Most memorable
The rail route
Two trains and a ferry
- StartWongwian Yai
- First train05:30
- Last way back15:30
Look up your stop
How to get to the Maeklong railway market from Bangkok
See all 19 stops
The Maeklong line and its neighbours on the map
Pick a route and tap a pin or a stop: you get its note and a Google Maps link.
Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal, where buses and minivans to the west leave from.
Google MapsWhere the first section of the line starts in Thon Buri.
Google MapsThe station where passengers change trains on the way to Samut Songkhram.
Google MapsThe ferry across the Tha Chin River joins the two sections of the line.
Google MapsThe railway market stands beside Maeklong Railway Station, with fresh and dried food on the stalls.
Google MapsThe floating market that the home tour combines with the railway market in one day.
Google Maps
Where the first section of the line starts in Thon Buri.
Google MapsThe station where passengers change trains on the way to Samut Songkhram.
Google MapsThe ferry across the Tha Chin River joins the two sections of the line.
Google MapsThe railway market stands beside Maeklong Railway Station, with fresh and dried food on the stalls.
Google MapsThe bronze Buddha image Luang Phor Wat Ban Laem sits here, the main attraction of Samut Songkhram according to TAT.
Google Maps
The railway market stands beside Maeklong Railway Station, with fresh and dried food on the stalls.
Google MapsThe bronze Buddha image Luang Phor Wat Ban Laem sits here, the main attraction of Samut Songkhram according to TAT.
Google MapsThe banyan-wrapped temple with murals and Muay Thai statues.
Google MapsA temple with carved wooden panels showing scenes from the life of the Buddha.
Google MapsA sandbar at the river mouth known for fresh and dried seafood.
Google MapsAmphawa is the best known floating market of the province, busy at weekends.
Google MapsA park beside Amphawa that hosts evening programmes and festivals.
Google MapsOne of the other notable floating markets of Samut Songkhram.
Google Maps
Maps © OpenStreetMap contributors
You can ride the rail line, take a minivan, hire a car or join a coach tour. This is how each way works, with the timetable pairs that decide the rail trip.
Editorial team, maeklongrailwaymarket.click · Updated November 12, 2026 · Read in 6 min
Essentials
- By trainTwo train legs and a river crossing: Wongwian Yai to Maha Chai, then Ban Laem to Mae Klong.1
- By minivanTAT calls a minivan usually the cheapest way, for a drive of nearly 2 hours.2
- By coach tourThe day sold here starts with a coach ride of 1.5 hours.
- DistanceTAT puts Samut Songkhram province just 65 kilometres from Bangkok.3
- Going backThe last train out of Mae Klong leaves at 15:30.4
Four ways to reach the market, side by side
The market stands in Samut Songkhram, southwest of Bangkok on the Gulf coast, and TAT describes the province as just 65 kilometres from the capital.3 There is no single best route, because each way trades money, time and comfort differently. The train is the slowest to arrange and the most memorable, the minivan is the cheapest, and the tour or the car takes the thinking away.
TAT sums up the rail route in one line: board at Thon Buri Railway Station, change once at Mahachai, then ride directly into the Mae Klong Railway Market.5 A minivan, TAT says, is usually the cheapest option, with buses a little dearer for a drive of nearly 2 hours, mostly leaving from the Mo Chit or Sai Tai Mai bus terminals.2
The other two ways are guided. The coach tour sold on this site opens with 1.5 hours on the road and ends the outward trip on a 30-minute train; the full programme fills 7 to 7.5 hours. A hired car does the drive in 1.5 hours each way, from $84. The table below sets all four ways next to each other.
