Chiang Mai to Kalasin. Which Road?

[Dazinoz]

Travelling from  Chiang Mai to Kalasin on Friday. Checked out google maps and it has offered me 2 routes. Through Phitsanulok/Khon Kaen or through Loei/Udon Than. Both are nearly same kilometres and times.

 

Any one drive these roads recommend which? Not sightseeing just A to B.

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Dazinoz

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

Travelling from  Chiang Mai to Kalasin on Friday. Checked out google maps and it has offered me 2 routes. Through Phitsanulok/Khon Kaen or through Loei/Udon Thani. Both are nearly same kilometres and times.

 

Any one drive these roads recommend which? Not sightseeing just A to B.

 

Thanks in advance.

Loei/Udon Thani is more scenic, but it will probably take longer as there are narrower roads and a fair amount of mountain driving. I'm not sure how Google Maps can say it is the same time of travel. Perhaps it is adjusted for traffic density.

[Dazinoz]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

Loei/Udon Thani is more scenic, but it will probably take longer as there are narrower roads and a fair amount of mountain driving. I'm not sure how Google Maps can say it is the same time of travel. Perhaps it is adjusted for traffic density.

Thanks for that. Yep only indicating 15 mins difference. I have driven from CM to Roi Et on the Phit/Khone route and not too bad. Few mountains after Phit. So I might stick to that one.

[bignok]

2 hours ago, Dazinoz said:

Thanks for that. Yep only indicating 15 mins difference. I have driven from CM to Roi Et on the Phit/Khone route and not too bad. Few mountains after Phit. So I might stick to that one.

Over 1 hour difference

[Dazinoz]

28 minutes ago, bignok said:

Over 1 hour difference

Amazing how the extremely smart Google gives different routes on the same search at different times.

 

On my first try it gave me 2 options, one was the same the  blue route on your post and the second was partly like grey route but went through Nong Boa Lam Phu to Udon Thani and then down to Kalasin and it indicated very little difference in distance and only 15 minutes longer. After seeing your post I did the search again and ended up with the same you got including longer time.

 

Go figure.

[bignok]

1 minute ago, Dazinoz said:

Amazing how the extremely smart Google gives different routes on the same search at different times.

 

On my first try it gave me 2 options, one was the same the  blue route on your post and the second was partly like grey route but went through Nong Boa Lam Phu to Udon Thani and then down to Kalasin and it indicated very little difference in distance and only 15 minutes longer. After seeing your post I did the search again and ended up with the same you got including longer time.

 

Go figure.

The roads in Loei are narrow so that way would be slower. 

[Dazinoz]

Just now, bignok said:

The roads in Loei are narrow so that way would be slower. 

Yep, obviously google doesn't know that yet. I will be going the "blue route".

 

[bignok]

Can cut off Phitsanulok

[Dazinoz]

7 minutes ago, bignok said:

Can cut off Phitsanulok

What's that road like?

 

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Dazinoz

[Wanderer555]

Having done this trip about 20 times each way,  I can confirm as a A-B route, the Phitsanulok-Khon Kaen route is the most direct with better roads.

From Chiang Mai, stay on Hwy 11 all the way to P-Lok and avoid any Google suggested alternative routes.  Also watch for traffic cameras, they have added some and moved others.

 

 If entering Khon Kaen city during the daytime, taking the Northern ring road is usually best. KK city can be quite congested in the daytime.

 

Cheers, Troy 

 

 

[Dazinoz]

18 hours ago, bignok said:

Over 1 hour difference

And Google gave me the original route this morning with nearly same times.

 

 

[Wanderer555]

On 7/5/2023 at 6:44 AM, Dazinoz said:

And Google gave me the original route this morning with nearly same times.

 

 

Are you familiar with the route from Udon city to Kalasin via Kumphawaphi as provided by Google? 
  
Not the easiest route when traveling the first time, with many motorbikes, Etans, tractors and poorly marked turns.

 

Also the route from Nong Bua city to Ubol Rattana is not the clearest path…

 

I have taken both of the above and they are doable but also at the end of a long journey ….. 

 

Good luck ????