Traveling from Udon Thani to Khon Kaen

[Wake Up]

Hello February 28 one friend and I need to travel from Udon Thani to Khon Kaen Pullman Hotel. We do not have a car.

 

If you have experience with the bus, train, taxi or car rental or transportation ways please advise me the pros and cons of how we should travel to Khon Kaen. We are flying out of Khon Kaen airport so we could not return any rental car to Udon Thani and only need one way transportation from Udon Thani to Khon Kaen.  Thank you.  

[PREM-R]

Pink Bus leaves from outside Central Plaza in Udon for Khon Kaen and Roi Et. Costs 80 baht per person to Khon Kaen. Tickets from the small, hexagonal shaped building where they sell min-bus tickets.    If you ask the driver he may drop you at Central Plaza Khon Kaen, although not a scheduled stop AFAIK, and you will see the Pullman hotel from there.  If you end up at Bus station 3 you can take City bus (15 baht per person) or a cab 100 baht+.  

[KhunBENQ]

One of the busiest overland bus routes (down highway #2) in the Northeast.

Tons of buses.

I just can't help with naming the best/reputable bus company.

Will check later, time for lunch

 

[jackdd]

Just go to bus station 1, near to Central Plaza Udon Thani, many busses are going to Khon Kaen, i doubt you have to wait long.

If you are willing to take a minivan, I think the minivans from there to Khon Kaen leave every 20 minutes.

 

A minivan will drop you of at any point of the route, so as PREM-R mentioned already, just get off at Central Plaza Khon Kaen, if you don't mind walking 10 minutes you can just walk to Pullman hotel, if you don't want to walk there are lots of Tuk Tuks waiting.

[KhunBENQ]

If possible use that pink bus.

Minivans are more prone to mad driving.

[CGW]

Don't they have taxis at Udon airport? be a pain and take double the time going downtown to get a bus, I know when I am travelling I want to get there as quick as reasonably possible with the minimum of hassle, cost secondary.

[Russell17au]

4 minutes ago, CGW said:

Don't they have taxis at Udon airport? be a pain and take double the time going downtown to get a bus, I know when I am travelling I want to get there as quick as reasonably possible with the minimum of hassle, cost secondary.

There was nothing said about Udon Airport. Read it properly and you will see that they are flying out of Khon Kaen airport. They are booked into the Pullman Hotel in Khon Kaen so I would say they are traveling and have already spent several days in Udon and know they want to spend some time in Khon Kaen before flying out. Taxi Udon to Khon Kaen = 1000B, Pink Bus from in front of Central Plaza = 80B, other buses from bus station near Central Plaza the same as Pink Bus = 80B, mad vans from Central Plaza = 100B plus cost of medication for nervous breakdown. My suggestion is Pink Bus from Central Plaza.

[CGW]

1 hour ago, Russell17au said:

There was nothing said about Udon Airport. 

Yes  my bad, my brain is obviously no longer a fully functioning item due to to old age and abuse over the years! ????

[melvinmelvin]

and there is the train, no?

 

could also fly UT-BKK-KK, costly and time consuming, but public transport

 

if 1000 is the cost of a taxi I would take that,

otherwise - the bus

 

[DJ54]

It’s a 1-1/2 to 2 hour drive by car

[Wake Up]

Thank you to all that took the time to rely and share your knowledge and experiences. I think the pink bus is for me. My friend also wants to inquire about the 1 pm train. The other trains are at bad times for us. Anyone take this 1 pm train before?  I assume it has air con and goes slow but may be a good experience. If no air con then not for me. Many thanks. 

[Kadilo]

I’ve gone there on the train. Def no air con. Windows wide open, rattles like a goodun but hey I enjoyed the experience. 

Cant remember the cost but It was peanuts.