I personally took the train from Ayutthaya to Pak Chong/ Khao Yai and from Khao Yai to Lopburi, so in this article I will share with you how to get to Khao Yai from Ayutthaya and Lopburi. I also suggest ways to reach Khao Yai from other parts of Thailand such as Bangkok and ways to explore Khao Yai National Park.
Khao Yai National Park is a popular tourist destination located just 200km north east of Bangkok. It is a great place for nature lovers to see animals in the wild such as elephants. There are also lots of waterfalls to explore as well as hiking trails and viewpoints.
Pak Chong is the gateway to get to Khao Yai National Park, as it is the closest train station and bus station to the park. If you use public transport such as trains or buses to get to Khao Yai, you need to get to Pak Chong first then use additional services to get to the park.
Lots of hotels and hostels are located in Pak Chong, and these hotels offer tour packages to explore the park. Popular tours such as Bat cave half day tour, and the full day spot wild animals and some trekking to waterfalls inside the national park. Most tours include pick up and drop off at the hotel in Pak Chong.
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How to get to Khao Yai from Ayutthaya
The most common way to get from Ayutthaya to Khao Yai is by taking the train. It is only a 2 hour ride depending on the type of train you’re taking (rapid, express, special express, or ordinary). You can check the schedule on dticket.railway.co.th then book a ticket online or at the train station.
I usually check the schedule online and buy the ticket at the train station before the departure. My express train #71 departed at 11.30am and arrived at Pak Chong around 13.30pm. My hostel is located within a 10 minute walking distance nearby so I walked to my hostel.
If you are staying further away from Pak Chong Train Station, you can get tuk tuk to get to your final destination. Many hotels also offer picking up from the train station, so double check with your hotel.
It is also only a 2 hour drive between Ayutthaya and Pak Chong, so you can consider taking a private taxi, especially if you are with a group or family.
How to get to Khao Yai from Bangkok
There are several ways to get from Bangkok to Khao Yai, including driving a car, taking a taxi, train, or bus. I’ll focus on taking a train and bus to Pak Chong.
The train ride is around 3 hours, departing from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station in Bangkok and stopping at Pak Chong Station in Khao Yai. You can easily book the ticket at the train station or online at dticket website or 12go.asia.
There are also minivans departing hourly from 6am to 6pm at Mo Chit New Van Terminal in Bangkok. You can book it online at 12go.asia. It terminates at Pak Chong Bus Station.
You can also choose to take the bus from Mo Chit Bus Terminal to Paking. There are lots of buses running between Bangkok and Pak Chong from 1am to 9pm. You can have a look at the schedule on 12go.asia buy a ticket online or right at the bus station.
How to get to Khao Yai from Lopburi
I personally travel from Khao Yai to Lopburi by trains, and you can do the same from Lopburi to Khao Yai. If you are not driving or hiring a private taxi, you can take a combination of two trains, or minibus + train.
If you take two trains, you can take the first train from Lopburi train station to Ban Phachi Junction Station (1 hour), then swap to another train to get to Pak Chong train Station (2 hours). I booked all the tickets at the train station. You can book it online at dticket.
Another option is to take a minibus from Lopburi Saraburi then from Saraburi Bus Station, walk to Saraburi Train Station and catch a train to Pak Chong train station. You can ask your hotel in Lopburi hotel to get a bus to Saraburi first then you can easily get the train from there.
How to get around Khao Yai and Pak Chong
If you stay in Pak Chong Downtown near the train station, you can easily get around on foot. The night market is located near the train station so you can walk there from your hotel. You can find several local restaurants located along the main road too.
If you are confident with your driving skill, you can rent a motorbike to explore at your own pace. There are lots of things in the Khao Yai & Pak Chong area apart from the national park.
I came to Khao Yai just to explore the national park and take popular tours such as half day bat cave tour, so I took both half day tour and full day national park tour.
My hostel, More than Sleep Hostel in Pak Chong, booked all the tours for me with Greenleaf Tour. The tour includes free pick up and drop off from your hotel if you take both a half day tour and a full day tour from them. If you take only a half day or full day tour, you’ll need additional transport to get to their office.
I didn’t use other forms of transportations in Khao Yai, so I’m not sure if there are riding services such as Grab, Bolt, or InDrive App. If anyone knows about it please share it for other people in the comments below. If you need a taxi or a transfer simply just ask for your hotel, they will organise it for you.
See more:
- 4 Best Areas to Stay in Khao Yai National Park
- My 2-3 Days In Khao Yai National Park Itinerary
- 14 Awesome Things to Do in Khao Yai National Park
There you have it, how to reach Khao Yai and Pak Chong from nearby popular cities such as Ayutthaya, Lopburi, and Bangkok. The most popular way is probably taking the train to Pak Chong Train Station, but many people also use buses and drive the car. Once you are in Pak Chong, you can get around on foot and use tours to explore Khao Yai National Park, which I think is the best way to explore the area.