Hua Lamphong Station (officially Bangkok Railway Station) is the main train station of Bangkok. After over 100 years of service, it’s set to be replaced by the new Bang Sue Grand Station. Hua Lamphong is scheduled to close in December 2021.
The relocation of Bangkok’s central station was announced in 2015, where it was said to become a railway museum. Since then it has been announced that it will remain partially operational, though details of services are not mentioned.
Once the operations are moved to Bang sue, State Railway of Thailand plans to develop the land around the station, which totals an area of 121 Rai (19.36 Hectares). The historic terminal building will become a railway museum, while the surrounding land will be used for a public park and multi-purpose commercial buildings.
Design Concepts
There are no official redevelopment plans yet, so this section is a collection of various proposals.
Images submitted to the Southeast Asia Railways Group.
Hua Lamphong Masterplan
Design concept submitted by Peerawich Thantawiroon.
News Archive
2023
Commuters face railway woes – [20/01/23]
“The ministry plans to renovate the 121-rai Hua Lamphong area for commercial purposes while the old terminal, which was constructed more than a century ago, will become a museum that is accessible via public transportation”.
Free bus services between new terminal and Hua Lamphong – [19/01/23]
“Free shuttle bus and ad-hoc bus services between Hua Lamphong station and Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, formerly known as Bang Sue Grand Station, were launched on Thursday.”
Thailand’s long-distance trains to operate from new Bangkok rail hub from 19 January 2023 – [04/01/23]
“14 Northern, 20 Southern, and 18 Northeastern routes to switch from Hua Lamphong Station to the new Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal located near Chatuchak Park.”
2022
Rail station in limbo – [03/11/22]
2021
Hua Lamphong rail routes get reprieve – [22/12/21]
“Trains to continue running as impact study carried out.”
Train services continue unchanged at Hua Lamphong – [21/12/21]
“The State Railway will continue operating 80 train services a day at Hua Lamphong station, which has long served Bangkok city, at least until January.”
Transport minister U-turns on Hua Lamphong station – [20/12/21]
“Hua Lamphong was granted a reprieve when Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob decided to temporarily scrap a plan to shut Bangkok’s iconic railway station.”
In pictures: Hua Lamphong’s last weeks as Thailand’s central railway station – [20/12/21]
“It’s official: Hua Lamphong station will live on, but it won’t enjoy the same grand reputation that it has had the past 105 years.”
Union slams plan to shut old station – [08/12/21]
SRT workers put their jobs at stake to protest against closure of Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong – [07/12/21]
Final curtain call for grand old station – [05/12/21]
PM calls for hearings on station plan – [30/11/21]
Historical Bangkok Hua Lamphong railway terminus will not be demolished – [30/11/21]
Historic Hua Lamphong station to take on new life under SRT development plans – [28/11/21]
“Govt is adamant best of Hua Lamphong will remain, but locals are demanding more.”
City traffic expert decries decision to close Bangkok’s historic Hua Lamphong train station – [26/11/21]
Commuters and historians seek emergency brake for plans to shut Bangkok’s beloved Hua Lamphong Station – [25/11/21]
Final whistle for Thai rail icon stirs memories – [24/11/21]
Hua Lamphong ‘will have to close’ – [23/11/21]
SRT is too broke to also maintain Hualamphong station, says Saksayam – [22/11/21]
All train services at Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong train terminal to come to an end – [22/11/21]
Countdown to Hua Lamphong closure – [22/11/21]
Fine Arts Department wants to protect old railway terminus – [20/11/21]
Transport Ministry supervises Hua Lamphong Station development plan – [11/11/21]
“Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob on Wednesday attended an online meeting with ministry’s executives to follow up on the progress of area development plan of the Bangkok Railway Station, also known as Hual Lamphong, as well as the areas along the Bang Sue – Hua Lamphong train route.”
