The bridge over the river Kwai is famous for two good reasons: it is both the centre of a classic war movie and an iconic historical site with a troubled past. This renowned monument is only a couple of hours of Bangkok and makes a great side trip for a few days or a trip unto itself.
Getting to Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi is both a city and one of Thailand’s 76 province, so make sure you follow your map closely. The easiest way to get to Kanchanaburi town is by train. If you are coming from Bangkok, the train leaves from Thon Buri station on the west side of the Chao Phraya, about a 20 minute tuk tuk or taxi ride from the Khaosan area.
There are two trains a day. The morning train from Thon Buri departs at 7.45 am and 1.45 pm. It is the 258 ‘ordinary train’ and is destined for Nam Tok. Trains back depart at 7.05 am and 2.43 pm. But check out the times on Thailand trains here to make sure they haven’t changed before you set out.
The train route itself is beautiful. After slowly heading out of the busy megacity of Bangkok, the scenery shifts to suburbs and the lush fields. There are over twenty stops on the way, but aside from Nakhon Pathom (a bustling city), they are all in smaller towns and villages.
Tip: If you are taking a train up from the South, you could actually change onto the 258 at Nakhon Pathom, as most of the sleeper trains stop there before turning toward Bangkok.
I once stopped in Nakhon Pathom for a few hours and found it enchanting. It seems like the kind of place very few people visit. There is a massive stupa and Buddhist temple called Phra Pathom Chedi that’s a must-see.
Staying in Kanchanaburi
I highly recommend staying in a bungalow over the river. There are a few to choose from in the Northern part of town between the train station and the bridge. I stayed at Sam’s House Kanchanaburi, where about half the bungalows are on stilts over the edge of the river. I say river, but it is more of an offshoot of the Kwae Yai, so don’t expect views across the river unless you can book bungalows right at the beginning of the offshoot. That being said, there are plenty of bridges over the river Kwai, and accommodation options for all budgets, and some offer great views over the river.
Bridge the Over River Kwai History
The river Kwai, as Westerners know it, or the Khwae Yai to the Thais, is famous for its bridge. The original bridge was built during WW2 as part of the Japanese Empire’s railways from Singapore to Burma, where they were fighting against the British Empire. The reason this route is so well known is not a happy one. The Japanese forced around 60,000 Allied troops, including 13,000 Australian and 200,000 Burmese and Malays, to build it, ignoring human rights and the Geneva Convention. Thousands died from exhaustion, malnutrition and disease.
Many, myself included, do not realise that the river and bridge are in Thailand, but a large section of the so-called ‘death railway’ was, including the bridge over the river Kwai. History aside, this part of WW2 became a household name after the bridge over the River Kwai movie came out in 1957.
If you have watched the film, you will know that the bridge was blown up, but unlike in the movie, it was actually bombed in 1945. The bridge was rebuilt after the war and now serves the Nam Tok line–and the same 258 train actually goes over the bridge after stopping at Kanchanaburi station. There is also a local train, so three trains cross the bridge in each direction every day.
You can walk across the bridge for free anytime–except when the trains are crossing, of course. On the other side, there is the questionably named ‘concentration camp market,’ which offers a few different types of food and souvenir stalls on the site of the old camp. Don’t worry; you can learn all about the real history at the war museum.
Visiting the Kanchanaburi War Museum
As someone who has been to a good few war museums in England, Australia, New Zealand, and now Thailand, the JEATH War Museum, sometimes called the Kanchanaburi War Museum, is well worth a visit. It was named after the countries involved in the railway (Japanese, English, Australian, American, Thai and Dutch).
Note that there are two museums with the same name. One is located in Kanchanaburi town and is often called the bridge over the river Kwai War Museum in Kanchanaburi; the other is right next to the bridge. I have only visited the museum next to the bridge, where I was told there is more to see.
The museum contains an eclectic mix of WW2 vehicles, train carriages, weapons and reconstructions. You can see replicas of the small wooden huts the prisoners where kept in and read all about how the camps functioned. You can also see plenty of WW2 weapons and uniforms from both Allied and Japanese troops.
Hellfire Pass and Memorial
After a stop at the bridge, you can take the train all the way to its final destination, Nam Tok. This is a windy journey along some of the tracks built by the prisoner and takes over two hours. On the way, you will get some spectacular views and go over the Wang Pho viaduct.
At Nam Tok, you will have to change to a minibus or taxi to get to Hellfire Pass, as this part of the old train track is no longer in use. It takes about half an hour. Alternatively, there are plenty of tours that start from Kanchanaburi if you are not keen on the long and windy train journey–to drive straight there only takes an hour and a half.
Hellfire Pass is a section of the Death Railway renowned for poor conditions and disease. British, Tamil and Australian prisoners cut the pass through the jungle mostly by hand, with a few jackhammers.
As so many ANZACs toiled and died to make the railway, the Australian government decided to build the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walking Trail.
Travel Tips and Tricks
There is no shortage of things to see in Kanchanaburi. My recommendation would be to book at least two nights. That way, you can spend a full day exploring around the bridge and then get the train up to Hellfire Pass.
The town centre itself is very local with a great night market and walking street along Songkwai Rd, right by the river. There is also the ‘Skywalk,’ right next to the walking street, which is essentially a raised platform with glass floors that offers a good view over the town and river.
What I’m trying to say is–stay for a bit longer. Explore the town, go on day trips up the railroad, and take in all this amazing part of Thailand.
