Few train lines carry as much weight as the one that crosses the River Kwai. The surviving stretch of Thailand's wartime railway is now a sombre, beautiful day journey through jungle and along a clifftop trestle.
The most dramatic section is the Wampo viaduct, a wooden shelf bolted to a sheer limestone face above the river, where the carriages lean out over the water.
Pair the ride with the thoughtful Thailand-Burma Railway Centre in Kanchanaburi and the immaculately kept war cemetery; the line's history of forced labour deserves more than a photo stop.
Sit on the right heading toward Nam Tok for the river views, and travel early before the heat builds in the open carriages.
Good to know
- Sit on the right toward Nam Tok for the Wampo viaduct and river views.
- Travel early, before the open carriages heat up.
- Pair the ride with the railway centre and war cemetery in Kanchanaburi.
