Visa Run Penang - Bus From Border Crossing?

[OzMick]

I'm planning a visa run to Penang early August, planning to use the Phantip bus (7:30 from NaThon) to Had Yai arriving around 15:30.

I see on the net a 2 big a/c buses (Cepat Express) leaving the Malay side of the Dannock/Sadao border crossing at 19:00 and 20:00 Malay time, heading to Butterworth and on to KL. Fare to BW is MR12/THB120.

Has anyone used them before?

Does anyone know if there is a local orange rattler from Hat Yai to Dannock crossing?

I loathe mini-buses!

FYI Coming back there is a big a/c bus from BW - Padang Besar (Plusliner) for MR16/THB160. It leaves BW at 14:00 Malay, arrives 17:30 malay, 16:30 thai time. It stops close to border crossing, then there is an orange rattler back to HY for THB44. There is a bus stop/shelter across the road from border post. Phantip bus leaves for Samui 10:00 next day, fare is B430 each way.

If you pick up your passport ASAP there is plenty of time to make this bus. DO NOT LISTEN TO TOUTS. Plusliner booth is at front of inland circle of booths.

[matt111]

The minibus back from Penang aint too bad if you leave at 4pm, it takes about 1hr45min to reach border, no queues at border and then another 1hr to hat yai. Typical thai style minibus though - no curtains, stupid subwoofers taking up legroom etc..

Also the bus from Hat Yai to Samui at 10.30am was a minibus last week they said the only run big bus at 8am now, so I opted for bus to Surat Thani (220baht) at 10.30am which dropped me off at sea tran office about 4.20pm, in time to catch 6pm ferry (240baht). All a bit of a ballache.

Also consider getting over night train, means you have to get surat thani station the night before, there is a hotel near the station for a few hundred baht where you can get showered, watch tv, etc.. arrives in butterworth about 2pm - google seat61 thailand.

[OzMick]

The minibus back from Penang aint too bad if you leave at 4pm, it takes about 1hr45min to reach border, no queues at border and then another 1hr to hat yai. Typical thai style minibus though - no curtains, stupid subwoofers taking up legroom etc..

Also the bus from Hat Yai to Samui at 10.30am was a minibus last week they said the only run big bus at 8am now, so I opted for bus to Surat Thani (220baht) at 10.30am which dropped me off at sea tran office about 4.20pm, in time to catch 6pm ferry (240baht). All a bit of a ballache.

Also consider getting over night train, means you have to get surat thani station the night before, there is a hotel near the station for a few hundred baht where you can get showered, watch tv, etc.. arrives in butterworth about 2pm - google seat61 thailand.

Been there, done that with the train, hanging around the station until 2 am because it's always bloody late, and you get there too late to put your passport in.

There is another train option. Bus to Had Yai and a taxi to Pedang, cross the border and pick up the train on the Malay side at18:00 malay. You would have to be nippy, and it stops at Bukit Martajam about 5km from BW.

There is also a train leaves BW at 14:20 and gets you to Surat at 01:00 if it's on time (yeah, sure). I'd rather have a night in Had Yai than Phun Pin!!!!

[robsamui]

This is of interest.

One problem with coming back from Penang has always been that there is not time to make it all the way back in one day to the ferry in either Donsak or Surat - other than the night boat (if it ever is still running) which used to be full of hippies consulting handbooks about the cheapest places to stay man/dude/bro etc.

But there is a mini bus out of Penang at 1:00 pm. You need to know this (not publicised) and you need to book this (10 Ringetts on top of price) but it will get you quite fast to the border (3 hours to Had Yai? Not so much more). Jim T at Jim's Place on Chulia Street will book it for you. But still no good to get back in one go. Personally it reckon it's better to stay over in Had Yai than to bust a gut getting to Samui in one rush. You want rush? Do Julie or Herbert.

I've tried to work out all combis of plane/train/bus on this theme over the last 10 years but now stick to what I know works. (My neighbour decided to be adventurous and try ferry/bus/Surat airport/Firefly and ended up at a cheap terminal one hour from KL with several one-hour waits en-route and a big taxi fare into town.)

So keeping an eye on this thread to find out something new!

Cheers

R

Edited May 30, 2012 by robsamui

[OzMick]

This is of interest.

One problem with coming back from Penang has always been that there is not time to make it all the way back in one day to the ferry in either Donsak or Surat - other than the night boat (if it ever is still running) which used to be full of hippies consulting handbooks about the cheapest places to stay man/dude/bro etc.

But there is a mini bus out of Penang at 1:00 pm. You need to know this (not publicised) and you need to book this (10 Ringetts on top of price) but it will get you quite fast to the border (3 hours to Had Yai? Not so much more). Jim T at Jim's Place on Chulia Street will book it for you. But still no good to get back in one go. Personally it reckon it's better to stay over in Had Yai than to bust a gut getting to Samui in one rush. You want rush? Do Julie or Herbert.

