Bangkok: People across Thailand have taken to the rails as the Songkran Festival kicks off, with the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) reporting that over 90,000 individuals traveled by train on the festival's first day. Weerit, a key figure in the railway operations, emphasized the importance of safety and efficient facilitation to ensure all passengers reach their destinations without any being left behind.
According to Thai News Agency, SRT Governor Mr. Wirot Amrapal highlighted the Ministry of Transport's directive for the SRT to devise a comprehensive plan to accommodate the surge in travelers during the Songkran Festival 2025. The focus is on ensuring convenience and safety for all passengers. On April 11, 2025, which marked the final working day before the holiday, 90,347 passengers utilized train services. Of these, 87,227 traveled on regular trains while 3,120 benefited from special supplementary trains, with 40,375 inbound and 49,972 outbound passengers.
The Southern Line was the most popular, servicing 31,036 passengers, followed by the Northeast Line with 25,042 passengers, the Northern Line with 17,603 passengers, the Eastern Line with 10,435 passengers, the Mahachai Line with 5,447 passengers, and the Mae Klong Line with 784 passengers. The atmosphere at Bangkok Central Station and Hua Lamphong remained orderly, with no reports of stranded passengers.
At Krungthep Aphiwat Central Station, the morning of April 12, 2025, saw a continuous flow of passengers. Many had pre-booked tickets for both regular and additional special trains. The expectation is that over 117,128 passengers will use the train services, with 35,138 inbound and 81,990 outbound. The SRT has scheduled over 210 regular trains and added six special trains to manage the increased demand.
The special trains include Train 978 from Ubon Ratchathani, Train 956 from Sila At, Train 968 from Udon Thani, Train 984 from Yala, Train 977 from Krungthep Aphiwat to Ubon Ratchathani, and Train 6 from Chiang Mai. In a bid to enhance safety, the SRT has partnered with the Central Investigation Bureau to deploy police officers for safety oversight and collaborated with local authorities to station volunteers at high-risk crossings.
For further assistance, passengers can reach out to the State Railway of Thailand's Customer Service Center at 1690, available 24/7, or visit the SRT PR Team's Facebook page.
