Getting the train to Chiang Mai
A couple of weeks after going to Bangkok, I decided to move on towards Chiang Mai. I had seen YouTube videos and blogs describing the experience and I thought it looked great. My friend also decided to come along so it was nice to share the experience with someone.
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The train was 13 hours and ran through the night, departing from Hua Lamphong Railway Station at 18:10 and arriving in Chiang Mai at 07:15. I bought the ticket in person the day before for 1041฿ ($31.80), the standard fare for a bottom bunk bed in 2nd class. I made sure to get the Number 9 train, which is the newer model introduced in 2016. The train had 12 carriages, with 1st class to the rear. I was alone in my booth but spoke to a nearby American guy who lived and worked in Cambodia.
One of the things I had read and seen in accounts from other people was that the train has the air conditioning jacked up to high. Out of fear of shivering all night, I bought a hoodie in Bangkok. When I actually got on the train, it felt good. An on-board display reported the ambient temperature as 22c. I don't know if it's because I come from England, so everything here is much warmer, but I just sat around in a t-shirt. I think I was an exception here though because everyone else was wrapped up in jumpers and blankets.
We had the option of buying food but I had been to 7/11 and stocked up on snacks. Someone called around at around 20:00 to make up the beds. It was surprisingly comfy and long enough that I could stretch out. There was a plug socket and reading light so I could close the curtain and watch the videos I had downloaded onto my phone beforehand. One thing I would have liked is for them to dim the lights in the night time, but I had a sleep mask which helped a little. I slept intermittently throughout the night. I think the noise of the train over the rails kept waking me and I forgot to use ear plugs.
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We had to wake at 06:00 as the train was arriving an hour after and the beds needed to be packed away. It was just becoming light so I managed to see the countryside as we passed through. The mountains looked incredible.
The train pulled into Chiang Mai station and we took a songthaew to Nimman. Chiang Mai felt like a totally different place to Bangkok, much more green and chill. With comparably same temperatures, it felt cooler thanks to a gentle wind. We had breakfast in a café and realised we had hardly slept so we found a hotel to stay in. Views, like this, from virtually every hotel and apartment were a lot more accommodating than Bangkok's skyscrapers and intense atmosphere.
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Within the next few days I started exploring. Just looking around and seeing a mountain towering behind the city was already one of my favourite things about Chiang Mai.
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I'm now renting a place for 1 month so I can settle down into a rhythm and focus on my work and running.
![](https://daniellockyer.com/content/images/to-chiang-mai-5.jpg)