Bangkok To Chumphon

[davidst01]

HI there,

I want to travel from Bangkok to Chumphon. Stay one night and then get the boat to koh tao / koh pangnang

Train from Bangkok? Is it reliable? What time does it depart from bangkok?

Govt bus from Bangkok? What bus station and what times does it depart in the mornings

many thanks

[yermanee]

I recommend the night train from Bangkok. 2nd class airco sleeper. Saves a night in a hotel.

See schedule and prices here : http://www.thailandbytrain.com/SouthernLine.html

Hope to have helped

Yermanee

[aarn]

To Chumphon, there are various first and second class trains from Hualampung. Cost 400+ baht, reliable, journey takes ~ 8hr. The timetable is pinned somewhere on thaivisa website, search for 'train timetable south - go' or somesuch. There's also an ordinary train from Thonaburi everyday, leave 0725, costs ~ 70B, arr CHMPN 1700.

From southern bus terminal to Chumphon, there are about 6 direct bus services daily (depart 0830 - 2140, journey time ~ 8 hours). Cost 347 or 405 (VIP) B. Not sure where you are leaving from in BKK, but yesterday, I caught the #149 (8-baht) bus from right outside the Australian embassy, took about one hour to reach southern bus terminal. There's a midday bus from the southern bus terminal to Koh Tao - it probably only goes to the pier... and presumably there are other daily services to KTao.

Beware as we approach SKran buses fill up quickly - I was back to southern terminal yesterday at 1000, went to get a seat on 1130 service to CHMPN, but sold out, had to get a seat at 1430. There are two companies selling seats to CHMPN, so when you get to southern bus terminal, go to second floor to buy ticket, look around for both booths for times etc. You can doss down up in the third floor of the terminal, also free bathroom up there. AA

[asanee]

tipical question that is answered in any guidebook.

There are at LEAST 6 companies doing buses BKK-Cpn, all at Sai Thai. So there are also many more buses as above thinks. Port and city are quite far apart-hardly any islandgoer opts to stay in Cpn. Trainns are tipically late on arrival-up to 3-4 hrs (not always). Trains are also the first to fill up around SK-buses van much more easily be duplicated or triplicated. You choose between 2nd and 1st cl or super 1st (VIP or the like)-sometimes now abelled as 4th.

[bangkokburning]

One night on KT - skip it!

Just get the night boat from the pier in ST.

You can get the train down, the effort to get from the train to pier is a bit epic, but keep your wits and find a songtaew for B50 (30 mins).

I REALLY dislike Surat Thani - take it slow and keep your wits about you. There is a GREAT hotel (B450??) up the street from the pier, its huge cant miss it. Proper hotel. Take it for the day perhaps or when you return.

Boat leaves 6-8 pm I forget.

Dont go through KT, just a waste of time and money.

[edwardandtubs]

The VIP government bus from the new southern bus terminal from Bangkok to Koh Phangan is very convenient and comfortable. You just buy your ticket on the day and the ticket includes the ferry for just over 1000 baht. I read on some guide that the best way to get to Phangan was by a combined train-bus-ferry ticket. This is bullshit. The trains are extremely unreliable and for part of the way they cram you on a very uncomfortable songthaew to the train station in Surat Thani. Forget any stopovers - just take a direct bus.

[bangkokburning]

In the gulf - I would only go with a govt bus, Lomprayah or the night boat. Do not under any terms take a bus out of KSR and if you are dumb enough not to heed this warning - do not leave any valuables in your bag you check under the bus. Esp if you are going with a company that might have initials SS.

Was not aware they have govt bus now to Phanghan. That will do. Wow, times have changed, its a regular freaking Samui!

[davidst01]

I ended up taking a bus from the Southern bus station in bkk for THB347 (first class ticket). It was good service and think that I got 5 min sleep when we were just rolling into Chumphon at 5am. Paid THB50 for the share taxi to the pier and then the boat mafia guy charged me THB850 for a boat ticket to Koh pganang. It was all painless and worth it having left the big city 9pm the night prior and arriving on the island at midday the next day. All is good...

[toononline]

I would take solar air from BKK 9 am something to chumpon and then take the boat to koh tao, all included around 2700 THB

check on lomprayah.com

[Razzler1973]

The VIP government bus from the new southern bus terminal from Bangkok to Koh Phangan is very convenient and comfortable. You just buy your ticket on the day and the ticket includes the ferry for just over 1000 baht. I read on some guide that the best way to get to Phangan was by a combined train-bus-ferry ticket. This is bullshit. The trains are extremely unreliable and for part of the way they cram you on a very uncomfortable songthaew to the train station in Surat Thani. Forget any stopovers - just take a direct bus.

That's not true at all.

I have traveled down to the South many, many times via Train and it's no problem whatsover. The trains are not unreliable at all, they tend to leave on time. I think in near 15 years of using them I had only one breakdown that caused crazy delays but every other time it has stuck to the timetable give or take 30 mins at most.

You can book the ferry combo thing at the train station and once you arrive at the train station there are people checking tickets, etc pointing you to the correct bus/coach (not songthaew, that was 10+ years back before we had combo tickets) and the coaches take you to the ferry, no problem at all.

The most recent time I did this was just last year. Buses are of course a bit quicker but I get irritated by the constant stops for food. I like the train as you have a sleeper and your own, quite large seat next to the window until the beds are made up. I can buy food before I get on and during as well as beer, toilets are right there, it's comfortable and you have you own space