International Express
Encyclopedia
The International Express is an express train
between Bangkok
, Thailand
and Butterworth, Penang
, Malaysia.
This train's passenger cars include 1st- and 2nd-class air-conditioned sleepers
, and an air-conditioned dining car
. Powerful Diesel Electric locomotives such as HID (Hitachi - 2500 HP) and GEA (General Electric - 2500 HP) are used to drive this express.
The Termminus has changed from Bangkok Noy to Bangkok after the opening of Rama VI bridge on January 1, 1927.
Hanomag Pacific locos replaced E-class locos in 1929, and diesel locomotives had replaced Hanomag locomotives on December 2, 1931.
It was reduced a Wednesday-only service from 1940 to 1945.
The service was temporarily suspended from March 15, 1950 to January 2, 1954 due to war damage on the Southern line by bombs from Allied Forces during WWII as well as the insurgencies in Southern Thailand and Northern Malayu. The destruction of the Rama VI 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 the International Express and the Hat Yai express from January 2, 1944.
Hatyai express (Bangkok - Hat Yai) was the substituted during the reduction of International service as well as during the suspension of International services even though it was introduced on April 3, 1939 (every Friday) to meet increasing demands from those who live in Songkla and deep Southern provinces. Hat Yai Express was extended to Sugei Golok in January 1942. It was back to Hat Yai after 1945.
The international services was resumed on the old schedule on January 2, 1954 after concluding the cross border treaty between SRT and FMSR.
Once there were enough diesel Locomotives, the International Express ran daily. During 1966 - 1978 the service ran three times a week between Bangkok and Prai via Padang Besar (extended to Butterworth in 1967), and four times a week between Bangkok and Tumpat via Sugei Golok. After 1978, International Express ran between Bangkok and Butterworth via Padang Besar only. The substitute the service to Tumpat is the Bangkok - Sugei Golok express (see Thaksin Express
).
Currently, the southbound train departs Bangkok at 14:45 daily and arrives in Butterworth at 11:55 the next day. The northbound train departs Butterworth at 13:10 daily and arrives in Bangkok at 10.50 the next day, changed from 09.30 due to the poor track condition of the section from Thung Song to Hat Yai.
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 Penang Island
, a resort island on the northern west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
Train Number Number 36 Butterworth - Padang besar - Bangkok (there are the departure times unless specified) - changed since 15 May 2007
SRT is starting to rehabilitate the track from Thung Song Junction (km 773 from Hua Lamphong) to Ban Ton Done (km 872 from Hua Lamphong - 10 km South of Phatthalung station) by putting concrete sleepers for 100 Lb/yard steel rails along the line from Khao Chumthong Junction (km 797 from Hua Lamphong) to Phatthalung (km 862 from Hua Lamphong). There is a hope that SRT could restore the old schedule after finishing track rehabilitation of the Southern line to allow faster trains on the Southern lines.
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
between Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Butterworth, Penang
Butterworth, Penang
Butterworth is the principal town of Seberang Perai in the state of Penang in Malaysia. Named after William John Butterworth, Governor of the Straits Settlements , Butterworth was established in the mid-19th century as a landing place across the channel from the capital of Penang, George Town...
, Malaysia.
This train's passenger cars include 1st- and 2nd-class air-conditioned sleepers
Sleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
, and an air-conditioned dining car
Dining car
A dining car or restaurant carriage , also diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant....
. Powerful Diesel Electric locomotives such as HID (Hitachi - 2500 HP) and GEA (General Electric - 2500 HP) are used to drive this express.
Brief history
The original name for this express was "Southern Express". It was introduced on January 2, 1922 with sleeping cars, double-headed by two E-class locos, and ran weekly on every Monday (increased to twice a week - Wednesday and Saturday by 1930) from Bangkok Noy terminus (now Thonburi station).The Termminus has changed from Bangkok Noy to Bangkok after the opening of Rama VI bridge on January 1, 1927.
