Vip Bus From Samui To Bangkok

[Noodles]

Hi

Never taken a bus to BKK before, so I have

some questions;

Any reccomendations of which company I should book with to take the VIP bus.

We will have 2 big suit cases, plus laptop bags. Do we take our suitcases onto the ferry ourselves or are they loaded onto a minivan at the meet point and taken onto the ferry?

Is the ferry fare included in the ticket price?

Do we get on the big VIP bus at donsak or in Surathani centre?

Are there food stops on the way to BKK?

If anyone has done this journey, I would be grateful for your comments.

Many thanks

[PoorSucker]

Where are you situated?

In Chaweng ring road you have "999" bus and Sombat bus between PTT station and crossing to Lamdin.

Minibus from Chaweng to Nathon.

Board the VIP bus there, ferry price included.

Yes, the buses travels everyday on the ferry to Samui.

Never goes to Suratthani, straight to BKK.

Price around 1050 baht.

Edited June 21, 2011 by PoorSucker

[longtom]

Go to the bus station at the southern end of Nathon, book a VIP 999 or 99 bus, they leave at around 5 PM. Your suitcases are loaded on the bus and stay there for the ferry trip, the passengers leave the bus for the ferry and enter again at Don Sak. Then you'll have one stop of about 20 min, where you take your meal (included in ticket). Next morning you arrive at around 5 AM at the southern bus station in Bangkok (Sai Tai).

You might want to book at least a few hours before departure to be sure to get a seat. The fare is around 900 Baht. Oh and bring a sweater, it gets a bit frosty at night.

edit: sorry, saw boaters comment too late.

Edited June 21, 2011 by longtom

[PoorSucker]

And long pants.

They crank up the air con like in the cinema.

You can book your seat long time before.

They have a computer screen where you can choose your seat.

Super VIP= Three seats per row.

VIP = four seats per row.

If you travel alone, pick the super VIP and you can sit alone.

PS.

I'm PS not Boater.

DS

Edited June 21, 2011 by PoorSucker

[Mole]

Sombat Tour does not have daily buses and only every other day.

They basically only have 2 buses which they run back and fort Samui-Bangkok.

999 got a couple of brand new buses on their route.

Actually, only the 3 rows 24 seats per bus is VIP. (VIP = 3 rows seats)

The 4 rows 40 seats per bus (with toilet) is called P.1 (ป.1) and 4 rows 44 seats (with no toilet) is called P.2 (ป.2)

(on other routes, they have 2 deck buses with more seats on, but Samui-Bangkok only have 1 deck bus)

Technically, they are cheating a bit because the P.1 buses are supposed to have 32 seats (as in same seat distance as 24 seats, but 4 rows instead of 3)

But on the samui route, they're using an older bus type with 40 seats instead. The distance between the seats are the same as 44 seats, except that the last row at the back has been replaced with toilet instead.

They have offices in Lamai and Chaweng and you can pay 60bt for convenient van service from these locations to the bus terminal in Nathon.

Price of ferry is additional 150 bt and they'll sell you both bus and ferry ticket for you.

The bus will drive to Surattani bus terminal for a short stop there.

Soon after, near the airport, they'll stop first place for food. You can either chose to eat the free food or you can opt to pay extra for whatever at the food hall. A part of your ticket can be exchanged for the free food or if decides not to eat, you can exchange it for like can of soft drinks etc.

They will also stop for food at Tapsakae about 5 hours later. This stop has much better food than the first stop and personally I always look forward for this stop. However, you must pay for all the food here.

I recommend you to keep your laptop with you at all times during the ferry trip. Do not leave it on the bus as there has been cases where people have lost their laptop this way.

They have buses which goes to southern bus terminal in Bangkok as well as northern bus terminal.

Depending where you are going, it may be more convenient to chose the correct destination.

I agree with the others that you should bring with good clothes and don't travel in shorts.

On the night buses, they'll provide blankets, but it is still VERY COLD in the bus.

[samuijimmy]

Sombat Tour does not have daily buses and only every other day.

They basically only have 2 buses which they run back and fort Samui-Bangkok.

999 got a couple of brand new buses on their route.

Actually, only the 3 rows 24 seats per bus is VIP. (VIP = 3 rows seats)

The 4 rows 40 seats per bus (with toilet) is called P.1 (ป.1) and 4 rows 44 seats (with no toilet) is called P.2 (ป.2)

(on other routes, they have 2 deck buses with more seats on, but Samui-Bangkok only have 1 deck bus)

Technically, they are cheating a bit because the P.1 buses are supposed to have 32 seats (as in same seat distance as 24 seats, but 4 rows instead of 3)

But on the samui route, they're using an older bus type with 40 seats instead. The distance between the seats are the same as 44 seats, except that the last row at the back has been replaced with toilet instead.

They have offices in Lamai and Chaweng and you can pay 60bt for convenient van service from these locations to the bus terminal in Nathon.

Price of ferry is additional 150 bt and they'll sell you both bus and ferry ticket for you.

The bus will drive to Surattani bus terminal for a short stop there.

Soon after, near the airport, they'll stop first place for food. You can either chose to eat the free food or you can opt to pay extra for whatever at the food hall. A part of your ticket can be exchanged for the free food or if decides not to eat, you can exchange it for like can of soft drinks etc.

They will also stop for food at Tapsakae about 5 hours later. This stop has much better food than the first stop and personally I always look forward for this stop. However, you must pay for all the food here.

I recommend you to keep your laptop with you at all times during the ferry trip. Do not leave it on the bus as there has been cases where people have lost their laptop this way.

They have buses which goes to southern bus terminal in Bangkok as well as northern bus terminal.

Depending where you are going, it may be more convenient to chose the correct destination.

I agree with the others that you should bring with good clothes and don't travel in shorts.

On the night buses, they'll provide blankets, but it is still VERY COLD in the bus.

Good post, Mole!

Free food, wow! never seen that before!

I must remember to take the P1 bus, just in case I need to P2.....

[llamedos]

Hi we have used the bus many times and it was a good but long trip, however the last time all was well till the drivers changed then the second one was crazy swerving in and out all the stock in the back fell to the floor, it came to the point when the first driver told the second to stop and he would drive!

The second driver refused and still drove at very unsafe speeds and refusing to stop until he had to at a set of traffic lights.

we departed the bus and the driver then went up and down the bus shouting and ranting to the passengers.

We waited for another bus to complete the trip.

My wife phoned the company 999 to be told they would investigate the matter when the bus arrived in Bangkok

We rang one week after to be told the man has a wife and kids they would do nothing

be warned

[PoorSucker]

I must remember to take the P1 bus, just in case I need to P2.....

:lol:

[Noodles]

They have buses which goes to southern bus terminal in Bangkok as well as northern bus terminal.

Depending where you are going, it may be more convenient to chose the correct destination.

Thanks for all your replies. We want to go straight to Don Muang airport after, so which

bus terminal should I choose?

Thanks again

[Mole]

Definately Mor Chit northern bus terminal.

It's 30 minutes from there to the airport.

The bus will take the expressway directly to this bus terminal bypassing most of the traffic.

It'll be much faster for you than if you got off the southern bus terminal.

Edited June 22, 2011 by Mole