The day trip, hour by hour

How does a Maeklong and floating market day trip work?

A van or coach takes you about 1.5 hours out of Bangkok, you see the train at the railway market, then a boat takes you into Damnoen Saduak floating market before the drive back. The order can switch to fit the trains.

Mae Klong is the end of the line, about 65 km of single track from Bangkok's Wongwian Yai station, split in two by the Tha Chin River. The trains are few: arrivals at 08:30, 11:10, 14:30 and 17:40, departures at 06:20, 09:00, 11:30 and 15:30, per the State Railway of Thailand timetable. Each pass through the stalls lasts a few minutes.

That is why the order of the day can change. The listings for the boat tour and the Khao San departure both say the floating market and the railway market may swap places to fit the train. Nobody is cutting corners when that happens. It is the only way to get you there for a train.

What does a typical tour day look like hour by hour?

On the train tour's 06:30 start: about 1 to 1.5 hours by van, about an hour on the train, an hour in the market, 20 minutes to the pier, 45 minutes by longtail, an hour at the floating market and two hours back. You are in Bangkok around mid-afternoon.

This is the running order from the listing for the train market experience, rated 4.9 from 13,016 reviews. The private tour runs almost the same day with your own van and guide.

The train tour also has a 10:00 late-morning departure, which runs the day in a different order. Check the option you pick on the listing.

Do you ride the train or watch it pass?

It depends on the tour. The train tour, the private tour, the Khao San departure and the Mahanakhon day trip put you on the train for the last stretch. The small-group tour, the Amphawa trip, the private car and the Grand Palace day have you watch it from the track side.

Both are good, and they feel different. On board, you see the awnings fold away from the window, a few hand-widths from the glass. From the ground, you hear the bell, watch the vendors pull back the stalls and see the train fill the lane, which is the shot most people want on their phone.

• Ride in: the train market experience, the private tour, the Khao San departure and the Mahanakhon day trip (from Ban Ka Long station).
• Ride in, but not at 07:00: the boat tour includes the train ride on later departures only. Its listing says the 07:00 start has no train ride.
• Watch it pass: the small-group tour, the Amphawa day trip and the private car. The Grand Palace day says you will hopefully see the train pass, so treat it as likely rather than certain.

A ride-in tour usually gives you both: you arrive on the train, then you can watch the next departure from the stalls if the timing works.

Should you take a morning tour or the afternoon Amphawa tour?

Take a morning tour for Damnoen Saduak, the train ride and an early finish. Take the Amphawa tour if you are free from Friday to Sunday and want a temple, a canal town at dusk and fireflies, with a late return.

The morning tours are shorter and cheaper, from $20. They suit a busy Bangkok week, and early starts on the small-group tour are back by about 13:30, per its listing.

The Amphawa day trip is a different day. On its itinerary: 1.5 hours by van, 1.5 hours at the railway market, an hour at Wat Bang Kung, two hours in Amphawa, 1.5 hours on the firefly boat and 80 minutes back, 8.5 to 11.5 hours in all, from $44. You watch the train rather than ride it, and the trains due in the afternoon are the 15:30 departure and the 14:30 and 17:40 arrivals. Cover your shoulders and knees for the temple.

Our view: if your days are flexible, the Amphawa trip is the more relaxed of the two. If not, the morning version does the job well. For the floating markets side by side, see Damnoen Saduak vs Amphawa.

Friday to Sunday: the railway market, the banyan temple at Bang Kung, Amphawa and a firefly boat. Hotel pickup or MBK.

★ 4.3 · 8.5 to 11.5 hours · from $44

Explore the Amphawa day trip → Tour details

Which Maeklong tour is right for you?

First-timers: the train market experience. Most-booked and back by lunch: the small-group tour. Lowest price: the boat tour. Your own guide: the private tour. Weekends with fireflies: the Amphawa day trip.

All nine side by side, with where each starts and what you get at the market. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.

• Families or a group of friends: the private tour (from $114) or the private car, a driver for up to three from $83 per group, with private van options up to nine. The car has no guide; its listing says plainly it is not a tour.
• Staying near Khao San Road: the Khao San departure meets a short walk away.
• Want a view of Bangkok after: the Mahanakhon day trip drops you at King Power Mahanakhon, with the Skywalk ticket as an add-on.
• One day for everything: the Grand Palace day adds Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, entry included, in 10 hours.

Where do the Maeklong tours meet in Bangkok?

Each tour has its own meeting point, and most leave on the minute. Check the option you booked, arrive 10 to 15 minutes early, and allow extra time for morning traffic.

• Train market experience: Samyan Mitrtown, outside KFC on the sidewalk by the main road. The listing asks you not to go inside the mall, and to wait at least 15 minutes before departure. The guide wears black.
• Small-group tour: the main entrance of River City shopping mall, or hotel pickup on some options. Drop-off at King Power Mahanakorn is possible.
• Boat tour: the meeting point depends on the option. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals cannot join and are not refunded.
• Khao San departure: outside Swensen's, 2 Thanon Tanao, by Khao San Road.
• Mahanakhon day trip: Robinson Department Store Sukhumvit, near BTS Asok, by 09:00. No hotel pickup.
• Amphawa day trip: the MBK Shopping Center G floor entrance, next to The Beef Master, or hotel pickup. The team emails the evening before, and the guide holds a TripGuru sign.
• Private tour, private car, Grand Palace day: pickup from your Bangkok hotel or district.

Bangkok mornings are slow. Two listings warn about rush-hour traffic, and they mean it: a taxi at 06:00 is quick, the same ride at 08:00 is not.

What is not included in a Maeklong tour?

Food and drinks, on every tour we cover. Tips and personal spending too, and on the audio-guide tours, your own phone, data and headphones. The Mahanakhon trip has no hotel pickup, and the private car has no guide.

From the listings, tour by tour:

• Meals: not included on any of the nine. The Grand Palace day stops at a local restaurant for lunch at your own cost.
• Audio guide gear: the train tour's audio guide in 28 languages runs on your own phone, internet data and headphones. The boat tour and the Khao San departure ask you to bring earphones for theirs, in 41 languages.
• Guide: the private car comes with an English-speaking driver, not a guide. Fuel and tolls are included.
• Extras: the Mahanakhon Skywalk ticket is an optional add-on. Shopping, snacks and tips are on you.

Bring cash. The operator of the private tour notes that most vendors add 5% for card payments. More on that in our Maeklong market tips.

Can you do the day trip without a tour?

Yes, by train from Wongwian Yai via Mahachai and a river ferry, or by van. It takes planning: to meet the 11:10 arrival at Mae Klong you need the 07:40 train out of Wongwian Yai.

The rail route is two trains and a ferry across the Tha Chin River, and it is a fine adventure if you like slow travel. Adding a floating market on your own takes a car or a lot of patience. Our getting there guide has every step, with the State Railway timetable.

For a middle way, the private car picks you up at your hotel, lets you choose your train and gives you about two hours at the market.

Frequently asked questions