📌 Discover the Unique Railway Market Maeklong Thailand

📍Location 1.30-2 hours drive from Bangkok. Mae Klong Market, Samut Songkram Province

Means ‘The Folding Umbrella Market’

The Maeklong Railway Market is one of the most unique attractions in Thailand. It is a must-do if you have time to visit Bangkok for a couple of days.

The Maeklong Railway Market is located southwest of Bangkok in Samut Songkhram Province - 70 kilometers / 43 miles - Drive from Bangkok about 1 - 1.30 hours each way. It’s also very close to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market only 20 minutes drive - Most travelers visit both places for half day morning.

Maeklong Railway Market ‘Talat Rom Hoop’

Talat = Market

Rom = Umbrella

Hoop = Pull or Uold

Experience Maeklong Railway Market in Bangkok Tour
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The Maeklong Railway has a distance of 60 kilometers / 37 miles with the market on the side of the railway track 300 meters / 1000 feet.

A local market has many stalls next to sides of the railway track with fresh Thai ingredients, seafood, vegetables, fruit vendors and etc. All of the vendors line their products under the awning umbrellas for shade during the day. Local Thais shop at these stalls by walking on the railway track looking for their foods. What sets it apart is the daily spectacle of a train passing through the heart of the market 8 times a day everyday, causing vendors to swiftly retract their awnings and move their goods away from the tracks. This fascinating routine has earned it the nickname "Umbrella Pulldown Market." Known for its unique feature of a train passing directly through the bustling market, offers a one-of-a-kind experience that beautifully blends everyday commerce with the excitement of an approaching train.

There are train schedules 8 times a day at 6.20am/8.30am/9am/11.10am/11.30am/14.30pm/15.30pm/17.40pm run through Maeklong Market. Recommend in the morning times so you can see the train run through the market because the vendors close after 3pm. Every day vendors have to close the stalls by pulling everything to the side for 5 minutes to let the train goes. After the train goes, they start the business again.

You will be amazed how quickly that all vendors have to organize their stalls to get ready before the train will arrive and run-pass through their stalls. They arrange to pull their stalls and awnings umbrellas backward to allow the train to pass through in great precision. And immediately after the train goes, all vendors back on track and start their business again.

All of these processes take very quickly within 5 minutes - 8 times a day, every day

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📌Tips

  • Feel free to take photos and enjoy the market. Each stall is unique.

  • Please don’t forget each stall is a store. Local Thais come to this market to buy everyday, please allow space for them to work while you are enjoy touring and photos.

  • Please support local Thais, there are many delicious foods, fruits or drink shops at this market.

  • Thais believe in good spirits when selling. Please don’t step over any products on the railway ground, Thais are considered as bad luck for their stalls.

✏️These are interesting questions about this Mae Klong Railway Market.

📌 Do we eat this vegetable? = Yes, of course, we don’t scare of dust because everything can be washed and cooked in the heat. We scare more to chemicals. Most vegetables here are local farms and we love it ❤️

📌 Has it ever happened accident? = Over many years on tour, I never happened any accidents (on my tour). Usually, there is a certain schedule train. 5 minutes before the train arrives everybody will hear the alarm and everyone will be prepare the stalls like this every day. Now 4 times a day. (Before the pandemic 8 times a day) and we really get used to this routine. When you are there you really don’t feel scared at all. You will be fun and excited to see how smoothly we manage everything. 😊

📌 Is it real? = Yes it is, every day we have to close the stalls, vendors by pulling everything on the side for 5 minutes to let the train goes. After the train goes, we will start the business and stalls like normal and make money again😊 (Now there are train schedule 4 times a day every day, at 11.10 am is a very popular time to watch the train)

📌 Why does this market exist? Don’t you get scared when the train arrives? = This market can not tell you all stories about Thailand. But when you visit Thailand, you will feel that we have very ‘Flexible’ culture of everything including rules. Local people there can make money by selling their farm products, so they don’t mind setting up/temporarily closing 5 mins for their stalls everyday = because they can make money. I know there are many questions of ‘how’ ‘why’ ‘what’. But when you visit Thailand, your questions will get answers by yourself because you will see our ‘flexible’ cultures 😊

The Railway Market Maeklong is a unique blend of local culture and daily life with a touch of thrilling excitement. Whether you're there for the shopping, the food, or the unforgettable sight of the train passing through, it's an experience not to be missed. Plan your visit well, and you’ll leave with incredible memories and perhaps a few treasures from the market.

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