Early historyMost of the current network was designed and construction begun in the 1890's and the early years of the 20th Century. J Antonio (the 1904 Traveller's Guide to Bangkok and Siam) states that the first railway in Thailand was the Paknam railway. His accompanying map shows this line following the course of the present Rama IV road, from near Bangkok Central Station eastwards towards the mouth of the river. This line, opened in 1893, is no longer in existence, though Thai friends remember using it in the 1950's. Modern maps of greater Bangkok still show a Thanon Tang Rotfai Kao sai Paknam ("Road on the route of the former Paknam railway") from Khlong Toey eastwards towards the rivermouth. Also shown in the map are the Korat line, opened to traffic in 1900, being the first section of what is now the Northeastern line to Ubon Ratchathani, with a branch line to Lopburi, the first section of what became the northern line to Chiangmai. In 1903 a line opened to Petchaburi on the west coast of the gulf of Siam. This eventually became the Southern line to Butterworth, Malaysia. At that time the line commenced at the Thonburi Railway station, now retired. He also mentions the construction of a private line from Thonburi to Ta Chin on the coast. This must be the Mae Khlong-Mahachai railway, now part of the State Railway of Thailand, though not connecting with the main network. A line was under planning to Sri Ratcha on the east coast of the gulf of Siam (present day Eastern Line). State Railway of Thailand (SRT)After 1951 control of the whole system passed to the State Railway of Thailand, by which time most of the present network had been constructed. Consequent modernisation included the replacement of steam locomotives by diesel cars. Some of the old Steam Locomotives and rolling stock are still visible up and down the country, for instance No 274 outside Sila At Station on the Northern Line, or the open passenger carriage below, seen outside Makkasan station in Bangkok.Old Steam Locomotives can also be seen at Hua Lampong, the new Thonburi Railway Station at Bangkok Noi, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, and many other stations up and down the network.Hua LamphongHua Lamphong opened for service on June 25, 1916. The construction started around 1910 to replace the old Bangkok Railway Station. A pillar nearby commemorates the inauguration of railways in 1897.Thonburi Railway StationThe old, elegant Thonburi Railway Station, on the west bank of the river next to the canal Bangkok Noi, was once the start of the Burma Railway. The station was officially decommissioned in October 2003 and the service transferred to the Bangkok Noi station, (now renamed Thonburi Station), about 1km away. Much of the land attached has been handed over to the nearby Sriraj hospital for their expansion plans, and currently the station seems to be used as a school.The old station is almost inaccessible from east Bangkok except by river, and therefore has a Tha Rotfai ("railway pier") on each side of the river. As the new station is even more difficult of access, ferries still cross the river all day between the two piers, with a songtaew (pickup-truck bus) service to the new station.We can provide train tickets in Thailand at most of the big cities including: