Northeastern Line (Thailand)

For the high-speed rail, see Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway.

The Northeastern Line (Thai: ทางรถไฟสายตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือ) is a railway line in Thailand that connects the capital Bangkok with the northeast region of Isan. The section from Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima is Thailand's first line that opened for passenger service.^[2] The line is also a key section on the central route of the Kunming–Singapore railway.

Northeastern Line
Street running RHN1036 train across the First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge.
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	Government of Thailand
Locale	Isan Central Thailand Vientiane Prefecture
Termini	Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Ubon Ratchathani Khamsavath (Laos)
Connecting lines	Ubon Ratchathani Main Line Nong Khai Main Line Lam Narai Branch Line
Service
Type	Inter-city rail Regional rail Commuter rail Freight rail
Operator(s)	State Railway of Thailand
Depot(s)	Bang Sue Kaeng Khoi Nakhon Ratchasima Ubon Ratchathani
History
Commenced	9 March 1891; 134 years ago (1891-03-09)
Opened	26 March 1896; 128 years ago (1896-03-26)
Last extension	31 October 2023; 16 months ago (2023-10-31)[1]
Completed	19 August 1967; 57 years ago (1967-08-19)
Technical
Line length	575 km (357 mi) (Ubon Ratchathani Main Line) 627.5 km (389.9 mi) (Nong Khai Main Line)
Number of tracks	2–1
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Route map Legend 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 Northern Line to Lopburi 94.62 Nong Kuai 98.04 Nong Saeng 103.34 Nong Sida 107.15 Ban Pokpaek 113.26 Saraburi 119.24 Nong Bua Junction Eastern Line to Khlong Sip Kao Junction 125.10 Kaeng Khoi Junction Thap Kwang 131.24 128.80 Ban Chong Tai Map Kabao 134.30 134.37 Khao Khok Halt Pha Sadet 138.95 141.85 Khao Hin Dat Halt Hin Lap 144.29 147.90 Hin Son Muak Lek 152.30 152.30 Khao Sung Halt Klang Dong 160.03 159.65 Kaeng Suea Ten Pang Asok 165.19 162.38 Pa Sak Jolasid Dam Halt Bandai Ma 173.64 164.15 Ban Nongbua Pak Chong 179.93 169.89 Manao Wan Sap Muang 187.89 176.55 Khok Salung Chanthuk 195.50 185.80 Suranarai Khlong Khanan Chit 202.20 192.00 Thung Ta Kaeo Khlong Phai 206.21 196.95 Assumption Convent School Halt Lat Bua Khao 209.41 198.95 Khao Yai Ka Ta Ban Mai Samrong 214.90 207.38 Talat Lam Narai Halt Nong Nam Khun 218.27 208.80 Lam Narai Sikhio 223.79 220.35 Ban Ko Rang Halt Khok Sa-at Halt 228.99 226.45 Phaendin Thong Sung Noen 233.87 236.65 Ban Chongko Halt Kut Chik 241.15 240.87 Khok Khli Khok Kruat 249.94 248.80 Khao Phang Hoei Tunnel (230.60 m) Phu Khao Lat 257.44 250.64 Chong Samran Nakhon Ratchasima 263.65 263.14 Ban Wa Tabaek (Thep Sathit) Thanon Chira Junction 266.28 273.13 Huai Yai Chiu 279.97 Ban Pak Chap Halt Ban Ko 272.50 290.53 Bamnet Narong Sra Thammakhan 278.00 293.25 Ban Kloi Halt Ban Kradon Halt 284.67 297.30 Wang Ka-am Ban Nong Kan Nga Halt 288.12 302.10 Non Khro Halt Nong Maeo 289.79 310.19 Chatturat Non Sung 295.08 322.85 Nong Chim Ban Dong Phlong 302.19 330.15 Ban Ta Noen Halt Ban Makha 308.20 334.05 Ban Nong Kham Halt Noen Thua Paep Halt 311.38 341.18 Ban Lueam Phon Songkhram 315.65 346.16 Ban Khok Krabuang Halt Ban Don Yai 320.35 351.83 Ban Nong Prue Pong Halt Mueang Khong 326.80 355.19 Nong Phluang Ban Rai Halt 333.67 358.20 Ban Kraphi Halt Non Thong Lang 335.71 360.17 Ban Kao Ngiu Huai Rahat Halt 342.50 362.14 Ban Sa Khrok 366.50 Ban Sok Rang Halt Ban Phalai 271.59 Ban Phanao 276.35 345.50 Bua Yai Junction Ban Phra Phut Halt 280.10 351.20 Noen Sawat Halt Tha Chang 285.40 357.36 Nong Bua Lai Nong Manorom 293.26 362.43 Sala Din Halt Chakkarat 300.15 370.04 Nong Makhuea Ban Hin Khon 309.75 377.66 Mueang Phon Hin Dat 316.90 386.00 Chot Nong Kae Huai Thalaeng 325.65 396.82 Ban Han Nong Krathing 337.50 407.72 Ban Phai Lam Plai Mat 345.70 423.60 Ban Haet Thamenchai 354.85 431.59 Nong Mek Ban Salaeng Phan 363.30 439.81 Tha Phra Ban Nong Tat 366.50 444.06 Kut Kwang Buriram 376.02 449.75 Khon Kaen Ban Tako Halt 380.35 460.71 Samran Huai Rat 385.51 467.00 Huai Hai Krasang 398.65 474.93 Non Phayom Nong Teng 405.50 480.45 Ban Wang Chai Halt Lam Chi 412.00 484.21 Nam Phong Surin 419.75 489.95 Huai Siao Bu Rusi 428.60 500.51 Khao Suan Kwang Mueang Thi 437.16 514.45 Non Sa-at Kadon Kho 445.50 523.40 Huai Koeng Sikhoraphum 452.39 532.50 Kumphawapi Ban Kalan 460.25 538.00 Ban Dong Rueang Samrong Thap 471.00 542.75 Huai Sam Phat Huai Thap Than 481.50 550.65 Nong Takai Nong Khaen Halt 489.04 562.05 Kham Kling Halt Uthumphon Phisai 494.45 565.40 Nong Khon Kwang Ban Tae Halt 498.27 568.84 Udon Thani Ban Niam 504.00 575.75 Nong Tum Si Sa Ket 515.09 584.50 Ban Khao Chalerm Kanchana Halt 522.28 593.00 Na Phu Nong Waeng 527.19 598.10 Khok Chang Ban Khlo 534.20 602.00 Nong Bua Ngoen Kanthararom 542.18 610.95 Nong Song Hong Ban Non Phueng Halt 546.86 617.84 Na Tha Huai Khayung 553.99 621.10 Nong Khai Ban Thon Halt 557.70 Bung Wai 566.20 623.58 Talat Nong Khai Ubon Ratchathani 575.10 Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge across Mekong River 626.58 Thanaleng (Laos) 627.26 Vientiane Logistics Park 635.06 Khamsavath (Laos) km km This diagram: view talk edit

