A day trip to Maeklong Railway & Amphawa Floating Market from Bangkok can be quite an adventure if you plan it right! With several things to consider such as the train schedules for Maeklong or opening times of Amphawa, it can be quite a challenge to plan everything out so I created this guide to make sure you will have all you need to plan for an awesome trip!
If you’re looking for a in-depth travel guide for Bangkok, you can check out my post here.
Where is Maeklong Railway Market?
Maeklong Railway Market, also known as Talad Rom Hub in Thai, is located in the Samut Songkhram, about 80 kilometers southwest of Bangkok. If you’re going to the Maeklong Railway then it would most likely be a day trip, I also recommend going to the nearby Amphawa Floating Market to make the most out of your day.
Why Visit Maeklong Railway Market?
What makes the Maeklong Railway Market unique is that it’s directly on the railway tracks! Maeklong Railway or the “Umbrella Market” is known as one of the most dangerous markets in the world since a train runs right in the middle of it. The markets were built on and around the train tracks and the vendors would supposedly scramble to remove to quickly pack up their goods and retract their umbrellas to make way for the train to pass through!
Once the train has passed, the vendors quickly set up their stalls again and continue on like nothing happened.
Maeklong Railway Market Opening Hours (2023)
The Maeklong Railway Market is open 7 days a week from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM but the trains only pass through a handful of times per day so consult the timetable below to make sure you can catch it.
Maeklong Railway Market Train Schedule (2023)
You can use the timetable below to make sure you don’t miss the train if you’re visiting Maeklong Railway:
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Train Arrival Time at Maeklong Station
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Train Departure Time from Maeklong Station
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|---|---|
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8:30
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6:20
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11:10
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9:00
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14:30
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11:30
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17:40
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15:30
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How to Go to Maeklong Railway from Bangkok
There are around 4 ways to go from Bangkok to Maeklong Railway, here’s how:
By Minivan
- Take the BTS (Skytrain) Silom Line and get off at Bang Wa BTS Station.
- Exit through the first exit and take a taxi to Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai).
- From there, you can ride a minivan to Maeklong Railway Market which departs every 40 minutes.
Cost: 70 THB (2 USD)
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
By Train
- Take the BTS Silom Line to Wongwian Yai BTS Station.
- Exit the station through exit 1, and walk to Wongwian Yai Train Station.
- From there, board a train to Maha Chai Train Station.
- Upon arrival, walk to Maha Chai Pier and take a ferry boat to Chalom Pier.
- After arriving at Chalom Pier, walk to Ban Laem Train Station and board a train to Maeklong Train Station.
This is the most time consuming but cheapest route, and yes you have to transfer and take a boat as well but it’s an interesting way to reach Maeklong as you can have the Maeklong Railway experience from both perspectives: on the train and by the tracks.
Cost: 20 THB (0.50 USD)
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes
By Taxi
We found out that you can also use the Grab app to hail a taxi going to Maeklong Railway. Albeit a bit pricier than most but saves you a lot of hassle from transfers or from going on a set tour.
Alternatively, you can also book transportation via 12Go to reach Maeklong Railway from Bangkok.
Cost: 250 – 350 THB (7 USD – 10 USD)
Duration: 1 hour
By Tour
Another convenient way to reach Maeklong Railway is to join a tour that usually includes a visit to the nearby Amphawa Floating Market and a Firefly River Cruise tour at night. The difference here is that you have transportation going to Maeklong and back to Bangkok.
You can join a Maeklong Railway & Amphawa Floating Market tour here.
How to Go Back to Bangkok from Maeklong Railway
By Minivan
The easiest and most convenient way to go back to Bangkok from Maeklong railway is by minivan. I can’t recommend going through the train route again unless you really want save some money. You can find the mini-van terminal near the market or just ask around and people should be able to point you to the right direction. We were dropped in Mo Chi Vit station where there was a nearby nightmarket.
Cost: 100 THB (3 USD)
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes – 2 hours, the traffic on the way back to Bangkok can be pretty nasty.
Where to Stay in Bangkok
Bangkok had some of the finest establishments at super affordable prices. We were living like kings and staying in 5-star hotels which was somehow the same price as our capsule hotel in Singapore! Here are just some recommendations on where to stay in Bangkok:
Best Hotels in Bangkok
- Prince Palace Hotel – this is exactly where we stayed in Bangkok and I gotta say, a 5-star hotel for 20 USD ain’t bad at all. There’s also a pool with a skyview that’s perfect for night time dip after a day of exploration. Rooms are a bit old but classic is a better word for it and the bathrooms come with a bath tub too. We had a fridge as well as TV that we never got to use.
- Shangri-La Bangkok – offers a 10,000-square-meter Fitness Center. The hotel has 9 dining options, including an award-winning restaurant, and you can also participate in daily aerobics and dance classes or play tennis. The hotel also features a spa pool, sauna, steam room, shopping arcade, and business center. The rooms are decorated with Thai silk and wood furnishings and offer flat-screen satellite TVs, safety deposit boxes, and mini-bars.