Side by side
Ways from Bangkok to the Maeklong railway market
| Way | Travel time | Starting point | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two trains and a ferry | About 2 hours of rail10,12 | Wongwian Yai6 | The classic route |
| Minivan or bus | Nearly 2 hours2 | Mo Chit or Sai Tai Mai2 | The lowest cost |
| Coach tour | 1.5 hours each way | Khao San, Chinatown or MBK | A guided day |
| Private car | 1.5 hours each way | Pickup included | Your own pace |
| From Hua Hin | 1.5 hours by van | Hua Hin, Pran Buri or Cha-am | Staying on the coast |
Times as the sources give them; the train total adds the two rides and leaves out the ferry crossing and any wait.10
By train, step by step
A train from Bangkok to the Maeklong railway market is really two trains. TAT explains that the first train from Wongwian Yai in Thon Buri runs about halfway to Samut Sakhon, and after a ferry ride across the Tha Chin River another train takes passengers to the Mae Klong Railway Market.1 The State Railway publishes them as separate timetables, one for Wongwian Yai to Maha Chai and one for Ban Laem to Mae Klong.9
On the first leg, 17 trains run each way from early morning until evening. Departures start at 05:30 from Wongwian Yai, with arrival at Maha Chai at 06:23, and the evening service goes at 20:10.6 Each run lasts 50 to 62 minutes and calls at 17 intermediate stops.10,11 The second leg then takes 59 or 60 minutes from Ban Laem to Mae Klong.12
The river crossing is the piece no timetable on this page counts. A ferry across the Tha Chin links the end of one line to the start of the other, and neither State Railway table says how long that takes.1,9 Allow generous time there, and ask a station official when you start your journey. TAT adds that the line suits a day trip but also works as an overnight stay in Samut Songkhram.13
The river link
Minutes spare at Maha Chai before the Ban Laem train
- 15:25 start13
- 12:15 start20
- 08:35 start42
- 05:30 start67
- 14:25 start78
- 10:40 start111
Counted from the printed timetables for trains leaving Wongwian Yai at the times shown; the ferry crossing is not counted in either one.14
Matching the two timetables
The gap that matters is the one at Maha Chai. Across the river the Ban Laem trains start at 07:30 and finish at 16:40, with 10:10 and 13:30 between, so you need a Wongwian Yai train that reaches Maha Chai in good time.7 Matching the printed tables, the 05:30 departure arrives at 06:23, a margin of 67 minutes before the 07:30 service.14
The other pairs follow. Next, the 08:35 lands at 09:28 and leaves 42 minutes before the 10:10, while the 10:40 lands at 11:39 with a roomy 111 minutes before the 13:30.14 The 14:25 lands at 15:22, 78 minutes ahead of the 16:40.14 These are the comfortable pairs, and each ends with a Mae Klong arrival that day.7
Some pairs are too tight to trust. The 12:15 train reaches Maha Chai at 13:10, only 20 minutes before the 13:30, and the 15:25 reaches it at 16:27, 13 minutes before the 16:40.14 Because the crossing time is not in either timetable, treat those two as risky unless a station official tells you otherwise on the day. A missed link costs you a whole arrival, because the next Ban Laem train is hours away.
Pick by priority
Which way to the market suits you
Say what matters most and see which route keeps the trip sensible.
If I want to ride the rail line
The two-train route
Wongwian Yai to Maha Chai takes 50 to 62 minutes, then Ban Laem to Mae Klong takes 59 or 60.10,12
If I want the lowest cost
A minivan
TAT calls it usually the cheapest option for the nearly 2-hour drive.2
If I want no logistics at all
The coach tour
It begins at $18 and fills 7 to 7.5 hours.
If I want to set my own pace
A private car
It starts from $84 and leaves 2 hours at the market.
If I am staying in Hua Hin
A day from Hua Hin
A van of 1.5 hours takes you there, and the fare begins at $86.
Three ways
By rail, by road or with a guide
Lowest cost
The minivan
From Mo Chit or Sai Tai Mai
- DriveNearly 2 hours
- PayUsually the cheapest
- StartA bus terminal
No planning
The coach tour
Sold on this site
- Coach1.5 hours
- Day7 to 7.5 hours
- GuideEnglish or Spanish
Getting back by train
The return needs more care than the outward trip, because the last train out of Mae Klong is the 15:30 departure.4 It reaches Ban Laem at 16:30, and from there you cross the river again to Maha Chai.4 Trains then leave Maha Chai for Wongwian Yai at 16:30, 17:35, 18:10 and 19:00, reaching Wongwian Yai at 17:29, 18:26, 19:02 and 20:00.4 The 16:30 leaves at the minute you land at Ban Laem, so with the river crossing in between it is out of reach.4
That timetable shapes the day. An arrival at Mae Klong at 08:30 or 11:10 leaves hours at the market before the 15:30 departure, while the 14:30 arrival leaves a single hour before it.7,26 The 17:40 arrival has no train out that evening, so it only suits someone who is sleeping in the area.26 For a day trip, aim for the morning or midday arrival.
If the timing is too tight, the fallback is a road. A minivan or a bus back from Samut Songkhram is the other way, and TAT describes the drive as nearly 2 hours.2 A private car, which keeps its own hours, takes 1.5 hours each way. Whatever you pick, check your return before you leave Bangkok, because the line does not run late into the evening.
Guided options
Price a coach day to the market
Say how many travel and weigh the coach days.
Look at 4 options
Price a coach day to the market
Say how many travel and weigh the coach days.
- Sold hereCoach of 1.5 hours · starting at, per person $18
≈
View - Train firstVan of 1.5 hours · starting at, per person $24
≈
View - Bus of 25Coach of 1.5 hours · starting at, per person $25
≈
View - German guideCoach of 1.5 hours · starting at, per person $45
≈
View
Currency conversion uses the ECB reference rate on GetYourGuide from-prices. The exact price is displayed when you book.
