Major city · Thailand
Phitsanulokพิษณุโลก
Stay one night, not three: use Phitsanulok as a rail and bus stop between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and as the base for Sukhothai.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- THB
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- avoid Mar–Apr (smoke and heat), Sep–Oct (wettest)
- Airport
- PHS
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 6Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Thailand ↗Check entry rules and any arrival card on the official Thai government sites for your passport; visa-exempt stays and pre-arrival forms change.
- Thailand ↗Do not criticise or mock the monarchy: insulting the royal family is a criminal offence.
- Thailand ↗Temples and palaces: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off before entering halls.
- Thailand ↗E-cigarettes and vapes are illegal to import or use; do not pack them.
Phitsanulok sits roughly halfway between Bangkok and Chiang Mai on the northern rail line, about 377 km from the capital, and it is the transport hub for the lower north. The city itself is a working Thai provincial capital of around 80,000 people with one big temple, Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat, and a riverfront night market. Most travellers pass through on the way to Sukhothai, 58 km west, or break a long train ride here. It rewards one night and a morning, not a week.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Phitsanulok, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿).Thailand-wide
- SIM or eSIMAIS and TrueMove H sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport registration is required.Thailand-wide
- Tap waterNot drinkable from the tap.Thailand-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: Leave ฿20–100 (≈ US$1–4) or the coins; skip it if a 10% service charge is on the bill.Thailand-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B/C/O. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Thailand-wide
- SafetyPhitsanulok is a calm provincial city and violent crime against visitors is rare.
- RestroomsWestern toilets in malls and hotels; squat toilets with a water bucket in rural stops.Thailand-wide
- Emergency numbers191 police · 1669 (≈ US$55) ambulance and rescue · 1155 (≈ US$40) tourist police (english) (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysMany Bangkok street-food vendors stay off the main roads on Mondays (street-cleaning day in several districts)…Thailand-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportPHS Phitsanulok Airport (About 3 km south of the centre; Nok Air flights to and from Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK), roughly 50 min.PHS Phitsanulok Airport (About 1.9 mi south of the centre; Nok Air flights to and from Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK), roughly 50 min.
- Getting aroundThe centre is walkable: train station to Wat Yai is about 1.5 km, 20 minutes on foot.The centre is walkable: train station to Wat Yai is about 0.9 mi, 20 minutes on foot.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCake and coffee in a café฿80–150 (≈ US$3–5)
- Street or quick mealRiverside noodle soup (kuai tiao)฿40–70 (≈ US$2–3)
- Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, about 3 miTuk-tuk, short hop in town฿40–60 (≈ US$2)
- Metro or bus rideBus to Sukhothai, one way฿40 (≈ US$2)
- Budget bedFan room, guesthouse, a night, per room฿300 (≈ US$10)
- Mid-range bedFan room, guesthouse, a night, per room฿450 (≈ US$14)
- High-end bedFan room, guesthouse, a night, per room฿700 (≈ US$25)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget ฿900 (≈ US$30) · Mid ฿1,800 (≈ US$60) · High ฿3,500 (≈ US$110)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- PHS Phitsanulok Airport (About 3 km south of the centre; Nok Air flights to and from Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK), roughly 50 min. Bus 4 and tuk-tuks reach town for about ฿10–20.)PHS Phitsanulok Airport (About 1.9 mi south of the centre; Nok Air flights to and from Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK), roughly 50 min. Bus 4 and tuk-tuks reach town for about ฿10–20.)
Weather and climate
Phitsanulok: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
32°C90°F
17°C63°F
1 rd
Feb
34°C93°F
20°C68°F
2 rd
Mar
36°C97°F
23°C73°F
4 rd
Apr
37°C99°F
25°C77°F
6 rd
May
35°C95°F
25°C77°F
13 rd
Jun
34°C93°F
25°C77°F
15 rd
Jul
33°C91°F
25°C77°F
16 rd
Aug
32°C90°F
25°C77°F
18 rd
Sep
32°C90°F
25°C77°F
19 rd
Oct
32°C90°F
24°C75°F
12 rd
Nov
32°C90°F
21°C70°F
4 rd
Dec
31°C88°F
17°C63°F
1 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The centre is walkable: train station to Wat Yai is about 1.5 km, 20 minutes on foot. Tuk-tuks cover short hops for around ฿40–60; public buses run to the bus stations and the airport. Rent a motorbike only if you are licensed and insured — rates start near ฿200–250 a day.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Sukhothai Historical Park
goDoor to door: About 1 h 15 min
Air-conditioned bus from Bus Terminal 1, about every 45 min, 07:00–18:30, ฿40 (≈ US$2), 58 kmAir-conditioned bus from Bus Terminal 1, about every 45 min, 7:00 AM–6:30 PM, ฿40 (≈ US$2), 58 kmAir-conditioned bus from Bus Terminal 1, about every 45 min, 07:00–18:30, ฿40 (≈ US$2), 36 miAir-conditioned bus from Bus Terminal 1, about every 45 min, 7:00 AM–6:30 PM, ฿40 (≈ US$2), 36 mi
Buses fill up: board early. A tuk-tuk from the station quotes around ฿1,000 one way.
