Bridge on the River Kwai and Thailand-Burma Railway Tour

Disappointing Guide, Great landscape

The landscape and history of the bridge are fantastic. The guide however was very boated, slept the whole time and did only provide infos for about 20 minutes in the car and another 20 minutes in the museum- on a 10 hour private tour for 270 Euros. He seemed very distracted with his I-pad all the time. Slept several hours in the car. No infos on culture, actual situation in Thailand or anything. Very disappointing! The tour itself (train, boat, car) was nice.

Excellent tour

Excellent tour.Om our tour guide was so good . Lunch was also very good . Would highly recommend this trip

Bridge over the river kwai

The tour was great only the air conditioning in de bus was not working properly so it was very hot during the ride

Excellent

We had a truly incredible day. Rack, our guide was amazing. He looked after us and was so informative.

River Kwai day out.

Although a early start and a 3 hour road trip the experience was great. Our tour guide gave a indept account of what why and how before we got there. The day included a war cemetery, museum, river Kwai bridge, train ride and lunch before heading back to Bangkok. Thanks to our guide and driver.

Trip to river Kwai

We had a great trip with a fantastic tour guide. The.history was extremely interesting though sad. There were also some very scenic views and all around a great experience.

Great to see the historic sites but…..

Seeing the bridge, and riding on the train was exceptional. The communication of the company prior was also good. The trip itself had flaws though unfortunately and we finished feeling frustrated by these. Firstly. The minibus was extremely uncomfortable in size, temperature and basically spending 7 + hours travelling on it. The air con wasn’t great, the seats were tiny and had no leg room and it was very uncomfortable. Secondly. We were surprised to discover that the company had booked our tickets in the economy section of the train - which we would have been happy to travel in until we learnt that didn’t actually guarantee a seat - during our journey we were encouraged to “upgrade” our tickets for 300 baht PP to a section of the train that enabled us to have an actual seat. We all felt this should have been included as standard - we paid £60+ pp for this trip, for goodness sake can’t they book us a seat on the train?! Thirdly- we were exceptionally disappointed to not have a return journey on the train when it basically left the lunch stop at the same time our uncomfortable minibus did. And arrived at the bridge of Kwai at the same time we left it on our minivan. Our guide failed to mention to our group about the arriving train- in fact he told us there was only one train a day! - we only saw it by accident and I think that was poor as it was a great photo opportunity to see the train on the bridge of Kwai . This made us question how well our guide Oom knew the train schedule. Lunch stop was 1.5 hours - far too long. If it had been 45 mins shorter we may have gotten back earlier. Since the minibus schedule was the same as the train we see no reason why we couldn’t have had a return journey on the train. Some of our group missed the best shots of the train passing over the gauge on arrival to lunch stop because they were seated in the wrong side and we all were told it was a return journey so weren’t fussed about making an effort to see it. So it was a surprise when it then changed to it’s only one way. Our guide Oom was pleasant enough but didn’t give any commentary on way home. Or on train. We weren't convinced by him I’m afraid. Having said all of this- it’s a must see for history enthusiasts and the sites themselves did not disappoint. We were picked up at 0600hrs and are still not back at 1830hrs. It’s a long day.

Cracking River Kwai Trip

I’ll admit I ummed & ahhed a bit about this booking but we couldn’t have had a better day, it was perfect from start to finish. My hesitation came from some of the previous reviews, so hopefully ours will help alay any worries others might have. We only booked this less than 24 hrs before, so comms for confirmation and pick up was great. They came out their way to pick us up from our hotel which saved a whole lot of traffic planning on our part. Few more pick ups and we were on our way. Regular stops for drinks and toilet at large clean service stations. FOC bottles of water were provided at two points of the trip and there were numerous opportunities to buy your own food and drink too. The visits and boat / train ride all as described and executed brilliantly by our tour guide Rach. Lunch was in a beautiful spot and plenty enough buffet choice. Rach took photos of the group throughout the day and gave us copies FOC. Basically I don’t think the tour company could have done any more. I mislaid my phone and they went out their way to find it for me. Also a fellow guest was looking for a family war grave at a different cemetery and they accommodated his request at the end of the planned visits. Finally to any other guests reading, we enjoyed all your company, so thank you to you also for making this quite a special day.

Brilliant tour/guide but use different Company!

Tour with Racha our guide was brilliant - absolutely covered everything you could want in a trip to Kwai (hence 3 stars). Definitely recommend a trip to the area but maybe not with IAsia Its a pity the Company (IAsia) was not as good as their guide!. Company communication poor - trip starts 6.30am despite being advertised as 7.00am. When questioned, abruptly told, you can change but likely to miss Death Railway! No communication day prior to trip - I had to contact them. The vehicle they provided for a private tour @ a premium price was barely fit for purpose. No full seatbelts, damaged and rusty paintwork, dirty and torn upholstery noisy, uncomfortable and not appropriate for 2 people (old shabby mini bus. Need to reinvest some of their profits into a saloon car or SUV!

