The Thaksin Express (Thai: รถด่วนพิเศษทักษิณ) is an express train run by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) between Bangkok and Su-ngai Kolok, a border town in Narathiwat Province and the end of the southern rail line. Thaksin is a Thai word for south (from the Sanskrit word dakshin), thus this train is referred to as "the Southern Express." This train's passenger cars include 1st- and 2nd-class air conditioned sleepers, 2nd-class fan sleepers, 2nd-class fan seating coaches, 3rd class air conditioned and fan seating coaches, and a dining car.
The train passes through cities and towns along the east coast of southern Thailand on the upper Malay peninsula. These include the old Buddhist city of Nakhon Pathom, the seaside resort town of Hua Hin, the port city of Surat Thani, the commercial city of Hat Yai (or Haadyai), the Islamic city of Yala, and the commercial border town of Su-ngai Kolok. Although the rail line is connected to the Malaysian rail system, there is no cross-border service on this route.
Train Number 37 Bangkok - Su-ngai Kolok (departure times)
Bangkok (กรุงเทพ) - 15:10Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 15:28Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 15:39Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 15:57Salaya (ศาลายา) - 16:14Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 16:42Ban Pong (บ้านโป่ง) - 17:00Ratchaburi (ราชบุรี) - 17:29Phetburi (เพชรบุรี) - 18:15Hua Hin (หัวหิน) - 19:11 - three minute stop to change crewsWang Phong (วังก์พง) - 19:31Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) - 20:28Bang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 21:38Chumphon (ชุมพร) - 23:32 - ten minute stop for refuelling and changing crewsSurat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 01:56 next day - three minute stop to change crewsThung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 03:54 - 10 minute stop for refuellingPhatthalung (พัทลุง) - 05:37 - three minute stop to change crewsBang Kaeo (บางแก้ว) - 06:07Hat Yai (หาดใหญ่) - 07:31 - 15 minute stop for uncoupling Hat Yai coaches, and refuellingChana (จะนะ) - 08:07Pattani (ปัตตานี) - 08:51Yala (ยะลา) - 09:28 - three minute stop to change crewsRue Sau (รือเสาะ) - 10:03Tanyong Mas (ตันหยงมัส) - 10:35Sugei Padi (สุไหงปาดี) - 11:02Su-ngai Kolok (สุไหงโกลก) - 11:25 arrivalTrain Number 38 Su-ngai Kolok - Bangkok (departure times)
Su-ngai Kolok (สุไหงโกลก) - 14:20Sugei Padi (สุไหงปาดี) - 14:36Tanyong Mas (ตันหยงมัส) - 15:03Rue Sau (รือเสาะ) - 15:34Yala (ยะลา) - 16:06 - three minute stop to change crewsPattani (ปัตตานี) - 16:37Hat Yai (หาดใหญ่) - 18:05 - 20 minute stop for attaching carriages from Hat Yai and refuellingBang Kaeo (บางแก้ว) - 19:06Phatthalung (พัทลุง) - 19:34 - three minute stop to change crewsThung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 21:19 - 15 minute stop for refuelling and changing crewsSurat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 23:00 - three minute stop for changing crewsChumphon (ชุมพร) - 01:36 next day) - 10 minute stop for refuelling and changing crewsBang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 03:08Prachuap Khiri Khan (ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) - 04:17Hua Hin (หัวหิน) - 05:34 - three minute stop to change crewsRatchaburi (ราชบุรี) - 07:26Ban Pong (บ้านโป่ง) - 07:58Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 08:21Salaya (ศาลายา) - 09:05Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 09:32Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 09:54Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 10:05Bangkok (กรุงเทพ) - 10:30 arrivalThere are about 3-4 second class rakes (a set of coupled rail cars, normally coaches or wagons) plus one first class rake for the train between Hat Yai-Su-ngai Kolok. The Southern Special Express 37/38 has to be kept running as a means of reassuring residents that the central government will not abandon the local people of the three southern provinces despite the ongoing insurgencies there.
