The Death Railway (the official name is Thai-Burma Railway) is a historic 415 km train line between Ban Pong in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Myanmar. It was built during World War II in 18 months by the Japanese Imperial Army to supply troops and weapons at the Burmese front that was pushing towards South Asia.

The word, Death, was a nickname that came from the fact that over 110,000 people, between civilians and prisoners of war, died building this railroad – mostly because of maltreatment, malnutrition or malaria. 

The story is immortalised in the Academy-winning film, Bridge Over River Kwai, 1957, directed by David Lean with Alec Guinness in the lead. The bridge in question is still in use and is located at Kanchanaburi – some 100km west of Bangkok.

The Death Railway was destroyed by Allied bombing towards the end of the War, and today a short section between Bangkok and Nam Tok still runs nevertheless. It attracts locals, and historians and tourists alike. For many visitors it is pilgrimage to the grim reminder of human history, of atrocity and tragedy and the futility of war to resolve human problems.

Of late, the Death Railway and Kanchanaburi have become the site of reconcilliation where the deads are remembered and the heroes celebrated. Former foes come together to own the past mistakes and learn to build a better future free of such human tragedies.

There are two trains that run daily. The train is still driven by the old locomotive system and the station that it kicks off from is the Thonburi station on the west banks of Chao Phraya river. The train stops more than it moves, and passes over the historic bridge over Kwai at Kanchanaburi. It then snakes along the tracks carved out of the hills towards Myanmar border.

The ride is free for Thai people, while foreign visitors pay a flat 100 Bahts irrespective of which station you get off, or get on. The fare-paying visitors can have a dedicated carriage with better seats.

The section between Kanchanaburi and Nam Tok is the most interesting part.

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