NEW RTC BUS SERVICE..

[les1]

I live in Nong Hoi & have seen these new RTC buses travel through with Nong Hoi Market on the front I believe also has No2 on the front & back. But as always no more information online on this route. Has anyone an upto date bus route for RTC. Citylife give 4 different bus services but none include Nong Hoi. we have tried to gage bus times 2 were on the hour next one was 1.5 hours after. Same old stuff unless they can run reasonably by a timetable how can anyone rely on them & use them. Any info would be gratefully received...????

[beau thai]

see running post above yours on bus service which has online details too

[les1]

Where can I buy "Rabbitt Card" in Chiang Mai?

[EricTh]

R2 pass by Nonghoi. 

 

The route is from Promenada -> Nong Hoi market -> Imperial Mae Ping hotel -> Chiang Mai gate 2 -> Airport.

 

There should be bus stop times at the bus stop. I saw one plate opposite Kad Suan Kaew with bus times.

Edited November 8, 2018 by EricTh

[ZeVonderBearz]

The bus service has been set up to fail. Shocking routes unless you live in any of the tourist spots they visit. A Thai isn't going to bother with this service. 

[scottiejohn]

1 hour ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

The bus service has been set up to fail. Shocking routes unless you live in any of the tourist spots they visit. A Thai isn't going to bother with this service. 

I use the service 2/3 times a week and see more Thais than Farang on board.  Also I live on the bus route and see the busses as they past by me and it is very rare for them to be empty even at 7AM.

Please do not knock a very good service which is miles better than songtows/tuktuks.

[scottiejohn]

See http://chiangmai.yusai.asia/app/#/app/map for details. Also you do not need rabbit cards, they accept cash although the drivers prefer card.

Edited November 8, 2018 by scottiejohn

[sanemax]

1 hour ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

The bus service has been set up to fail. Shocking routes unless you live in any of the tourist spots they visit. A Thai isn't going to bother with this service. 

Hardly "shocking routes" are they ?

Covers a lot of CM and Thais do go to the airport and the zoo as well .

Large air-con buses that run frequently and only 20 Baht .

I suppose that you just wanted something to moan about

[eyecatcher]

They are not empty thats true.....there is often a driver.

 

At midday today I saw one coming towards us down Suthep Road

 

I said to the wife..." I bet you 500bt there will be no one on the bus"

 

"ah...pay up, theres a man standi g next to the driver"

"he is the bus conductor or the last driver getting a lift home"

 

Who is funding that bus service? They may aswell keep flushing a 1000bt note down the bog every hour

[sanemax]

10 minutes ago, eyecatcher said:

They are not empty thats true.....there is often a driver.

 

At midday today I saw one coming towards us down Suthep Road

 

I said to the wife..." I bet you 500bt there will be no one on the bus"

 

"ah...pay up, theres a man standi g next to the driver"

"he is the bus conductor or the last driver getting a lift home"

 

Who is funding that bus service? They may aswell keep flushing a 1000bt note down the bog every hour

Could be that at other times the buses have people on them and thats what generates their income ?

[eyecatcher]

7 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Could be that at other times the buses have people on them and thats what generates their income ?

I would have thought a terminus inside the university to really promote the bus amongst students would be a start rather than what appears to be a terminus or sneak a sleep stop at the Arboretum

[EricTh]

They should extend the route which is to go all the way to Ruam Chok mall rather than just stop at Central Festival.

[les1]

On 11/8/2018 at 12:15 PM, EricTh said:

R2 pass by Nonghoi. 

 

The route is from Promenada -> Nong Hoi market -> Imperial Mae Ping hotel -> Chiang Mai gate 2 -> Airport.

 

There should be bus stop times at the bus stop. I saw one plate opposite Kad Suan Kaew with bus times.

Your route is interesting because we are now using R2 from Promenade return Promenada. It leaves Promenade to Nong Hoi proceeds up to Thae Pae Gate Rd onto Thae Pae Gate up the cannal to Sompit Market then turns just above the Market heading to Warrarot Mkt proceeds to Night Bazaar Chanklan Rd all the way turning towards the bottom then left turn to Holiday Inn Nong Hoi & Promenada. Never seen the Route that you have suggested. By the way each time so far only Thai & us on this Route.

Edited November 12, 2018 by les1
additional comment.

[les1]

On 11/8/2018 at 5:06 PM, scottiejohn said:

I use the service 2/3 times a week and see more Thais than Farang on board.  Also I live on the bus route and see the busses as they past by me and it is very rare for them to be empty even at 7AM.

Please do not knock a very good service which is miles better than songtows/tuktuks.

I agree give it time...

[WinnieTheKhwai]

A nice hi-res route map is here: 

 

 

 

And it looks like there is an iPhone app now, too.  (In addition to the Android one)

Edited November 12, 2018 by WinnieTheKhwai

[scottiejohn]

2 hours ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

A nice hi-res route map is here: 

 

 

 

And it looks like there is an iPhone app now, too.  (In addition to the Android one)

Best online map of the system I have seen so far.

 

 

PS; At 7.55AM this morning, Mon, an R3, got stuck in traffic right in front of me and I counted 15 in the seats forward of the screened back two rows, don't know how many were sitting there.

[EricTh]

On 11/12/2018 at 9:59 AM, WinnieTheKhwai said:

A nice hi-res route map is here: 

 

 

 

And it looks like there is an iPhone app now, too.  (In addition to the Android one)

 

Great map.

 

by the way, does anyone know the peak time to go from Kad Suan Kaew to Arcade bus station during morning traffic jam?

[scottiejohn]

Just completed a return trip to and from Suriwong bookstore/Maya/Suriwong.  On both occasions I was able to board the bus out with a bust stop.  First bus was 70/80m short of the bust stop when I flagged him down and he stopped.  On the return the bus was stuck in the outside lane at the Nimman1/Huay Kaew Traffic Lights.  I waved a 20Baht note (from the pavement) whereupon the driver signalled OK and opened the doors.  Great service with 7 people on board the outbound journey (1030ish), few getting on or off but 15 onboard the return (1230ish) with many getting on/off at numerous stops.

More importantly they now have a new app called "viabus".  At first sight appears to be aimed ONLY at Bangkok but it does work in CM.  Just download (mine is android) and after you open let it run thru the Bangkok intro and provided you have your location enabled it will jump to Your location in CM and show you the buses etc.  The beauty of this app is you type in where you are going to and up will come the bus route and a map with the bus and a up to date /real time location etc.

This service is just getting better and better and both drivers I had today were extremely helpful to one and all.