Van From Pattaya To Aranyaprathet

[sojourner007]

There is an hourly air-conditioned van service from Pattaya to Aranyaprathet. The departure location is a shop on the corner of South Pattaya Rd and Sukhumvit Rd, near the Big C. TIckets are about B250 one way. The vans run every hour on the hour from 6am to around 5pm. I understand that the trip takes 4.5 h. From Aranyaprathet the schedule is also hourly. It seems a cheap way to do a visa run. Has anyone tried the service?

[Jimmyd]

Interesting if true. Could put a dent in the Soi Buakao visa run business.

[BruceMangosteen]

The 35 group in that area goes to Trat. Never seen one to Aranyaprathet. I'll check tomorrow. Thank you, another option remains the yellow bus at the Pattaya Nua station but only early AM.

[eljeque]

My mother has done it and ws happy with it. She is doing it again in two day as well.

There is still the approx. 1,000 baht at the border for the Camb visa, but this is less than the 2,000 - 2,200 usual visa run.

[saengsureeya]

Oh my,

THB 250 x 2 = THB 500

USD 20 x 1 + THB 600

Compared to 5-star visa runs:

Breakfast: THB 100

Lunch: THB 100

Free drink upon return: THB 65

It's THB 1365 against the THB 2500 or THB 2300.

other cons: You have to take care your own Cambodian visa and there is no assistance at the border.

I know, I know, it's more than THB 1000 saved, but ..............

[sojourner007]

other cons: You have to take care your own Cambodian visa and there is no assistance at the border.

Actually the idea is to get your Cambodian e-visa online. E-visas are only acceptable at Aranyaprathet and Trat land border crossing. Last time I got it I drove to Arnyaprathet myself, but it is tiring, especially if one wants to do it in one day. I just wonder how comfortable it is to travel by van. Is it usually full?

[Darrel]

Hmm.

Van from Central to Arnyaprathet x 2 = 500B

E-visa = 20+5USD = 750B

Transport to/from Sukumvit = 80B (?)

Lunch + bottled water 40B

Time = 9hrs + waiting around at border, + fooling around getting to/from Sukumvit

Do your own paperwork

Cambodia Inter van, Soi Buakow

1800B all inclusive, door to door, including lunch + water.

Leave your hotel 6:30 am, return 3pm.

Paperwork done for you.

No hassle at all.

No contest really, I think.

(Though it is a total mystery to me why anyone bothers with the more expensive 2000-2500 trips. I wouldnt.)

[saengsureeya]

Actually the idea is to get your Cambodian e-visa online. E-visas are only acceptable at Aranyaprathet and Trat land border crossing. Last time I got it I drove to Arnyaprathet myself, but it is tiring, especially if one wants to do it in one day. I just wonder how comfortable it is to travel by van. Is it usually full?

The visa-service I use, places 6 people in a mini-van.

The mini-van is equipped with comfortable seats, DVD-system and a reasonable driver.

Breakfast is served from 6 a.m. at the meeting-point.

Bus leaves at 6:45 a.m.

Time at the border is around 30-60 minutes.

ETR is 3-4 p.m.

The price of THB 2500 (or THB 2300 for early bookers) includes:

- paperwork (take care of 2 pass photo's)

- breakfast (choose from 4 varieties)

- visa-trip Pattaya - Baan Laem v.v. with a max. of 6 people in the van

- assistance at the border

- lunch at the border

- water during the trip

- NON-smoking trip but there several stops

- free drink upon return to the meeting point

Yes, it can be done cheaper, but it is like booking an air-ticket...........once flown with a certain airliner, you'd like to stick with it. (the association with the flying has nothing to do with the driving speed )

[PoeDogg]

I just took a bus from the north Pattaya station last Friday morning to Aranyaprathet; good driver, did not drive like Ricky Bobby.

Two weeks prior I took the minivan from Aranyaprathet to Pattaya. Van was not too crowded, but as the locals will do, they were either talking to eachother (while try to talk over eachother) or on the phone or both the entire trip. Driver drove a bit too fast, and well, Ricky Bobby like....Zanax helped me out.

The minibus station in Aranyaprathet is a small shop in front of the bus station across from the 7/11.

Tickets for both were 200+ baht.

[dananderson]

I took the mini van in Jan. and it was a brutal ride. made at least 20 stops to pick up or drop off people and a definate ricky bobby. Then crossed over the border and shared a cab(700b) to PP. I wish I had taken the slower bus as this was a horn honking ricky bobby. Could anyone elaborate on the bus routes and times as I go again next week to escape most of Songran. Flying back

[Yenoormit]

The 35 group in that area goes to Trat. Never seen one to Aranyaprathet. I'll check tomorrow. Thank you, another option remains the yellow bus at the Pattaya Nua station but only early AM.

what is "The 35 group" and where "in that area" do you mean? I need to get to Trat and this sounds good

[BruceMangosteen]

The 35 group in that area goes to Trat. Never seen one to Aranyaprathet. I'll check tomorrow. Thank you, another option remains the yellow bus at the Pattaya Nua station but only early AM.

what is "The 35 group" and where "in that area" do you mean? I need to get to Trat and this sounds good

The 35 group has a web site, search and ye shall find. Several friends have used it going from Pattaya to Trat and all report good experiences. The return I have no information on but is available. Located on Pattaya Tai itself apx. 100meters from Sukhumvit, north side. 300baht one way.

[Yenoormit]

That's great. Thanks for the info