Business Class Buses

[thaipod]

I've seen buses on the tollway with a sign business class on the side , they look really comfortable to travel long distance .Anybody used this service if so where do they leave from and how much

[CHdiver]

NCA has different classes, some very comfortable, guess thats what you are looking for Nakhonchai Air

[Chivas]

NCA has different classes, some very comfortable, guess thats what you are looking for Nakhonchai Air

Yes I second this company. Absolutely top quality with prices for long haul hardly much more than normal.

Highest recommendation I can give.

[Pingis]

Do you mean better than the "VIP" buses?

If you mean VIP they go same routes as the "thai" buses. At least they did from Bangkok to Isaan (e g Udon Thani) a year ago. The VIP cost was around 30 % higher in the example I know.

[sbk]

Moving to travel forum

[hedonist44]

NCA has different classes, some very comfortable, guess thats what you are looking for Nakhonchai Air

Nokhonchai Air, is the safest and most comfortable bus you can get with great service. G/F just bought a ticket from CM/BKK for 860 Baht I believe.

[sbk]

Well, it depends on where you want to go OP. If you go anywhere north of Bangkok then you will need to go to Mo Chit and buy your tickets there, for the South, you need to go to Sai Dai Mai (South Bus Station) for tickets. Whatever you do, don't buy your tickets at Khao San Road. Buy your tickets at the bus station.

The best buses have 24 seats. 2 on one side of the aisle, one on the other. NCA or Nakhon Chai Air only travels to the North and Northeast they don't have buses to the South. The 999 bus company offers 24 seater buses to the South.

[Fookhaht]

Do you mean better than the "VIP" buses?

If you mean VIP they go same routes as the "thai" buses. At least they did from Bangkok to Isaan (e g Udon Thani) a year ago. The VIP cost was around 30 % higher in the example I know.

Yes, definitely better than the "VIP" buses. I've had some gawd-awful VIP bus trips in my years here. Breakdowns, rainwater leaking through the roof, filthy, etc. Stick with NCA.

[thaipod]

Thanks , I have suggested to a friend to travel to Chaingmai on NCA around December,should be dry , she wants to see the countryside also do they serve refreshments

[Chivas]

Thanks , I have suggested to a friend to travel to Chaingmai on NCA around December,should be dry , she wants to see the countryside also do they serve refreshments

Yes came around twice when on a five and a half hour Buriram to Bangkok trip with refreshments included in price.

Edited October 18, 2011 by Chivas

[naboo]

Sombat Tours and Siam First are also good, though on an overnight trip I prefer NCA as they don't stop at 2am for food in a dirty cafe with mosquito infested toilets.

[afarang]

Do you mean better than the "VIP" buses?

If you mean VIP they go same routes as the "thai" buses. At least they did from Bangkok to Isaan (e g Udon Thani) a year ago. The VIP cost was around 30 % higher in the example I know.

Yes, definitely better than the "VIP" buses. I've had some gawd-awful VIP bus trips in my years here. Breakdowns, rainwater leaking through the roof, filthy, etc. Stick with NCA.

Total nonsense - you did not travel V.I.P. I suspect you travelled ,at best 2nd class. N.C.A. have a limited service -destination wise. The vast majority of routes in Thailand are NOT serviced by N.C.A. I do concur that N.C.A.is the best operator in Thailand, where it does provide service. What operator/s are you talking about? How many seats on the bus? what configuration? Which routes are you talking about?In Thailand ,there are 4 levels of inter-city buses. 3rd class are your cattle trucks(almost finished, now) ,which I suffered when I first came here to live,no option. No option .that was it, The original Morchit to Plackonchai was 8 hours Then came what is now 2nd class ,air-con, no toilet. Then 1st.class -toilet .Only fairly recently came V.I.P. Now ,only 6 hours 1st class , By V.I.P. 5 hours 30 minutes. Very comfortable seats, Superior-well worth the extra money,your comments are a load of nonsense. Look at some of the V.I.P. buses -They are tag or lazy axles. Scanias -Cost more the than B 10, 000,000.Leaky roofs? Filthy? Bullershit.

[Fookhaht]

Do you mean better than the "VIP" buses?

If you mean VIP they go same routes as the "thai" buses. At least they did from Bangkok to Isaan (e g Udon Thani) a year ago. The VIP cost was around 30 % higher in the example I know.

Yes, definitely better than the "VIP" buses. I've had some gawd-awful VIP bus trips in my years here. Breakdowns, rainwater leaking through the roof, filthy, etc. Stick with NCA.

Total nonsense - you did not travel V.I.P. I suspect you travelled ,at best 2nd class. N.C.A. have a limited service -destination wise. The vast majority of routes in Thailand are NOT serviced by N.C.A. I do concur that N.C.A.is the best operator in Thailand, where it does provide service. What operator/s are you talking about? How many seats on the bus? what configuration? Which routes are you talking about?In Thailand ,there are 4 levels of inter-city buses. 3rd class are your cattle trucks(almost finished, now) ,which I suffered when I first came here to live,no option. No option .that was it, The original Morchit to Plackonchai was 8 hours Then came what is now 2nd class ,air-con, no toilet. Then 1st.class -toilet .Only fairly recently came V.I.P. Now ,only 6 hours 1st class , By V.I.P. 5 hours 30 minutes. Very comfortable seats, Superior-well worth the extra money,your comments are a load of nonsense. Look at some of the V.I.P. buses -They are tag or lazy axles. Scanias -Cost more the than B 10, 000,000.Leaky roofs? Filthy? Bullershit.

