Pattaya To Khon Kaen.

[richb2004]

I am planning a trip to Khon Kaen for the marathon. I will be traveling from Rayong, either by car or by bus. Firstly I am wondering what kind of bus services are available from Pattaya and if anyone has made the trip by car.

[Thaipwriter]

I am planning a trip to Khon Kaen for the marathon. I will be traveling from Rayong, either by car or by bus. Firstly I am wondering what kind of bus services are available from Pattaya and if anyone has made the trip by car.

The Bus service is good its a 7.5 trip though! Air buses run regularly, note sure of latest price..about 500 baht i think

Never Driven but have planned the route for an upcoming journey...... take highway 36 from Rayong to highway 7 through Chonburi and join the 304 and follow to Korat where you join Highway 2 straight to KK

Above will bypass Bangers completely and should take about 5.5 hours.

[Heng]

7 hours is an awful lot of "driving enjoyment." You can fly from Bangkok to Khon Kaen for less than US$50 each way and it takes about an hour.

[Paul L]

Personally I'd drive it. A 7 hour steady run with stops, and you've got the use of a motor while in KK (No taxis here only tuk tuks and baht busses)

Loads of busses but I think you'd be going via BKK?.

I do the BKK - KKC every month, you'd save 2 or 3 hours if your timing was spot on. Up to you if you think its worth it?

[COBBER]

I am planning a trip to Khon Kaen for the marathon. I will be traveling from Rayong, either by car or by bus. Firstly I am wondering what kind of bus services are available from Pattaya and if anyone has made the trip by car.

The Bus service is good its a 7.5 trip though! Air buses run regularly, note sure of latest price..about 500 baht i think

Never Driven but have planned the route for an upcoming journey...... take highway 36 from Rayong to highway 7 through Chonburi and join the 304 and follow to Korat where you join Highway 2 straight to KK

Above will bypass Bangers completely and should take about 5.5 hours.

I think you might find taking 331 and then 304 a bit more direct. All good roads. About 6 hours. No need to go anywhere near Chonburi or Bangkok.

[monsieurhappy]

Have replied to this on Travel Forum, why the duplicate posts?

7 hours is an awful lot of "driving enjoyment." You can fly from Bangkok to Khon Kaen for less than US$50 each way and it takes about an hour.

This guy is travelling from Rayong so that would add at least 3 hours to his journey time if he was to fly from BKK never mind getting to his final destination in KK.

[richb2004]

Thanks for the advice.

I posted this question in the general topic because I figured everyone looks in there. I also put it in Pattaya topic as the bus I would get would be from Pattaya to KK. I never actually entered it in the travel forum, but probably should have.

I think I will take the 331 to the 304 and on to highway 2. My wife seems reluctant to take this route as she seems to think the roads aren’t so good and are a little dangerous. Is she right in thinking this?

We generally don't drive far in Thailand and tend to fly. However it is a chore in itself to drive to Bangkok, park the car and get a taxi to the airport. If I were in my own country I wouldn't dream of flying inside the country, so have decided to start using the car more here.

Thanks again for the advice.

.

[Dragonman]

Thanks for the advice.

I posted this question in the general topic because I figured everyone looks in there. I also put it in Pattaya topic as the bus I would get would be from Pattaya to KK. I never actually entered it in the travel forum, but probably should have.

I think I will take the 331 to the 304 and on to highway 2. My wife seems reluctant to take this route as she seems to think the roads aren’t so good and are a little dangerous. Is she right in thinking this?

We generally don't drive far in Thailand and tend to fly. However it is a chore in itself to drive to Bangkok, park the car and get a taxi to the airport. If I were in my own country I wouldn't dream of flying inside the country, so have decided to start using the car more here.

Thanks again for the advice.

.

I frequently take this route from Sattahip to Phi Mai. Yes the roads are dangerous, mainly due to insane bus drivers. Their driving probably makes it quicker by bus than driving, as you are frequently overtaken particularly on the mountain roads. I prefer it to the Bang Pa In, Saraburi route however as less traffic and nicer scenery. Dry season much easier than wet as rainstorms pretty bad in mountains. Average time to Phi Mai 6.5 hours, including couple of stops, so I would think Khon Kaen another hour or so.

I am planning a trip to Khon Kaen for the marathon. I will be traveling from Rayong, either by car or by bus. Firstly I am wondering what kind of bus services are available from Pattaya and if anyone has made the trip by car.

