There are lots of transportation options when looking to go from Bangkok to Chiang Mai: plane, bus, train, and car.

Jonathan and I thought it would be fun to take an overnight train since we’ve never done that before.

One not-so-great thing about deciding to take the train is that the only way to get tickets is to go to the train station.

This was our first stop when we arrived in Bangkok. We wanted to book for the next night. But, those trains were full. (There are 3 classes of trains 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. There are sleeper car options on the 1st and second classes, but not on the third.)

We ended up booking for the next night, in a second class sleeper car. We got the top two bunks (of four in a cabin) for 791Baht ($26) each for the 14 hour ride.

The only bad thing about the train was the bathrooms. They were less than stellar. But, they aren’t the worst bathrooms I’ve ever used. (That honor belongs to Argentina.)

At the beginning of the journey, someone came to take our breakfast orders, and ask if we’d like dinner. (We declined as we’d brought snacks.) Then, someone also came to make our beds for us.

The cabins were air-conditioned. Thankfully! Thailand is H.O.T.

For our $26 we got a decent night’s sleep, and a really fun train experience. I’d definitely take the train again.