Hanomag Pacific locos replaced E-class locos in 1929, and diesel locomotives had replaced Hanomag locomotives on December 2, 1931.
It was reduced a Wednesday-only service from 1940 to 1945.
The service was temporarily suspended from March 15, 1950 to January 2, 1954 due to war damage on the Southern line by bombs from Allied Forces during WWII as well as the insurgencies in Southern Thailand and Northern Malayu. The destruction of the Rama VI 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 the International Express and the Hat Yai express from January 2, 1944.
Hatyai express (Bangkok - Hat Yai) was the substituted during the reduction of International service as well as during the suspension of International services even though it was introduced on April 3, 1939 (every Friday) to meet increasing demands from those who live in Songkla and deep Southern provinces. Hat Yai Express was extended to Sugei Golok in January 1942. It was back to Hat Yai after 1945.
The international services was resumed on the old schedule on January 2, 1954 after concluding the cross border treaty between SRT and FMSR.
Once there were enough diesel Locomotives, the International Express ran daily. During 1966 - 1978 the service ran three times a week between Bangkok and Prai via Padang Besar (extended to Butterworth in 1967), and four times a week between Bangkok and Tumpat via Sugei Golok. After 1978, International Express ran between Bangkok and Butterworth via Padang Besar only. The substitute the service to Tumpat is the Bangkok - Sugei Golok express (see Thaksin Express
Thaksin Express
The Thaksin Express is a special express train run by the State Railway of Thailand between Bangkok and Sungai Golok, a border town in Narathiwat province and the end of the southern rail line...
).
Currently, the southbound train departs Bangkok at 14:45 daily and arrives in Butterworth at 11:55 the next day. The northbound train departs Butterworth at 13:10 daily and arrives in Bangkok at 10.50 the next day, changed from 09.30 due to the poor track condition of the section from Thung Song to Hat Yai.
The train passes cities and towns along the east coast of southern Thailand on the upper Malay peninsula
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
. These include the old Buddhist city of Nakhon Pathom
Nakhon Pathom
Nakhon Pathom is a city in central Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Pathom Province. One of the most important landmarks is the giant Phra Pathom Chedi...
, the seaside resort town of Hua Hin
Hua Hin
Hua Hin is a famous beach resort town in Thailand, in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula, some 200 km south of Bangkok. It has a population of 84,883 in an area of 911 km², and is one of eight districts of the Prachuap Khiri Khan province.Hua Hin is closely associated with the...
, the port city of Surat Thani
Surat Thani
Surat Thani is a city in Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani, Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand. It is the capital of the province Surat Thani. The city has a population of 128,179 , and an area of 68.97 square kilometers. The city's population density is 1,858.47 inhabitants per km².Suran Thani is...
and the commercial city of Hat Yai
Hat Yai
Hat Yai is a city in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border. Located at , it has a population of 157,359 in the city itself and about 800,000 in the greater Hat Yai area. Hat Yai is the largest city of Songkhla Province, the largest metropolitan area in Southern, and third largest...
(or Haadyai). The train crosses the Thai-Malaysian border at Padang Besar
Padang Besar
Padang Besar is a border town located in the northern part of Perlis state in Malaysia. It is situated on the border with Songkhla province, Thailand, 35 kilometers northeast of Kangar and about 70 km southwest of Hat Yai...
before reaching the destination at the port city of Butterworth, which is opposite Penang Island
Penang Island
Penang Island is part of the state of Penang, on the west coat of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British East India Company on 12 August 1786, in honour of the birthday of the Prince of Wales, later King George IV...
