Bus From Crai To Udon Thani

[Shorty21]

I'm planning on making a run to Vientiane Laos for a new multiple entry tourist visa. I want to leave on Tues. What is the best option (comfort being the priority) for the 12 hour trip. Is there a bus with reclining seats, toilet? Does it leave from the bus terminal? Are there any private bus/van options?

Thanks for your help.

[sceadugenga]

There's a regular bus runs to Udon from the local bus station.

I had a topic here in August.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Chiang-Rai-V...us-t204551.html

The bus, Sombat Tours, left CR at 5pm Sunday night. It is marked Sakon (Saphon?) Nakhon to Chiang Rai, no mention of Udon Thani where you have to get off, and leaves from Bay 11. The fare is 680B for a first class Bus.

It got into Udon around 6.30am.

The bus, which appears to be daily, was reasonably comfortable with toilet that smelled bad. There's a half hour break with a free meal at Phitsanulok. I booked several days ahead.

[goski]

Yes, that is what I usually take as well. It is good enough. Please inform after you come back Shorty, I am going next month and would appreciate an update on the current situation (I refuse to go to the visa section because there are too much subjective input there to deal with).

[Shorty21]

Ok thanks... I will let you know how it turns out

[brahmburgers]

Last time I checked, (and that was several months ago) there was no VIP going from C.Rai Udon Thani. 1st class is as good as it gets. Hopefully, you'll avoid the buses that have a 1" metal bar running horizontally along the inside of the windows- just the right height to clonk a tall person in the side of the head - every time the bus makes a slight turn. Also, bring ear-plugs - unless you enjoy very loud sugary pop music (or very loud shoot-em-up movies in Thai) going on for hours.

Also, the trip goes due south for half the journey , and east for the other half. Thai engineers haven't yet figured out how to build a diagonal route - which would shorten the trip by many hours. Either that, or all the buses between the North and the NE are required to stop and gas-up and do the eatery in Phitsanalok - which helps the Phit'lok economy.

[sceadugenga]

I suppose the point of running a bus line is to maximize passenger numbers which is achieved by running your buses through major population centers.

A direct route from Chiang Rai to Loei would be an interesting drive through the Lao PDR (With the time consuming delays for immigration purposes) and the Luang Prabang range though.

Personally I look forward to the Phitsanulok stop for exercise purposes and rarely contribute to the local economy. (The food stalls all use MSG )

[brahmburgers]

I suppose the point of running a bus line is to maximize passenger numbers which is achieved by running your buses through major population centers.

A direct route from Chiang Rai to Loei would be an interesting drive through the Lao PDR (With the time consuming delays for immigration purposes) and the Luang Prabang range though.

Personally I look forward to the Phitsanulok stop for exercise purposes and rarely contribute to the local economy. (The food stalls all use MSG )

Ha ha, but not necessarily so. If you look at a map, you can see there is a lot of Thai territory that would enable road builders to connect C.Rai and U.Thani - and save at least several hours of driving time. Granted it would go through some hilly areas, but there are ways to build roads in hilly terrain.

What if a military conflict took place in easternmost Issan, which needed troops from northern Thailand, or vice versa? Would the troops have to wait to get trucked 13 hours from one place to the other? Former US pres Eisenhower kick-started the US hwy interstate hwy system - partly for that reason: to enable military to get their troops and gear in place as soon as reasonably possible.

The bus services appear to be required to service Phitsanolok - thereby adding many hours to each trip - to and from. It would be as though each commercial flight between Bkk and L.A. was mandated to make a stop in Sydney - in order to boost Sydney's economy.

[sceadugenga]

I must have serious eye problems if I can't see many kilometers of a direct CR to Udon route passing through a lot of Lao.

Edited December 24, 2008 by sceadugenga

[Shorty21]

Well we all seem to be caught up on our Thai geography... Quick update...

