The reliable way from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai is in two steps: a northbound train to Phitsanulok, about three and a half hours on the fastest day train, then a bus on to Sukhothai. Trains do not reach Sukhothai, and we could not confirm a direct bus from Ayutthaya in November 2026.
This is the classic overland route north for first-time visitors: Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, then Chiang Mai. The middle part is the one most guides skip, because there is no single ticket for it. In practice it is easy. Every train heading north from Bangkok on the main line stops at Ayutthaya, several of them in the morning, and Phitsanulok is the rail station for Sukhothai.
The train times below come from a well-known enthusiast timetable built from the State Railway of Thailand's (SRT) schedules, checked on 9 November 2026; the SRT's own site could not be opened that day, so confirm your train in the D-Ticket system before you travel. For the old capital itself, read our Ayutthaya guide.
Ayutthaya to Sukhothai in brief (checked November 2026)
- Step 1
- Train, Ayutthaya to Phitsanulok on the Northern Line
- Best day train
- Special Express 7, dep. Ayutthaya 08:23, arr. Phitsanulok 11:48
- Step 2
- Bus, Phitsanulok to Sukhothai; check times at the bus station
- Direct bus
- Not confirmed from any operator
- Booking
- D-Ticket up to 30 days ahead; SRT call center 1690
- Next leg
- Bus from Sukhothai to Chiang Mai's Arcade terminal
Is there a direct bus from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai?
We found no operator timetable, stop or departure time for a direct bus from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai. The state Transport Company's website could not be used to check it. Buses to Sukhothai do run from Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2), which the Sukhothai guide covers, but that means going back towards Bangkok.
If a guesthouse or agent in Ayutthaya offers you a bus seat to Sukhothai, ask the company name, where exactly it stops in Ayutthaya and at what time, and whether it is a through bus or a minivan to a highway stop. Without clear answers, the train is the safer plan. Our guide to long-distance buses in Thailand explains the classes and the Bangkok terminals.
The train from Ayutthaya to Phitsanulok
All the trains below start in Bangkok, so in Ayutthaya you board one that is already under way. Most of them leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal; our guide to Krung Thep Aphiwat helps if you skip Ayutthaya and start the trip in Bangkok. The slow ordinary 201 still starts at Hua Lamphong.
| Train | Leaves Ayutthaya | Arrives Phitsanulok | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Express 7 | 08:23 | 11:48 | The best choice; continues to Chiang Mai (17:50) |
| Rapid 111 | 08:59 | 14:08 | Back-up if 7 is full |
| Ordinary 201 | 12:15 | 17:55 | Cheap, slow, ends at Phitsanulok |
| Rapid 109 | 15:20 | 20:35 | A night in Phitsanulok first |
| Special Express 9 | 19:45 | 00:15 | Not useful for Sukhothai |
Later trains, Special Express 13, Rapid 107 and Express 51, reach Phitsanulok between about 02:00 and 04:30 in the morning, which is no help unless you have a hotel booked near the station. Special Express 7, at about 3 hours 25 minutes, is the fastest daytime option and leaves you the afternoon for the bus.
Seats on express and rapid trains can be reserved online up to 30 days ahead; choose Ayutthaya as your boarding station. Our guide to booking Thai trains online walks through D-Ticket. The station in Ayutthaya is on the east bank of the Pa Sak River, across the water from the old city, so leave time for the crossing in the morning; how the river ferry works is in our page on the train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya.
Buy your train ticket to Phitsanulok, not "Sukhothai". Sukhothai is not on the railway, so there is no Sukhothai station to book. Some websites still say "take the train to Sukhothai"; the train only takes you as far as Phitsanulok.
Phitsanulok to Sukhothai by bus
Buses run between Phitsanulok and Sukhothai, but we could not verify current times from the Transport Company or the provincial bus terminal, so check at the Phitsanulok bus station or with your hotel. Arriving on Special Express 7 just before midday gives you plenty of time to reach the bus station and travel on the same afternoon. In Phitsanulok, Bolt lists the city among the places it serves, which makes the ride from the train to the bus station simple.
