Super Vip Buses Chiang Mai / Bkk On 4th Jan

[veevee1904]

Hi, I am traveling with my husband from Chiang Mai to Bangkok on the 4th of Jan. I just got to know that all the trains have been booked for the night of Jan 4th reaching Bangkok on Jan 5th.

Can somebody tell me which would be a good VIP bus company to approach for buying the tickets. I came across the names of Nakhon Chai Air & Sombat Tour. However, I am not able to book them online as the site is not in English. Is it possible for me to buy e-tickets or buy the tickets online?

I will be reaching Bangkok on the 30th of December. If I am not able to buy the tickets before hand, then will I still be able to buy the tickets then?

How quickly do the good trains get booked?

[toptuan]

At this time you CANNOT book Nakhon Chai Air online. You have to personally go to one of their offices to do so.

Good trains (read: overnight sleeper cars, first and second class) normally get booked 5-7 days in advance.

However, you are traveling at the end of a busy holiday weekend, and booking 3-4 weeks in advance would be the safest way to go. If you're not reaching Bangkok until Dec. 30, you're going to need lots of luck getting a seat (train or VIP bus) at that last minute.

If I were you, I'd contact a Bangkok travel agent to book trains/buses for you for a fee. Try Bangkok Smile Travel. My good friend, Tros, who co-manages this agency can book these tickets, charges a reasonable fee, and is an honest guy.

[thecatman]

Generally speaking, travelling by bus in Thailand is just a case of 'Turn up and go'. So for buses to Chiang Mai you would just need to rock up at the Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) and go to the appropriate kiosk and buy your ticket. I would imagine buses to Chiang Mai leave every hour or so. Like wise when you're coming back to Bangkok from Chiang Mai, just go to The Arcade bus terminal and buy your ticket. Having said all of this, you are travelling in and around the holiday period so to try and get a ticket in advance my be benificial. I'm afraid the bus companies haven't got advanced enough to buy anything like e-tickets just yet.

Edited December 12, 2008 by thecatman

[veevee1904]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the quick response. Any idea how much the tickets would cost and how comfortable the ride would be?

[thecatman]

If I remember rightly, the regular blue and white buses that do the Bangkok/Chiang Mai trip are 500/600Bt and are surprisingly comfortable and good all round.

This might help, however, I don't know how up to date this timetable is.

http://www.1stopbangkok.com/getting_here/bus/

Edited December 12, 2008 by thecatman

[elektrified]

I would not just "turn up and go" at Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station as another member has recommended. That may be the case in Bangkok, but in Chiang Mai, buses tend to be fully booked a day or two before departure, to many destinations. You need to buy your tickets in advance at the bus station or at the office of the bus company - no on-line bookings.

Edited December 12, 2008 by elektrified

[cophen]

Sombat was charging 560bt for a CM-BKK trip last week.

[thecatman]

I would not just "turn up and go" at Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station as another member has recommended. That may be the case in Bangkok, but in Chiang Mai, buses tend to be fully booked a day or two before departure, to many destinations. You need to buy your tickets in advance at the bus station or at the office of the bus company - no on-line bookings.

Thanks for correcting me elektrified, it's been a while since I've done the trip.

I didn't realise there were so many people so keen to leave Chiang Mai, but on reflection, Yeah, It kinda makes sense

Edited December 13, 2008 by thecatman

[zzdocxx]

Hey just curious, how long does the bus trip take from Bangkok?

(I am guessing there are some express buses that don't stop frequently to pick people up?)

[thecatman]

Hey just curious, how long does the bus trip take from Bangkok?

(I am guessing there are some express buses that don't stop frequently to pick people up?)

I think you're looking at the best part of 10 hours.

[elektrified]

I would not just "turn up and go" at Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Station as another member has recommended. That may be the case in Bangkok, but in Chiang Mai, buses tend to be fully booked a day or two before departure, to many destinations. You need to buy your tickets in advance at the bus station or at the office of the bus company - no on-line bookings.

Thanks for correcting me elektrified, it's been a while since I've done the trip.

I didn't realise there were so many people so keen to leave Chiang Mai, but on reflection, Yeah, It kinda makes sense

We like it up here very much, thank you. Most who come don't want to leave. It's just that there is a heck of a lot less buses coming and going than in Bangkok. It's a small town.

[Tyke]

Hi Guys, Thanks for the quick response. Any idea how much the tickets would cost and how comfortable the ride would be?

I always go by VIP bus to and from CM from BKK, but haven't been for a year. The buses are very comfortable - much better than the best in the UK and includes 1 free lunch stop. Last time I went the fare was 805 baht 1 way. There is/was only 1 company that does VIP buses on this route - the (government?) PPP (or is it 666?) company. Sombat tours only do the first class air-con between CM and BKK which is good but not as good as the VIP, but a good alternative if there are no tickets for VIP.

Edited December 13, 2008 by Tyke

[veevee1904]

Hi, thanks for all the valuable suggestions. However, now I am a little confused on the different between the VIP buses mentioned by Tyke and the First class buses offered by Sombat tours?

I had somehow thought that Sombat tours offers VIP and Super VIP bus service.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Hi, thanks for all the valuable suggestions. However, now I am a little confused on the different between the VIP buses mentioned by Tyke and the First class buses offered by Sombat tours?

I had somehow thought that Sombat tours offers VIP and Super VIP bus service.

Don't blame you, Tyke's post didn't exactly help.

Sombat of course DO offer VIP buses. Those are the ones to go for.

in summary:

First Class Aircon = 50 or so seats; you don't want this.

VIP = 32 seats, that recline really far. This is fine.

Super-VIP = 24 seats, with the left hand side being just a single seat so with nobody next to you. This is nice. I believe these are offered by 'The Transport Company's 999 service. I'm not sure if Sombat or Nakhon Chai Air offer this actually, but you'll find out soon enough at the bus station.

When in doubt, ask about the number of seats, but the word 'VIP' is pretty standard to indicate the type of bus on this route.

Edited December 13, 2008 by WinnieTheKhwai

[veevee1904]

Thanks Winnie for the explanation. That was definitely helpful. And you were saying that I can find tickets for all the different bus options at any Bus station in Bangkok? Or is there a particular one I need to be visiting?

[Tyke]

Hi, thanks for all the valuable suggestions. However, now I am a little confused on the different between the VIP buses mentioned by Tyke and the First class buses offered by Sombat tours?

I had somehow thought that Sombat tours offers VIP and Super VIP bus service.

Don't blame you, Tyke's post didn't exactly help.

Sombat of course DO offer VIP buses. Those are the ones to go for.

in summary:

First Class Aircon = 50 or so seats; you don't want this.

VIP = 32 seats, that recline really far. This is fine.

Super-VIP = 24 seats, with the left hand side being just a single seat so with nobody next to you. This is nice. I believe these are offered by 'The Transport Company's 999 service. I'm not sure if Sombat or Nakhon Chai Air offer this actually, but you'll find out soon enough at the bus station.

When in doubt, ask about the number of seats, but the word 'VIP' is pretty standard to indicate the type of bus on this route.

I never wrote that Sombat tours do not do VIP buses, so please pay attention. I wrote that Sombat tours do not do VIP services between CM and BKK - only PPP do this service between CM and BKK. Clear now?

Also, as far as I know, the VIP refers to the 24 seat above, and the First class Air con refers to the 32 seats above. I have never heard of Super VIP but maybe things have changed, or maybe Sombat use a different terminology than PPP do. But like I said, Sombat are irrelevant when you are travelling VIP between Cm and BKK.

Edited December 13, 2008 by Tyke