Thailand forum

this is a favorite route of mine. arriving in ayutthaya even in the early afternoon will still give you some quality time to hang around in the ruins for the day. check out the state railways of thailand website for specific information, but there are two overnight sleeper trains coming through ayutthaya. since they don't arrive/depart until late, you'll even have time to enjoy the ruins at night, under the lights. just be sure to arrive at the train station in plenty of time to catch your train, because if you miss it, you are out of luck.

you can hire a bicycle or a motor-scooter to visit the ruins (just be careful of the bag snatching trick and don't put your day pack in the basket), or you might consider hiring a fish-head tricycle for the day.

also, i'd recommend getting a room for the day. tell them you won't be staying overnight, and you might even get a discount. a room gives you a place to store your baggage, take a nap if you want, and most importantly, to catch a shower and clean up before boarding the train.

have a great trip.

there are several good places listed in the ayutthaya section on travelfish. have a look and see if one appeals to you. my last time through there i stayed at the P.U. guest house, and despite the stinky name, i thought it was clean, secure, and offered good value for money.

there were also a few places popping up inbetween the train station and the ferry crossing, but i can't speak for them other than to say that they are there.

my only other suggestion is to reserve your space on the overnight sleeper train as soon as possible if you need to travel on a specific day. the bangkok to chiang mai trains fill up faster than the others. hope that helps.

Hi BlueEyedBoy,

Baan Lotus in Ayutthaya is excellent. We've got a researcher doing a comprehensive update of Ayuthhaya at the moment -- new copy should be on the site in the next few weeks. I know there's some new guesthouses on the scene...not sure what else is to come