- The Phoenix Hotel Bangkok – if you’re looking for a hotel near to the airport, The Phoenix Hotel is a good choice. This was another hotel I stayed in before heading off to Sri Lanka. The interior is modern and chic with free breakfast and also a very nice pool.
Best Hostels in Bangkok
- Diff Hostel – a modern and comfortable hostel which offers a cozy atmosphere. The hostel provides clean and comfortable shared rooms with high-quality blankets, anti-dust mite mattresses, individual privacy curtains, luggage storage, personal lockers, individual reading lights, USB ports, and universal sockets. Additionally, the hostel also offers private rooms with King beds and private bathrooms, as well as flat-screen TVs.
- Good Day Hostel – awarded the Certificate of Excellence 2016 by Tripadvisor and offers you a “home away from home” experience. Good Day Hostel has a range of room options available, including twin bed, 8-bed, 6-bed, 4-bed mixed and female dormitories, and private rooms upon request. The hostel offers numerous features, including individual reading LED lights, personal electronic sockets, super clean and comfortable anti-dust mite mattresses with freshly cleaned linen, towels, personal lockers, and more.
- Kloem Hostel – a renovated Thai government house built in 1957 that perfectly combines traditional Thai house architecture made of hardwood with modernist design. The hostel is located along the trail of the original Thai train heading to the eastern edge of Thailand, offering breathtaking scenery.
Where is Amphawa Floating Market?
Amphawa Floating Market is located in the Amphawa District of the Samut Songkhram, which is about 90 kilometers southwest of Bangkok. The market is situated along the Amphawa Canal, which is a tributary of the Maeklong River.
Why Visit Amphawa Floating Market?
Amphawa Floating Market offers a much more authentic experience compared to the floating markets near Bangkok. It’s the go-to market for the locals and it offers you a glimpse into the local culture and way of life. The market offers delicious food and hand-made handicrafts amongst other things.
It’s also a great trip to include if you’re already visiting Maeklong Railway as they’re quite near each other.
The boat tours around Amphawa also brings you to various islands and temples scattered around the Maeklong, and one of the most interesting places we visited was the temple built inside a tree!
In addition, you can also join some firefly tours around the market come sundown, so as you can see there’s plenty of reasons to visit Amphawa Floating Market.
What is a Floating Market?
A floating market is a traditional market where vendors sell their goods from small boats usually on waterways. The vendors typically sell fresh produce, seafood, prepared food, and handicrafts, amongst other things.
Floating markets are common in Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, where waterways are an important transportation route and play a significant role in local commerce.
In a floating market, vendors paddle their boats along the waterways and call out to potential customers to come and buy their wares. You can either buy directly from the vendors’ boats or from shops located on the banks of the waterways.
Amphawa Floating Market Opening Hours (2023)
The market is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday so it’s best to plan your trip to Maeklong and Amphawa during those days. During weekdays the stalls are closed and the canals will be lifeless.
Though the market is open from morning it’s usually slow especially around noon when the sun is at its peak. I recommend being there around 2:00 PM as that’s when the market comes to life. The market remains busy from 2:00 PM until late at night but the last bus departing from the market usually leaves between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM, so be sure to check the schedule so you don’t have to take a taxi back.
Joining a firefly tour on your own might be a bit difficult too as it starts after sundown so I recommend joining a tour instead to be able to have a ride back.
How to Go to Amphawa Floating Market from Bangkok
By Minivan
- You can take the BTS Silom Line to Bang Wa BTS Station, and exit through the first exit. Next, take a taxi to Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai)
- From there, board a minivan to Amphawa Floating Market. Note that the minivan departs every 60 minutes from the bus terminal.
Cost: 70 THB (2 USD)
Duration: 90 minutes
By Taxi
Similar to Maeklong Railway, you can actually book a taxi via Grab to go to Amphawa Floating Market, do note that this is just one-way and the taxi driver won’t be waiting for you there.
Cost: 300 – 400 THB (8 USD – 12 USD)
Duration: 1 hour – 1 hour and 30 minutes
By Tour
Going by tour would be the most convenient way, with all the logistics handled for you. All you need to do is show up! The plus side of joining a tour is being able to see the fireflies without worrying about finding a ride back to Bangkok as the last mini-vans depart around 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
You can join a tour going to both Maeklong Railway and Amphawa Floating Market plus a Firefly River Cruise tour here.
How to Go to Amphawa Floating Market from Maeklong Railway
By Songthaew
Getting to Amphawa Floating Market from Maeklong Railway is much simpler. Here’s how:
- Find the 7/11 in Maeklong Railway Market
- Get on the Songthaew, it’s similar to the jeepneys of the Philippines.