Route description

Main article: List of Northeastern Line (Thailand) stations

The Northeastern Line shares tracks with Northern Line between Bangkok and Ban Phachi Junction. It has three main branches:

• Ubon Ratchathani Main Line, between Bangkok and Ubon Ratchathani
• Nong Khai Main Line, between Bangkok and Nong Khai, branching off after Nakhon Ratchasima. The line also crosses the Thai-Lao border into Thanaleng, with an extension to Khamsavath railway station being opened in 2023.^[1]
• Lam Narai Branch Line

Timeline

Ubon Ratchathani Main Line^[3]

• 9 March 1891 - started construction
• 26 March 1896 - opened Bangkok – Ayutthaya
• 1 November 1897 - Ayutthaya – Kaeng Khoi
• 21 December 1900 - opened Kaeng Khoi – Nakhon Ratchasima
• 1 November 1922 - opened Nakhon Ratchasima–Tha Chang near a pier on Mun river that allowed boat service between Tha Chang and Ubon Ratchathani along Mun river
• 1 April 1925 - opened Tha Chang – Buriram
• 1 August 1928 - opened Buriram – Sisaket
• 1 April 1930 - opened Sisaket – Ubon Ratchathani

SRT also built a short railway line from Bung Wai to Ban Pho Mun which was opened on 1 August 1930,^[4] but the line was closed on 1 December 1954 due to the construction of Seri Prachathippatai bridge (officially opened in 1955) that allowed the connection between Ubon Ratchathani city and Ubon Ratchathani without the need for ferry across Mun river.

Nong Khai Main Line

• 1 April 1933 - opened Nakhon Ratchasima – Khon Kaen
• 24 June 1941 - Khon Kaen – Udon Thani
• 13 September 1955 - Udon Thani – Na Tha (first Nong Khai station)
• 31 July 1958 - Na Tha – Nong Khai (Talat Nong Khai, second Nong Khai station)^[2]
• 2008 - Nong Khai (third and current Nong Khai station) – Talat Nong Khai section closed.
• 5 March 2009 - Nong Khai – Thanaleng (Vientiane Prefecture)
• 31 October 2023 - Thanaleng – Khamsavath (Vientiane Prefecture)^[1]

Kaeng Khoi–Bua Yai (Lam Narai) Branch Line

• 19 August 1967 - entire Kaeng Khoi Junction–Bua Yai Junction line opened.^[2]

Gallery

• 
  Ubon Ratchathani railway station, terminal station of the Ubon Ratchathani Main Line
• 
  Nong Khai railway station, a railway station located near the Laos–Thailand border

See also

• List of Northeastern Line (Thailand) stations
• Rail transport in Laos
• Boten–Vientiane railway
• Kaeng Khoi Line: railway line of the Greater Bangkok commuter rail
• Northern Line (Thailand)
• Eastern Line (Thailand)
• Southern Line (Thailand)