Northern Line (Thailand)

The Northern Line (Thai: ทางรถไฟสายเหนือ) is a railway line in Thailand, running between the capital Bangkok (at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal) and the northern city of Chiang Mai (Chiang Mai railway station). It is the second longest railway line in Thailand at 751 kilometres (467 mi) long, has 130 operational stations and halts, and is operated by the State Railway of Thailand. The line first opened in 1896. Major cities served by the line include Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Sawan, Phitsanulok, Lampang, and Chiang Mai.

Northern Line
Chiang Mai Main Line in Mae Tha District, Lamphun Province
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Government of Thailand
Locale	Northern and Central Thailand
Termini	Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) (ordinary and commuter services) Bangkok (Krung Thep Aphiwat) (long distance services) Chiang Mai Sawankhalok
Connecting lines	Chiang Mai Main Line Sawankhalok Line
Service
Type	Inter-city rail Regional rail Commuter rail Freight rail
Operator(s)	State Railway of Thailand
Depot(s)	Bang Sue Pak Nam Pho Uttaradit Lampang
History
Opened	26 March 1896 (1896-03-26)
Completed	1 January 1922 (1922-01-01)
Technical
Line length	1,238.56 km (769.61 mi)
Number of tracks	2–1
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Route map km km 0.00 Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) Eastern Line to Chachoengsao Junction 2.17 Yommarat Halt 3.29 Chitralada Ramathibodi Hospital Halt 4.80 Sam Sen 6.37 Pradiphat Phahonyothin freight yard 7.47 7.47 Bang Sue Junction ( Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal ) Southern Line to Taling Chan Junction Light Red Line to Taling Chan Nikhom Rotfai km. 11 11.01 11.01 Chatuchak Wat Samian Nari 12.50 12.50 Wat Samian Nari Bang Khen 13.00 13.30 Bang Khen Thung Song Hong 17.57 14.81 Thung Song Hong Lak Si 17.57 17.57 Lak Si Kan Kheha km. 19 19.47 19.47 Kan Kheha Talat Mai Don Mueang 21.69 ↑ elevated stations served only by Dark Red Line 22.21 Don Mueang 29.75 Rangsit 33.84 Khlong Nueng Halt 37.47 Chiang Rak 40.19 Thammasat Rangsit University Halt 44.12 Nava Nakhon Halt 46.01 Chiang Rak Noi 51.88 Khlong Phutsa 58.00 Bang Pa-in 62.75 Ban Pho 71.08 Ayutthaya 74.69 Ban Ma 78.98 Map Phra Chan 82.31 Ban Don Klang Halt 85.44 Phra Kaeo 89.95 Ban Phachi Junction Northeastern Line to Kaeng Khoi Junction 93.58 Don Ya Nang Halt 96.44 Nong Wiwat 99.16 Ban Plak Raet Halt 102.73 Tha Ruea 108.78 Ban Mo 116.56 Nong Don 121.72 Ban Klap 127.44 Ban Pa Wai 132.81 Lop Buri 137.51 Tha Khae 144.23 Khok Kathiam 150.08 Nong Tao 154.93 Nong Sai Khao 161.22 Ban Mi 165.94 Huai Kaeo 170.33 Phai Yai 172.90 Rong Rien Chansen 173.86 Chansen 176.63 Ban Kok Kwaow 180.20 Chong Khae 187.37 Thale Wa 188.65 Phon Thong 193.02 Ban Takhli 198.80 Dong Maku 204.06 Hua Wai 211.44 Nong Pho 217.22 Hua Ngiu 221.37 Ban Nong Mu 224.81 Noen Makok 231.35 Thung Nam Sum 235.49 Khao Thong 240.20 Ang Hin 245.78 Nakhon Sawan 250.56 Pak Nam Pho 257.15 Bueng Boraphet 263.68 Thap Krit 270.87 Khlong Pla Kot 280.29 Chumsaeng 290.24 Wang Krang 297.03 Bang Mun Nak 303.50 Ho Krai 309.87 Dong Takhop 319.00 Taphan Hin 324.91 Huai Ket 332.60 Hua Dong 339.36 Wang Krot 346.79 Phichit 354.26 Tha Lo 362.22 Bang Krathum 366.21 Mae Thiap 375.31 Ban Mai 381.87 Bueng Phra 389.28 Phitsanulok 393.75 Ban Teng Nam 400.00 Ban Tum 405.31 Khwae Noi 414.50 Phrom Phiram 423.20 Nong Tom 432.75 Ban Bung 437.41 Ban Khon 447.55 Phichai 453.98 Rai Oi 458.31 Ban Dara Junction Tha Sak 461.80 466.32 Khlong Lamung Tron 469.86 470.27 Khlong Maphlap Wang Kaphi 476.82 474.96 Wat Khlong Pu Uttaradit 485.17 479.03 Khlong Yang Sila At 487.52 483.08 Nong Riang Tha Sao 489.35 487.14 Sawankhalok Nam Rit 493.31 497.56 Ban Dan 509.36 Pang Ton Phueng 513.72 Pang Tup Khop Tunnel (120.09 m) 516.41 Khao Phlueng Tunnel (362.44 m) 517.02 Khao Phlueng 521.48 Huai Rai 525.65 Rai Kled Dao 528.22 Mae Phuak Halt 533.94 Den Chai 538.43 Pak Pan 546.94 Kaeng Luang 554.42 Huai Mae Ta 563.86 Ban Pin 574.04 Huai Mae Lan Tunnel (130.20 m) 574.57 Huai Mae Lan 578.46 Pha Khan 581.22 Pha Kho 591.07 Pang Puai 600.33 Mae Chang 609.16 Mae Mo 614.15 Huai Rak Mai 622.20 Sala Pha Lat 628.45 Mae Tha 637.41 Nong Wua Thao 642.29 Nakhon Lampang 647.12 Bo Haeo 654.85 Hang Chat 660.98 Pang Muang 665.09 Huai Rian Halt 671.80 Mae Tan Noi 681.57 Khun Tan Tunnel (1.3521 km) 683.14 Khun Tan 691.89 Tha Chomphu 700.68 Sala Mae Tha 707.00 Huai Kiang 713.01 Nong Lom 723.59 Doi Ti 729.21 Lamphun 734.64 Pa Sao 742.78 Saraphi 751.42 Chiang Mai km