- Songthaews won’t depart until it’s full so expect to wait a bit.
- Get off at Amphaw Floating Market, let the driver know that you want to go down though most Songthaews will stop by.
Cost: 30 THB (0.80 USD)
Duration: 15 – 20 minutes, not including the waiting time in the Songthaew.
How to Go back to Bangkok from Amphawa Floating Market
By Minivan
There are buses going back to Bangkok from Amphawa Floating Market but unfortunately we had missed it so we had to take a tuktuk back to the mini-van terminal.
From there we took a minivan going to Bangkok’s Mo Chi Vit Station.
Cost: 100 THB (3 USD)
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes – 2 hours, the traffic on the way back to Bangkok can be pretty nasty.
How Much is the Boat Ride in Amphawa Floating Market?
The cost of a private longtail boat ride is 500 THB (15 USD). If you want to save money, you can share the boat with other people and pay around 50 THB (1.50 USD) which is what we did.
This is different from going with an actual tour where the boat ride is already included. During the boat tour, you’ll have around more than an hour or so going around different temples and islands around the Maeklong river.
See our experience with Amphawa Floating Market below which is an excerpt from my travel journal post.
Amphawa Floating Market Boat Tour Review
From Maeklong, our songthaew went on for a while but I honestly didn’t know when to get off, I kept my eye on the maps and when we did pass the supposed market, I prompted the driver to stop but the old lady, who was one of the first passengers waiting with us, mentioned in Thai that this wasn’t the floating markets yet.
I guess being foreigners gave it away that we were heading there.
Amphawa was much more lively than Maeklong, maybe too much as the crowds were pretty overwhelming and I had no idea where to start or where to go.
I knew that we definitely were going to ride the boat to cruise around so when I saw a lone boat on the other side of the river, I took the chance to ask about the rates. The guy gave us an exorbitant rate of around 500 THB (15 USD) which I was quite tempted to take but my friend Jasper (who went with me from the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, and now Thailand) convinced me otherwise and we went back to the other side to a boat that had much more tourists going in.
The price was literally 10 times cheaper than what we were quoted around 50 THB (1.50 USD) so I was glad we went with this local tour. Our boat tour was conducted purely in Thai so we didn’t understand much of what the tour guide was saying, most of the people on our boat were also locals.
The boat tour was actually more than what we bargained for in terms of the length. It took us to so many places around the river but they were a bit underwhelming especially after the grand temples we had seen around Bangkok.
Some temples had really cool features like a golden crocodile as a temple guardian, the others were nothing to write home about but on the otherhand, seeing Thai culture up close, the really laid-back way of life of the Thai people and how the local communities would spend their time visiting temples with families was one of the things that I was quite grateful to be able to witness.
On one of the stops, I was able to try some local leaf-wrapped banana that filled me up pretty well.
The only spot that I was interested in was Wat Bang Kung, a temple built inside a tree. Whether we were going there or not remained a mystery for me as our guides couldn’t even speak English but it turned out to be the final stop of the day. It was really unique and interesting that’s for sure, the interior was quite dazzling as well.
After a long day, it was time to find a way back to Bangkok. We had to find a way to the mini-van terminals but were left with not much choice between a motorcycle taxi driver and a tuktuk. A tour guide that was helping another group helped us out but his directions didn’t prove to be of much help.
The motorcycle was much more expensive than the tuktuk so in the end we came crawling back to him after turning him down once. He took us to the terminal where we paid a 100 THB (3 USD) for a ride to Bangkok. After a couple of hours, we were dropped in Mo Chi Vit where we first encountered the effects of cannabis decriminalization in Thailand.
Plan Your Trip to Bangkok | Best Travel Resources
Book Your Accommodations
- Booking.com – the world’s leading online booking platform for accomodations around the world, they have an extensive amount of available listings with zero booking fees and best price guarantees.
- Hostelworld – a backpacker’s best friend, Hostelworld has the largest collection of hostels and guesthouses for affordable prices.
Don’t Forget Insurance
- SafetyWing – from Nomad Insurance, an insurance by nomads for nomads. They understand our lifestyle well and have really comprehensive and flexible plans that cater to any traveler.
Find Cheap Flights
- Kiwi.com – my go-to for booking and finding the cheapest flights and it’s helped me save tons of money. They do virtual interlining which is connecting flights from airlines that do not codeshare, so you can find routes that you wouldn’t be able to find normally.
Join Tours & Activities
- GetYourGuide – is one of the best places to find unique tours and activities. I found that it’s an excellent way to meet fellow travelers and create fond memories. They are not only limited to tours as they also offer niche services such as skip-the-line tickets or private transfers.
Catch a Ride
- Rentalcars.com – nothing beats the freedom of the road, Rentalcars.com is the world’s largest online car rental service. They operate across 160 countries so they’re the perfect partner to work with if you find yourself wanting a ride.
