I traveled from Khao Yai (Pak Chong) to Lopburi and from Lopburi to Sukhothai, so I will share with you my personal experience of this route. I will also give you suggestions on how to get to Lopburi from other cities such as Bangkok and Ayutthaya, as well as the best way to get around Lopburi.
Lopburi is a small monkey city in Central Thailand located 150 km north of Bangkok. It is also close to other popular tourist destinations such as Sukhothai, Ayuthaya, Khao Yai National Park. The city is known for its numerous ancient ruins and the main temple with lots of monkeys roaming around.
Lopburi has a train station which is conveniently located in the old town. You can easily reach this city by train, buses, and car.
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How to get to Lopburi from Khao Yai National Park & Pak Chong
Pak Chong is the main town to stay in when exploring Khao Yai National Park. It has a train station that connects Pak Chong with other parts of Thailand such as Ayutthaya or Bangkok.
There are several ways to get from Khao Yai/ Pak Chong to Lopburi. You can take a combination of two trains, or a combination of a train and minibus. My hostel also said there might be a bus stop at Pak Chong Night market that takes you to Lopburi but she didn’t know the schedule, so I chose to take two trains.
I took the train from Pak Chong Station to Ban Phachi Junction Station, then took another train to Lopburi. I checked all the schedules online at railway.co.th website then went to the train station to buy the ticket before the departure.
You can double check at dticket.railway.co.th or ttsview.railway.co.th. Sometimes the dticket website does not show the local train schedule, I’m not sure why. But you can see all the trains at ttsview. Or if you stay close to the train station, you can check the schedule at the train station the day before.
My train is ordinary train #234 departs at Pak Chong at 10:09 am and arrives at Ban Phachi Station at 12:18pm (around 2 hour train ride). It is a local train, so you see lots of locals selling food, fruits, vegetables, and bags on the train. It was like a mini market on the train and very interesting to watch.
I bought the ticket on another local train from Ban Phachi Station to LopBuri. It will depart at 1:15pm, so I have sometime to explore the market outside of the train station. This is a very local area, I don’t see any tourists at all. The train is around 1 hour. And I reach Lopburi train station at 2:30pm.
Another option to get from Pak Chong/ Khao Yai to Lopburi is to take the train from Pak Chong to Saraburi Train Station then walk around 10-15 minutes to Saraburi Bus Station and buy a minibus ticket to get to Lopburi.
I found taking two trains was easier for me than train+bus at the time because I didn’t have to navigate to the bus station with my suitcase under the heat.
How to get to Lopburi from Sukhothai
Sukhothai doesn’t have its own train station. The closest train station is Phitsanulok Station, located 70 km away from Sukhothai Old Town.
You can get from Sukhothai to Lopburi by taking a minibus/ private transfer to Phitsanulok then taking a train to Lopburi. Depending on the train you take (local, express, or rapid) the train ride is from 3 to 5 hours.
I didn’t travel from Sukhothai to Lopburi but did the opposite way. I took a 4 hour train ride from Lopburi Train Station to Phitsanulok Train Station. From Phitsanulok Train Station, I took a 60 baht tuk tuk ride to Phitsanulok Bus Station, from where I bought a minibus ticket to get to Sukhothai Old Town (1,5 hour).
If you travel as a group, you can book a private taxi from Lopburi to Sukhothai. It is around a 4,5 hour drive. It is an expensive option if you travel solo though.
How to get to Lopburi from Ayutthaya
Travel between Lopburi and Ayutthaya is easy because both cities have their own train stations. The Northern Line connects these two cities with many trains running daily.
It is a 1 hour train ride. You can choose express, rapid, or special express trains. You can book tickets online at Thai Railway website, 12go.asia or at the train station. I usually just check the train schedule and head to the station early to buy the train ticket before the departure time (travel like a local).
Train is a cheap and convenient way to get between Ayutthaya and Lopburi especially if you stay within walking distance to the both stations, you don’t need extra transportation to get to the stations. Lopburi Train Station is located right in Lopburi old town while Ayutthaya Train Station is located within a short Grab, boat ride from the heart of Ayutthaya.
There are also options to use a bus+van to travel between Lopburi and Ayutthaya. This transfer will pick you up at your hotel in Ayutthaya and drop off at Lopburi Bus Station. You can book it at 12go.asia or ask your hotel for more updated information.
How to get to Lopburi from Bangkok
It is around 140 km between Lopburi and Bangkok. If you take the train, it is around a 2 hour ride from either Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station or Don Mueang Station to Lopburi Train Station.
You can also take a 2.5-3 hours bus from Mo Chit New Van Terminal in Bangkok to Lopburi Bus Station. You can book the ticket at the Bus Terminal or online at websites such as 12go.asia.
Private taxi is around 2.500 to 3000 baht. It is a great option if you travel with family or a group of friends.
Best Ways to get around Lopburi
The best way to get around Lopburi Old town, in my opinion, is on foot. The old town is very small, you can easily explore by walking. It is only less than a 10 minute walk between the Train Station and the main temple, c, where you can see lots of money.
You can easily spend a half day there to see ruins, museums, and temples in the old town. The night market is also located near the train station. Be mindful that the traffic at the roundabout near the Phra Prang Sam Yot is very busy, so be careful when crossing the road.
If you are tired of walking, there are lots of tuk tuk around as well as you can use Grab. The Bus Station is located around 3 km from the old town center, so you’ll need to use tuk tuk or taxi to get to your hotel.
Lopburi on Motorbike
If you want to see attractions outside of Lopburi old town, renting a motorbike gives you easier access to these sights. It is also cheaper than taking a taxi or hiring a private driver. You can visit the Sunflower Field, located around 50 km outside of Lopburi old town.
Just make sure that you are comfortable with driving motorbikes in Thailand and have a valid license. I also recommend searching for good rental shops to ensure a good experience.
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So, you have it, my recommendation of how to get to Lopburi from Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Sukhohtai, and Khao Yai (Pak Chong). I hope you found some useful information from this blog and have a good time in the monkey city of Thailand.