Cold buses?

[GypsyT]

I hear long distance buses are ice boxes, like many air lines.

True or not?

 

Edited October 21 by GypsyT

[dayo202]

Yes...

I travel from Bangkok to CM on the night bus, you will need a fleece or hoodie.

Most bus company's do provide a blanket on a overnight journey 

[edwardflory]

Use a blanket, wear a sweater or long sleeves

[Peterphuket]

20 hours ago, GypsyT said:

I hear long distance buses are ice boxes, like many air lines.

True or not?

 

Yes it is ridiculous, many times I use the bus from Suvarnabhumi to Hua-hin and v.v. cold, cold, cold.

You don't have always a blanket with you...in Thailand.

[john donson]

you wonder how they catch fire so easy

[baansgr]

Too cold, too hot..no pleasing some

[renaissanc]

When I travelled on tour buses in the mid-1980s they were so cold. I've not travelled on one since then because they are so cold.

[KhunBENQ]

17 hours ago, GypsyT said:

I hear long distance buses are ice boxes, like many air lines.

True or not?

 

True for the usual "inter provincial buses".

The first time I used one I wasn't prepared.

It was one of the coldest rainy mornings that you can imagine.

Entering the bus and the AC is full blowing.

At that time I was naive enough to ask the attendant about it.

"Is not >possible< to change".

Had to grab for blankets/pillows etc to survive.

 

I rarely use buses and the Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya were not that crazy frozen.

 

Edited October 22 by KhunBENQ

[newbee2022]

17 hours ago, GypsyT said:

I hear long distance buses are ice boxes, like many air lines.

True or not?

 

Well, but I'm in a position being able to wear a sweater or jacket. What about you??😳

[FarmerJoe]

I took a trip to Singapore from Chiang Mai and the aircon only had 2 settings. Off and suspended animation. I was the only one on the bus with extra clothes and handed them out to some of the older people. Freezing water was dripping from the air nozzles up above us.

[Burma Bill]

20 hours ago, GypsyT said:

I hear long distance buses are ice boxes, like many air lines.

True or not?

 

 I have made many interprovincial bus journeys between Lanna, Isaan and Bangkok. From my experience day time services were no problem and quite comfortable, but it was the night services that were always cold.  These buses are not fitted with heaters (for obvious reasons in a tropical climate) but do have air conditioning units. More often than not, these units are left on at night producing the cold air. I once asked for the air conditioning to be turned off and the reply was "it is on for the comfort of other passengers"!! Fortunately on all the night journeys I travelled, a blanket and pillow were supplied but their use was slightly restricted as I always kept my seat belt fastened.

[Burma Bill]

2 hours ago, FarmerJoe said:

I took a trip to Singapore from Chiang Mai and the aircon only had 2 settings. Off and suspended animation. I was the only one on the bus with extra clothes and handed them out to some of the older people. Freezing water was dripping from the air nozzles up above us.

 

With respect, how many days were you on a bus from Chiang Mai to Singapore?

Edited October 22 by Burma Bill
additional information

[VBF]

5 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Well, but I'm in a position being able to wear a sweater or jacket. What about you??😳

I'm confused - why not? Seriously what is so difficult about a sweater / sweat shirt or similar?

Thai long distance buses and trains too, by the way, are always freezing so i just have one such garment (and a pair of socks!) in my bag.

[harryviking]

In Thailand they believe that an air condition should be on full power to be good! It is freezing and you might end up sick after a few hours in a bus.  

[bkk6060]

Another reason to take a Taxi.  No control of anything in these buses.

Bring a blankie.

Edited October 22 by bkk6060

[newbee2022]

2 hours ago, VBF said:

I'm confused - why not? Seriously what is so difficult about a sweater / sweat shirt or similar?

Thai long distance buses and trains too, by the way, are always freezing so i just have one such garment (and a pair of socks!) in my bag.

That's what I asked.

[GypsyT]

Thank you! No bus torture trips for me. 

It's sad I can't visit many no-airport cities on my list like Nakhon Rathashima. That city has many hotties begging for help....