Comments from a totally inexperienced poster, or someone who's only traveled no more than 100 km. from The Big Mango. Or from someone who's wife operates a local "VIP bus racket.

Living 8 years here, and having traveled the length and breadth of Thailand by bus, I know the difference in ticketing, companies, classes, and styles of buses. I have frequently paid the 100-baht premium for the special "VIP" coaches, only to feel swindled. These were with companies which offered exclusively VIP service, and companies which had 2 or 3 tiers of service. My years of dismal experience (yes, dirty, leaking, faulty equipment) has now driven me completely away from any so-called self-described "VIP" service/bus company. I'm sure there are a few good ones out there, but the buyer must be aware, and the service/equipment is no where near consistently first-class or VIP quality.

NCA has always offered consistently VIP quality,* and miles above the so-called "VIP" competition. For VIP service, I will not stoop to the many charlatans posing as such. The kind that would white-wash the "VIP" bus industry as the quoted poster has done.

*with only one exception on a trip (Khon Kaen to BKK)

which featured a smelly restroom whose aroma wafted over the entire passenger cabin.

Edited October 21, 2011 by Fookhaht

[afarang]

I asked you 4 questions .You did not answer any of them. Totally inexperienced poster am I? I have been travelling on buses in Thailand for 21 years.A point ,I thought you would have picked up on, but you obviously didn't read my post properly. Only travelled less than 100 kilometres from Bangkok, have I? I started travelling on long distance buses in 1990. To Changwat Buriram, which is slightly more than 100 kilometres from Bkk..Then ,only 3rd class "cattle trucks". For 5 years I was doing a return trip to BKK ,weekly, From 2000 to 2005. Initially 2nd. class ,then 1st. class ,No V.I.P. buses on the routes I travelled. At that time. By the way there is NO flat B100 premium for V.I.P. buses.The extra charge for each class is calculated on a sliding scale, according to the distance travelled. From Surin ,it is approx., B40. Over the 1st. class fare.The fares are set by the Land Transport dept., not by the operators. For you to have any credibility ,you need to answer my questions. Someone whose wife operates a "local " V,I.P.racket?. Total arrant nonsense. Interestingly ,the Muslim community actually dominate the Private bus industry here.Which is why at some "meal " stops, if also operated by Muslims, there is no alcohol sold. The biggest operator AND builder of buses, is located in Korat.Finally ,the quality of ALL classes of buses , is controlled by The Land Transport Dept. Should you have any problems ,regarding service, then you should straightaway , lodge a complaint with them.

[Chivas]

I think its fair to say the NCA is the company the OP should be looking out for.

[Fookhaht]

I asked you 4 questions .You did not answer any of them. Totally inexperienced poster am I? I have been travelling on buses in Thailand for 21 years.A point ,I thought you would have picked up on, but you obviously didn't read my post properly. Only travelled less than 100 kilometres from Bangkok, have I? I started travelling on long distance buses in 1990. To Changwat Buriram, which is slightly more than 100 kilometres from Bkk..Then ,only 3rd class "cattle trucks". For 5 years I was doing a return trip to BKK ,weekly, From 2000 to 2005. Initially 2nd. class ,then 1st. class ,No V.I.P. buses on the routes I travelled. At that time. By the way there is NO flat B100 premium for V.I.P. buses.The extra charge for each class is calculated on a sliding scale, according to the distance travelled. From Surin ,it is approx., B40. Over the 1st. class fare.The fares are set by the Land Transport dept., not by the operators. For you to have any credibility ,you need to answer my questions. Someone whose wife operates a "local " V,I.P.racket?. Total arrant nonsense. Interestingly ,the Muslim community actually dominate the Private bus industry here.Which is why at some "meal " stops, if also operated by Muslims, there is no alcohol sold. The biggest operator AND builder of buses, is located in Korat.Finally ,the quality of ALL classes of buses , is controlled by The Land Transport Dept. Should you have any problems ,regarding service, then you should straightaway , lodge a complaint with them.

It's possible to have only 1 year experience 21 times over, if you don't learn from your mistakes. Most seasoned expats already know about the so-called "VIP" scams run by most of the private bus companies. I think you have some unseen stake in it all, you're not revealing to us.

Yes, the last poster is correct: to be safe stick with a consistent provider of high quality bus service: NCA. Going with the self-proclaimed "VIP' coaches (which are 100B more from my province to BKK) is like taking a crap shoot at the gaming table. Sometimes you win, just as often you lose.

[Fookhaht]

Do you mean better than the "VIP" buses?

