train journeys

In recent weeks there were plenty of news, articles and blog posts about our rail transport history and the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station. Usually it is when some part of our heritage is going to fade into history that people get interested. Some of these people who thronged the TPRS in the past week have never been there before or have never taken a train before.

When I was a child I had a fascination for ships and trains. They were modes of transport across great oceans and vast continents. To me, they were associated with adventure and faraway land and strange people. Globalization and the convenience of air travel has somewhat diminished such fantasy.

In the past I have travelled quite a number of times on trains. If you are adventurous and have more time to spare, travelling by train is a good way to see life in another country. There is always the excitement and expectation when the train stops at the smaller stations along the way.

My first train trip was from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. I think it took about 6 hours.

My longest train journey was from Singapore to Bangkok.


It started at about 1.30pm at TPRS in Singapore and ended at about 8am, the third day, at Hua Lamphong Central Railway Station in Bangkok (above picture). It included two nights on the train. Actually the whole journey was made up of 4 parts .....

1. Singapore to KL, afternoon train

2. KL to Butterworth, night train

3. Butterworth to Haadyai, morning train. (At that time, the train from Butterworth stopped at Padang Besar and we had to transfer to Thai train to proceed to Haadyai. You also passed through Thai immigrations here and your passport stamped.)

4. Haadyai to Bangkok, afternoon train

Between 1 and 2 and between 3 and 4, there were more than 2 hours to spare. So we had ample time for dinner at KL and lunch at Haadyai. However, between 2 and 3 there were only minutes to spare.

If you spend the night on the train it is better to travel second class. A second class ticket includes a sleeping berth with a mattress, pillow and blanket. You could still catch some sleep even with the rattling and rumbling. If you travel in a third class carriage you will have to sit throughout the night. I doubt you could sleep. And it could be very cold.