Phitsanulok is worth more than a change of transport. Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, known as Wat Yai, houses the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, one of the most venerated Buddha images in Thailand. Our Phitsanulok guide covers the temple, the riverside and the case for using the town as a base.
Buses into Sukhothai usually stop at the terminal on the edge of the modern town. The historical park is 12 km away; tuk-tuks and the shared pickup trucks called songthaews run out to it. Grab also lists Sukhothai among its locations.
Time and order: a sample two-day plan
On the November 2026 timetable, the trip fits neatly into one travel day with a night in Sukhothai:
- Morning: cross the river to Ayutthaya station and take Special Express 7 at 08:23.
- Midday: arrive in Phitsanulok at 11:48; lunch, perhaps Wat Yai, then the bus to Sukhothai.
- Evening: check in near the old city or in the new town. On Saturdays the central zone of the historical park stays open until 21:00, with the monuments lit up.
- Next day: cycle the ruins. Each of the three zones is ticketed separately, at 100 baht per zone for foreigners on the Fine Arts Department's page.
If you prefer a slower pace, take the same train, spend the night in Phitsanulok and go to Sukhothai the next morning. Our Sukhothai guide covers the zones, the opening hours and where to stay.
Sukhothai to Chiang Mai: the last leg north
Buses run from Sukhothai to Chiang Mai's Arcade bus terminal; the Sukhothai guide covers them under "By bus from Chiang Mai", and travel sites put the trip at roughly five to six hours. The train is the alternative: go back to Phitsanulok and pick up a northbound train, since Special Express 7 continues to Chiang Mai, arriving at 17:50. Our Chiang Mai guide covers the city when you get there.
The same route in reverse
Heading south, two day trains from Chiang Mai stop at both Phitsanulok and Ayutthaya: Special Express 8 leaves Chiang Mai at 07:30 and reaches Ayutthaya at 16:48, and Rapid 102 leaves at 06:25 and reaches Ayutthaya at 18:57. Both pass Phitsanulok in the early afternoon, which suits a morning bus down from Sukhothai.
Before Ayutthaya, many travelers come from the River Kwai; our page on getting from Kanchanaburi to Ayutthaya covers that leg of the route.
A detour to Dan Sai for Phi Ta Khon
Phitsanulok is also the nearest big town for Dan Sai in Loei province, home of the Phi Ta Khon ghost festival. The 2026 festival was held from 20 to 22 June; no 2027 date had been announced in November 2026. We could not confirm bus times from Phitsanulok to Dan Sai. See our guide to the Phi Ta Khon festival for the event and how to plan for it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a train from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai?
No. Sukhothai has no railway station. Northbound trains stop at Phitsanulok, the nearest rail town, and from there you continue to Sukhothai by bus. The fastest day train, Special Express 7, leaves Ayutthaya at 08:23 and reaches Phitsanulok at 11:48.
How long does it take from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai?
About three and a half hours on the train to Phitsanulok, plus the bus to Sukhothai and the time to change. We could not verify the bus times, so allow most of a day and aim to arrive before dark.
Can I go from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai by bus?
We found no operator timetable for a direct bus from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai in November 2026. Buses to Sukhothai leave from Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal, and buses also run from Phitsanulok, which is where the train takes you.
Should I go to Sukhothai before or after Chiang Mai?
Either works, but on the way north from Bangkok the natural order is Ayutthaya, then Sukhothai, then Chiang Mai, because each step is shorter than going back and forth. In reverse, take a bus from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai and then the train south from Phitsanulok.
Sources
- Thai Train Guide – Northern Line timetable, Special Express 7 (checked November 2026)
- Thai Train Guide – Timetables for all lines (checked November 2026)
- Fine Arts Department – Sukhothai Historical Park visitor information (in Thai) (checked October 2026)
- Grab Thailand – Transport services and coverage (checked November 2026)
- Bolt – Cities in Thailand (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Mountains, national parks and temples (Phra Phuttha Chinnarat) (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – June 2026 festivals and events (Phi Ta Khon) (checked November 2026)