If you mean VIP they go same routes as the "thai" buses. At least they did from Bangkok to Isaan (e g Udon Thani) a year ago. The VIP cost was around 30 % higher in the example I know.

Yes, definitely better than the "VIP" buses. I've had some gawd-awful VIP bus trips in my years here. Breakdowns, rainwater leaking through the roof, filthy, etc. Stick with NCA.f

Total nonsense - you did not travel V.I.P. I suspect you travelled ,at best 2nd class. N.C.A. have a limited service -destination wise. The vast majority of routes in Thailand are NOT serviced by N.C.A. I do concur that N.C.A.is the best operator in Thailand, where it does provide service. What operator/s are you talking about? How many seats on the bus? what configuration? Which routes are you talking about?In Thailand ,there are 4 levels of inter-city buses. 3rd class are your cattle trucks(almost finished, now) ,which I suffered when I first came here to live,no option. No option .that was it, The original Morchit to Plackonchai was 8 hours Then came what is now 2nd class ,air-con, no toilet. Then 1st.class -toilet .Only fairly recently came V.I.P. Now ,only 6 hours 1st class , By V.I.P. 5 hours 30 minutes. Very comfortable seats, Superior-well worth the extra money,your comments are a load of nonsense. Look at some of the V.I.P. buses -They are tag or lazy axles. Scanias -Cost more the than B 10, 000,000.Leaky roofs? Filthy? Bullershit.

I just took one of your beloved VIP buses from Roi-et to Pattaya last night. I paid about a 100 THB premium for a trip normally that far. The staff consisted of one surly driver and no on-board attendant. When I found my own assigned seat I had to clear the garbage from the previous passenger. The garbage which consisted of plastic wrappers, crumbs and used tissues was all over the seat and crammed into the storage net in front. This inluded two empty soft drink bottles.

[Fookhaht]

Do you mean better than the "VIP" buses?

If you mean VIP they go same routes as the "thai" buses. At least they did from Bangkok to Isaan (e g Udon Thani) a year ago. The VIP cost was around 30 % higher in the example I know.

Yes, definitely better than the "VIP" buses. I've had some gawd-awful VIP bus trips in my years here. Breakdowns, rainwater leaking through the roof, filthy, etc. Stick with NCA.f

Total nonsense - you did not travel V.I.P. I suspect you travelled ,at best 2nd class. N.C.A. have a limited service -destination wise. The vast majority of routes in Thailand are NOT serviced by N.C.A. I do concur that N.C.A.is the best operator in Thailand, where it does provide service. What operator/s are you talking about? How many seats on the bus? what configuration? Which routes are you talking about?In Thailand ,there are 4 levels of inter-city buses. 3rd class are your cattle trucks(almost finished, now) ,which I suffered when I first came here to live,no option. No option .that was it, The original Morchit to Plackonchai was 8 hours Then came what is now 2nd class ,air-con, no toilet. Then 1st.class -toilet .Only fairly recently came V.I.P. Now ,only 6 hours 1st class , By V.I.P. 5 hours 30 minutes. Very comfortable seats, Superior-well worth the extra money,your comments are a load of nonsense. Look at some of the V.I.P. buses -They are tag or lazy axles. Scanias -Cost more the than B 10, 000,000.Leaky roofs? Filthy? Bullershit.

I just took one of your beloved VIP buses from Roi-et to Pattaya last night. I paid about a 100 THB premium for a trip normally that far. The staff consisted of one surly driver and no on-board attendant. When I found my own assigned seat I had to clear the garbage from the previous passenger. The garbage which consisted of plastic wrappers, crumbs and used tissues was all over the seat and crammed into the storage net in front. This inluded two empty soft drink bottles.

Continuing, the driver brought one bottle of warm water to the passengers who boarded at our departure town. Although our ticket had attatched to it a meal voucher, there was no stop for food on a 10-hour trip. Mothers who brought along small children, and who did not bring meals or snacks for the journey were faced with the plight of trying to quiet crying, hungry children among sleeping passengers.

There were two stops on this trip: The first, a 10-minute restroom break three hours into the trip at a location with no services in

at midnight in the middle of nowhere somewhere in the countryside in Buriram province. The second, a stop at 4:30 a.m. at a similar location with only the toilets. At this second stop all the passengers had to leave the bus while it was refueled (a first for me in Thailand). The only problem with that was that the fueling took a half hour near some mosquito-infested swamp while we passengers were feasted upon by the critters. There was no place to sit, so we just stood the whole time in the parking lot among the blood-thirsty swarms. Particularly pitiful, again, were families with small children trying to cope with these

traveler-unfriendly conditions.

We arrived 90 minutes late at our destination compared to the arrival time we were assured of by both the ticket vendor and driver. Consequently, I missed an important connection at my destination.

So there, folks, are the cattle-car conditions you can easily enjoy on "VIP" bus service in LOS--but the only ones smiling will be those pocketing your premium fare!

CAVEAT EMPTOR

[erikr_]

well you always have those that travel routes that only the bargirl takes and they are used to that service. Roi-et to Pattaya says it all.

But yes VIP can be just a name on the wind shield often, but on the main routes it is normally a more comfortable choice