🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
If it's your first time in Hua Hin, the railway station is the spot locals tell you to swing by before anything else, not because you need to catch a train, but because the cream-and-red Victorian-style wooden building and the royal pavilion next to it are pretty enough to have become the symbol of the town. It's central, free to visit, and half an hour of wandering will leave you with plenty of photos to take home.
A bit of history before you go
The Southern Line reached Hua Hin around 1911, while the wooden station building we see today was built in 1926, during the reign of King Rama VI, by Prince Purachatra of Kamphaengphet, who headed the Royal State Railways at the time. The architecture draws on a Victorian influence, with fretwork timber decorating the columns and gables, painted in the cream-and-red that has become Hua Hin's signature look.
The Royal Waiting Pavilion (Phlapphla Phra Mongkut Klao) is the station's most striking feature, a four-gabled pavilion. It was originally called "Sanam Chandra Pavilion" and stood within Sanam Chandra Palace in Nakhon Pathom, built during the reign of King Rama VI. In 1968 the State Railway dismantled it and rebuilt it here at Hua Hin Station as a royal waiting hall for boarding and alighting from trains, then renamed it the Royal Waiting Pavilion. The fretwork timber and red-and-gold detailing are all still intact.
Worth knowing before you go
In late 2023, long-distance trains moved to the new Hua Hin station built to handle the double-track line. The old wooden building was reopened as a heritage attraction you can walk around. You don't need a train ticket to go in.
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Photo spots you shouldn't miss
Front of the wooden station
The most classic angle. Frame the station nameplate together with the cream-and-red fretwork. There's plenty of room to shoot from the forecourt.
Royal Waiting Pavilion
The red-and-gold royal pavilion beside the platform. Shoot it on a slight diagonal to catch the four-gabled roof at its best.
Platform and tracks
Walk along the long platform and shoot down the tracks for a retro, cinematic look.
Antique steam locomotive
An old steam engine sits on display as a permanent exhibit. You can get up close for a photo with it.
Best light
Late afternoon into early evening, the light hits the front of the station just right and makes the cream-and-red pop. Early morning is quieter, so you can shoot freely without waiting your turn for an angle.
What else is around the station
- Hua Hin Railway Library — built from two old train carriages over 50 years old, joined to an entrance building. It sits in front of the station and makes a good photo stop where you can sit for a bit.
- Burachat Pavilion — an old pavilion across from the station, named after Prince Purachatra of Kamphaengphet. Worth a wander to keep shooting.
- Hua Hin Night Market — about a 5–10 min walk from the station, perfect for dinner straight after seeing the station.
Getting there and practical info
- Location — 114 Phetkasem Road, Hua Hin subdistrict, Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. It's central and easy to find.
- Getting there — turn off Phetkasem Road into Soi 76 to reach the station. If you're staying in town you can walk, or take a samlor/motorbike taxi.
- Admission — free to visit the station grounds and platform; there's no entry fee.
- Hours — you can walk around the exterior all day, but the royal pavilion is a conservation area; in most cases you can only view it from outside, not enter.
A little tip
If you want it quieter, go in the morning before the tour buses arrive, then loop back in the evening to shoot the nice light again. Actual walking time is no more than half an hour.
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