The River Kwai Bridge is one of Thailand's most famous bridges, and I finally had the opportunity to visit this fantastic piece of history in June 2012 with the assistance of Tourism Thailand.
The bridge, which was made popular by the 1957 historical movie Bridge on the River Kwai, actually crosses the Khwae Yai River, also known as the Mae Khlong.
As this is one of the most popular attractions, thousands of tourists flock to see this historical and famous bridge daily. Not only foreigners are seen here, but many local Thai tourists also flock here to see the River Kwai Bridge.
River Kwai Bridge
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| Another view of the River Kwai Bridge. |
This attraction is also a very important tourist site in Kanchanaburi. A museum, cafes, and many tourist shops surround the main bridge area.
Tourists can walk across the bridge at any time, but they must remember that passenger trains pass through only a few times a day.
You can stand at the side of the bridge when the train passes, and it moves at a plodding speed, sounding the horn all the way. If you have children with you, please be very careful here.
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| End of the River Kwai Bridge. |
Originally, there were two bridges here, both built by prisoners of war during World War II. The first bridge, completed in February 1943, was a wooden one, and a few months later, it was converted into a steel bridge, which you see now.
The bridge's metal was also imported from Java (Indonesia) by the Japanese during the Second World War. The straight side spans were brought in from Japan after the war, which damaged some of the curved spans; therefore, you see a mix of straight and curved now.
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| River Kwai train leaving the station. |
How to get to River Kwai from Bangkok?
To get to the River Kwai Bridge, you need to book a tour of Bangkok, or you can take the train from Bangkok and alight here at the central station.
Two trains a day leave Bangkok Thonburi station (also known as Bangkok Noi) on the west side of the river in Bangkok for Kanchanaburi and then River Kwai Bridge station. The price is about US$3 per person in the third class.
There is also a special Tourist Rail Car for day-trippers on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. The coaches are just 3rd class non-air conditioned seats and are very basic.
It is recommended to double-check before you book anything, as timing can change over the years, and it is crucial for those planning a day trip.
Below is the train itinerary for River Kwai.
To get to the River Kwai Bridge, you need to book a tour of Bangkok, or you can take the train from Bangkok and alight here at the central station.
Two trains a day leave Bangkok Thonburi station (also known as Bangkok Noi) on the west side of the river in Bangkok for Kanchanaburi and then River Kwai Bridge station. The price is about US$3 per person in the third class.
There is also a special Tourist Rail Car for day-trippers on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. The coaches are just 3rd class non-air conditioned seats and are very basic.
It is recommended to double-check before you book anything, as timing can change over the years, and it is crucial for those planning a day trip.
Below is the train itinerary for River Kwai.
06.30 depart Bangkok Hualamphong station, Saturdays & Sundays only.07:40 arrive Nakon Pathom, 40 minute stop to visit the great Chedi (cone-shaped temple).09.26 arrive Kanchanaburi, very short stop.09.35 arrive River Kwai Bridge station & stop for 25 minutes.10.00 depart River Kwai Bridge station, cross the Bridge & head along the River Kwae via the impressive Wampo Viaduct.11.30 arrive Nam Tok station.
11:30 arrive Nam Tok Sai Yok Noi. This is the only train to run beyond Nam Tok to the end of the operational line. Time to see the scenic waterfall.14:20 leave Nam Tok Sai Yok Noi.14.25 leave Nam Tok station heading back south.15.53 arrive at Kanchanaburi station and stop for 60 minutes for a visit to the war graves.16.53 leave Kanchanaburi.19.30 arrive back in Bangkok Hualamphong station.
How To Go To River Kwai From Bangkok?
A round-trip fare costs 120 baht, and reservations may be required before departure. However, it is reported that in practice, you can just get on and pay on the train.
You may find plenty of seats between Bangkok and Kanchanaburi and River Kwai Bridge station, but all seats are usually fully booked from River Kwai onward.
For information, see Thailand Railway. This is excellent for those who only have a little time but want to see the River Kwai.
How To Travel from Singapore, Malaysia to River Kwai?
You can get to Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai Bridge without going into Bangkok and out again. Express trains from Penang, Hat Yai, Surat Thani, and Hua Hin all stop at Nakhon Pathom, 64 km southwest of Bangkok.
From there, you change onto the local trains to Kanchanaburi (the junction between the Death Railway and the Bangkok-Singapore mainline is at Nong Pladuk, but express trains do not stop there).
Conclusion
You can get to Kanchanaburi and the River Kwai Bridge without going into Bangkok and out again. Express trains from Penang, Hat Yai, Surat Thani, and Hua Hin all stop at Nakhon Pathom, 64 km southwest of Bangkok.
From there, you change onto the local trains to Kanchanaburi (the junction between the Death Railway and the Bangkok-Singapore mainline is at Nong Pladuk, but express trains do not stop there).
Conclusion
Kanchanaburi is one place worth visiting, as it holds a lot of historical value to this part of Thailand, namely with the railway.
The time spent here can be from an hour to two hours, depending on what you want to explore here besides taking photographs and doing some souvenir shopping.
Kanchanaburi also has a tourist office, and many ecotourism activities are found around the area apart from the River Kwai Bridge, which is still the star attraction here.
The time spent here can be from an hour to two hours, depending on what you want to explore here besides taking photographs and doing some souvenir shopping.
Kanchanaburi also has a tourist office, and many ecotourism activities are found around the area apart from the River Kwai Bridge, which is still the star attraction here.