The line's operations were severely affected during World War II.

Since January 2023, long-distance (Special Express, Express and Rapid) trains terminated at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok replacing Hua Lamphong station.

A new 323 kilometer-long branch line, from Den Chai to the Lao border at Chiang Khong, is under construction and is expected to open in 2028.

History

Timeline

No.	Segment	Year opened
1	Bangkok–Ayutthaya	26 March 1896
2	Ayutthaya–Ban Phachi	1 November 1897
3	Ban Phachi–Lopburi	1 April 1901
4	Lopburi–Pak Nam Pho	1 November 1905
5	Pak Nam Pho–Phitsanulok	24 January 1908
6	Phitsanulok–Ban Dara Junction	11 November 1908
7	Ban Dara Junction–Pang Ton Phueng	15 August 1909
8	Pang Ton Phueng–Mae Phuak	1 June 1911
9	Mae Phuak–Pak Pan	15 November 1911
10	Pak Pan–Huai Mae Ta	1 May 1912
11	Huai Mae Ta–Ban Pin	15 June 1913
12	Ban Pin–Pha Kho	1 May 1914
13	Pha Kho–Mae Chang	15 December 1915
14	Mae Chang–Nakhon Lampang	1 April 1916
15	Nakhon Lampang–Pang Hua Phong	20 December 1916
16	Pang Hua Phong–Pang Yang	1 July 1918
17	Pang Yang–Chiang Mai	1 January 1922

Name changes

Name	Old name	Year changed
Ayutthaya	Krung Kao	1917
Nakhon Sawan	Nong Pling	1956
Phrom Phiram	Ban Krab Phuang	—
Tron	Wang Hin	—
Saraphi	Pa Yang Loeng	1961

Infrastructure

Chiang Mai railway station is the northern terminus of the line

The Northern Line is entirely single track, except at stations. Track gauge is 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) meter gauge. As the train frequency increases, it is becoming increasingly challenging to operate trains running both direction on the single-line track. Double-tracking has commenced between Lop Buri and Pak Nam Pho, and is planned for the rest of the line.

The Northern Line is not electrified. Regular services run on diesel power. The current maximum operating speed on the line is 100 km/h (62 mph).

Stations

Main article: List of Northern Line (Thailand) stations

Tunnels

Tunnel	Image	Length	Location	Note
Khun Tan Tunnel		1,352.15 m (4,436.2 ft)	Lampang and Lamphun Province	The longest tunnel in Thailand.
Khao Phlueng Tunnel		362.44 m (1,189.1 ft)	Uttaradit and Phrae Province
Huai Mae Lan Tunnel		130.20 m (427.2 ft)	Phrae Province
Pang Tub Khob Tunnel		120.09 m (394.0 ft)	Uttaradit Province	The shortest railway tunnel in Thailand.

See also

• Rail transport in Thailand
• Lopburi Line: railway line of the Greater Bangkok commuter rail
• Northeastern Line (Thailand)
• Eastern Line (Thailand)
• Southern Line (Thailand)