Phuket To Penang (ml), Cheapest Way?

[Harley62]

Hi,

Has anybody taken a series of buses from Phuket to Penang, and if so, what was the process?

I understand the simplest (cheapest) is to take a large Air con bus from Central Station (Phuket Town) to Hat Yai, then from there I am a bit unclear as to whom to engage, and how to get to Penang.

Are there "mini-buses" (vans with Air con) that go directly from Hat Yai Bus Station to Penang, or does one have to go to a private bus company's offices elsewhere? I would rather avoid touts hanging around the Hat Yai station, so to have a particular mini-bus company in mind would be ideal....

Would appreciate ANY info, including approximate timetables, duration of trip etc..from somebody that has made said journey.

Cheers in advance.

HB

[markg]

I took this 'cheapest' option some years ago and vowed never again. The slight bit of extra money spent doing it in a better way is, well, better.

First question, are you just doing a visa run and then coming back to Phuket after visiting Penang? If so, then without doubt the best way is to go with one of the 'all in one' visa run busses. No hassles of onward connections or trawling round trying to find a hotel. Its 4500 return including hotel and most meals.

Doing it on your own. Here was the problem i found. The first busses leave Had Yai for Penang at about 6am. So figure on trying to get a bus from Phuket at something like 11pm the night before. The problem i had in 2006 was that the last bus left phuket at about 8pm and arrived in had yai at about 4am. Which left me kicking my heals for 2 hours in a very dark and closed up Had Yai.

Then i took a mini bus to penang. Cant remember which one, sorry.

The kicker is, if you are going to get a visa etc, you then have to either pay for a taxi from the hotel to the visa place twice, once for drop off and once for pick up. Or you can pay an agent to do it, which costs about the same.

Once i'd factored in all the extra running about, hotel, food etc etc doing it myself, i found that it saved me 700 baht.

For me, paying the extra 700 baht is money well spent for getting a service that is virtually door to door - they pick you up in phuket and take you to the thai consulate and then to your hotel. Most of your meals are also provided.

If you're not going to get a visa, then yeah, just check out getting the vip bus overnight, as late as possible from Phuket and then quickly trawl around the mini bus companies in had yai for your onward trip to penang.

Good luck

it would be helpful if you could report back on this thread about how you got there etc. It will help someone else in the future.

[LivinLOS]

Easiest just fly firefly.. 4500 return.. What you gonna save 1000 / 2000 for how many hours / days time wasted ??

[Boater]

i heard from many people that it is to much hassle doing it yourself and ends up costing more money !

better to take one of the ' all in one ' visa service buses

[vanalli]

It's actually easy enough to do it overland. A travel agent can organize a mini-bus to Had Yai and then one to Penang. It costs 750 baht. They will drop you at Chulia if you like. It's easy enough to find somewhere to stay there. Most of the guesthouses will take your passport to the Consulate and bring it back for about RM40. A night in a guesthouse will set you back from RM18. To get back to Phuket, organize transport with one of the operators at Chulia. Will cost about the same as getting there. I've done this several times and it has always worked out cheaper than using one of the all-in-one companies.

[markg]

It's actually easy enough to do it overland. A travel agent can organize a mini-bus to Had Yai and then one to Penang. It costs 750 baht. They will drop you at Chulia if you like. It's easy enough to find somewhere to stay there. Most of the guesthouses will take your passport to the Consulate and bring it back for about RM40. A night in a guesthouse will set you back from RM18. To get back to Phuket, organize transport with one of the operators at Chulia. Will cost about the same as getting there. I've done this several times and it has always worked out cheaper than using one of the all-in-one companies.

yep it's true enough Vanalli, and the OP did ask for the cheapest.

Doing it DIY. Bus to Had Yai about 300 baht. Minivan to Penang 750 baht.

A very horrible plywood walled room with shared bathroom 200 baht. Something nicer with ensuite, lets say 500 baht.

Food. Lets say another 500 baht.

Agent to take passport 400 baht.

return journey, 1000 baht.

