Bkk To Nong Khai

[Tcharles955]

Bus Vs. Train

Good and bad experiences with either one. I have to go to Vientiane on Wednesday and cant decide. I'm thinking bus at this point. Why? Why not?

Thanks for the time.

[Lite Beer]

Bus Vs. Train

Good and bad experiences with either one. I have to go to Vientiane on Wednesday and cant decide. I'm thinking bus at this point. Why? Why not?

Thanks for the time.

The bus is probably quicker. The train is more comfortable if you get the overnight sleeper.

There's always Air Asia to Udon Thani and get the mini bus to the border.

[hooklang]

i travelled by bus from pattaya to the border not bad at all.seats very comfortable and they put a couple of films on.

[billp]

I've travelled that route with the overnight sleeper train a few times. Very pleasant, and you wake up in the morning, at your destination, nice and rested.

[rickthailand]

i live in nong khai and have done the train and bus many times. I strongly recommand taking the train, more comfortable

room to walk and stretch your legs, dinning car etc. the bus can be busy, noisy and always seems to break down.

[asanee]

i live in nong khai and have done the train and bus many times. I strongly recommand taking the train, more comfortable

room to walk and stretch your legs, dinning car etc. the bus can be busy, noisy and always seems to break down.

I dont live in NK-but have made that trip also quite a few times. My experience is just the opposite; the train always seems to break down or suffer eternal delays (once had an arrival after 11.00). If you hit a car with a load of excited farang-it also can be noisy and busy. No great marks for the dining-service-cold and overpriced food-better eat before you board. And the bus has always been a pleasure-provided you choose the right one-new bus, very good recline-seats, good and free (included) on-board service and on time-or even early. If it's for a trip out-use both the 2 ways and report after.

[ham]

Train, 2nd class sleeper AC, perfect, comfortable, space, nice scenery in the morning, breakfast and coffee, if you like (expensive). Arriving in Nong Kai quite well if you can sleep. Train was always a bit late when arriving (1 h).

[edgarfriendly]

both are liable to delays/breaking down.

train gives u more room to breath, move.

bus gives u light entertainment and possibility of decent food stops/toilet breaks

i ALways use the train. bus is a last resort in my opinion.

enjoy ya trip!

ef

- 20.00 from hual Lamphong arrives nong khai 10,00(ish....)

[Thanyaburi Mac]

Bus Vs. Train

Good and bad experiences with either one. I have to go to Vientiane on Wednesday and cant decide. I'm thinking bus at this point. Why? Why not?

Thanks for the time.

Train, train, train, if you want to arrive in one piece and alive. Have you seen the inter-city buses on the Nong Khai run? Or any run, for that matter. Must say it's safer now that the highway is 4-12 lanes these days, much better than when it was just two. FYI, I drove down from Nong Khai yesterday, Sunday, and sure was passed a bunch of times by those "tour buses."

And, yes, I agree with one of the posters here, 2nd class A/C lower berth is fine, Singha decently cold, food, well, edible. Can be an enjoyable trip if you have a group traveling together, or even by yourself if the others around you are interesting folks.

If you decide you really want to take a tour bus, check out the note below that I wrote to my "troops" some years back, and the attachments.

In either case, have fun, Vientiane was nice last week.

Mac

EMBASSY OF THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Bangkok, Thailand

6 June 1980

TO: REF/KEG Staff

FROM: MacAlan Thompson

SUBJ: Tour Bus Riding

If you do find the need to ride the tour buses, I strongly recommend the following selection of seating:

Daytime: two-thirds of the way back on the left hand side of the bus;

Nighttime: two-thirds of the way back on the right hand side of the bus;

NEVER sit in the front or the rear.

The rationale, such as it is, is that in the daytime buses will be passing other vehicles at random. In the event that the bus is unable to pull ahead in time to get completely back into the left-hand lane of traffic, the oncoming vehicle, inevitably a 10-wheel truck, will either hit head-on with the bus, or sideswipe the right side of the bus, doing grievous bodily harm to the passengers sitting on the right side.

For the night buses, things change; there are relatively few collisions with oncoming traffic. What can ruin your whole evening on the night bus is a 10-wheeler or logging truck broken down and parked half on the pavement on the left-hand side of the road. The standard signal used for warning other drivers of the hazard of a standing obstacle ahead is a small clump of brush placed up to 50 feet behind the stationary vehicle; no warning lights. So, what happens is that the driver of your bus sees theclump of brush too late and either runs directly into the rear of the obstacle, or he swerves to the right, just missing the corner of the obstacle with the front of the bus, but wiping out the entire left side, and those passengers sitting there.

Reasons for not sitting in the front are obvious; the rear less so. Be sure, however, if another vehicle hits the rear of your bus, there will be quite a mess, literally.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[aitch52]

That is great advice