PS. My 2 trips to Phu Quoc on VietJet were the coldest rides ever.

Even parka wearing tough Vietnamese were frozen solid... only positive was hardest nipples sticking out everywhere and the show was free.

 

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 10/21/2024 at 4:12 PM, GypsyT said:

I hear long distance buses are ice boxes, like many air lines.

True or not?

In the eighties I travelled with 3 mates from Bangkok to south Thailand (Samui) night time journey.

We were given the back seat, we were so happy just the 4 of us and the whole back seat. 

We were given it because no one wanted to sit there, it's the coldest spot because the AC unit is at the rear of the bus, the coldest air. 

We were stuffing our clothing into the air ducts, bloody freezing 

 

Edited October 22 by SAFETY FIRST

[triplez]

I wonder what's the reasoning behind this practice? Wouldn't the operator be able to save on gas by using less aircon? why would the otherwise so entrepreneurial business owners be overlooking such an obvious area to save money? 

[Kinok Farang]

16 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Another reason to take a Taxi.  No control of anything in these buses.

Bring a blankie.

And a pillie.

[VBF]

20 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

That's what I asked.

You did...and I misread it 

[ericbj]

Air-con buses?  Some are refrigerated!  Cold-storage of passengers.

 

Moreover in the more northerly parts of Thailand during the cool-dry season, if arriving or departing in early morning, temperatures can be decidedly chilly.  Although my impression is they are nothing like as chilly these days as a couple of decades ago.

 

Some years ago I made the six-hour journey to Chiang Mai on a bus with a thermometer on the windscreen that proudly displayed in large digits the outside and inside temperatures.  Outside 37°C.  Inside 16°C.

 

Things may have improved in some cases since then.  Perhaps because the driver now sometimes has a separate compartment to himself.  I suspect drivers may dial a low temperature in order to keep themselves awake and alert.  Not necessarily what the passengers want on a long journey.

 

Moreover, air-conditioning impacts fuel consumption; and fuel prices are rising.  So lower temperatures could mean substantial extra costs on a monthly basis for a company running a fleet of buses.

 

When travelling on an unduly cold bus when ambient temperatures are high, it is necessary to have supplementary clothing that is put on at the start of the journey, can be unzipped when one emerges into sweltering heat on brief halts, and is easily removed at journey's end. (So no thermal underwear and the like).

 

My personal preferences of clothing for a long bus journey:

 

loose-fitting canvas ankle-boots and thick socks

 

windcheater with full-length zip, with neck-collar, of closely-knitted fine wool

 

anorak with full-length zip, also with neck-collar, of lightweight cotton canvas, unpadded, with zip-closure pockets

 

(if the above-listed do not close around the neck, a scarf may be useful)

 

A soft hat with a decent brim is not only useful in bright sunlight but can be pulled down as an eye-shade when seeking to sleep.

 

A supermarket carrier-bag, which when empty folds down into nothing, holds the supplementary clothing before and after the bus journey.

 

The rather thin blanket issued by the bus company is used to help keep the legs warm.

 

If the air-vent overhead does not close effectively, it can be temporarily blocked with paper-tissue.

 

[GypsyT]

I like to travel with std 7kg carry on because it's much cheaper when also flying.

So after reading all info here - No buses, more trains and flying (if possible).

I feel bad because increased air pollution and much less to see from air.

More expensive too but no way will I pack winter clothes for damn bus trip!

 

I've seen sweaty youngsters unloading of Nightly Party Bus on gas station.

Music is blaring at least 130 dB. Bus is freezing cold, you can feel it 5m away.

THAT I understand. They need cold to stay with the beat and party all night.

 

[Middle Aged Grouch]

Very true.

 

The Hua Hin airport bus for instance. It's a perfect place to catch a chill or a flu for those with flip flops and a only a t shirt.

 

Always carry a jumper with you as all public transport in Thailand is over chilled and a one-way ticket to get a nasty cold and chill.

[GypsyT]

7 minutes ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

The Hua Hin airport bus for instance.

BKK to Jomtien used to be same but we, me included, got some sanity by complaining.

It's been Ok for 2 years or so.