Three trains. One border crossing. Approximately 26 hours. Here is everything needed before booking.
Travelling from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by train is not the fastest way to make this journey, and it is not the cheapest. A budget flight does the same distance in under two hours. However, for travellers who are just a tad crazy (like us), taking a train is a much more fulfilling, fun and just plain crazy experience.
This guide covers every leg of the journey we took in 2026. This includes what to expect on board, where things can go wrong, and how to connect the three trains without losing an entire day to a missed shuttle.
Overview: Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by Train
Journey at a Glance
| Leg | Route | Train | Duration | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leg 1 | Bangkok (Krung Thep Aphiwat) to Hat Yai Junction | Special Express Train 37 | ~17 hours | From SGD 35 / 900 THB |
| Leg 2 | Hat Yai Junction to Padang Besar | Shuttle train | ~45 minutes | SGD 2 / 50 THB |
| Leg 3 | Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur Sentral | KTM ETS | ~5 to 6 hours | From SGD 50 / RM 160 |
| Total | Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur | 3 trains, 1 border crossing | ~20 to 25 hours | From SGD 87 |
In This Guide
| Section | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Leg 1: Bangkok to Hat Yai — Train 37 | The overnight sleeper, boarding, and what to expect on board |
| First Class Cabins | Beds, sinks, the blanket situation, and the toilets |
| Food, the Food Cart and the Night | What to eat, what to bring, and how to survive the journey |
| Leg 2: Hat Yai to Padang Besar | The connection that needs careful planning |
| Hat Yai — If There Is Time to Fill | Making the most of an unexpected layover |
| Border Crossing: Padang Besar | Immigration, the nasi padang shop, what to know |
| Leg 3: Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur | KTM ETS — a very different kind of train |
| The Schedule That Actually Works | All times in order |
| Tips Before Booking | What not to get wrong |
| Is the Bangkok to KL Train Worth It? | The final verdict |
There is no direct train from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur. The journey requires three separate trains and one border crossing, broken into the following legs:
Best for: Train enthusiasts, slow travellers, anyone with flexible schedules
Not ideal for: Anyone with a hard arrival deadline or a low tolerance for overnight train conditions
Note: Malaysia runs one hour ahead of Thailand. All Thai train times in this guide are in Thai local time. Add one hour for Malaysian time.
Leg 1: Bangkok to Hat Yai on Special Express Train 37
Boarding at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal
Special Express Train 37 departs Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal at 4:10 pm daily. This is Bangkok’s main long-distance rail station, opened in 2021 and located in Bang Sue, accessible via MRT Bang Sue Grand Station. The platform opens approximately 15 minutes before departure.
Train 37 is not the modern Chinese-built rolling stock now operating on some Thai routes. This is older SRT equipment: functional, rickety in places, and resolutely unfancy. Knowing this removes any disappointment on arrival. The train does what it is supposed to do, and the experience has its own character.
First Class Cabins: What to Expect
First class on Train 37 consists of two-berth private cabins, each with two beds, a small sink, a window, and a single power outlet. Travelling alone, booking the entire cabin is possible and recommended for privacy. This will set you back about 1,400 thb. Alternatively, single berths are available, typically priced per deck and segregated by gender on overnight services.
Blankets and a small towel are provided. The blankets are delivered in sealed plastic bags but may not smell entirely fresh. This is simply the nature of overnight rail in this price range. Pack earplugs.
Food and the Food Cart
Food vendors begin walking the carriages almost immediately after departure, selling cold drinks, hot snacks, and basic meals. There is no need to stock up at the station before boarding. At the far end of the train, a food cart functions as both kitchen and communal gathering spot. This space looks as though it has not been meaningfully updated since the 1970s. However, sitting here at sunset with the Thai countryside passing outside will remind any traveller why they did this in the first place. Just… order a cold, cold bottle of water (yes, they sell that!)
The Night on Train 37
The overnight journey involves significant motion and considerable noise. The connections between carriages sway and rattle when crossed. The toilets offer two options: a traditional squat toilet and a more modern Western arrangement with a small shower. Both are compact, to say the least. We would recommend keeping showers to be on a ‘needs’ basis. Ventilation is limited at speed. Earplugs make the difference between a decent night and a sleepless one.
The train is scheduled to arrive at Hat Yai Junction at 6:20 am. Delays of 30 to 90 minutes are common. Build this into any onward connection plan.
Leg 2: Hat Yai to Padang Besar
The Connection (this can be tricky)
The shuttle from Hat Yai Junction to Padang Besar is a separate train, purchased in person at Hat Yai station on the day of travel. Tickets cannot be booked in advance and can get sold out. They go on sale one hour before departure, so if you’re not there on time, you’ve missed it.
The first morning shuttle departs Hat Yai at 7:20 am.
If Train 37 arrives late, which it frequently does, this connection will be missed. The next shuttle departs at 8:45 am Thai time. Plan for the later service if Train 37 has run more than 30 minutes late on approach to Hat Yai.
This shuttle train is third class only, with fan ventilation and no air conditioning. Seats are numbered, but the numbering is treated as advisory. Politely asking for a ticketed seat will generally produce results. The journey takes approximately 45 minutes.
