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This will
never appear on any list of great railway journeys in the world which is
a shame as it certainly offers a step back in time to when Bangkok and
it's environs was more aquatic than today. It's a lovely old line with
some wonderful scenery and a comic book feel that starts when you try
and find the station in Bangkok. Wong Wien Yai is a big traffic circle
with a statue of King Taksin in the middle. You have to scout around to
find the station and be careful who you ask because many people are
unaware of it's existence. Basically the station is hidden down a narrow
soi not far from a 7/11.
Trains are regular,
approximately every hour and the tickets for the one hour run are 10
baht. The single track rattles through some of Thonburi's western
suburbs hemmed in by markets and houses. Just by Wat Singh I saw the
wonderful sight of a puppy happily rutting away on a bigger dog's leg
while his sibling scampered around excitedly.
Past Wat Singh and we get
more greenery. Ramshackle huts hug the klongs that criss cross the flat
terrain while young kids fish and play around. Sam Yaek looks great, a
wonderful place to get off and wander around and take the opportunity of
recording this photogenic landscape. It's a junction of 2 klongs with
many bright flowers and brighter birds flashing by the rapidly moving
train.
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Sam Yaek |
Mahachai River
Crossing |
Mahachai Station |
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click
here for larger images |
With Swiss
style punctuality we arrive at a spot where double tracking allows the
trains to pass and we are soon proceeding on our way. It's a Saturday
and I'm a little hung-over and appreciate the cool air through the open
window. We pull into Mahachai station and come to a halt in a dark
market that doubles as the railway station. Outside in the bright
sunshine it's a sea food lover's delight as stalls sell all sort of
stuff that had been happily minding their own business and few yards
away the night before. Rickshaws and songthaew remind you that while
Bangkok may only be an hour away your are pretty much up country here.
There is a
river crossing where you can join the Mae Klang line but this is a less
frequent run, four times a day and I had little time to wander the
market and surrounding streets before heading back to the big city.
I've done the journey a
couple of times now and enjoy it. You do feel you are being taken to
another world yet one so close to Bangkok. The journey back is as
uneventful as the outbound and I took the opportunity to look at my
pictures. Each time I've done the trip I have never been the only farang
on board so obviously people are hearing about this quaint little line. |
