Sunday, September 11, 2011

Day 101 - Overnight Train to Bangkok


I booked an overnight sleeper train from Butterworth (Penang) to Bangkok. The entire journey would take around 21 hours, due mostly to the long stops at each station heading north.

I was awoken at night in the hostel to firecrackers, probably signaling the start of Aidilfitri for the Muslim community in the city.

In the morning, I took a ferry across the island of Penang to Butterworth. The ferry took around 10 minutes and was free for people leaving the island. You only have to pay when you take the ferry in the other direction.

There was very little activity across Malaysia due to the holiday. When I boarded the train at around 2PM, I was told that we wouldn't be able to find any food until we reached Thailand around 7PM since most of the restarants were closed and the food vendors were probably celebrating the holiday.

The train was not very clean, but I liked the way it was easily converted from seats during the day to wide (the bottom bed) and comfortable beds at night! It was a fun experience to sleep on the train, while the movement rocked me to sleep

Butterworth Train Station

Ferry from Georgetown to Butterworth

My train to Bangkok

Cozy Sleepers

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