Peaceful Surroundings and Great Fun to Walk Over the Bridge

After all these years finally arrived to take in the sights of this bridge over the River Kwai. Easy to traverse with many tourists doing same. Next to the bridge is a railway station and town with lots of things to see. Very safe to walk on bridge with a walkway down the middle of the tracks and areas to stand if a train does pass by. The bridge is no more than 50 metres from the town central, places to park, but local artefacts and gave a cool drink. Good for families as well.

A must do trip if you visit Thailand.

Long tail boat ride . The whole trip was excellent. Well organised. Fantastic guide . Long day but worth it .

Long way to go

Not a lot to see, not the historic one but on the same spot. Been there, done that. Even if you go up and take the railway trip, it is along journey back and forth for this day excursion.

Amazing railway tour

I loved to travelling in Thailand. It was spiritual retreat for me. Sitting on the railway is amazing experience for me. Thank you, see you next time Thailand!

Wow what an experience

One of the best trips we did whilst visiting Bangkok. Harrowing and thought provoking 100000s lost their lives and the torture some went through just horrific watching the video at the JEATH museum and our guide Oom showing us pictures of what they went through 😱😭😱… Trip to bridge by boat amazing and so was the hour and half train ride back to Kwai… Our guide planned the day differently due to the train being packed with students and it worked; food at the place he took us too was fab, he went above and beyond to make our small group of 6s day special… Would definately recommend this full day trip and if you get Oom you’ll be very lucky… On a less positive the mini bus wasn’t the most comfortable I’ve been on but at least there was only 6 people.

Long live the river Kwae bridge!

The cave is beautiful. We also enjoyed the train and the boat rides. The tour is very well organized, our guide is five stars and we will come back. Cheers!!!

Glad we paid our respects

It is good to see all of this. We were picked up at 6am and then had to wait for the guide at a service station. We would have preferred longer at the graveyard to pay our respects. Also very confusing over the extra money to get a seat on the train as you pay it to someone in a bus shelter who gives you a sticker. Then you get in the train there are plenty of seats but you are restricted where you can seat anyway. Very strange. Not sure the boat ride was worth it. Enjoyed the tour as a whole as it was something we wanted to do.

Great experience

The tour guide was great, he told you all the history, could ask him questions and he knew the answers. Lunch was really good. The vehicle was not great, should have been scrapped years ago, seats were split, not very comfortable, the van inside was dirty and just looked worn out. It’s a very long day of driving, need to being clean comfortable vehicle.

Excellent tour, don't miss it

Excellent tour. Our guide, Rach, was brilliant. His knowledge on the subject was vast & he answered all of our questions fully. Although the subject of the tour is solemn, the actual tour was so interesting. We thoroughly enjoyed it. We rode on the train across the bridge and walked across. We also saw war graves. The cemetery was kept immaculate. It was a long day & we were tired by the time we got back. But so glad we did it. Highly recommended this tour.

Fabulous Day trip!

The visit to the cemetery & museum were very moving as was walking over the bridge. We thoroughly enjoyed the boat trip & train ride & out guide, Oom, was very good.

Long but educational

Our guide had lots of information for us and made sure we saw the sights. Driver was great felt sorry for him when hotel drop offs came about. Most of us bailed and walked back to our hotels after being stuck in traffic for awhile. The tour is very long so be prepared.

Worthwhile trip

This trip was very worthwhile and our guide was very informative and helpful.Be prepared for a long days travel as there is lot involved and to see.

Trip of a Lifetime

Vit kept us well informed on the things we should see and do. He ensured that we were safe in all environments. Highly recommend him and this tour.

Great trip

A great trip, very knowledgeable guide who gave us lots of information on way there and as we were walking/on the train. Iwould recommend to go. Worth the money 😊

Great tour and very factual

Th guide was very knowledgeable and told us about the river Kwai and atrocities factually and was great at relaying all the facts. I learnt a lot that day and he was very polite and helpful for our various questions. He took lots of photos of all the guests and sent them to us afterwards. I really enjoyed this tour and I think it is a must for anyone wanting to learn first hand about the river Kwai and jeath railway. Amazing story of loss and survival for all parties involved. Recommend the speed boat ride to be included

Bridge Over The River Kwai

My Wife And I Took Part In A Simply Amazingly Historical Experience, With A Very Knowledgeable Tour Guide. Highly Recommended

Really good day out

Really good trip, loved everything about it. We had booked the longboat with it and was a really nice way to arrive. Yes you can pay to upgrade to guarantee a seat but wasn't a lot and we are glad we did. The food provided was very nice and good selection. Guide gave lots of information.

