The 35 train takes 22 hours, assuming it doesn't go off the tracks, or southern insurgents don't bomb the tracks. The flight takes 1 hour and 35 minutes. The 35 train departed only 15 minutes late from Hua Lumphong today, which is pretty amazing. Because of the track closure due to flooding this train has yet to reach the end-point; maybe in a day or two, if you're lucky?

The E & O pulling train derailed earlier this year: http://www.richardbarrow.com/2014/07...s-in-thailand/

But there are so many derailments it is hard to keep track.

SRT derailment du jour: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/sur...-derails-yala/

the incident stranded passengers travelling on trains from Narathiwat to Bangkok, and vise versa for 16 hours.

This was a pretty amazing derailment from August, 2013 on the northern line. Thank goodness for tunnels. http://thatbackpacker.com/2013/08/04...iled-august-3/