Just got one from Ayuttayah to Bangkok for 60baht!

The train would have been 30mins longer and 240baht!

:-)

Sent from my GT-P3100

The question is which one is safer?

Van quicker and much more comfortable yes!

However, your fare comparison is incorrect as 3rd class to Ayuthaya is either is less than 20 baht! (Or free for thais in some circumstances under the govts living cost reduction policy)

The 240 baht you quoted seems like a 2nd class aircon fare (???, Idk) which no one would generally purchase for such a short, and somewhat more scenic than a van, train trip.

10 people in a crammed van riding at 120kmh, no thanks.

Did that a few times from Chumpon to Surat Thani, never again

Mini vans you have little or no control on what is happening and going by their scedule not yours.. Need a smoke break or maybe a potty break forget it and we won't even talk aobut the monthly horrific accidents that kill some many time and time again.

I remember being at PTT station in Chiang Nat last when a mini bus slamed into the back of a large truck. Luckily only the drive was killed this time and everyone had to climb out of the tangled mess and were all on their own finding their way to BKK. Didn't even get in the paper or news

I never take a minibus if it can be avoided. Crowded, often stingy with the aircon causing it to get stuffy inside, and there seem to be a lot of accidents. I'll go with a train or a bus every time.

But minibus rides are so exciting....cruising along at 120-140KmH, weaving in and out of traffic lanes, tailgating, possibly no safety belts, probably a tired driver, etc.

But minibus rides are so exciting....cruising along at 120-140KmH, weaving in and out of traffic lanes, tailgating, possibly no safety belts, probably a tired driver, etc.

Then come the collision and the minibus driver flees the scene.

Here's some topics for the OP to peruse:

8 Killed in Bangkok Van Crash

6 Killed in Van Accident in Samut Prakan

Be careful out there!

A minibus? Are you F'n joking?

Never, ever, ever, ever... EVER!!!

I am not too sure if the OP is either trolling knowing he will provoke a reaction or has never had a very "exciting" ride on one of the Ya-Ba Express Mini buses.

I love the boredom, masked as relaxation, and watching the scenery slowly flow past the window on train, the rhythmic clatter of the steel wheels on the track and being able to stand in somebody else's piss on the floor of the train's toilets rather than mini bus travel , experiencing an artificially tight sphincter for fear of crapping myself whilst my eyes remain closed tight and mumbling prayers for forgiveness for all the unholy sins i have committed in my life lest i am not given a chance before the afterlife arrives.

.

Edited October 14, 201213 yr by xen

I suppose I've been lucky to have had good experiences.

Thanks for all the advice though. I once took a taxi in Bangkok and the driver was drunk-that was scary!

:-)

Sent from my GT-P3100

Never take the vans. You never know when you get a driver who is high on whatever. If you want to save time taking the train to Bangkok, get off at Bang Sue. There's an underground station next to the train station. The slow trains can sometimes take 30 minutes getting from Bang Sue to Hualampong.

As the man falling from a 20 storey building was heard saying on each floor..........."so far so good", but we all know the eventual outcome !........SPLAT !

You have to be suicidal to take one of those things, (in my humble opinion of course)

Edited October 15, 201213 yr by CharlieH

Minibus = Russian Roulette

no thanks

Fatfather

Sent from my HTC Desire HD A9191 using Thaivisa Connect App

i took the 3rd class slow train back from khiri khan---took me 6 hrs---train all the way back to cm

Sorry, but was that train from Pratchup (Khiri Khan) to (cm) Chiang Mai in 6 hrs ??????

Amazing Thailand

Win

Me and the extended family hired a minivan from loei to Cha am for about 6 days and had a great time the driver was very polite and only sat on the legal speed limit all the time.

Took a bit longer but we got there safe and sound.

Would use him again if we had to.

I live in Rayong town. I went to the main bus terminal for a trip to Bangkok (Ekamai) and I was told that there was only one bus that left in the morning, and that I would have to take a van! Is this happening all over? There were still buses going to Mo Chit.

Edited October 18, 201213 yr by joealx

My recommendation is to forego the minibus and find an alternative mode of transport.

The margins out on the roads are small enough as it is, without introducing unnecessary further risks.

