Hua Lamphong Station opened in 1916 and served for over a century as Bangkok's central railway terminus. The Italian Renaissance-influenced building — with its arched iron roof, mosaic floors, and soaring main hall — is among the finest examples of early 20th-century architecture in Bangkok, built during the reign of Rama VI.
The station has been superseded by Bang Sue Grand Station for long-distance trains, but retains services and a great deal of historical atmosphere. The main hall now has a museum section documenting the history of the Royal State Railways of Thailand. For visitors arriving in Chinatown by MRT, the station exit opens directly into the neighbourhood's main streets.