Door to door: About 1.5–2 h
Bus south from Bus Terminal 1 or 2
Ruins and a quiet riverside town; pairs well with Sukhothai.
Khao Kho (Wat Phrathat Pha Sorn Kaew)
cautionDoor to door: About 2.5 h
Bus from the main station, about ฿80 (≈ US$3) one way, then a 25-min uphill walk or a lift on a pickup
Mosaic temple and hill views; return transport is unreliable, so plan the last bus back.
Uttaradit
skipDoor to door: About 1.5–2 h
Train or bus north
Only worth it if you are already heading north by rail.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Train station and Naresuan Road
Best for one night with bags: guesthouses, cheap hotels and the night market within a 10-minute walk.
Riverside near Wat Yai
Quieter, walkable to the temple and the riverside noodle alley; a handful of hostels and cafés.
Mittraphap Road (east)
Chain hotels and malls near the highway; needs a bus or tuk-tuk for the centre, so only for drivers.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- ฿700–1,200 (≈ US$25–40) excl. bed
- Mid
- ฿1,200–2,500 (≈ US$40–80) excl. bed
- High
- ฿2,500 (≈ US$80)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Air-con double room1 × 1 night × ฿900 | ฿900 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × ฿1,800 | ฿3,600 |
| Sukhothai bus, both ways2 × ฿80 | ฿160 |
| Tuk-tuk hops in town, one day2 × ฿150 | ฿300 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × ฿300 | ฿600 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | ฿556 |
| Trip total≈ ฿3,058 per person per day, bed included | ฿6,116≈ US$190 |
2026 estimate in baht; long-distance transport excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Riverside noodle soup (kuai tiao) | ฿40–70 (≈ US$2–3) |
| Grilled chicken (gai yang) with sticky rice | ฿50–90 (≈ US$2–3) |
| Bubble tea | ฿20–25 (≈ under US$1) |
| Cake and coffee in a café | ฿80–150 (≈ US$3–5) |
| Tuk-tuk, short hop in town | ฿40–60 (≈ US$2) |
| Bus to Sukhothai, one way | ฿40 (≈ US$2) |
| Train to Bangkok or Chiang Mai, 2nd class | ฿250–450 (≈ US$8–14) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Bus Terminal 1 (regional, 2 km east of the station) and Bus Terminal 2 (long-distance, about 7 km further east) are separate: confirm which one your ticket uses.Bus Terminal 1 (regional, 1.2 mi east of the station) and Bus Terminal 2 (long-distance, about 4.3 mi further east) are separate: confirm which one your ticket uses.
- Arriving from the north, buses often stop at Terminal 2 first, then continue to Terminal 1.
- Bus stops and signage are in Thai only; have your destination written in Thai.
- March–April brings farm-burning smoke across the lower north; air quality can be poor.
- Vegetarian food is hard to find — dishes labelled meat-free often contain chicken or beef stock.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 191
- Ambulance and rescue
- 1669
- Tourist police (English)
- 1155
Pocket card
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Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
Phitsanulokพิษณุโลก
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
ไปที่อยู่นี้Please take me to this address
Emergency
- Police191
- Ambulance and rescue1669
- Tourist police1155
Embassy
No embassies in Phitsanulok; the US, UK, Canadian and Australian missions are in Bangkok. Immigration for visa extensions is at the office opposite the main post office on the river (check hours).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Tuk-tuk, train station → Wat Yai: ฿40–60 (≈ US$2)
- Bus, Terminal 1 → Sukhothai: ฿40 (≈ US$2), about 1 h, every 45 min 07:00–18:30฿40 (≈ US$2), about 1 h, every 45 min 7:00 AM–6:30 PM
- Train, Phitsanulok → Bangkok: about 6–7 h, 2nd class from around ฿250 (≈ US$8)
Say or show
- สวัสดี — Hello (sawatdee)
- ขอบคุณ — Thank you (khop khun)
- เท่าไหร่ — How much is it? (tao rai)
- ไม่เผ็ด — Not spicy, please (mai phet)
- ห้องน้ำอยู่ไหน — Where is the toilet? (hong nam yu nai)
- ไปที่อยู่นี้ — Please take me to this address (pai thi yu ni)
Tourist Authority of Thailand office: 209/7-8 Borom Trailokanat Rd, 5–7 min walk south of the train station, 08:30–16:30 daily.
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Phitsanulok. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Nov–Feb · avoid Mar–Apr (smoke and heat), Sep–Oct (wettest) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for PHS: last flight, bus 4 timing, tuk-tuk fallback.
- Walking cluster map: train station, night market, Wat Yai, riverside noodle alley.
- Place pages for Wat Yai, Wat Ratburana, the City Pillar Shrine and the Folklore Museum with opening hours checked.
- Sukhothai day-trip fixture with first and last bus times field-checked.