saduak, Mae Klong. When you buy a ticket, tell them you are going to Amphawa. The ticket price is 80 baht per person. Currently, the vans have moved to the Southern Bus Terminal (Pinklao). If you take the train but don't want to rush back or miss the last train, you can walk around the Amphawa Floating Market for a long time and then take the van back.

This is a table of vans from Amphawa to Victory Monument. On Saturdays and Sundays, the last van leaves at 8:30 PM. The fare is 80 baht per person.

This trip can be customized in many ways to suit your travel style. If you don't understand anything, please feel free to ask. Or if any information is incorrect, I'm happy to hear your suggestions. When we went, we didn't know that the train schedule had changed because we looked at the old schedule before the maintenance closure. This caused us to waste a lot of time. It's a good idea to plan ahead. ^^

Upon arriving at Wongwian Yai Railway Station, if you have time to spare, you can grab breakfast here. There are plenty of food options, including a morning market. Our usual go-to spot is the spicy chicken rice salad shop, which is located near the station entrance. However, it was closed today, so we decided to try something different. We opted for two bowls of light noodle soup. We wanted to have dessert, but the train arrived just as we were about to order.

Okay, the train is free. When you pick up your ticket, please bring your ID card. If you are a foreigner, the fare is 10 baht. Face the front of the train and choose a seat on the right side so you won't be in the sun.

Normally, the train arrives on time, but today it was almost ten minutes late.

Turn right after exiting Mahachai Railway Station and walk straight until the end of the road.

Along the way, there are shops selling seafood, both fresh and dried. Don't miss the Lod Chong Wat Jet, which is perfect for a hot day. ^^

At the end of the road, turn left again to the pier. The fare is 3 baht. You can also take your motorbike on the boat.

Those who haven't yet, can stop by to pay respects at the Samut Sakhon City Pillar Shrine before heading to the pier. It's located nearby.

After a short boat ride, we arrived at Tha Chalom Pier. The train station is not far away and can be reached on foot (if you have time). However, if you are in a hurry, there are motorcycle taxis and three-wheeled vehicles available. Today, we tried riding a three-wheeled vehicle. The uncle was very friendly, cracking jokes and greeting people all the way. We asked the uncle if I was heavy... and all we heard was dry laughter in return. 555 That's the answer, isn't it? Did I torture the elderly man?

Ban Laem Station is relatively quiet, with a small restaurant and a shop selling snacks and drinks. We had to wait here for about two and a half hours because we had misread the train schedule. However, we were not the only ones waiting. An elderly gentleman was also sitting there waiting. We had the opportunity to talk to him. He told us that he had been taking this train line since he was young. In the past, the locomotives were not like this, and there used to be a ferry near the train station. Now, the water is too shallow for the ferry to operate. We asked him where he was going. He said that he was free today, so he came to ride the train for fun. He said he would go to Mae Klong and then come back. He hadn't ridden the train in a long time. Some of the elderly passengers brought radios with them and played old-time music. It really fit the atmosphere. Some people came as families, bringing their children to ride the train for fun. I think the train is more than just a means of transportation. It is a place to store memories, a place to open up the world, and a place to strengthen relationships.

The station master at Ban Laem station is very kind. The train line has just reopened, and some people are still confused and looking at the old timetable. As a result, there were quite a lot of passengers waiting when we arrived, and there weren't enough seats. The station master brought out chairs from inside the office to add more seats and also helped with issuing free train tickets.

If it's in the afternoon, take the train facing the front of the train and choose a seat on the left-hand side. The sun won't be too hot. Along the way, you'll pass salt fields and mangrove trees. If you're lucky, you might even see some monkeys.

The umbrella market is located in front of Mae Klong Railway Station. When you pass Bang Krabun Station, get ready to grab a spot by the window.

***It is very important to be careful when taking pictures while the train is passing through the Rom Hub market, as the stalls that are folded up will be very close to the train. This could cause an accident.