First Class Bus (no bar in the window but bad enough No toilet and far to many stops) We left CR from bay 11 ticket window 7 at 5pm arrived in Udon at 6:15am

Caught the next Bus to Nong Khai, which stopped on the roadside for close to 40 minutes (a bit frustrating when your counting)

Caught a TukTuk to the Bridge and went through the whole process in about 15-20 mins

Now at this point with slight delays here and there I thought showing up to the Consulate at 11am "No chance" but it being Christmas Eve we said "Let's check it out"

At the Consalute we went right up to the counter, submitted our papers and waited 15 minutes inside to pay. Pretty excited it went so smooth for my first VT trip.

Should be picking up my new Double Entry Tourist Visa around 1pm tomorrow.

Now how do I get back to CR without that 13 Hour torture agin? HaHa thanks for the earplug tip!!

[sceadugenga]

That's great Shorty, my run in August was an absolute nightmare with waiting at Immigration and the embassy.

You can always fly Udon>>Bangkok>>Chiang Rai if you can't take another bus trip!

[brahmburgers]

I must have serious eye problems if I can't see many kilometers of a direct CR to Udon route passing through a lot of Lao.

Straight line, yes - it goes through Lao territory. Arc the line, however, and it cuts out hundreds of Km from the established right angle route (and only route) which goes through Phit'lok. Same for buses to and fro Issan from Chiang Mai.

[brahmburgers]

nice map of Thailand. I downloaded it, hope that's ok.

Just playing with my hypothetical idea of Thai military having to move troops around in a conflict.

If Chiang Rai garrison was directed to send troop and equipment to, Nakon Panom for example, their trucks would be on the highways for at least 18 hours. Same if troops were deployed the other direction if, for example there was a tense situation at northernmost Thailand. That's a lot of hours to move people and things around. Hopefully such scenarios won't be borne out, and Thailand remains at peace with its neighbors.

Note, I don't use all the h's in transliterating Thai words to English alphabet. The sooner we don't play along with that silliness, the sooner the transliteration gurus might lighten up on adding a plethora of h's (and r's) in all sorts of unnecessary places. On 2nd thought, they're (dems that transliterate) not going to change. If anything, they'll continue to complicate and confuse transliteration protocols.

[klikster]

I must have serious eye problems if I can't see many kilometers of a direct CR to Udon route passing through a lot of Lao.

Straight line, yes - it goes through Lao territory. Arc the line, however, and it cuts out hundreds of Km from the established right angle route (and only route) which goes through Phit'lok. Same for buses to and fro Issan from Chiang Mai.

The via P'lok route is not the only route .. it just happens to be a realistic route.

I personally drove some of that "arc" many years ago .. perhaps things have changed. It's not an easy drive once you get past Sirikit Dam (hang a left at Utarradit). Some of that area was under military supervision and I was detoured once ..

.. that was right after .. when trying to dive the road adjacent to the Mekong .. I came across a a "caved off" point where I couldn't continue.

One can drive from C'rai to Loei without approaching P'lok, Chumpae, KK, etc. It's more complicated.

Edited December 29, 2008 by klikster

[klikster]

nice map of Thailand. I downloaded it, hope that's ok.

Yes, so long as it's for personal use and re-published in print or on the web.

Just playing with my hypothetical idea of Thai military having to move troops around in a conflict.

If Chiang Rai garrison was directed to send troop and equipment to, Nakon Panom for example, their trucks would be on the highways for at least 18 hours. Same if troops were deployed the other direction if, for example there was a tense situation at northernmost Thailand. That's a lot of hours to move people and things around. Hopefully such scenarios won't be borne out, and Thailand remains at peace with its neighbors.

Even back in the dark ages when I carried the the first version of the .225 AR, aircraft were used to move troops during "tense situations".

I would guess that the flying time for a C-130 from C'rai to Nakorn Phanom would be a shade under 18 hours.

[klikster]

To clarify my previous post, look at the map sections on this website.

http://www.clickthai.de/Land/Karten/download.html

Edited December 29, 2008 by klikster

[Boksida]

The shortest and fastest route is covered in a couple of previous threads:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Itinerary-Ph...ni-t134181.html

and

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Road-Trip-Ud...Rai-t61415.html