A Day Trip by Train to Phitsanulok – Football, Temples & Nightlife in Northern Thailand

Back in April 2022, I’d settled into life seamlessly in Minburi, in the suburbs of Bangkok, over the previous four months. I’d found a condo that suited my budget, become familiar with the local markets and amenities, and discovered a welcoming bar and restaurant opposite the building.

It was time to start discovering farther afield, mixing my passions for football and travel, which is how I ended up travelling north to Phitsanulok.

Planning the Journey

Studying the fixtures as the season was drawing to its close, I was attracted to one that would necessitate a long train journey but would return me without needing a hotel.

I’d opened an account on the State Railway of Thailand website, so once I’d confirmed the train times, I booked my seats to Phitsanulok and back. I awoke early one April Saturday morning and hailed a taxi to take me to Lak Si station. Taking my eye off the ball, we went the wrong way, requiring a change of plan.

Wat Rajburana

Trouble at the Station

Thankfully, the traffic was light, the train was slightly delayed, and the conductor was fine with me jumping aboard a stop earlier at Bang Khen. Off we went not long after 8 am, as I relaxed and looked forward to my journey, occasionally nodding off as we travelled through Ayutthaya.

I wanted to be awake when we reached Lopburi. I’d done lots of research on Google Maps with its street view feature, and it looked like a fascinating place. As we approached the station, I was surprised at the ruins, which reminded me of the place we’d previously passed through, plus, of course, the monkeys that were running wild.

Onwards through lots of open countryside towards Nakhon Sawan, where I’d travelled to a couple of months earlier for an overnight stop before continuing to Uthai Thani, with the mountains and blue skies providing a magnificent backdrop.

I was aware that we were running late, which didn’t surprise me too much. Punctuality is not something that Thai railways had a great reputation for, but I was in no hurry on this occasion. If anything, it might have done me a favour, or so I thought.

The video I made of the day for my YouTube Channel

Discovering Historic Phitsanulok

My research on Phitsanulok was quite basic. I had passed through it on the train to Chiang Mai before, and it looked like many other small cities. I was aware that a form of regatta is staged on the Nan River, which flows through it, but that was about it. I couldn’t even pronounce it correctly, completely confusing my future wife, Taew, as to where I was going.

One thing I did know was that it was sweltering when I alighted from the train and went outside the station, which, like many others, had an old steam engine on the roundabout at the front. I’d earmarked a walk to the river to see what was going on, but that was about it.

The football match I was heading to kicked off at 5 pm, leaving me a couple of hours to fill. On reaching the bridge, a five-minute walk from the station, I headed further up the bank to what looked like a place of interest. I quickly became aware that Phitsanulok had far more to it than I expected.

It had played an important strategic role during the Ayutthaya Kingdom and was once home to King Naresuan the Great, one of Thailand’s most respected historical figures, while acting as the gateway between central and northern Thailand.

Evidence of this was offered by Chedi Luang Wat Ratchaburana, overlooking the Nan by Naresuan Bridge. By now, I was exploring Google Maps for more information and places to visit. Fortunately, I didn’t have to look far. Over the road were Wat Nang Phaya, and Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat Woramahawihan.

Both were magnificent temples, looking majestic in the hot sun. Ruins from the Ayutthaya period nearby hinted at the city’s former importance. Thankfully, as they are both attractions visited avidly, there were plenty of stalls to buy water to rehydrate.

By the river was a viewpoint on either side, where large crowds assembled each year for the dragon boat racing. Hiding in the shadows to cool down, I realised that there was far more to do than my available time, and Phitsanulok would be due another visit to see everything.

Football Action in Phitsanulok

Football in Northern Thailand

A taxi was hailed to take me to the match, where I saw an entertaining 1-1 draw between Phitsanulok and Nakhonsi United, in the third-tier play-offs, played out in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 998.

A Stranger’s Kindness

At full-time, I wanted to get back into the centre of the city to find out what Saturday night had in store, with my train home arriving at just gone midnight. No taxis were available through my usual apps, so I decided to cross the main road and begin to walk. As if by magic, a cab pulled up.

I was getting into the back when a man stopped me. I didn’t understand him to begin with, but he then spoke some English. He had booked the driver, having also been to the game, so he could catch the train home fifteen minutes later. I apologised, but there was no need.

My new friend insisted I go with him and dropped me outside the railway station, exactly where I wanted to be, and he refused to accept any cash from me. What a star!

Phitsanulok at Night

Saturday Night in the City

The area on the forecourt was packed with market stalls, with familiar smells and sounds in a vibrant atmosphere. Tempted though I was to eat there, I had an area earmarked by the river. It was marked as the night market and walking street on the map, but there were not many people around.

Restrictions and concerns from the pandemic were not yet totally forgotten, with a fair percentage of those who were still wearing face coverings. I found a restaurant in Nan Rim Food Centre to enjoy a meal and a beer before having a look around some of the few stalls that remained open. COVID had hit Thailand and many of its businesses hard.

That probably says a lot about me. I’d overlooked the historical significance of Phitsanulok when researching it, but not where its bars were located, having shortlisted the three that appealed to me the most.

Walking past the Clock Tower Roundabout, Amarin in town was a trendy place on the corner of Phayalithai and Chaopraya Road. The beer was expensive, and the music a bit too cool for school for my liking. However, they were most welcoming and helpful, as I was served by a young lady who was extremely friendly and charming.

Nearby, Girls Don’t Cry. Again, aimed at the high-end clientele, provided tremendous service, offering five beers on tap. Free nibbles too. Again, it was expensive, but well worth it, perhaps being a bar for an occasional treat.

It was then time to head over the railway, where I found Wood Stock in a most unlikely location. I really enjoyed my time spent there, as a superb band played Thai and occasional Western stuff. A TV with the sound down showed the FA Cup semi-final, and a DJ played great tracks at the interval.

I then got in a muddle over the actual time and when my train was due before enjoying a few cold large Leos, with me finishing one rather too quickly despite having over an hour to spare.

Phitsanulok Railway Station

The Long Ride Home

The three excellent bars had filled the evening perfectly before I returned to the station. The train arrived at 00:10, a few minutes late. The journey continued to lose time, eventually reaching Lak Si nearly an hour late at around 6.30 am.

My sleep was sporadic, often broken by foghorn-voiced vendors going up and down the carriages. It made me wonder whether a hotel and an overnight stay might have been a better option. I was home half an hour later, in time for plenty of rest, to compensate, with the satisfaction of knowing that my fare only cost 520 THB return (around £12).

Phitsanulok played a major part in a memorable 22-hour adventure, offering far more than I had expected. It’s certainly somewhere I would return to — next time, perhaps with a little more time and with my wife to show her around.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country.

Thanks for reading.