The person below will take a picture of the train. On the train, there will be a celebrity waving, blowing kisses, and giving it their all, as if they had just received the crown back in Siam (but the person who took the picture of us might think it's more like a shutter pressing on a spirit). This angle is from the back of the train…

Take a stroll around the train station and find a spot at the folding umbrella market to wait for the opportunity to capture the train leaving Mae Klong Station through the folding umbrella market to return to Ban Laem Station.

The Rom Hub Market is not entirely legal as it encroaches on the railway tracks, resulting in frequent accidents. Please exercise your own judgment when choosing to support anything. If you are visiting as a tourist, please be cautious when sightseeing and taking photos. Do not prioritize taking photos over your own life and safety.

As the train passes through the Rom Hub market, there will be volunteers to maintain order, but it is not comprehensive. You have to take care of yourself and be mindful! Near the place where we take shelter from the train when it comes out of the Rom Hub market, there were three Asian tourists. Two tourists, including us, took shelter in the gap between the stalls, while the other female tourist stood in front of the stall. We made way for her to take shelter in the gap, but she didn't come because she wanted to take pictures. The person who was hiding behind us handed the camera to the woman and they took pictures happily. When the train approached, the woman who was hiding in front of the stall chose to turn her back to the train without looking back to see if it had passed. It didn't, so we pushed her close to the stall and told her to watch out for the train. The vendor on the opposite side even shouted at her. You have to be very careful. I would like to leave this as the most important thing to do when you come here.

After taking pictures, turn your back to the Mae Klong Railway Station and find a way through the shops in the Rom Hub Market on the left side. Look for the Seven-Eleven and Thanachart Bank. There is a parking lot for blue songthaews to Amphawa. The fare is 8 baht per person. If you are not in a hurry, you can try taking the fan bus. At Mae Klong Bus Station (see the map above), you can also take a bus to Amphawa Floating Market.

If you take the 10:10 AM train from Ban Laem, you will arrive at Mae Klong Station around 11:10 AM. You will have a 20-minute wait before the 11:30 AM train departs from Mae Klong back to Ban Laem. The last train from Mae Klong to Ban Laem is at 3:30 PM. This means you will have about 3 hours to explore the Amphawa Floating Market. However, if you are not satisfied, the last van from Amphawa to Victory Monument leaves at 8:30 PM.

Arriving at Amphawa in the afternoon, it wasn't crowded yet. We could choose a seat and order food from any boat without having to fight for it. There were seafood, papaya salad, Pad Thai, oyster omelets, and baked vermicelli to choose from. We could sit in front of the papaya salad boat but order Pad Thai from another boat. It didn't matter where we sat or which boat we ordered from. At that moment, I wanted papaya salad and Pad Thai, so I ordered both. At 30 baht each, it was good value for the taste and quantity.

After a satisfying meal, it's time to find an activity to aid digestion. This time, we'll take a boat trip along the Mae Klong River to make merit and pay respects at 5 temples for 50 baht each. Don't pay more than that (50 baht refers to boats that carry many people, sharing the ride with others. If you charter a private boat, it won't be 50 baht). The trip covers 5 temples, culminating at Bang Kung Temple, the church in the tree. The last time we came, we got caught in the rain in front of the temple, so we couldn't go in to see the church. This time, we're here specifically for that. We'll spend 15 minutes at each temple, except for Bang Kung Temple, which is farther away, where we'll have 25 minutes. Before buying tickets, we asked if the boat goes to Bang Kung Temple, just to be sure. I don't remember which boat company we used, but we chose one with a lot of people because the boat waits until it's full, so we wouldn't have to wait long.

The temples we visited are as follows: 1. Wat Phummarin Kuti Thong 2. Wat Thong Khung 3. Wat Bang Kae Yai 4. Wat Bang Kae Klang 5. Wat Bang Kung

Along the way, you will see lychee orchards in bloom, as this year is a drought year. The way of life of the Mae Klong people, some families still bathe and wash clothes in the canal. Some temples are located along the bend of the river, with nipa palm trees lining both sides. It feels like I'm waiting for you at the pier every day.

The boat driver will also tell the history of the temple, when it was built, what you should ask for at this temple, and what you should not ask for. We could hear some of it, but not all of it, because the boat engine was loud. He also cracked some jokes.