Hua Lamphong to get a makeover – [17/09/21]
“The Transport Ministry is conducting a study to develop Hua Lamphong railway station and its adjoining areas for commercial purposes, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said.”
End of the line looms for hawkers, rough sleepers at Bangkok station – [28/08/21]
Postcard from . . . Bangkok: goodbye to a grand old station – [13/02/21]
“As a giant new rail hub shunts the much-loved Hua Lamphong aside, will Thai rail travel retain its romance?”
Bangkok’s century-old Hua Lamphong station makes tracks towards railway history – [04/02/21]
“After more than a century serving passengers, Thailand’s largest railway hub will reach the end of the line this year.”
Railway union rejects plans to close the Hua Lamphong Station which is set to be closed in November – [31/01/21]
Plea for Hua Lamphong – [31/01/21]
“Suwit Kaewwan, president of The State Railway Workers’ Union (SRWU), lodged a petition letter with Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob. The letter says thousands of commuters would be affected if all train services to Hua Lamphong Station closed this November as planned.”
Hua Lamphong’s 100-year service to end in November, gov’t says – [22/01/21]
“The terminal will be closed down as soon as the newly built Bang Sue Grand Station opens to the public, possibly in November, according to public transport authorities. The abrupt announcement raised concerns that commuters, including many in the working class, will once again bear the brunt of chaos during the transition.”
2020
Rolling into the future – [12/02/20]
“In January 2021, a new $1 billion transit hub in Bang Sue is set to usurp Hualamphong as Bangkok’s main railway station. Photographer Tim Russell guides us through the last months of this iconic structure through a collection of his images.”
In change of plans, trains will still roll out from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong – [24/01/20]
Hua Lamphong station to remain open after Bang Sue station opens – [20/01/21]
“The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has confirmed the Bangkok Railway Station or Hua Lamphong, will remain open but with fewer train services radiating from the station, after the opening of Bang Sue Grand, which will serve as the new central station for Bangkok.”
2019
Hua Lamphong: 2 photographers, same railway station, 30 years apart – [04/10/19]
103rd Anniversary of Hua Lamphong – [25/06/19]
2018
Bangkok | ‘The Future of Hua Lamphong Railway Station’ – [30/06/18]
“With plans underway for transforming Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Railway Station into the Railway Museum of Thailand, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and Thai Railway Foundation joined a two-day cultural event titled “The Future of Hua Lamphong Railway Station” organized by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Thailand this June.”
2017
Hua Lamphong enters its last 2 years – [08/05/17]
“Bangkok Post photographer Wichan Charoenkiatpakul spends a day at Hua Lamphong railway station which is scheduled to close in 2019.”
2016
Bangkok Railway Station: Hua Lamphong turns 100 – [01/08/16]
Happy 100th birthday Hua Lamphong – [20/06/16]
“It’s been quite a ride for Bangkok’s main railway station. Life looks back at its history, and what’s in store for the future.”
A Bangkok train station never looked so film noir – [01/02/16]
“Witness the magical light of one quiet platform at Hua Lamphong train station in Bangkok.”
2015
Historic Hua Lamphong to become museum – [29/06/15]
“When construction is completed on a new station in the capital’s Chatuchak district within four years, the architecturally significant station will be taken out of operation, State railway Governor Witthichart Kalayanamitr announced.”
Hua Lamphong to move by 2019 – [26/06/15]
“The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) will relocate the central station in Bangkok from Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue in 2019.”
Until the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport, that I could experience for the return of my 2006 travel to Thailand, I used to leave Don Muang from its railway station and jump with a 2nd class ticket on the slow train to Hua Lamphong.
After a flight at 1,000Kmh above continents that was finally too fast, I could then re-sync to the local pace and enter progressively to the heart of Krung Thep. Arrival in the good old-fashioned station meant the real end of my travel.
The new airport route deprived me from this little fun, and I became a resident shortly after with other worries – never passed again thru HLP. But ‘will pay a visit the next time, for sure.