A day trip by rail
Bangkok to the tracks and back
Early start
Leave Wongwian Yai
The earliest train from Wongwian Yai is at 05:30 and arrives at 06:23.6
At the river
Cross to Ban Laem
A ferry crosses the Tha Chin River between the two lines.1
Morning
Train to Mae Klong
The 07:30 train from Ban Laem reaches Mae Klong at 08:30.7
At the market
Time at the stalls
The 08:30 arrival leaves hours before the 15:30 departure.7,8
Afternoon
Leave Mae Klong
The last train out departs at 15:30 and reaches Ban Laem at 16:30.4
Evening
Home to Wongwian Yai
Trains leave Maha Chai at 16:30, 17:35, 18:10 and 19:00.4
By minivan, bus, car or coach tour
Road travel is simpler to explain. TAT says a minivan is usually the cheapest option from Bangkok, with buses somewhat more expensive for the nearly 2-hour drive, and most services start at the Mo Chit Bus Terminal in the north or the Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal in the south.2 You then still need a way from the bus stop to the market, so ask where your vehicle stops.
A coach tour removes that problem. On the day sold here the first stretch is a coach ride, followed by boats and a short train, and the same coach carries you back to town. The German-guided day heads straight for the railway market after 1.5 hours on the road and finishes within 7 hours. Both offer pickup or a meeting point.
From Hua Hin the road is longer. Guests based further down the coast can join a van tour from the Hua Hin area, which needs 1.5 hours to reach the stalls. A private version from Hua Hin spends 100 minutes in the van each way. For a visitor with a driver, the railway market is usually one stop on a longer day rather than the whole day.
Video
Taking the train and ferry to the Maeklong railway market
Ted Aroi on YouTube · Your tap on play is what loads the video.
Here you can take the train from Thon Buri Railway Station, change once in Mahachai and take another train directly into the Mae Klong Railway Market of Samut Songkhram.
Before you set off
What to check and bring
Check first3
If you ride the train3
- Your tickets for both lines, as they are separate9
- Small notes for fares and snacks
- Sun protection and water for a long platform wait
If you go by road3
- The terminal: Mo Chit or Sai Tai Mai2
- A name for the stop, so the driver knows where to let you off
- A margin for traffic on the way out of Bangkok
Distance and total travel time
The cleanest way to think about distance is by time rather than by kilometres. A search for the Maeklong railway market distance from Bangkok turns up different figures, because the market sits in a town on the coast and the roads and rails take different routes. TAT gives the province as 65 kilometres from the capital, and the rail line that serves the market as 80 kilometres long.3,27
On the clock, the road is the fastest. Vans, cars and the German-guided coach that head straight for the market take 1.5 hours, while TAT describes the minivan or bus drive as nearly 2 hours.2 The train is slower, since it needs two trains of about an hour each, a ferry and a wait between them, but it is the way into the market that TAT describes first.10,12
Whatever you pick, plan the day around the arrival you want. The market is best met when a train is due, and the train times page of this guide shows each arrival in detail. The last movement at the station is the 17:40 arrival.28 Aim to be at Mae Klong by midday, and you will keep your options open for the return.
FAQ
Straight answers to common questions.
How do I get from Bangkok to the Maeklong market by train?
Two trains and a ferry.
Take the train from Wongwian Yai to Maha Chai, cross the Tha Chin River by ferry, then take the Ban Laem to Mae Klong train.1
How long does the journey from Bangkok take?
Nearly 2 hours by road.
TAT describes a drive of nearly 2 hours by minivan, and a private car takes 1.5 hours each way.2
Which is the cheapest way to the market?
A minivan, says TAT.
TAT says a minivan is usually the cheapest option, with buses a little dearer, mostly from Mo Chit or Sai Tai Mai.2
What is the last train back from Maeklong?
The 15:30 departure.
It reaches Ban Laem at 16:30, and trains then leave Maha Chai for Wongwian Yai until 19:00.4
How far is Maeklong from Bangkok?
Can I go to the railway market on a tour from Hua Hin?
Yes, by van.
Yes. A van collects the group in the Hua Hin area and drives 1.5 hours each way, with prices from $86.
Sources
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Training in Thailand ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · TAT links the Arab world with floating souks ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: Wongwian Yai - Mahachai Line ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: Wongwian Yai - Mahachai Line ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: BanLaem - Mae-Klong Line ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: BanLaem - Mae-Klong Line ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: BanLaem - Mae-Klong Line ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: Wongwian Yai - Mahachai Line ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: Wongwian Yai - Mahachai Line ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: BanLaem - Mae-Klong Line ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Training in Thailand ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: Wongwian Yai - Mahachai Line ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Thailand's 12 hidden gems
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Thailand's 12 hidden gems
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · A day at Amphawa Floating Market
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Neramit Amphawa Amazing Thailand Food Festival
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Samut Songkhram's small size belies its rich attractions
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: BanLaem - Mae-Klong Line ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: BanLaem - Mae-Klong Line ↩
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Training in Thailand ↩
- State Railway of Thailand · Time Table: BanLaem - Mae-Klong Line ↩