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Talad Rom Hub Market, which is better known as Maeklong Railway Market, is a unique market located directly on the railway just down the track from the train station of Maeklong, small town in Samut Songkhram province, about 80 kilometers southwest of Bangkok. Here's the detailed guide to Maeklong Railway Market.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

Talad Rom Hub - Maeklong Railway Market

In Thailand, Maeklong Railway Market is well-known as Talad Rom Hub (ตลาดร่มหุบ). The name of the market in Thai language literally means the “Market of Closing Umbrellas”. “Talad” literally means “Market”, “Rom” means “Umbrella” and “Hub” means "to Close or Pull Down".

You will be amazed to see how the vendors pull their umbrellas and move some of their goods further back off the train tracks when the train approaches. It is an experience not to be missed when traveling in Bangkok.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

Maeklong Railway Market Experience

Train to Maeklong Station

The train passes through the market every day, 8 times a day. Maeklong Railway Market train schedule 2023 is as follows:

  • Train arrivals at Maeklong Station: 8:30, 11:10, 14:30, 17:40 (last train)
  • Train departures from Maeklong Station: 6:20, 9:00, 11:30, 15:30

 Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

It is recommended to come to the Maeklong Railway Market 10-15 minutes before the scheduled arrival and departure time. When the train is passing the section of Talad Rom Hub market, there is a loud siren. The vendors simply close the umbrellas just in time for the train to pass and open up them right away after the train passes. It’s actually not as chaotic as we expected.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

The train moves very slowly when passing through the market. You might even see some of the fruits and vegetables being left on the edges of the track and the train just going above them. The whole process takes less than 10 minutes so it’s quite a short time for taking photos of the passing train and the action happening around the market.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

When the train stops at Maeklong Railway Station, you are allowed to get on the train for taking some photos if you wish to.

Tourists at Maeklong Railway Market

As Maeklong Railway Market has become a truly popular tourist attraction in Thailand, don’t expect to be one of a few tourists here. As we were on the train passing though the market, we were overwhelmed by the crowd of tourists standing on both sides of the railway track.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

The crowd of tourists was getting larger around train arrival and departure times. Many people with cameras stand on both sides of the railway track waiting to see the train and capture photos of the train passing by. The train passes very close. It is quite dangerous as some people stay on the track until the last second for taking their perfect photos. 

We would suggest finding a good position for photos before the train arrives/departs because when the train comes, all the tourists gather at the same place and block each other trying to get photos of the passing train. Get into the crowd like this and you will easily miss a good shot.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

Talad Rom Hub Market

Talad Rom Hub Market itself is just a traditional local market like you can experience everywhere in Thailand. Until the train passes it, of course.

Within Maeklong Railway Market, there are more than 300 shops along the 500-meter long railway line. Here you can see a wide variety of meat, seafood, vegetables, Thai desserts, Thai fruits and even some clothes being sold at a good price.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

Most of the customers who come to Maeklong Railway Market for shopping are locals as they just come here to satisfy their daily groceries need. That makes Talad Rom Hub Market a great place to visit if you're looking for an authentic local shopping experience that can’t be enjoyed in other popular markets.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub) 

Maeklong's Pla Tuu (Mackerel Fish)

"Pla Tuu Mae Klong" from Samut Songkhram province is the best known trademark for mackerel fish in Thailand. It is recognized as the best and the most delicious mackerel fish in all the country. Pla Tuu is commonly sold in round bamboo containers with their faces pointing down and necks broken. The neck of the fish is broken due to the need to fit it in the size and shape of bamboo containers.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

If you will be visiting Maeklong Railway Market or Amphawa Floating Market, don’t be surprised that you will see a lot of vendors selling fresh mackerel and various food products made from mackerel. They even organize the festival called "Pla Tuu Mae Klong" every December in front of Samut Songkhram Town Hall.

How to get to Maeklong Railway Market

There several ways how to get to Maeklong Railway Market from Bangkok as you can take a minivan from bus station in Bangkok, join a tour, take taxi or a private car, or get there by a local commuter train.

1. Van to Maeklong Railway Market

You can take a van to Maeklong Railway Station in Samut Songkhram from Bangkok Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal. It should cost about 100 THB per person and the duration of the trip is about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Minivans to Samut Songkhram also depart from Mochit New Van Terminal.

As both bus and van terminals are not located centrally in Bangkok, take into consideration that getting there from your accommodation in the city might be not cheap and time consuming.

2. Private or Shared Maeklong Railway Market Tour

Going to Maeklong Railway Market on a tour is the easiest way to get there. There are many tour agencies offering half day tours that include the visit to the market.

You can actually visit Maeklong in half-day by joining this guided Maeklong Railway Market 5 hours Tour that takes you from the centrally located River City Bangkok at 8:00, brings you to explore Maeklong Railway Market for 1.5 hour and then returns you to MBK Mall in Bangkok center at around 13:00.

3. Train to Maeklong Railway Market

The trip to Maeklong Railway Market by train consists of 3 main steps:

  • Taking the train from Wongwien Yai Railway Station (not Hua Lamphong Railway Station) to Maha Chai Railway Station (10 THB, 1 hour).
  • Taking the ferry crossing between Maha Chai Pier and Tha Chalom Pier (3 THB, few minutes).
  • Taking the train from Ban Laem Railway Station to Maeklong Railway Station (final destination) (10 THB, 1 hour).

Detailed information about this kind of travel from Bangkok to Maeklong Railway Market can be found here: How to get to Maeklong Railway Market by Train

4. Private Car / Taxi to Maeklong Railway Market

When going to Maeklong Railway Market by car from Bangkok, take Highway No. 35 Rama 2 Road (Thon Buri - Pak Tho Road) to Km 63. Take the left turn and drive to Samut Songkhram town. Go straight to Somdej Phra Phutthaloetla Hospital intersection, turn right and drive straight across the railway to Maeklong Railway Market.

You can also take a taxi to Maeklong Railway Market from Bangkok, but for such a long journey the price should be fixed and it needs to be agreed in advance. To avoid misunderstandings, it might be better to order Grab or pre-book your private transfer online: Transfer from Bangkok to Maeklong Railway Market.

Maeklong Railway & Amphawa Floating Market

If you think that going there just for seeing the train passing is not worth it, you can visit a nearby floating market as well. Visiting Maeklong Railway Market and Amphawa Floating Market on the same day is a perfect day trip from Bangkok. You can combine a visit to the railway market with shopping at Amphawa Floating Market, if traveling on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Maeklong Railway Market (Talad Rom Hub)

You can visit these two famous markets on a tour that can be booked online here: Maeklong Railway Market and Amphawa Floating Market tour.

Otherwise, you can travel independently and visit both markets with the help of our trip itinerary: Trip to Maeklong Railway Market and Amphawa.

Maeklong Railway & Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is the most famous floating market in Thailand that is open daily. As it is also located not that far away from the railway market, a combined visit to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Maeklong Railway Market is one of the most popular day trips from Bangkok.

You can choose from either a shared group or private guided experience to see 2 iconic markets on this day trip from Bangkok. See a market located on the railway tracks, the Maeklong Railway Market, and a market that floats on the canals at the Damnoen Saduak Market.

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