Is it possible to get between the major mainland cities of the SEA solely (or at least mostly) by rail in {CURRENT_YEAR}?What are the facilities like for long-distance travel via train?Do you have any stories, good or bad, of interrailing or train-hopping in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos (do they even have trains lol), Malaysia, or Singapore?
>>2660402I don’t think train-hopping is a thing, certainly not internationally, assuming you mean riding freight trains across borders. There’s quite a lot of concern about illegal labor migration into Thailand, so I assume they sniff around a fair amount.That said, I have taken a lot of Thai trains (I like them), and have traveled by train between Thailand and Malaysia. It’s possible to go by rail all the way down to Singapore from Thailand but I haven’t done it myself. I have also gone by rail between Thailand and Laos—the Chinese built a rail line in the LPDR making it possible to go straight and fairly quickly almost straight to Vientiane (and from there up to the Chinese border in Yunnan). But I prefer just to get the train up to Nong Khai on the Thai side of the Mekong, because I like the town and area, and to cross into Laos by taxi/bus over the bridge. The new Lao facilities are predictably shiny and nice.There are no uninterrupted passenger rail links between Thailand and Myanmar, but Burma is in the middle of a clusterfuck of a civil war at the moment anyway; there used to be OK domestic passenger rail in Myanmar but I don’t know its current status. Similar situation with Cambodia; there’s no border-crossing rail line into Thailand, but it’s possible to get by rail to Aranyaprathet on the TH-CB Thai border, and after taking something else across, to get a train to Phnom Penh from Poipet.Domestic rail in Vietnam used to be quite good (haven’t been in quite a while) but as far as I know they also don’t have complete international connections into either Laos or Cambodia, just border stations you have to get between overland.
I've done it in VN, TH, Malaysia, Indo. I don't really see the point. It wastes full days. Is uncomfortable. (too cold or too hot). Moderately scenic (jungle and rice paddies look the same after a few trips). I guess do it once or twice to satisfy your curiosity...One exception is the KL--Penang route. Ends up being faster than the plane since the airport is an hour outside KL. It's currently the nicest train in SEA. Nice ferry froom Butterworth.The new Jakarta -- Bandung train was nice but not convenient as it does not stop in the center of either city.
>>2660500>It’s possible to go by rail all the way down to Singaporenot quite, they went full retard and ended it at the border town in Malaysia
>>2660402Vietnam is piss easy, there's a line all the way down from Hanoi along the coast, which will cover a lot of popular spots. It's not cheap though compared to taking the bus and Viets have zero manners, prepare for quite the experience if you go with a sleeping car.Thai trains are somewhat based if you value value, their third class is so stupidly cheap it might as well be free. If the train isn't packed, it's not even particularly uncomfortable with all the windows open and the air blowing in. The trains are always late though and second/first class gets booked out quickly on long routes - and since the surcharge is a set fee irrespective of distance, there's no point picking it on short runs.Cambodian trains are more or less non-existent save for a single Snookie -> PP -> Batambang line. Batambang -> Poipet exists only on the map and there's no actual service, unless things have changed (I strongly doubt it).Malaysia I somehow haven't used the train at all, my route managed to avoid any chance of boarding one.Laos supposedly has a well-functioning brand new high speed train from Vientian to China, courtesy of the latter. Never been there though so no personal experience with it.
>>2660682>since the surcharge is a set fee irrespective of distance, there's no point picking it on short runs.There are in my opinion a couple of exceptions to this—trains between Bangkok center and the airports are worth it; they’re sometimes faster and definitely cheaper than a taxi. It’s also worth it to use the train between Bangkok and either Lopburi or Ayutthaya; buses are a bit faster but the trains are cheaper and more comfortable.
>>2660402I'm still waiting for the Vietnam-China rail service to resume. It's been like four fucking years now since they paused it.
>>2660402Crossing from Laos to China is doable according to my friend in Xishuangbanna (Yunnan). For him, he can take the Yuxi to Mohen train directly to the border and cross the border to Boten (Laos) and board another high-speed to Vientiane. I've never done it and I imagine you're still subject to the fuckery that is Chinese border and customs control but it might be an interesting way of seeing rural China if you're ever that side of Laos.From Laos, you can only get to BKK directly by train. The train network in Thailand is thorough enough if you really want to go from BKK to Chiang Mai but realistically the only "desirable" places within a reasonable distance by train are Pattaya and the airport.For Malaysia and Singapore, you can go directly from Thailand over the border but idk why you'd want to. As another anon said, the landscape isn't very varied. It might be convenient for getting between Singapore and KL (if that's one of your destinations) and maybe Penang/Georgetown, though you'll still need to take the ferry or a bus/cab over the strait as there's no direct train connection.Vietnam is completely disconnected from all of this shit. There's no connection between HCM and Phnom Penh like you might expect for two major cities so close together. The flight takes less than an hour anyway so it would be an easy choice even if there were a train. I didn't realise that the crossing in northern Vietnam with China hadn't reopened yet but in better times you could cross over unimpeded into the vast Chinese rail network. They have proper high-speed trains on the major intercity routes up there and getting around is actually kinda chill.Don't even bother with Burma until they stop killing jungle Muslims. The whole place is a tinderbox.
>>2660998the only issue with the chinese laos train border crossing is buying tickets. if you do it in advance you are ok.
>>2660402>SEA Interrailing>SEA terrailing >SEA railingWe are so back, boys!>>2660663That's gotta be spite
>>2660525>Is uncomfortableYou clearly didn't buy the Hat Yai<->Bangkok Private cabin for a few hundred baht more over 2nd class. Shower and everything, It's great.> Ends up being faster than the plane since the airport is an hour outside KLIt's boring as fuck and constant monotonous palm plantations out the windows. Plus Malaysians are terrible to be surrounded by for 5 hours at a time. They seem to have an inate need to be as annoying to be as unpleasant as possible to everyone around them the moment they sit down for longer than 10 mins.The time from arriving in Butterworth to Georgetown is an hour anyway so you just swapping that out on the other end. That's if your train even goes when the ferry is running, which one quarter of them aren't.
>>2660998>It might be convenient for getting between Singapore and KLNigga that's the most inconvenient train trip in SEA. It's not even the one train, you need to stop off in the middle of nowhere for 0 mins and wait for another, they've been working on full electrification to at least use the same train but it won't be up and running for years still. Basically the entire of Vietnam is more convenient by train than KL<->SG, everyone with half a clue takes the bus for half the price and a few hours quicker. Plus they run a dozen times a day by multiple operators compared to one a day for the train. You don't have a fucking clue what you talking about mate.
>>2663506>for 0 mins*90 mins