"The fruits around here include pomelo, lychee, etc. But the most flavorful fruit around here, I think, is lemon." Hahaha, it's a simple uncle's joke, but his timing is good.

The vendor is no slouch either.

A customer asked, "Is the orange sweet?"

The vendor said, "It's sweet like an orange, you know. Any sweeter and it would be sugar!" Haha.

Okay... 3 out of 5 temples that I took you to will have a photo service that takes pictures from the boat and then prints them in a frame to sell for about 100 baht. Those who don't have a camera with them don't have to worry about not having pictures. Even though we had a camera with us, we still got our picture taken...

Let's skip to Wat Bang Kung… This temple is a bit of a walk from the pier, about 200-300 meters. You have to cross the street to the other side. To pay respects to the Buddha in the church, you must dress modestly. If you are wearing shorts, there will be a sarong for you to wear. The Bodhi tree church is not just a Bodhi tree, but is made up of 4 types of trees: Bodhi, Banyan, Krai, and Grang. Please also follow the prohibitions and signs posted. For example, gilding the Buddha statue, taking pictures outside the church through the window to see the Buddha statue inside, is also forbidden to climb. There are clear signs.

Bang Kung Camp Temple doesn't only have a church in the tree, but also a small zoo inside the temple. Walking in, I was surprised to see a huge camel, a flock of sheep, and a herd of deer. You can buy water spinach to feed them. I just found out that camels eat water spinach.

The two-hour, five-temple prayer tour was well worth the 50 baht. (It's a good idea to bring snacks, as most of the food sold at the temples is just drinks and small snacks.) We enjoyed the five-temple prayer tour. It was good value for money. The boat we went on was also good service, but if they could add enough life jackets for everyone, that would be great.

We chose to take the van back because we wanted to have a little more time to walk around and find some snacks before heading back.

Another shop that made me hesitate to spend money because the seller's face was so cute, oops! The sweets were very cute. They were marshmallows and jellies on sticks that were dipped in chocolate. There were 3 flavors to choose from: chocolate, apple, and strawberry. The ones we chose were 10 baht each, and we got 2 sticks. Sigh... I can't resist cute things.

On a hot day, you need something cool to quench your thirst. I came across a shop called "Sri Mala" that sells ice cream with very interesting flavors. They have various fruit flavors, but also flower flavors like lotus, marigold, and many more. They also have a lot of other unique flavors. I tried the guava, which was sprinkled with plum powder. It tasted just like guava soaked in plum, which was delicious and refreshing.

Grilled scallops, 50 baht per plate

A plate of crab fried rice for 30 baht comes with a spicy seafood dipping sauce.

Crispy wonton Pad Thai, so cute! This dish is 40 baht.

There are also many Thai desserts to choose from.

As evening falls, the Amphawa Floating Market comes alive again. The bridge over the canal is packed with people. If you stay here for a night, you can also take a boat to see the fireflies. We can always design our trips to suit ourselves. Just set a destination and go for it, just like our own lives.

We enjoyed this trip. We woke up early in the morning, traveled many times, and had to wait in the hot weather to take pictures of the train. It made us know how to wait. And when what we were waiting for arrived, it was worth it. We felt very immersed and impressed by it. We ended the day by rewarding ourselves with a delicious meal at the Amphawa Floating Market... Some people asked us a lot of questions about whether we were on vacation or just tired. People who like to travel would understand ^^

Don't miss this trip if you love traveling by train! ^^

Approximate cost

BTS from Victory Monument to Wongwian Yai is 42 baht.

The fare for the ferry to Tha Chalom is 3 baht.

A three-wheeled taxi ride to Ban Laem Railway Station costs 40 baht (a motorbike taxi would be cheaper).

The songthaew to Amphawa is 8 baht.

The cost of a boat trip to worship at 5 temples is 50 baht.

The cost of a van back to Bangkok is 80 baht (the train is cheaper).

Living expenses according to the budget, making merit according to faith.

Thank you for following me from the beginning to the end. ^^