Grand total = 3,400 baht.

The all in one service is 4500 baht.

When i was completely on the tightest of budget, i did it the diy way. There's always a delay waiting for onward busses etc.

For the extra thousand baht, which i can now afford, the all in one service is the way to go.

You pays ya money and ya takes ya choice !

[vanalli]

I never really had to wait for buses though. If you book the whole trip with one operator they will sort the connection out. The longest wait I had was about an hour in Hat Yai.

[paulfromphuket]

walk, maybe cost you a pair of flipflops or thongs to you.

[DaleBlue]

Don't forget AirAsia.

[LivinLOS]

Who dont fly direct to Penang.

[mikebike]

Definitely cheaper doing it yourself. Not that difficult... You can PM me for details on where to stay etc...

[Harley62]

Well, after arriving today, I do have some more updated info:

Currently, if one wants to leave Phuket at night, then the cheapest way is going to the Central Bus Station in Phuket Town, and choosing a night bus--prices vary from THB335-550, depending on if VIP, number of seats on bus, etc...nevertheless, you are talking approx. 7 hours to Hat Yai.

I chose the last night bus, left Phuket 21:00, and got to Hat Yai at 03:30--from there you walk across the street and choose any one of several Agents booking mini-vans to Penang..the "kicker" is that the VERY earliest van does NOT leave Hat Yai until 08:00, so I had to wait about 5 HOURS in Hat Yai in the early morning--not the best use of my time, but indeed cooler than going in the daytime, and far less traffic. Having said that, next time I would try to arrange for a better connection, however, in checking with several "all in one" Agents in Karon/Kata they ALL told me I would have to wait "a few hours in Hat Yai" (even taking a day bus), so I have NO Idea about those people that mention "immediate transition" between Phuket-Hat Yai, and the mini-bus onward to Penang. I found NO such connection in my search, for ANY price!

If you take a daytime bus, you may possibly wait less time in Hat Yai but you WILL have to wait, as the mini-vans are on set schedules and some of the Agents "share" so that the vans are more full. I paid THB 380 to Penang, and we stopped twice (once at each border crossing to have Passports stamped etc)...all in all that trip was more comfortable than the Phuket-Hat Yai portion, mostly due to better roads allowing for faster speeds--total time : 3.5 hours to Penang.

Once in Penang, definitely use an Agent, as Banana Guest House does everything for you for RM 20 (THB 200) and normally gets a Tourist Visa the SAME day as they submit the paperwork. So, if you check in before 11AM you could get the Visa by 4PM the same day! Very convenient...

As for lodging, it depends on your comfort level--I got a single room with A/C for RM 40 (shared bathroom) which is fine for1 -2 nights. If for longer period, I'd probably look for something a little nicer/quieter

I will be returning the following day bu AIR--my time is just more valuable than the minimal amount of $$ saved, plus the fatigue factor, changing buses again, waiting in Hat Yai, etc...

Firefly Airlines--one way, Penang-HKT--THB 2000, booked on-line. Let's hope they are moderately efficient and safe!

Hope this info. helps those that are considering Penang for their Visa.

HB

[Zpete]

Never heard of Firefly, I often on my trips nick across to Malaysia.

All new aircraft too ATR 72-500

Price Summary

FLYZ (HKT to PEN) one way 1 Guest @ MYR99.95 MYR99.95 MYR Taxes / Fees MYR117.00 MYR

Total Package Price

MYR216.95 MYR

__________________________________

FLYZ (HKT to PEN) 1 Guest @ MYR99.95 MYR99.95 MYR

Taxes / Fees details

MYR117.00 MYR FLYZ (PEN to HKT) 1 Guest @ MYR99.95 MYR99.95 MYR Taxes / Fees details MYR88.00 MYR

Total Package Price

MYR404.90 MYR________________

3,943.41 THB ret.

_____________________

Return plus overnite accommodations, food etc..

No same day options.

That sure saves time and hassles getting buses.

Definitely gunna try them come November.

