This spacious new Thai station is futuristic and utterly generic

The station

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station, Bangkok, Thailand. Formerly known as Bang Sue Grand Station. Station code KTW.

The new terminal.Credit: Alamy

The journey

Bangkok to Hat Yai Junction, southern Thailand. Special Express 31 is a 16-hr 35-min, 940-kilometre journey operated by State Railway of Thailand.

The departure

This very new central station in north Bangkok is easily reached via the MRT Blue Line to Bang Sue suburban station, which is part of the large Krung Thep Aphiwat complex. By taxi, ask for “Sathani Klang Krung Thep Aphiwat.” Arrive at least one hour before your train’s departure time. Your ticket, if booked online, may have to be collected from the adjacent Bang Sue Junction station, which involves at least a five-minute walk.

The impressive station looks like a modern airport terminal minus the shopping mall. At well over half a kilometre long, it lacks moving walkways, but otherwise there is disability access. There is good signage and the announcements are delivered in both Thai and English; there are several help desks. Luggage storage is not offered at present. At the time of travel the terminal had no hotel, lounge, bar or dedicated restaurant, but facilities will evolve.

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminus opened in January.Credit: AP

Safety + security

Thailand is very safe for travellers and the station offers no cause for anxiety. Non-travellers cannot access the platforms, which are located on Level Two. To board, passengers present, airport-like, a printed ticket and their ID. Once en route, the modern Chinese-built Express 31 train doesn’t allow local vendors to board between stations, as is the great Thai tradition. Towards the southern end of the journey, armed guards are sometimes obvious on local platforms due to sporadic separatist activities.

Food + drink

The station’s large food court offers plenty of casual dining options from pad Thai noodles to halal hot dogs, plus coffee, juices and more. Near the waiting area are other snack and drink stalls, plus vending machines for journey fuel. A meal service is offered on the train. No alcohol should be brought on board, but there is no inspection.

Retail therapy

At the time of this journey, there were no retail outlets at the station.

Passing time

Krung Thep Aphiwat has replaced the classic 1916 Hualamphong station as the heart of a national rail web that stretches from the Lao to Malaysia borders. The vast concourse area has ample seating for waiting passengers but, other than reading, snoozing or conversing, there is little else to do. There are ATMs, toilets and some showers. The surrounding Bang Sue suburb is not far from the huge Chatuchak Market, but getting there involves a longer excursion, not a brief time-filler while awaiting departure.

Boarding

Passengers remain at the ground floor concourse Level One seating area until about 20 minutes before being called for departure. Tickets and ID are checked, and you then proceed upstairs to board at a Level Two platform.

The verdict

While “lacking” the historic architecture and vivacity of Bangkok’s famous Hualamphong (which still operates), Krung Thep Aphiwat station is a facility for the future, with 26 platforms and an eventual capacity for over 600,000 passengers daily. Spacious and relaxed, its facilities will evolve, hopefully soon to imprint distinctly Thai characteristics on its generic airport-anywhere style of architecture. See dticket.railway.co.th

Our rating out of five

★★★★

The writer travelled at his own expense.