Fare: 50 THB. Cash only.
Hat Yai: If There Is Time to Fill
Hat Yai city centre is a short walk from the station. If the 7:20 am shuttle is missed and several hours need filling before the next service, Hat Yai is worth exploring rather than enduring.
The morning dim sum options near the station are among the better meals of the whole journey. It’s worth remembering that Hat Yai has an interesting food scene, and a morning spent eating there is time well used.
Border Crossing: Padang Besar
Both Thai and Malaysian immigration are processed at Padang Besar station.
The station is small: two or three platforms, a handful of facilities, and one small shop selling cold drinks and nasi padang. Allow approximately 30 minutes for immigration clearance, though this can move faster at quieter times of day.
The shop near the platforms is run by people who are kind to travellers carrying too much luggage and not enough patience. Leaving bags at the counter while ordering is standard practice and is offered without being asked. The nasi padang is pretty good, but even if it isn’t, you don’t have much of a choice as there isn’t another store.
Important: Malaysia is one hour ahead of Thailand. A 9:45 am ETS departure from Padang Besar is 8:45 am Thai time. Factor this into any schedule built around Train 37’s arrival.
Leg 3: Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur on board the KTM ETS
The KTM ETS (Electric Train Service) is an entirely different experience from the Thai overnight train. Modern rolling stock, air conditioning, clean toilets, and a café car serving coffee and Malaysian snacks. The contrast with Train 37 is significant enough to feel like the journey has crossed into a different travel category, which in practical terms it has.
Two ETS services run from Padang Besar to KL Sentral:
Morning option: ETS Platinum EP 9275, departs 9:45 am, arrives KL Sentral approximately 3:10 pm
Afternoon option: ETS Express EX 9207, departs 1:50 pm, arrives KL Sentral approximately 6:40 pm
Book the ETS in advance, particularly the 9:45 am Platinum service which fills quickly. Tickets are available at ktmb.com.my or at the Padang Besar station counter if seats remain on the day. However, if you’re booking the 9:45 am train, then we’d recommend booking it for the next day (where you can perhaps spend a night in Padang Besar). The journey to Hat Yai will almost always be delayed, and you may miss your connecting shuttle.
KL Sentral is Kuala Lumpur’s central transport hub, with onward connections to the city centre, KLIA airport, and the wider KTM suburban network. Arriving here marks the end of the Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by train journey.
The Bangkok to KL Train Journey Schedule
4:10 pm Board Train 37 at Krung Thep Aphiwat, Bangkok
~6:20 am Arrive Hat Yai Junction (allow 30 to 90 minutes for delays)
7:20 am, 8:55 am OR 2:00 pm Shuttle to Padang Besar (buy ticket in person at Hat Yai, on the day)
~30 min Border immigration at Padang Besar
9:45 am OR 1:50 pm ETS from Padang Besar to KL Sentral (book in advance)
~3:10 pm OR ~6:40 pm Arrive Kuala Lumpur Sentral
Tips Before Booking
Book Train 37 in advance. First and second class sleeper berths sell out, particularly on weekends and Thai public holidays. Book via 12go.asia, the SRT website (recommended) or directly at any physical SRT station in Thailand.
Do not build a tight morning connection. The most common mistake on this route is booking the 9:45 am ETS from Padang Besar on the assumption that Train 37 will arrive on schedule. It frequently does not. Either book the 1:50 pm ETS and treat any extra time at Padang Besar as a bonus, or be prepared for the contingency to stay the night in Padang Besar and depart the next morning.
Have ringgit before crossing into Malaysia. ATMs are available at Padang Besar, but the queue can be long. Exchanging a small amount of THB to MYR before leaving Thailand removes one variable from the border crossing.
Check schedules before travelling. Timetables on this route have changed in recent years and will continue to change. Verify current departure times at 12go.asia, the SRT website (railway.co.th), or KTMB (ktmb.com.my) before booking.
A direct Bangkok to KL train may be coming. Malaysia and Thailand announced in 2023 that a direct KL to Bangkok train service was in planning, with a target launch date of late 2025. As of mid-2026, this has not yet materialised, but the route remains under active development. When it launches, the multi-connection journey described in this guide will be replaced by a single through service.
Is the Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur Train Worth It?
The flight takes under two hours. The train takes a day (and then some). By any purely rational calculation, the train does not win.
What the Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur train journey offers instead is something that cannot be optimised or scheduled: the experience of a border crossed at ground level, a landscape that changes gradually rather than all at once, and the particular kind of satisfaction that comes from arriving somewhere slowly. The sunset from the food cart on Train 37. The dim sum in Hat Yai on a missed connection. The kindness of the nasi padang shop at Padang Besar station. The mineral water that made it all the way to KL.
For travellers who find those things meaningful, the Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by train journey is worth every hour of it.
Schedules last verified: June 2026. Always check current timetables before booking. Schedules on this route change without extensive notice.
For more Southeast Asia travel guides, head to the Travel section. For Thailand entry rules and visa updates, read the Thailand travel rules guide.