Express Train #86 (surin-bkk) Reliable?

[Cruz]

Hey Thailand-fans ,

I'd like to have happy new year with my girlfriend on Koh Tao and already booked the whole trip except one thing: How to get her from near surin to Suvanabhumi airport. First idea was just "to take whatever" and let her stay one night at one of the hotels on airport but she told me it'd become too expensive. She told a good option would be to take a bus to pataya, to stay one night at a friends room and then go to Bangkok by taxi which is in sum also 2200 THB. But I really hate this place and dont like to know her staying there. OK - to be true I'm also a bit afraid of our tight timetable, because she'd arrive in the evening, for sure wants to drink something with old "friends" but has to leave at 4 am again cause my plane arrives at 6. Not very nice if you know you have to travel 6 more hours and then stay awake 8 more to have new year party...

...Yep and now I found a very nice option: Train #68 goes off Surin 20:59 and arrives Bangkok 05.25 what would match quite perfect. Also she may get a 1st class bed with AC for 1050 THB as this is not even half price of the Pataya-option. The only question: Is that (express)train reliable? Like i told: Our timetable is a bit tight so we should be at checkin gate latest 8:30 am to catch plane to Samui.

Btw: I just saw on Farang Connection Website that there's also a similar bus connection. But I'd expect bus to be a little bit more uncomfortable and at least unreliable, isn't it...?!?

Thanks and regards,

Dennis

[Cruz]

(fond no delete thread button so reply myself...)

OK - now she called me back and I have to revise the question cause she told: "I haaaaaate train. Did not take since 10 years..."

As she also said sleeping on VIP bus is very difficult it'll be the pataya-option i think. Not the best for feelings cause she already "worked" there some months but better than sitting her at 21:30 into bus and she have to stay awake 30 hours.

Regards,

Dennis

[Deerculler]

(fond no delete thread button so reply myself...)

OK - now she called me back and I have to revise the question cause she told: "I haaaaaate train. Did not take since 10 years..."

As she also said sleeping on VIP bus is very difficult it'll be the pataya-option i think. Not the best for feelings cause she already "worked" there some months but better than sitting her at 21:30 into bus and she have to stay awake 30 hours.

Regards,

Dennis

Hi Dennis,

I have travelled both ways from Bangkok-Surin-return more than once by VIP bus and found the service excellent and reliable.

Les

[jackr]

Sounds like she will tell you anything so she gets to go to Pattaya. Most Thais would rather take the train than the bus and that she wouldn't be able to sleep on a VIP bus?? hmmm

Keep head screwed on and options open.

[qwertyuiop]

Sounds like she will tell you anything so she gets to go to Pattaya. Most Thais would rather take the train than the bus and that she wouldn't be able to sleep on a VIP bus?? hmmm

Keep head screwed on and options open.

Wot he says.

She should have zero problem sleeping on either VIP bus or train.

Heck I have no problem on the bus and I am a big man.

My experience is that the bus is far more reliable that the train as far as punctuality.

Trains can be a lottery from on time to several hours late

[THAILIBAN]

okay, the train (even I wouldn't call ANY train in Thailand "reliable" these days) seems to be OFF LIMITS now, but just IN CASE you would decide to take the train, and feel your schedule is too tight to make it to Suvannaphum, you could easily hop off at DON MUEANG train station and then take a cab to Suvannaphum. The train usually arrives at Don Mueang station 40-45 earlier than at Hua Lamphong.

But I agree with the others that the VIP-Bus is probably the best and most reliable option.

You can contact MARTIN, the boss of the farangconnection in Surin (add a ".com" to see their website) and ask him which company he recommends.

[2008bangkok]

If you have to be at check in at 08.30 i wouldnt go with the train option..almost guaranteed to be late

[soloman]

OH MY GAWD! Just investigating a trip Bangkok to Surin and return staying just a couple of nights. I am a slightly nervous traveller, and not being able to speak Thai and not having any connections, arriving at Surin/BKK at 4 or 5am does not look great. Nor do the ideas of staying awake all night or of sleeping past my stop. Are there any daytime VIP bus services. ANy other viable options other than train/bus??