Things to Do at Hua Hin Railway Station

Hua Hin Railway Station charges nothing to visit and functions as a regular train stop on the Southern Line, with the ornately painted Royal Waiting Room sitting on the platform as the main draw. Built in the 1920s in a blend of Victorian gingerbread and Thai temple architecture, the station features a wooden pavilion painted in cream and maroon with fretwork eaves and a multi-tiered roof that once sheltered King Rama VI and the royal court arriving for beach holidays. The Royal Waiting Room, moved here from Sanam Chan Palace in Nakhon Pathom, has carved wooden panels, stained glass windows, and a viewing platform where you can photograph trains pulling in against the ornate backdrop. Active trains still use the platform, so stay behind the yellow line when the twice-daily express from Bangkok rolls through (tickets from Bangkok cost about 300 THB / $8.50 USD for second class fan, journey time 4 hours). The station's small garden has a steam locomotive from the 1950s that children climb on, and a coffee cart on the street side sells Thai iced coffee for 35 THB. The whole visit takes 15 to 20 minutes, but it pairs well with the nearby Chatsila Night Market a block south. Morning light hits the Royal Waiting Room's facade best between 8:00 and 10:00 AM, and the station is quiet between trains, giving you the platform practically to yourself for photographs.

The station sits right in downtown Hua Hin. Most hotels are within 10-15 minutes on foot, and you can walk there easily from the central beach area. Total convenience. Tuk-tuks and songthaews run constantly through town and drop you at the entrance for 20-40 THB. If you're coming from Bangkok, you'll likely arrive here anyway via the scenic train route. Four hours total. The final stretch offers impressive coastal views that make the journey worthwhile.