, a resort island on the northern west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
Timetable
Train Number 35 Bangkok - Padang Besar - Butterworth (departure times unless otherwise specified)- Bangkok (กรุงเทพ) - 14:45
- Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 15:01
- Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 15:09
- Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 15:26
- Salaya (ศาลายา) - 15:42
- Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 16:05
- Rajburi (ราชบุรี) - 16:44
- Hua Hin (หัวหิน) - 18:14 - three-minute stop to change crews
- Bang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 20:18
- Chumpon (ชุมพร) - 21:58 - ten-minute stop for refuelling and changing crews
- Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 00:51 next day - five-minute stop to change crews
- Thung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 02:52 - 15-minute stop for refuelling and changing crews
- Phatthalung (พัทลุง) - 04:44 - three-minute stop to change crews
- Hatyai (หาดใหญ่) - 06:57 - 40-minute stop for uncoupling Hat Yai coaches, and refuelling
- Klong Ngae (คลองแงะ) - 07:24
- Padang Besar (ปาดังเบซาร์) - 07:55 (Arrive - Thailand time) [Departure 08:55 (Malaysia time)] - immigration checkpoint and changing to KTMB locomotives.
- Arau (อารอ) 10:38 Malaysia time
- Alor Setar (อาลอสตาร์) 11:25 Malaysia time
- Sugai Petani (สุไหงปัตตานี) 12:36 Malaysia time
- Bukit Mertajam (บูกิตเมอร์ตายัม) 13:22 Malaysia time
- Butterworth (บัตเตอร์เวิร์ธ) - 13:45 Malaysia time, arrival
Train Number Number 36 Butterworth - Padang besar - Bangkok (there are the departure times unless specified) - changed since 15 May 2007
- Butterworth (บัตเตอร์เวิร์ธ) - 14:20 Malaysia Time
- Bukit Mertajam (บูกิตเมอร์ตายัม) 14:41 Malaysia time
- Sugai Petani (สุไหงปัตตานี) 15:28 Malaysia time
- Alor Setar (อาลอสตาร์) 16:32 Malaysia time
- Arau (อารอ) 17:06 Malaysia time
- Padang Besar (ปาดังเบซาร์) - 17:42 Thailand time [Departure 18:42 (Departure - Malaysia time)] - immigration checkpoint and changing to SRT locomotives
- Klong Ngae (คลองแงะ) - 18:15
- Hatyai (หาดใหญ่) - 18:55 - 15-minute stop for attaching carriages from Hat Yai and refuelling
- Phatthalung (พัทลุง) - 20:12 - three-minute stop to change crews
- Thung Song (ทุ่งสง) - 21:47 - 15-minute stop for refuelling and changing crews
- Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี) - 23:24 - three-minute stop for changing crews
- Chumpon (ชุมพร) - 02:23 next day) - 20-minute stop for refuelling and changing crews
- Bang Saphan Yai (บางสะพานใหญ่)- 04:00
- Hua Hin (หัวหิน) - 06:07 - three-minute stop to change crews
- Rajburi (ราชบุรี) - 07:57
- Nakhon Pathom (นครปฐม) - 08:50
- Salaya (ศาลายา) - 09:28
- Bang Bumru (บางบำหรุ) - 09:55
- Bang Sue (บางซื่อ) - 10:17
- Sam Sen (สามเสน) - 10:28
- Bangkok (กรุงเทพ) - 10:50 arrival
Current status
The number of rakes across the Border for International Express had been reduced from 3-4 second class carriages to 2 second class carriages due to poor demands caused by poor track condiction from Thung Song Junction (km 773 from Hua Lamphong) to Hat Yai (km 941 from Hua Lamphong) which compelled SRT to reschedule International Express No. 36, reaching Bangkok very late instead of in the Morning.SRT is starting to rehabilitate the track from Thung Song Junction (km 773 from Hua Lamphong) to Ban Ton Done (km 872 from Hua Lamphong - 10 km South of Phatthalung station) by putting concrete sleepers for 100 Lb/yard steel rails along the line from Khao Chumthong Junction (km 797 from Hua Lamphong) to Phatthalung (km 862 from Hua Lamphong). There is a hope that SRT could restore the old schedule after finishing track rehabilitation of the Southern line to allow faster trains on the Southern lines.