Mark a birthday, take a train

Tickets are now available for a train trip from Bangkok to Ayutthaya province using historic steam locomotives to mark the State Railway of Thailand (SRT)'s 128th anniversary.

The railway authority said this historic train trip commemorated the opening of the train route between the current and previous capital cities on March 26, 1896 by King Rama V, which has been observed as SRT Foundation Day.

The one-day trip on March 26 this year will feature Pacific-class steam locomotive numbers 824 and 850, built by Japan’s Nippon Sharyo in 1949 and 1950, respectively. The trains are normally kept at the Thonburi Locomotive Depot, also known as Bangkok Noi Train Station.

The trains will leave Hua Lamphong station at 8.10am and arrive at Ayutthaya station at 10.20am. Passengers will have six hours to tour the ancient capital and local markets, before the train leaves at 4.40pm to arrive in Bangkok at 6.50pm.

There will be stops at Bang Sue and Rangsit stations, so passengers can board or disembark at any of these stations.

Tickets are 329 baht for a normal cabin and 799 baht for an air-conditioned cabin, inclusive of snacks and drinks. Reservations can be made now at SRT stations nationwide or via D-Ticket mobile application.

SRT is also offering special trips on five other important occasions on different routes. They are:

• June 3: Bangkok-Nakhon Pathom for HM Queen Suthida’s birthday
• July 28: Bangkok-Ayutthaya for HM King Rama X’s birthday
• August 12: Bangkok-Chachoengsao for HM Queen Sirikit’s birthday, which is celebrated as Mother’s Day in Thailand
• October 23: Bangkok-Ayutthaya for King Chulalongkorn Memorial Day
• December 5: Bangkok-Chachoengsao for King Rama IX’s birthday and Father’s Day