chloedickensonLast Updated on 21st October 2020
This post on the Death Railway and River Kwai Bridge contains affiliate links.
Renowned for being one of Thailand’s most sombre and devastating historic tales, the Death Railway and the Bridge on the River Kwai is a must-visit place in Kanchanaburi if you’re looking to learn more about the part that Thailand played in World War II.
While I’m not much of a historian, from my brief bit of research into the Death Railway, I know that it was commissioned by the Japanese during WWII in order to transport war supplies to and from Burma into Siam (Thailand’s former name).
It’s estimated that approximately 90,000 Southeast Asian forced labourers and around 12,000 Allied prisoners died while building the railway.
While we were in Kanchanaburi, we took a trip on the train along the tragic Death Railway and paid a visit to the Bridge on the River Kwai.
It can be an upsetting experience to understand what happened, but one that I think is worth doing if you happen to be in Kanchanaburi for a couple of days, or even if you just want to take a day trip from Bangkok.
How to get to Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi is located around 3 hours west of Bangkok and is a relatively small town that’s home to an abundance of World War II related history.
It’s easily accessible by minivan from Bangkok, or via an overnight bus from Chiang Mai (which is what we did). It’s also a popular place to just take a day trip to and from Bangkok, if you don’t want to actually stay there.
The town is pretty quiet, and although you will find a fair few backpackers, and even a few expats living there, it’s not a particularly thriving town.
Below, you can find some of the best day trips from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi. The Death Railway train actually departs from Bangkok, so you can ride it all the way from the capital city, to Nam Tok where the tourist route ends.
What you need to know about the Death Railway train & River Kwai Bridge
The train departs from Kanchanaburi at 6:07am (arrives at Nam Tok at 8:20am), 10:35am (arrives 12:30pm) and 16:26pm (arrives 18:30pm). Be wary that if you get the 16:26pm train to Nam Tok, you won’t be able to come back on the train as there isn’t one back from Nam Tok at a later time.
The train departs from Nam Tok back towards Kanchanaburi and Bangkok at 5:20am, 12:55pm and 15:30pm.
We got the 10:35am train from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok, which meant we arrived just after lunchtime so we had around three hours to enjoy Nam Tok and the surrounding area.
The train costs just 100 baht each (£2.50), each way so for just a couple of pounds, you get to experience this incredibly historic journey and travel on one of the most infamous railways in the world.
You don’t have to purchase the train tickets in advance; simply just wait for the train to stop just before the Bridge on the River Kwai, hop on and then buy your tickets on board.
There are numerous carriages and even though it was pretty busy when we were on the train, no one struggled to get a seat.
It does get incredibly warm on the train and even though the windows are constantly open and there’s a slight breeze, you should still prepare to feel the heat!
The journey itself is absolutely beautiful; you’ll cruise passed the river at intermittent parts of the journey and you’ll also see vast mountains in the distance.
There’s no direct way to learn about the history of the Death Railway when you’re on the train, so it might be a good idea to read up on more of the history before you travel if you’re interested in knowing more about the journey.
Sai Yok Noi Waterfall
Once you arrive at Nam Tok station, you’ll be inundated with tuk tuk drivers offering to take you here, there and everywhere, but there’s no real need to use them unless you’re travelling to another town or your hotel, as you can easily walk to the lovely Sai Yok Noi Waterfall.
Sai Yok Noi is just a 10-minute walk from Nam Tok station so if you get the train that arrives into the station at 12:30pm, you’ll have a good three hours to make your way to the waterfall and explore it for a few hours before getting the last train back to Kanchanaburi.
This is exactly what we did and we had a wonderful time sitting in front of the waterfall and watching the world go by. They’re not exactly the most riveting falls in the world, but you can dip your feet in the cold water for a refreshing dip; an absolute haven on a boiling hot day in Thailand!
On the way back to Nam Tok train station, we discovered an abandoned part of the railway that we decided to go full on ‘Stand By Me’ mode on and walk back to the station along it!
I will say now, that even though it looks peaceful and a fairly easy walk, some parts of the track have huge gaps in, especially when walking over a bit of the track that doesn’t have anything underneath so make sure you take extra special care when walking.
This bridge part really made me very nervous and I had to grip Matt’s hand for dear life as I was so scared of falling so just bear that in mind if you decide to walk back that way!
The journey back along the Death Railway was actually much quieter as I think a lot of people had got the train to Nam Tok and then perhaps decided to stay a night or two, so they didn’t return back to Kanchanaburi.
If you’re ever in that part of the world, I’d highly recommend taking the train journey along the Death Railway. Seeing the River Kwai Bridge felt very emotional and it really hit home what the prisoners of war and Asian civilians endured to build it during the war.
Related posts:
- The Ultimate 1 Month Backpacking Thailand Itinerary & Guide
- Phuket Island Hopping Day Trip To Phi Phi Islands
- Phuket Day Tour Itinerary – Wat Chalong, Big Buddha, Old Town & More
- Three Days In Bangkok – What To Do, See & Eat
- Blue Daily Elephant Care Sanctuary, Chiang Mai
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Is the history of the Death Railway and River Kwai Bridge something you’d like to see in Kanchanaburi? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram @imjustagirl_16.