Having trouble scheduling a bus from Chiang Mai to Pattaya

[emacint]

I'm trying to arrange a bussing at the end of month for myself from Chiang Mai to Pattaya but am having a little trouble. The english sites I've found seem to only offer CM to BKK, I thought that would have been alright if I could just schedule that plus BKK to Pattaya but unfortunately the site I was on didn't tell me when the first bus arrived so I couldn't properly coordinate them.

 

I believe I also saw on another site that a bus ticket could be booked and then paid at a number of locations, one of note being the post office here, would I be able to walk in there and try to book my route with someone who hopefully speaks english, is that a thing the post offices offer here?

 

Any advice on this would be appreciated, thanks!

[mixxer]

try the train to bkk much more enjoyable  then the bus to pattaya easy 

 

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm#Bangkok_to_Chiang_Mai  

[emacint]

Some quick googling says to get the train to BKK -> get off at Bang Sue and take a taxi to mo chit -> get a bus there. That sound about right?

 

Are there arrival times accurate though? If I have an arrival time of 06:50 can I book a bus for ~07:30?

 

Oh and do you have a similar site for booking a bus? That train site is great it seems.

 

 

Edit: Oops, nevermind! Chiang Mai to Pattaya on that site only offers train + 2200 baht taxi, but if you switch it to  Morchit to Pattaya Bus Station you get the bus results you expect. Still wondering about accurate times though.

[mancity09]

You don't need to book the bus from Bangkok to pattaya

[davidge]

You can use Air Asia and fly to U-Tapao with transfer to Central Festival for 1100 baht all in.

 

Will you have much luggage?

[emacint]

I'd have a large suitcase, backpack and laptop bag. I can't find U-Tapao as a destination on the air asia site, but that sounds like a good cheap alternative to a long ride. How can I get that booked with the transfer?

 

Edit: OK found out the airport code was utp which let me find a 900 baht flight, from what I'm reading though the transfer to pattaya is an 800 baht taxi.

 

Further edit: Looks like once you land in the airport there is a shuttle service from "The Crane Company" that will make the trip to pattaya for 250 baht. Or maybe it's through bangkok airways?

[Harvey707]

Nakonchai air if you're going to VIP the trip. (coach company)  Pay for tickets in 7/11's albeit not personally done it

Long trip though. Certainly whilst more expensive fly to Bangkok and switch to Morchit for the frequent bus transfers to Pattaya

[SlowlyMan]

Agree Nakon Chai Air.  But it's a LONG ride. Flying makes much more sense.

[semi-retired member]

NCA (NakhonChaiAir) has several late-afternoon/early-evening departures, Silver or Gold Class, from their terminal at the back of the old-building at Arcade Bus Station in Chiang Mai, but they all involve an overnight-trip (11-15 hours) with an early-morning arrival to their terminal on the Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya.

 

I used to use them, but now prefer a flight to DMK on a low-cost-carrier, or a more-expensive-flight to Swampy on Bangkok Airways or Thai Smile, for an easier/faster daytime-trip.

 

Air Asia are also about to commence direct-flights between Chiang Mai and Utapao, should be some attractive launch-fares.

[bazkashmir]

Up To you but bus will be long ride,i have done chiang mai a couple of times and have on both occasions got a flight,once with airasia and once with Bangkok air,a lot easier and quicker.

[Davie Duke]

Thai air offers 30kg free baggage, and it goes to swampy.

https://wftc3.e-travel.com/plnext/tgpnext/Override.action?__utma=26572578.704184477.1448076752.1448076752.1448076752.1&__utmb=26572578.3.10.1448076752&__utmc=26572578&__utmx=-&__utmz=26572578.1448076752.1.1.utmcsr=%28direct%29|utmccn=%28direct%29|utmcmd=%28none%29&__utmv=-&__utmk=1332402

Book a Bell bus to your hotel from there.

http://www.belltravelservice.com/pages/PageHome.aspx

 

Nok Air gives 15KG free, but flies to DM

http://www.nokair.com/nokconnext/aspx/Availability.aspx

 

Air Asia charges for baggage, and flies to DM.

https://booking.airasia.com/Flight/Select

[davidge]

I'd have a large suitcase, backpack and laptop bag. I can't find U-Tapao as a destination on the air asia site, but that sounds like a good cheap alternative to a long ride. How can I get that booked with the transfer?

 

Edit: OK found out the airport code was utp which let me find a 900 baht flight, from what I'm reading though the transfer to pattaya is an 800 baht taxi.

 

Further edit: Looks like once you land in the airport there is a shuttle service from "The Crane Company" that will make the trip to pattaya for 250 baht. Or maybe it's through bangkok airways?

Hi.

I knew Air Asia had just started new routes out of U-Tapao so had a look at their website.

When I put Chiang Mai as the origin it showed a list of destinations which included Central Festival as a 'City transfer' destination. I assume this means they'll bus you from the airport to there in the price of the ticket (as Koh Samui). I stand to be corrected if wrong!

 

 

 

The fare shows as 1100 baht single with no check-in luggage:

 

 

 

 

It's 330 baht for 20kg or you can buy more:

 

 

[secret tom]

nakonchai air  first class....12 hours..take 2 sleepers...its a nice relaxed journey...

[emacint]

Thanks for pointing that out davidge, I didn't notice the option there. Looks like I'm all set then, thanks for the help!

[davidge]

No problem.

Hope it works out.

:-)

[iluvasians/latins]

Bangkok Airways is cheap from CM to BKK. BELL Bus to Pattaya.

[griz30]

Booked flight from BKK to CM roundtrip... $149.00

For 2 people

[jpmelville]

^{Flying is a no brainer.  CNX to UTP and then the bus to Pattaya. Even it might be couple of hundred bht more expensive, it's lot faster. No need to sit 12hrs in the bus.}

[fugazi]

I agree on the flying bit, but if you want to bus anyway; I always use Sri Mongkol busing company whenever I need to cover bigger distances and no other options available. Based in Korat I thought but they do all major cities in Thailand and have a busstop and small office in Pattaya on 3rd road right after Pattaya Klang. Pretty comfortable buses as far as buses are concerned.

 

edit: just see now you booked already, great choice on flying