Wander around Malaysia for a week or two... sick of going to KL.

All personal choice of course.

Edited March 27, 2009 by Zpete

[LivinLOS]

Which airline is FLYZ ??

[stevenl]

Which airline is FLYZ ??

I presume that would be Firefly, Phuket-Penang direct flights.

[ovenman]

Never heard of Firefly

They are the new(ish) low-cost arm of Malaysia Airlines.

[LivinLOS]

Which airline is FLYZ ??

I presume that would be Firefly, Phuket-Penang direct flights.

Even after stating "Never heard of Firefly" ??

Never heard of Firefly

They are the new(ish) low-cost arm of Malaysia Airlines.

OK another one to look into..

[stevenl]

Even after stating "Never heard of Firefly" ??

I read his post: never heard of Firefly, found them online, and they offer the following trips Penang-Phuket:...

I had some guests fly with them, and they were happy. But since hardly anybody seems to know them, maybe the promotion of Firefly has not been very effective.

[ovenman]

But since hardly anybody seems to know them, maybe the promotion of Firefly has not been very effective.

Penang is Firefly's hub. Trust me - they're very well known throughout Malaysia.

[LivinLOS]

Yeah sure.. I have flown with them (in fact that was my advice to the OP) but..

I dont understand how a poster can say 'Never heard of firefly' AND have a booking on a firefly flight..

[DrDave]

...I dont understand how a poster can say 'Never heard of firefly' AND have a booking on a firefly flight..

I was thinking the same thing too. After awhile, I get used to the writing style and thought patterns of some posters. After reading the first few dozen or so of his postings, I honestly thought English wasn't his native language! No offense intended, just an amusing observation.

Anyway - I think he meant that he had never heard of firefly, but did some research and came up with the flights he posted. (Another

amusing observation - both flights were Phuket to Penang, not Phuket - Penang return. Hope he didn't book this!)

[vanalli]

I've flown Fireflyz to Penang. Was pretty painless. Tiny plane though.

[ovenman]

I've flown Fireflyz to Penang. Was pretty painless. Tiny plane though.

To my knowledge, Firefly's fleet is all ATR-72s.

[markg]

Just an update

I've just returned from Penang using an all in one service. Their offices are near Tesco Lotus and they advertise in the Gazette.

The bus they use is one of the newer/larger Toyota Commuter busses - quite a bit bigger than the older model it replaced.

It picked us up right on time. It stops en route for free food.

Prior to the border in Malaysia, the driver gives every passenger a clip board and pen, plus all the paperwork you need to cross the border and also the visa application forms for your visa in Penang.

It takes you straight to the consulate.

It then takes you to the Continental Hotel, which is a 3 star hotel and more than adequate, certainly miles better than any of the cheaper backpacker places around Penang.

You then get free lunch at the hotel.

Next morning you get free breakfast and free lunch at the hotel, then you leave for the consulate, pick up your visa and go back to Thailand.

You get free dinner on the way back at a very very nice restaurant in Patthalung.

We arrived back in Phuket about 11pm.

It's more expensive than doing it yourself, but it's truly door to door and it's convenient as they have all the forms ready and waiting for you.

**Two updates for TOURIST VISA IN PENANG** Many people were aghast to note that you can get SAME DAY SERVICE for tourist visas in Penang - they didnt have to wait until the following morning. It's free too. I was getting a non B and you HAVE to wait until the following day for your visa ***

Secondly, immigration stamped me in wrongly. I was in a queue with lots of tourist visa people and the man stamped me in for 2 months and not 3. As i hadnt been on a visa run for 5 years, i wasnt sure if it was right or wrong. Anyway, i went to Phuket immigration on Monday and they just rolled their eyes and stamped me in for the correct length of time for a none B which is 3 months. No questions. Nothing to pay.

[Zpete]

Sounds good.

Question, what was/is the cost?

[markg]

Sounds good.

Question, what was/is the cost?

Apologies. The cost of the all in service is 4500 baht for a standard room and 4900 baht for an aircon room.