I never take a minibus if it can be avoided. Crowded, often stingy with the aircon causing it to get stuffy inside, and there seem to be a lot of accidents. I'll go with a train or a bus every time.

Forget the mini buses, I used to travel regularly from Bangkok to Photaley, in Phichit Province. They began to stop for over an hour in long queues of traffic between Bangkok and Nakhon Sawan to refuel with LPG. I stopped using them about three years ago, it may be a little expensive, but you are much quicker travelling by AC buses.

I live in Rayong town. I went to the main bus terminal for a trip to Bangkok (Ekamai) and I was told that there was only one bus that left in the morning, and that I would have to take a van! Is this happening all over? There were still buses going to Mo Chit.

This is one of the reasons why I hesitate to go to Kao Samet again. The guy, a Muslim was high on Yabah and unpleasant and dangerous. After two hours of being in the company of this madman I decided to buy a beer and drink it in the bus. 'You drunk?' he asked. As a Muslim of course, this was OTT. We had other problems later with this guy and I hope he dies horribly, as that is what he wanted us to do.

To Joealx, I live in Rayong also and was told that lie about minivan being the only way to Ekami. There us another bus station 2 blocks over opposite the Market, it is on a corner, and it uses the large buses mostly. The miniBus Company from the main bus station I will never ever use again, I paid to go to Ekami and it was the trip from hell, both driver and his shotgun money- taker were high on some SPEED, going 130km/h, and then stopping, and starting again and again, they went thru every village way off, stopping and smoking, with 1/2 full van, after 4 1/2 hrs, we got near Bang Na and I got out, now ... knowing where I was. Never again with the mini Vans,especially from Rayong.give me the Big Bus.

On the minibus a guy told me that they had told him that he had to take a speed boat to Rayong (from Koh Samet) if he wanted to get to the minibus place on time. We took the usual boat service minutes after he went over. He then waited three hours with us. I think I'll pay my BIL to come and get us to Chonburi where he lives the next time. If there is a next time.

I never take a minibus if it can be avoided. Crowded, often stingy with the aircon causing it to get stuffy inside, and there seem to be a lot of accidents. I'll go with a train or a bus every time.

I would agree with that.

people always say lots of Mini bus accidents......... how many Mini Buses are there on the roads, far far more than Big Buses + many 100's of time more than trains.....

Don't use public transport to often, maybe 6 - 8 times a year, so far in 9 years never had a problem with taking a Mini Bus...

From outside my Village a Mini Bus to BKK cost 30 baht each way, drive myself cost at least 500 baht without trying/paying for somewhere to park. also been on some long trips by Mini Bus...... one thing maybe good, being old and large always get offered the front passenger seat, so lot more room...... of course going on the VIP double Decker 21 or 23 seater has far more room.

From outside my Village a Mini Bus to BKK cost 30 baht each way, drive myself cost at least 500 baht without trying/paying for somewhere to park. also been on some long trips by Mini Bus...... one thing maybe good, being old and large always get offered the front passenger seat, so lot more room...... of course going on the VIP double Decker 21 or 23 seater has far more room.

Mini Bus to BKK cost 30 baht each way, drive myself cost at least 500 baht

Yet another amazing tale of travel. BTW, where is your village ?

Win

It is a very cheap mode of transport but surely not the best one.

From outside my Village a Mini Bus to BKK cost 30 baht each way, drive myself cost at least 500 baht without trying/paying for somewhere to park. also been on some long trips by Mini Bus...... one thing maybe good, being old and large always get offered the front passenger seat, so lot more room...... of course going on the VIP double Decker 21 or 23 seater has far more room.

Mini Bus to BKK cost 30 baht each way, drive myself cost at least 500 baht

Yet another amazing tale of travel. BTW, where is your village ?

Win

55 km North West of BKK...

It is a very cheap mode of transport but surely not the best one.

Around were I live most big Villages or Project have Mini Buses and is the only mean for people to get to work or whatever in BKK..

In a year or 2 will be able to get the 6 wheeler truck to Bang Yai [20 km or so] and then the new Sky Train, the truck starts at Sai Noi, but never goes over 20 km hours and stops many times, the time it takes to get to Bang Yai, the Mini bus would be in BKK.