The Bus service is good its a 7.5 trip though! Air buses run regularly, note sure of latest price..about 500 baht i think

Never Driven but have planned the route for an upcoming journey...... take highway 36 from Rayong to highway 7 through Chonburi and join the 304 and follow to Korat where you join Highway 2 straight to KK

Above will bypass Bangers completely and should take about 5.5 hours.

Hey Thaip. I don't want a lift with you if you plan to do Rayong in 5.5 hours. But then I expect your Merc. is faster than my Nissan Pick Up Happy to meet up for a drink when you've got out of the car however

[astral]

There is a daily bus service from Pattaya.

It is marked as Nong Khai, but will definitely pass through KK and drop you

off there and pick you up on the way back.

The drive is quite pleasant. 3.5 hours to Korat (Nakorn Ratchasima),

have a break, then on to Khon Kaen. Not too much traffic and the route avoids Bangkok.

Edited January 19, 2006 by astral

[marshbags]

There is a daily bus service from Pattaya.

It is marked as Nong Khai, but will definitely pass through KK and drop you

off there and pick you up on the way back.

The drive is quite pleasant. 3.5 hours to Korat (Nakorn Ratchasima),

have a break, then on to Khon Kaen. Not too much traffic and the route avoids Bangkok.

Hiya richb2004

As an old marathon runner i reckon you would be better off going by other means than by driving yourself.

You never know what state you will be in after the run but in any case we always liked to relax after

and not have the additional hassle regarding parking and everything that goes with taking your vehicle.

On a run nearer home it,s no problem but i reckon K.Khen is a bit much and you also have the

additional stress of getting there o.k.

Good luck on your run and enjoy it, never mind going for a P.B. ( personal best ) and take advantage of the water stops.

You,ll know what i mean..........

P.S. I was a fun runner and did the London 5 times, what a brilliant experience that was.

As it was a long way we used to book into a hotel for 2 days and enjoy the local area as well.

There are plenty of reasonably priced hotels near the bus station in K.K. ( just over the road ) and should be ideal for you.

P.P.S.............. P.B. 3 hours 24 mins.

marshbags

Edited January 19, 2006 by marshbags

[richb2004]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

We drove up to Khon Kaen two days before the Marathon. We took the route suggested and bypassed Bangkok. The trip took six hours and the roads were all very good, with the majority being dual carriageways. Other than the usual Thai kamikaze pilots every two hundred yards it was a good trip.

I did my first half marathon and thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn’t do a fantastic time, but my aim was simply to run the whole thing and finish. I think I made 1 hour 50 or something. Regardless I enjoyed the whole thing and will do another next month.

I time of 3 hours 24 seems like iron man times to my amateur ears. The thought of running a whole marathon is some way of for me.

Thanks for all the advice anyway.

[Rigger]

I drove from Khon Kean to Bangkok and back in a day once to pick up a motorcycle and swore I would never do it again. Fly Fly Fly

[marshbags]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

We drove up to Khon Kaen two days before the Marathon. We took the route suggested and bypassed Bangkok. The trip took six hours and the roads were all very good, with the majority being dual carriageways. Other than the usual Thai kamikaze pilots every two hundred yards it was a good trip.

I did my first half marathon and thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn’t do a fantastic time, but my aim was simply to run the whole thing and finish. I think I made 1 hour 50 or something. Regardless I enjoyed the whole thing and will do another next month.

I time of 3 hours 24 seems like iron man times to my amateur ears. The thought of running a whole marathon is some way of for me.

Thanks for all the advice anyway.

Congratulations

Well done richb2004, pleased to hear you enjoyed it and for your first half marathon it was a good time.

It,s not about times , it,s about taking part and all the comradery that you experience.

To finish is to win.

The serious runners do it in well under 3 hours for the full and 1 hour 20 for the half, but then they don,t enjoy the taking part in the way you and i do.

Now you,ve got the bug you will probably improve next time but to finish a run like the half marathon is an achievement in itself no matter how long it takes you.

P.S. what was the route you finally took for future reference please, if i ever drive to Pattaya.

marshbags

Edited January 26, 2006 by marshbags

[treacle]

I took this trip last week rented a pickup and left at three in the morning and checked into the Royal Princess hotel at eight oclock very easy! Take the 331 all the way to the end then follow the signs for Nakhon Rachisima (Korat) then Khon Kean is sign posted from there!

[marshbags]

I took this trip last week rented a pickup and left at three in the morning and checked into the Royal Princess hotel at eight oclock very easy! Take the 331 all the way to the end then follow the signs for Nakhon Rachisima (Korat) then Khon Kean is sign posted from there!

Thanks treacle

marshbags