Hi all,I would like to go to Kanchanaburi, but I've never used the bus system in Thailand before.I'm living in Bangkok... do I just go to buy a ticket from a travel agent? Do they all charge the same price? How much should I expect to pay?I'm in On Nut... is there anywhere close that the bus departs from? And do you know how long it takes to get there?Sorry for the simple questions, I just think I get more honest answers from you guys than a travel agent sometimes.Thanks in advance,Gareth

Google is friendly:

http://www.kanchanaburi-info.com/en/bus.html

oohh, very nice ! Thank you so much. (I feel stupid now, haha)

Great

oohh, very nice ! Thank you so much. (I feel stupid now, haha)

Great

It was a legitimate question. No reason to feel stupid. Bus fare from the NEW (2 years old) south west bus station to Kanchanaburi is about 100 baht and can be bought on the second floor of the bus station, and you have to pack your bags up and down the escalator. The busses leave from the ground floor behind the main entrance. Busses leave about every hour. The new south west bus station is about 5 or 6 km west of the main city. The old bus station was closer to town, but far more congested. The new station has busses to many destinations including Hua Hin and all southern destinations. It also bypasses the main city to head west to Pattaya and destinations south of there.

...and minibus from victory-monument or near khao-sarn for 100 baht

:jap:

...and minibus from victory-monument or near khao-sarn for 100 baht

:jap:

Good suggestion, Lung. Thanks. The mini-busses are usually much quicker and don't stop along the way. But, unless you speak Thai it is hard to know where they leave from. When I travel with a Thai friend she always takes the mini bus vans.

Another option although admittedly off the O/P’s topic is to take a train from Hua Lamphong (the train station located at the last stop of the MRT (subway).

IMO it's a far nicer ride out there via train than by bus, and just as cheap if not cheaper.

On the weekends it can sometimes be tough to get a third class (the cheapest) ticket as it's a MAJOR destination for thais to go on a day trip.

The train used to be great, until they decided to make it dual priced. Last I remember, Thai price to Kancha was about 27 baht, but anywhere on that line for farang was at least 100 baht. Only leaves twice a day, early morning and afternoon. Awkward to get to if one's not on the river.

If you're in On Nut, maybe take the skytrain to near the northern bus terminal. There are buses going from there, same as from Sai Tai Mai, the southern terminal way out to the southwest. Same prices, as i recall. Not quite as often as Sai Tai Mai, but several per day.

Or, of course, take the skytrain to Victory and then minibus from there. Leaves from under the passageway, where all the minibuses are.