Average tour

Average tour. We paid extra for a private tour for our family of four, but our guide was not that engaging…. Just dropped us at the locations listed and left us to it, no information about the history or attractions.

A long but good day on the River Kwai

Great to pay our respects to all those who suffered building the Death Railway 1942 to 1943. A long but good day that bought home the scale of the abuse by Japanese Empire in WW2. Great to see the war cemetery, the Death Railway Museum and travel by boat under and travel by train over the remaining bridge on the River Kwai. Points for the improvement are the quality of the transport (our van was old and battered) and the guides knowledge ( I expect the guide to tell us the history in some detail rather than asking the guests to read a plaque).

Very pleasant trip.

A nice day out of Bangkok if you are interested in the war. Pick up and communication by the tour company excellent. We were just a small group and had a comfortable minibus with lots of space in it. Guide was friendly and explained some of the history. A buffet lunch was provided. I can recommend this trip but do remember that it involves a lot of travel and is a long day if you aren’t used to travelling.

River Kwai day trip

Found trip very interesting but rushed at the war cemetery i no people don’t want to be there long but we literally had 10 minutes then rushed back onto the bus if hadn’t of had 20 minutes at service station half an hour after leaving we could of had longer stood in the tour we had paid for saying that the guide was very informative but wanted longer stops were it matters

Very poor service Viator

We booked private tour with Viator that included entry to Hellfire pass & museum. It was a public holiday so not open. The guide knew this but drove there anyway, wasting time when we could have done something else. Really disappointed as it was main reason for booking tour. Why take booking for something that is not open

A very interesting trip...

A very interesting trip and the guide provided details of the railway history that I never knew. I saw the bridge in a whole new light and was able to imagine the suffering during the construction. Although it was a wartime project built by prisoners and slaves, what was accomplished in those harsh conditions is an engineering marvel. I really glad I made this trip and will always remember it.

Lots of travel time, Worth it for the history

This tour is one for history fans! Learn more about a side of WWII that isn't always in the history books. Just remember there are so many different sides to history ;) I recommend you also walk into this tour with patience too, because it's a lot of time spent driving (2-2.5 hours outside of Bangkok). The cemetery, small museum, boat ride, train ride, and lunch were all as described. Our guide, Oom, was pretty knowledgeable and very passionate about the topic. There were approx. 7 of us (mostly couples - the topic isn't really family-friendly in my opinion), so it felt like a small group. Variety of ages. We would highly recommend this tour because we appreciate the history; however, Bangkok traffic is no joke. We were the last to be dropped off. Other couples claimed to have other flights & dinner reservations, so we were not the priority. The tour was meant to end at 4pm. We arrived back at our hotel at 6:30pm. The first guests were dropped off around 5:30pm. Just keep in mind!

Reality is hard. But very educational

Awesome. Informative and educational. You read this stuff in history books. But to actually walk in a place like this is something else. You realize why Jehovah is going to get rid of war. And man will learn war no more.

Excellent teip

Very interesting and informative trip, our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable and would highly recommend.

An Inspiring Day Out

From the well researched and beautifully delivered information from our guide, Um, to the breathtaking landscapes and emotional insights into the daily lives of PoWs, This is an essential day out for any traveller with a passing or detailed interest in WW2. All aspects of the tour were well thought out, and all areas we visited were poignant, relevant and comfortable. We thoroughly recommend this tour. P.S. Having the chance to finish Pierre Boulle's famous novel whilst riding along the very tracks he was referencing was an experience I shan't forget for a very long time.

Don’t miss this tour

The whole tour is amazing . The history is very interesting and the cemetery is very moving . Would recommend this tour and the lunch is nice too

Long day but worth the distance!

It’s a long day. Most of the day is spent travelling in the mini bus. Our guide Rach was very good and pleasant. Not much time at the bridge as the train was coming. The long tail boat ride was great and we really enjoyed it. It gave us a great view of the bridge over the river Kwai. The war graves and museum were very thought provoking. The train ride was a bit of shambles since when we got on in first class there were no seats for us so we were moved further to to front and given wooden seats. We still had to pay 300baht for each seat. The buffet was ok but not the best I’ve had. It was great that Rach took photos of us and sent them to us on WhatsApp after the trip. Overall the trip was worth doing and we enjoyed it.

