International Express

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The International Express (Thai: รถด่วนพิเศษระหว่างประเทศ) is a special express train between Bangkok, Thailand and Butterworth, Malaysia. It is the only international train service operated by the State Railway of Thailand.

This train consists of Passenger cars include 1st- and 2nd-class sleepers, 2nd-class seating coaches, and a dining car. Powerful locomotives such as HID (Hitachi - 2500 HP) and GEA (General Electric - 2500 HP) are used to drive this express.

[edit] Brief history

The original name for this express is "Southern Express". It was introdueced in Jan 2, 1922 with sleeper cars and 2 E-class locos double headed and run as a weekly basis (increased to twice a week later) started from Bangkok Noy terminus (now Thonburi station).

Termminus has changed from Bangkok Noy to Bangkok after the openign of Rama 6 bridge on January 1, 1927.

Hanomag Pacific locos had replaced E-class locos in 1929. The Diesel locomotives had replaced Hanomag locomotives on December 5, 1932.

International Express service was reduced back to weekly service from 1940 to 1945.

The international service was temporarily suspended from 1945 to 1954 due to war damage on Southern line by bombs from Allied Forces durign WWII. The destruction of rama 6 Bridge had compelled Thai State Railways [TSR] (replaced Royal State Railways [RSR] from August 16, 1939 to 1945) to use Thonburi (Bangkok Noy) as the terminal for both International Express and Hat Yai express.

Hatyai express (Bangkok - Hat Yai) was the substituted during the reduction of International service as well as durign the suspension of International services even thoug it was introduced in 1937 to meet incleasing demands from those who live in Songkla and deep Southern provinces.

The international services was resume to the old schedule on January 2, 1954 after concluding the cross border treaty between SRT and FMSR.

Currently, the southbound train departs Bangkok at 14:45 daily and arrives in Butterworth at 11:55 on the next day. The northbound train departs Butterworth at 13:10 daily and arrives in Bangkok at 09.30 on the next day. The train passes 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, and the commercial city of Hat Yai (or Haadyai). The train crosses the Thai-Malaysian border at Padang Besar before reaching the destination at the port city of Butterworth, which is opposite to Penang Island, a resort island on the northern west coast of peninsula Malaysia.

[edit] Time Table

Train Number 35 Bangkok - Padang Besar - Butterworth (there are the departure times unless specified)

Bangkok (กรุงเทพ) - 14:45 (2:45 pm.)
Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 15:01 (3:01 pm.)
Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 15:09 (3:09 pm.)
Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 15:26 (3:26 pm.)
Salaya (ศาลายา) - 15:42 (3:42 pm.)
Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 16:05 (4.05 pm.)
Rajburi (ราชบุรี) - 16:44 (4.44 pm.)
Hua Hin (หัวหิน) - 18:14 (6.14 pm.) - 3 Minute stop change crews here
Bang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 20:18 (8.18 pm.)
Chumpon (ชุมพร) - 21:58 (9.58 pm.) - 10 Minute stop for refueling., change crews here
Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 00:51 (12.51 am. - Next day) - 5 Minute stop, change crews here
Thung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 02:52 (2.52 am. - Next day)- 15 Minute stop for refueling., change crews here
Phatthalung (พัทลุง) - 04:44 (4.44 am. - Next day)- 3 Minute stop, change crews here
Hatyai (หาดใหญ่) - 06:57 (06.57 am. - Next day) - 40 minute stop for cutting down all the train that ended at Hat Yai and refueling.
Klong Ngae (คลองแงะ) - 07:24 (07.24 am. - Next day)
Padang Besar (ปาดังเบซาร์) - 07:55 (07.55 am. - Next day - Thai Time - arrival time) -Immigration checkpoint and changing locomitive to KTMB locomotives.
Butterworth (บัตเตอร์เวิร์ธ) - 11:55 (11.55 am. - Next day - Malaysia time - arrival time)

Train Number Number 36 Butterworth - Padang besar - Bangkok (there are the departure times unless specified)

Butterworth (บัตเตอร์เวิร์ธ) - 13:10 (01.10 pm. - Malaysia time)
Padang Besar (ปาดังเบซาร์) - 16:30 (04.30 pm. - Thai Time) -Immigration checkpoint and changing locomitive to SRT locomotives.
Klong Ngae (คลองแงะ) - 16:55 (04.55 pm.)
Hatyai (หาดใหญ่) - 17:34 (05.34 pm.) - 15 minute stop for attaching the train from Hat Yai and refueling.
Phatthalung (พัทลุง) - 18:52 (06.52 pm.)- 3 Minute stop, change crews here
Thung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 20:27 (8.27 pm.)- 15 Minute stop for refueling., change crews here
Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 22:04 (10.04 pm.) - 3 Minute stop, change crews here
Chumpon (ชุมพร) - 00:36 (12:36 am. - Next day) - 20 Minute stop for refueling., change crews here
Bang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 02:16 (2:16 am. - Next day)
Hua Hin (หัวหิน) - 04:44 (4:44 am. - Next day) - 3 Minute stop change crews here
Rajburi (ราชบุรี) - 05:37 (5:37 am. - Next day)
Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 06:33 (6:33 am. - Next day)
Salaya (ศาลายา) - 08:08 (8:08 am. - Next day)
Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 08:36 (8:36 am. - Next day)
Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 08:52 (8:52 am. - Next day)
Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 09:05 (9:05 am. - Next day)
Bangkok (กรุงเทพ) - 09:30 (9:30 am. - Next day)