Getting to Kanchanaburi - Kanchanaburi Transportation, by car, bus and train

BKS public buses (line 81) leave from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Taling Chan). In Kanchanaburi, there are two separate but nearby bus terminals, with 1st class buses departing from an office off Thanon Saengchuto, and 2nd class buses from the larger terminal one block east.

• 1st class buses should leave Bangkok every 15 minutes from 05:00 to 22:30, take about 2 hours, and (as of February 2006) cost 99 baht, including a bottle of water.
• 2nd class buses (new route) leave Bangkok every 20 minutes from 03:30 to 19:00 and take about 2 hours.
• 2nd class buses (old route) leave Bangkok every 15-30 minutes from 04:00 until 18:00 and take about 3 hours.

There are also tourist minibuses directly to/from Khao San Road, departing Kanchanaburi at 13:30 and 18:30.

From Nakhon Pathom, there are direct buses (2nd class only) every 15 to 30 minutes between 04:00 and 18:00, which take two hours. Alternatively, you can hop off a 1st class bus when it passes by Nakhon Pathom, but double-check with staff to ensure the route allows this and they know your plans.

From Sangkhlaburi to Kanchanaburi, you're spoilt for choice:

• Air-con VIP buses leave at 08:45, 10:45 and 14:30 and take 4 hours.
• Air-con minibuses leave at 06:30, 07:30, 11:30, 13:00, 15:30 and take 3.5 hours.
• Standard buses leave at 06:45, 08:15, 10:15, 13:15 and take 5 hours.

KANCHANABURI (RIVER KWAI) - BUS SERVICE

Most attractions and hotels in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand, can be comfortably reached by bus

::  Note ::

• Kanchanaburi Bus No. 461 - Bangpae (25 Baht)
• Kanchanaburi Bus No. 461 - Ratchaburi
• Kanchanaburi Bus No. 461 - Ratchaburi
• Kanchanaburi Bus No. 411
• Kanchanaburi Bus No. 411
• Bus No. 78 or Minibus No. 1733 - Floating Market
• Bus No. 73 - Phetchaburi, Cha-Am
• Bus No. 71 - Hua Hin (Every 30 mins / Takes 4 hours)
• Bus No. 703 - Ayutthaya (Every 1 hour / Takes 1.5 hours)
• Bus No. 487 - Nakhon Sawan (Every 30 mins / Takes 3 hours)

Trains leave Bangkok's Thonburi Train Station at 07:45 and arrive at Kanchanaburi at 10:20, also at 13:45 and arriving at 16:35. You may be interested in buying a ticket all the way to the River Kwai Bridge, since these two trains are the only ones which cross the bridge each day. Since December 2005, the fare is 100 baht for foreigners..

Be warned that reaching Thonburi Station from Khao San Road is harder than it looks; tuk-tuk drivers will try to charge you outrageous rates, and walking involves crossing two bridges and looping back a ways. The best way is probably to take the passenger boat from Banglamphu Pier and connect to a cross-river ferry that reaches the railway pier, then walk or take the open minibus from there.

Return trains leave at 07:25 and 14:48 from the main railway station; from the River Kwai Bridge they leave 6 minutes earlier. Riding 3rd class is an adventure in itself, and a must do for everyone who hasn't travelled this way before.

Both train services continue to/from Nam Tok (17 baht), the current terminus of the Death Railway. The 10:30 train has a special tourist section, where the low, low price of 300 baht gets you air-con, a soft drink and a certificate of having ridden the Death Railway. This service has occasionally been operated by a steam engine, but usually uses an ordinary diesel DMU, and railfans will have to content themselves with the Japanese-era steamers plinthed at the main and bridge stations.

KANCHANABURI (RIVER KWAI) - TRAIN TIME TABLE

Namtok - Kanchanaburi - Thonburi

Special Train - On Saturday, Sunday and Holiday
(For more detail please contact Tel. 034561052)

From Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi is about 3 hours drive from Bangkok, along the highway no.338 from Bangkok to Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi. There you can take a detour to the famous Damoen Saduak floating market for some sightseeing and lunch. Then switch to highway no.4 heading towards Kanchanaburi.

You can catch a taxi to Kanchanaburi, return to Bangkok for the day for around 2000 baht. This should include stopping at the Bridge over River Kwai and museum, Kanchanaburi township, the local dam and the cemetary for the prisoners of war. You may need to pay a bit extra to visit Erawan Falls which is about an hour out of the town centre and the Tiger Temple.