| Option | Time | Price | What you see | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary train no. 257 from Thonburi | about 2h30 to Kanchanaburi | 100 THB (foreigners) | bridge, cemetery, museums; Tham Krasae viaduct if the line reopens | |
| Historical day trip in a small group | 8.5 to 10 h | about $48 to $52 | English-speaking guide, lunch, entrance fees, train ride (100 baht), air-con van | See |
| Death Railway and Hellfire Pass with lunch | 1 day | about $79 | van, Hellfire Pass, lunch, train ride of about 1h30 | See |
| Bus or minivan from the Southern bus terminal | 2 to 3 h | 110 to 180 THB | Kanchanaburi, without the train |
On your own: the Thonburi train
Thonburi (Bangkok Noi) station is reached by Chao Phraya express boat, Thonburi Railway stop (N11). Train no. 257 leaves every day at 7:45 am and reaches Kanchanaburi at 10:20 am, the bridge at 10:34 am, Tham Krasae at 11:38 am and Nam Tok at 12:05 pm; no. 259 leaves at 1:55 pm. Return on no. 258, leaving Nam Tok at 1 pm and Kanchanaburi at 2:40 pm, reaching Thonburi at 5:40 pm. The ticket costs 100 THB for foreigners whatever the distance, bought at the counter on the day, with no reservation; arrive 30 minutes early. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays an excursion train leaves Hua Lamphong at 6:30 am (120 THB return in a fan-cooled car, 240 THB in an air-con car, by reservation). At the end of September 2026, floods closed the section between Tha Kilen and Nam Tok, Tham Krasae viaduct included, with no reopening date announced in early October: check with the SRT (1690). Details in the page Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai bridge.
On site: bridge, cemetery and museums
The bridge and cemetery are free. The cemetery opens Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 8 am to noon; the CWGC lists no Sunday opening. The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre opens daily from 9 am to 4 pm: 160 THB per adult. The JEATH museum opens from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. For a full day, take the 7:45 am train to Nam Tok if the line is open, leave at 1 pm, get off at the bridge, visit the cemetery and museums, then return by bus or minivan: the last train to Thonburi leaves Kanchanaburi around 2:40 pm. Hellfire Pass (interpretive centre run by the Australian government, open daily 9 am to 4 pm, free) and Erawan park (300 THB for foreigners) are reached by car or tour, not by train.
On a tour: what you gain
The small-group tour includes the cemetery, the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre and the bridge, with a ride on the original line; a reserved seat on the train costs 200 THB more. The day with Hellfire Pass adds the memorial and museum, where prisoners cut the rock by hand. For the five tours compared, read River Kwai from Bangkok: 5 tours compared.
On your own or guided: our view
- Tight budget, independent traveller: the train, with a return timed on no. 258.
- History: the tour with Hellfire Pass, because context matters.
- Family or little time: the guided tour, with no return worries.
- More time: sleep on site and add Erawan, see Erawan National Park from Bangkok.
Good to know
The site is a place of remembrance: dress soberly, see the temple dress code for the general rules. Avoid the hot months, see the best time to visit Bangkok.
FAQ
How much is the Death Railway train? 100 THB for foreigners, on any journey on the line (October 2026).
Can I do Kanchanaburi in a day from Bangkok? Yes, but the last return train leaves around 2:40 pm: a tour is more flexible.
Does the train go to Hellfire Pass? No: Hellfire Pass is reached by car or tour.
Is the line open to Nam Tok? At the end of September 2026 floods had closed Tha Kilen – Nam Tok: check with the SRT.
