รถไฟ
rót-fai/rot̚˦˥.faj˧/
In Thai, 'train' is รถไฟ (rót-fai).
รถไฟ is used to refer to both the physical vehicle and the mode of transport. For specific types of rail, you can use รถไฟฟ้า to refer to electric trains or urban rail systems like metro or light rail and รถไฟดีเซล for diesel-powered trains. You can also use รถไฟคันนี้ to mean 'this train'.
Meaning: line of connected cars or carriages (noun)
Which one should you use?
While รถไฟ refers to the noun 'train', do not confuse it with the Thai verbs for the action 'to train' (to practice an ability), which are หัด or ฝึกหัด.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced rót-fai.
Did you know?
- Thai shares this 'fire vehicle' logic with Chinese, where the word for train is 火车 (huǒchē), combining the characters for 'fire' and 'vehicle'.
- When speaking about a train, Thais use the classifier ขบวน (khabuan) to count them, which is a specific term used for things that move in a line or procession.
- The Thai word for 'train', รถไฟ, literally translates to 'fire vehicle'.
Examples in context
- ไปรถไฟถูกกว่าIt's cheaper to go by train.This sentence shows how to express that traveling by รถไฟ is cheaper.Tatoeba #10670560 by Somsak, translation #2713232 by CK
- ฉันกำลังรอรถไฟI'm waiting for a train.This sentence is used to say that you are waiting for a รถไฟ.Tatoeba #8714402 by pastelite, translation #1728986 by CM
- รถไฟออกตรงเวลาThe train left on time.This sentence describes a รถไฟ leaving on time.Tatoeba #10241188 by Somsak, translation #326254 by CK
- เดินทางโดยรถไฟTravel by train
- ต้องการนั่งรถไฟฟ้าไปยังสถานีสุขุมวิทI want to take the train to Sukhumvit Station
- นั่งรถไฟคันนี้ไปเชียงใหม่Take this train to Chiang Mai
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a train station platform.
- วิทวัส Witthawatรถไฟมาหรือยังครับrot-fai ma rue yang khrapHas the train arrived yet?
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanกำลังมาค่ะkam-lang ma khaIt is coming.
- วิทวัส Witthawatผมเตรียมกระเป๋าพร้อมแล้วphom triam krapao phrom laeoI am ready with my bag.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanรีบเดินไปที่ชานชาลาเถอะค่ะrip doen pai thi chan-cha-la thoe khaLet's hurry to the platform.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “train” translations and entries รถไฟ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries รถไฟ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