River Kwai and death railway experience

Had a fantastic experience on the trip. Our guide Vit was very helpful and friendly and was very informative, giving us detailed information at each stop. The cemetery was very moving but beautifully kept, and the museum hits home at what the POW had to endure. The boat ride was fast and fun. We didn’t have much time on the actual bridge as the train was due to arrive, but the train ride gives you time to take in the scenery and the final stop allows for some fab pictures, and then a nice meal to finish off the day. All in all, an amazing day with an amazing guide and would strongly recommend..👍🏻👍🏻

FAILED TOUR

We have NO story to share!!!! We were not picked up at our hotel!!! Appalling!!!! We received yet another confirmation of the tour the day before and were in the hotel lobby before 6:30am - waiting. At about 7:15am I asked the hotel to phone to ensure everything was in order and was told that they had LOST our booking and it was too late to collect us!!! They actually initially said that they had arrived to collect us at 6:30 but we were not there - which they later retracted as I proved (with the hotels confirming) that no one had been in to collect us!!! I am appalled!!!! We were not able to alter the date so have had to forego a tour that we were both extremely keen to do. A virtually wasted day in Bangkok as too late to arrange anything else.

Making part of the past..

We were glad we joined the tour, it was amazing. The coverage of the tour, the buffet lunch and the comfortable transport and the English speaking tour guide who is very helpful and caring. The only confusing part on the tour brochure when trying to book is the train seat of 300 baht that was not very cleared in the brochure., I think this should be more specific ( why we pay more for seats) I only understood when the tour guide told us about the upgrading into first class for 300 baht or free seat in the economy (first come first serve seat or standing for 1 hour train trip. ) . Overall, it is highly recommended.

Poor

We were booked to do this tour today and waited for an hour for collection from our hotel. Nobody arrived. Upon phoning we were told that the driver did not turn up! We asked that they send a taxi to get us to join the group but totally unhelpful. This must be our worst tour experience ever and is totally unacceptable!!! No excuse or offer made to rectify the situation I would NOT ever recommend this company again. Shocking

Great Tour!

Great tour! Oom was my tour driver and knew all historical dates. He was on time and took the time to explain to me the entire trip and how it was going to be accomplished. Everything went as planned. Oom is very knowledgeable and personable. If you time allows and you can, you should really take this tour... you will never be disappointend.

Great trip

Tour guide was excellent, explained everything we saw on the way there, took time for photos, when we were ready to go she was ready, pointed things out that we say on the drive.

Bridge over river Kwai trip - brilliant day out

Had a wonderful day with a small party of people we met on the trip and with Oom our guide. The day was well organised from start to finish and the experience was everything we wished for. The speed boat trip on the river Kwai was exciting and fun, the train on the Death Railway was comfortable ( pay the extra for a seat and you get a drink and a tasty snack), and the scenery is breathtaking. The whole point of our trip was to pay respect to the prisoners of war who built the railroad and to learn more about their story. The cemetery visit is so moving and the information at the museum as well as from Oom was heartbreaking but fascinating. The lunch that was provided was ok - plenty to eat and tasty. All in all my husband and I felt the long day was absolutely worth it. One slight criticism - the mini van was a little old. We have been on others that were far more comfortable.

Great tour

Our guide, Ras, and our driver We're very attentive and helpful. It was a wonderful, full of day tour.

Very moving and interesting

My husband and I did this trip 30 years ago and this time did it with our grown up children. It was wonderful to see it all again and just as moving as the first time. Revisiting history is so important if we don't want the same mistakes to happen again. Our guide had a good knowledge of all that we saw. Respect was shown for those whose lives were lost or changed forever by the building of this rail. I very worthwhile trip.

5 stars for all and definitely a must-go tour for Bangkok travellers

The tour was well organized and not rushed. There was plenty of time to enjoy each stop. The tour guide Ms Bin was very friendly and took the time to take pictures for everyone. We managed to do a lot in this one tour. Riding the Death Railway train, riding the River Kwai boat, visiting the River Kwai Bridge, the war museum and the cemetary and also visited the historical street. The lunch place that they brought us to was really nice with delicious Thai food. Big thanks to IAsia Thailand who changed my booking 3 times for free (I used them in the past) Excellent!

It was my great memory....

It was my great memory. I'm Japanese and this tour makes me to think many things. I highly recommend this tour.

Give this trip an overhaul !

The whole trip needs an overhaul. I don’t often take much notice of bad reviews but this is one that I should have heeded. I can’t understand how so many people have given this trip a good review. I can only guess that our guide was not theirs. The trip was far too rushed, the main focus was to make the train for the railway trip. We were constantly reminded there is only one train from Bangkok a day and we must be there on time. While the train trip was something to think of where the poor POWs had travelled in their quest to build the railway, I personally think that we should have concentrated more on the actual camp and cemetery. The speed boat ride was not necessary, I do not understand the importance of it. We had 15 minutes at the War cemetery, a10 minute video at the camp and absolutely no time to absorb the camp museum at all. We were constantly pushed forward, our guide had basic knowledge of the camp in my opinion and was difficult to understand. I have been to Villers-Bretonneux and Gallipoli and was keen to experience the place that a man I once knew had survived the horrors of war. Although I regard this sacred place in the same way as those two places, I don’t believe Thailands tourism operators do, it’s just a money making machine. This tour is very poorly run and I hope others are better.