I've tried to work out all combis of plane/train/bus on this theme over the last 10 years but now stick to what I know works. (My neighbour decided to be adventurous and try ferry/bus/Surat airport/Firefly and ended up at a cheap terminal one hour from KL with several one-hour waits en-route and a big taxi fare into town.)

So keeping an eye on this thread to find out something new!

Cheers

R

Hi Rob,

no worries getting back, the Plusliner to Pedang, rattler to HY and Phantip bus the next day works fine for me.

I will do anything (within reason) to avoid mini-buses. I used to ride my bike to Ranong or Satun crossing, but rain makes it a really miserable trip

BTW Anecdotally, Julie has disappeared. Left a friend waiting at Nathon, no word, no bus. He spoke to a chap there, same thing happened to him 3 days earlier.

[Beng]

I've always taken Phantip to HY and back to USM. Best choice imo.

In order to do the whole visa trip in a relaxed way, I would take a hotel in HY for the night and get a minibus

to Penang the next morning (only 2 !/2 hrs)

Edited May 31, 2012 by Beng

[OzMick]

I've always taken Phantip to HY and back to USM. Best choice imo.

In order to do the whole visa trip in a relaxed way, I would take a hotel in HY for the night and get a minibus

to Penang the next morning (only 2 !/2 hrs)

That minibus is exactly what I am trying to avoid. My last trip, I bought what was claimed to be a coach (rot tour) ticket, only to be crammed in the back of a minibus driven by a maniac, and with a couple of Russians in front of me who I think had dined on borscht and boiled eggs, and farted continuously for the whole trip.

The buses I found on the net will get me to Penang that night and reduce the stay there by 1 night. IF they are still running.

[samuijimmy]

I have to do this same trip before the 11th, my preference is to hop on my bike and go down... but with weather saying 40% chance of rain or showers, for foreseeable future, does not make for a good ride!

It's starting to look like the bus for me too... I too avoid the Mini bus rides too, although 2.5 hours from HY to Penang might be just about bearable.... providing no gasious farangs! But too, a regular bus would be preferable.

But the "Rattler" bus to H Y is ok. I've used that to Ranot, which is about 100 kms north of HY.

Can someone remind me where that leaves from, please! (I forget!!!!)

Out of interest I priced out BKK Airways to KL that's about 10,000 baht. Firefly is almost 8000 baht (return) ... I'll be staying on the ground! It's a bit cheaper on Air Asia, from Surat Thani, but the hassle of getting to the ST airport is too much trouble and you don't save that much! Most flights except BKKA vary to day of week you take.

For anyone headed to KL or Penang, make sure to know the Malaysian and Thai holidays, as the Consulate Office is closed for either.

Also Sunday afternoon / evening, by your own means, the Sadeo border crossing gets a bit crowded, so wait can be an hour or two. I learned that last year!

[OzMick]

I have to do this same trip before the 11th, my preference is to hop on my bike and go down... but with weather saying 40% chance of rain or showers, for foreseeable future, does not make for a good ride!

It's starting to look like the bus for me too... I too avoid the Mini bus rides too, although 2.5 hours from HY to Penang might be just about bearable.... providing no gasious farangs! But too, a regular bus would be preferable.

But the "Rattler" bus to H Y is ok. I've used that to Ranot, which is about 100 kms north of HY.

Can someone remind me where that leaves from, please! (I forget!!!!)

Out of interest I priced out BKK Airways to KL that's about 10,000 baht. Firefly is almost 8000 baht (return) ... I'll be staying on the ground! It's a bit cheaper on Air Asia, from Surat Thani, but the hassle of getting to the ST airport is too much trouble and you don't save that much! Most flights except BKKA vary to day of week you take.

For anyone headed to KL or Penang, make sure to know the Malaysian and Thai holidays, as the Consulate Office is closed for either.

Also Sunday afternoon / evening, by your own means, the Sadeo border crossing gets a bit crowded, so wait can be an hour or two. I learned that last year!

I have to go on the 1st, so I will post if the big bus works out. I think the consulate is shut on the 12th from memory.

Air Asia can be really cheap if you get in early with promo flights and/or special deals. I came back from oz in April, go home in November, round trip Gold coast - KL - Surat - KL - Gold Coast for B10,000. It would have been closer to B7000, but I booked the best seats on all 4 flights. Last month they had flights Surat - BKK for B320 - the bus/ferry to the airport costs B350.

[OzMick]

Bus from Bukhit kayu Hittam to Butterworth? Still don't know as taxi drivers Malaysian side of border flatly refused to take me to the bus station. "No bus, no bus!" and we are not taking you there even if there is one. Plix. Of course, no other transport around.

Eventually convinced one to take me to Changlun (B200) which was as much use as a hip pocket in your underpants, then another taxi to Alor Star (B500) where I picked up a bus to B/worth.

Good luck continued at consulate, no double entries, but passport available at 3 PM same day. Too late for Plusliner to Pedang (2PM) but improvised with a bus to Alor Star (B100) and a quick connection to Changlun (B50 - local a/c bus) and taxied back to border.