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Arrival and information
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Trains
connect Kanchanaburi with Bangkok Noi Station via Nakhon Pathom. Coming from Hua Hin and points further south, take the train to Ban Pong and then change on to a Kanchanaburi-bound train (or bus). Kanchanaburi's train station is on Thanon Saeng Chuto, about 2km north of the town centre, so guesthouses usually send free transport. Buses run from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal and Nakhon Pathom. Arriving at the
bus station
at the southern edge of the town centre, it's a five-minute walk around the corner to the
TAT office
(daily 8.30am-4.30pm; tel 034/511200) and a ten-minute samlor ride (B35) to the Soi Rong Heeb and Maenam Kwai guesthouses. From Bangkok the speediest mode of transport is one of the
tourist minibuses
from Thanon Khao San (2hr); they make the return trip to Khao San every afternoon. For transport between the bus station, Maenam Kwai guesthouses and the Bridge, use the
songthaews
that run along Thanon Saeng Chuto via the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery (Don Rak) and then up Thanon Maenam Kwai to the Bridge (every 15min; 15min). They start from outside the Bata shoe shop on Thanon Saeng Chuto, one block north of the bus station. The best way to see Kanchanaburi's sights and the surrounding countryside is by
bicycle
(B20-40 per day), available for rent from AS Mixed Travel, Corner Shop, and
Green Bamboo Restaurant,
all on Thanon Maenam Kwai; some places also rent out motorbikes (B150-250 per day) and jeeps.
There are several banks with money changing facilities on the main Thanon Saeng Chuto; outside banking hours contact either Apple Guesthouse on Thanon Maenam Kwai, or Punnee Bar on Thanon Ban Neua. The Tourist Police (tel 034/512795) shares the TAT building on Thanon Saeng Chuto. Of the several internet cafAŠs in town CS Internet, near the bus station, on the corner of Thanon Saeng Chuto and Thanon Lak Muang, has the cheapest email service.
The best places for organizing
trips
from Kanchanaburi are AS Mixed Travel at
Apple's Guesthouse
, which does rafting and elephant-riding trips up to Three Pagodas Pass (two days; B1950); and
C and C Guesthouse
, which does overnight trips to a Karen village (B1200) and more serious two-night jungle hikes (B1500). Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Thailand,
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