Up the Malay Penisula

Finally, after 6 nights in Penang, it's time to ferry over to Butterworth and hop on Train No. 36 and head up the Malay Peninsula to Bangkok. However, we could not warm up to the idea of returning, for the 3rd time in 13 years, to Bangkok so we decided the night before departure to get off the train at Nakhon Pathom (60 kms west of Bangkok), and take a train directly to Kanchanaburi (90 kms further west).

Our connecting bus + ferry ride is smooth and then Train 36 pulls out on time from Butterworth Station at 2pm with expected arrival in Bangkok the next morning at 11:40 am but we will alight at Nakhon Pathom at 9:30 am.


This is the seat configuration before they are turned into sleeping berths.




After a few hours we stop at the Malaysia-Thailand border where the formalities are painless; however, we sit at the border for an additional 3 hours waiting for the Thai engine to appear. The Malay loco that brought us here goes no farther.

No dining car, no problem. We use our electric kettle to boil water and it's instant noodles for dinner.


The transformation from seats to berths.


Sun-Ling takes the upper.


To see how the seats are converted to berths watch this youtube video (not my video).

Morning coffee on the train. Life is good.


Sea view. That's Nigel and wife across the aisle.


And plenty of time to study Rough Guides info on Kanchanaburi as the train is 4 hours late; which is a nice bonus if one likes riding the train as we do.


The Phra Pathom Chedi (Pagoda) is adjacent to the Nakhon Pathom station. Perfect timing for us as we pulled in at 2 pm and our onward train leaves at 3:03 pm.


Sweltering in the almost 100-degree heat on the 3rd class train to Kanchanaburi.


It's sugarcane harvest time.


And after 30 hours on two trains we are rewarded with the tastiest vegetarian meal so far this trip and a hotel with a pool.