Bkk - Chiang Mai, By Bus

[machlad]

Hi

I am looking to travel from Bkk to Chiang Mai by bus but I don't want to take the direct route and spend 10 hours on a bus.

What I would like to do is break the journey up with 2 or 3 overnight stops and see a bit more of thailand.

So I would like to know for example, If I took the VIP or 1st class bus from Bkk to Chiang Mai does it stop in towns on the way to pick up and drop off or would I be able to catch different buses on the route.

Also would be handy which towns would it stop in on the way so I could get a rough idea of where I am going and maybe book some hotels ahead of the trip.

[siam2007]

the bus doesnt stop. why would people hop on a VIP bus only to stop at every other village.....

the bus will usually only stop for one break at a contract-restaurant (or rather "feeding-factory") close to the highway, but in the middle of nowhere....

if u want your to do your tour step-by-step, you will have to book everything seperately. you could, for example, stop at Ayutthaya, then Phitsanulok/Sukhothai, then maybe Lampang.....

if you wanna do a tour like this, I would recommend you to go by train anyway, as train stations are usually in downtown locations, whereas overland bus-stations can often be quite far away from the respective downtown-areas

[machlad]

the bus doesnt stop. why would people hop on a VIP bus only to stop at every other village.....

the bus will usually only stop for one break at a contract-restaurant (or rather "feeding-factory") close to the highway, but in the middle of nowhere....

if u want your to do your tour step-by-step, you will have to book everything seperately. you could, for example, stop at Ayutthaya, then Phitsanulok/Sukhothai, then maybe Lampang.....

if you wanna do a tour like this, I would recommend you to go by train anyway, as train stations are usually in downtown locations, whereas overland bus-stations can often be quite far away from the respective downtown-areas

Thanks for the input thats just the type of info I need to know especially which route would it take.

I have already done the train direct overnight s Iwill check their timetable and see which route it takes and where it stops.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

the bus doesnt stop. why would people hop on a VIP bus only to stop at every other village.....

the bus will usually only stop for one break at a contract-restaurant (or rather "feeding-factory") close to the highway, but in the middle of nowhere....

if u want your to do your tour step-by-step, you will have to book everything seperately. you could, for example, stop at Ayutthaya, then Phitsanulok/Sukhothai, then maybe Lampang.....

if you wanna do a tour like this, I would recommend you to go by train anyway, as train stations are usually in downtown locations, whereas overland bus-stations can often be quite far away from the respective downtown-areas

Thanks for the input thats just the type of info I need to know especially which route would it take.

I have already done the train direct overnight s Iwill check their timetable and see which route it takes and where it stops.

SRT schedules are here:  http://www.railway.co.th/english/index.asp

Mac

[PeaceBlondie]

I cannot recall if they were VIP or first class buses, but they stopped in major cities like Lamphun, Lampang, etc. Sometimes at the roadside, sometimes in the city. But I doubt you need VIP, anyway. Lots of the VIP runs are overnight in the dark.

[machlad]

if you wanna do a tour like this, I would recommend you to go by train anyway,

Good call siam2007 thanks.

I have planned to stop in Nakhon Sawan, Uttaradit, Lampang and finnally Chaing Mai,

I have hotels sorted and also the train times.

One thing is the there are not that many trains each day so I would just like a liitle help on what the bus service is like between these towns incase I need a back up plan to get from one to the other.

thanks

[asanee]

1.I dont think there are trains/this line via NSawan, besides: its not a tipical tourist place at all.

2.ANY major (=all mentioned) and MOST minor towns will have a DIRECT busroute to BKK, more or less non-stop. Hence there are SEPARATE routes to all these towns from BKK, even though they overlap. Usually with choice between 2nd and 1st class and VIP. VERY frequent for those used to US/UK standards.

3.between these towns, and IF there is a direct road, there wil be a tipical local=all stops bus, on major routes with choice between 2nd and 3d class (=non AC, tiny asian-size seats). also fairly frequent, but only during daylight.

4.again; ALL better guidebooks will have those details listed. prices will have gone up though since printing.

[Rinrada]

Now that one 2 Go seems to have gone bust recon it time to start collecting the train and bus timetables again..dear dear

Stelios yo tee nai krap....

[cophen]

The VIP bus usually stops on the outskirts of Nakhon Sawan for a pee and food break.

[machlad]

1.I dont think there are trains/this line via NSawan, besides: its not a tipical tourist place at all.

Thanks for the reply but according to the thai train website timetable the train does stop in NS and because it is not a tourist place at all is the reason I want to visit it, Id just like to see a few places off the tourist map.

[Tyke]

I cannot recall if they were VIP or first class buses, but they stopped in major cities like Lamphun, Lampang, etc. Sometimes at the roadside, sometimes in the city. But I doubt you need VIP, anyway. Lots of the VIP runs are overnight in the dark.

Sounds like First class not VIP. between CM and BKK, both 1st class and VIP run both overnight and daytime (9.0am). VIP stops only in a couple of major towns on the way. VIP better for less video noise (don't know why but that's why I changed from 1st to VIP), wider seats and less crowded.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

OMG.. Where to start.

I cannot recall if they were VIP or first class buses, but they stopped in major cities like Lamphun, Lampang, etc. Sometimes at the roadside, sometimes in the city.

"VIP", "Super VIP", "First Class Aircon", "Second Class Aircon" and "Ordinary" refer to the TYPE of bus (number of seats), not the number of stops. It is true that VIP and Super VIP buses are less likley to have lots of stops, but it completely depends on the route. For example, the Chiang Mai to Rayong bus is a VIP bus, but has many stops. On the Chiang Mai - Bangkok route, most VIP and Super VIP buses will have 1 stop somewhere in between Kamphaeng Phet and Nakhon Sawan, and may also stop VERY BRIEFLY stop at the Nakhon Sawan bus station.

But I doubt you need VIP, anyway.

On any trip longer than an hour or so, EVERYONE would be a lot more comfortable on a VIP or Super VIP bus. So take it when it's available unless you're seriously strapped for cash..

Lots of the VIP runs are overnight in the dark.

Lots of buses in other classes do too. Again, it refers to the type of the vehicle, not the number of stops or when it runs!

I don't want to take the direct route and spend 10 hours on a bus. I would like to break the journey up with 2 or 3 overnight stops and see a bit more of thailand. If I took the VIP or 1st class bus from Bkk to Chiang Mai does it stop in towns on the way to pick up and drop off or would I be able to catch different buses on the route.

No. You can't on the same ticket get off a bus and then continue. You CAN of course get a ticket from Bangkok to point A, then from A to B, and then from B to Chiang Mai. Indeed that's a good way to travel. Indeed you should also consider the train, which has more scenic views especially the last 30% or so of the trip.

Assuming you like places where there's something of interest but aren't hyper touristy, I would suggest the following:

By Train:

You could stop in Ayudthaya though it's super close to Bangkok and can be touristy during the day.. Definitely stop in Lopburi. If you want another stop then you could choose Phitsanulok to connect to Sukhothai (touristy, but for good reason as it's impressive), or stop at Den Chai and visit Phrae which is nearby. (Nice town, no tourists to speak of).

By Bus:

Bus is faster so perhaps one stop would do the trick.. I suggest Sukhothai in this case, which is very convenient to get there from Bangkok and also convenient to get to Chiang Mai from there. Other candidates include Kamphaeng Phet which has some historical sights and is a quiet non-touristed town, or Phrae.