Wow, Has The Cm Bus Terminal Ever Changed!

[rene123]

WOW, Has the CM bus terminal ever changed since I last visited it in 1998! Back in 1998 it was one big terminal with masses of people shufflling around or waiting in lines. There were few amenities available and only hard benches to sit on.

Now there are 2 terminals and an efficient system of ticketing. I had to book a visa run to MaeSai early in the new year and decided to book some tickets several days in advance. There were lots of people waiting at the Green Bus terminal, but there were 6 pleasant and efficient staff booking the tickets. I knew it would be busy because of the holidays, but everthing went well and I was in and out of there in 15 minutes. Kudos to Chiang Mai. The outside areas have grown up as well, with a string of cafes and the ever present 7-11.

[FrisoPee]

Yes it's awesome. Booked this morning. Made a mistake in departure time. Went back, everybody smiled and pointed fingers at me that I did it wrong (in a playfull way) The girl changed my ticket on the spot and wished me a good journey.

More kudo's.

[Slappz]

You forgot to mention to best part, Mcdonalds is now walking distance from the terminal!

[rene123]

You forgot to mention to best part, Mcdonalds is now walking distance from the terminal!

I know your reply is tongue in cheek, Slappz, but it doesn't surprise me. Any time you get a captive group of people in any one location for any given length of time there are going to be markets that spring up all around, until you have a small community.

[wolf5370]

The one probelm is that there isn't enough seating - and none inside where it's cool and you have to wait for tickets. This has been a long standing complaint I hear since it opened.

It is good though - especially the ticketing system. Be nice if they sorted out the online system too - never seems to work. Last time I went they made me sign each of the tickets which I thought was odd (never done that before).

What they really need now is a bus service from town. Tuk Tuks, Song Taews and Taxis aplenty, but they all charge roughtly the same - ten times the usual fare for song taews.

[Sparkles]

A word of warning if you decide to leave your car in one of 2 long term car parking facilities next to the new terminal. We returned afer 2 days away to find the Nissan Sunny badge removed from the boot lid. Security there is minimal and we were parked quite along way from their exit gate where the staff are,.Its just an open area with no fencing.

[daoyai]

""What they really need now is a bus service from town. Tuk Tuks, Song Taews and Taxis aplenty, but they all charge roughtly the same - ten times the usual fare for song taews. ""

If you go through the termial to the parking lot you can get on a songteaw to intown locations for 20 baht, tell them where you want to go and they will put you in a car going that way, they pack it full, 12 people ...... ah luxury travel.

Edited December 30, 2012 by daoyai

[wolf5370]

""What they really need now is a bus service from town. Tuk Tuks, Song Taews and Taxis aplenty, but they all charge roughtly the same - ten times the usual fare for song taews. ""

If you go through the termial to the parking lot you can get on a songteaw to intown locations for 20 baht, tell them where you want to go and they will put you in a car going that way, they pack it full, 12 people ...... ah luxury travel.

No think you will have to walk through to Geawnawarat Rd for that - but only a short walk. The car park Songtaews all want 200-300 baht or more - to anywhere.

[daoyai]

""What they really need now is a bus service from town. Tuk Tuks, Song Taews and Taxis aplenty, but they all charge roughtly the same - ten times the usual fare for song taews. ""

If you go through the termial to the parking lot you can get on a songteaw to intown locations for 20 baht, tell them where you want to go and they will put you in a car going that way, they pack it full, 12 people ...... ah luxury travel.

No think you will have to walk through to Geawnawarat Rd for that - but only a short walk. The car park Songtaews all want 200-300 baht or more - to anywhere.

Thai folks will not pay that so, yes it is 20 baht from the parking lot. If you want a "private" ride that will cost more.

[barefoot1988]

The one probelm is that there isn't enough seating - and none inside where it's cool and you have to wait for tickets. This has been a long standing complaint I hear since it opened.

It is good though - especially the ticketing system. Be nice if they sorted out the online system too - never seems to work. Last time I went they made me sign each of the tickets which I thought was odd (never done that before).

What they really need now is a bus service from town. Tuk Tuks, Song Taews and Taxis aplenty, but they all charge roughtly the same - ten times the usual fare for song taews.

2nd level of the bus station is nearly always empty with everyone seating in the ground level. next time go up and take a look, there are boards around pointing to the 2nd level.

online system for green bus ticket has always been working. the problem is creating a account id. you had to contact the counter. you sign the tickets to acknowledge you bought the right tickets. there would be 20 baht charges to changes afterwards

red trucks waiting at the entrance are only 20 baht to tanin market. 40-60 if the car is empty and you are the only passenger. the ones in the carpark always try to rip people off

[jaideeguy]

Yeah, the fancy new terminal is an improvement, but they have fallen short in planning for traffic in that the entrances/exits for vehicles is a worse mess [TIT]......

[rene123]

Yeah, the fancy new terminal is an improvement, but they have fallen short in planning for traffic in that the entrances/exits for vehicles is a worse mess [TIT]......

On that I totally agree. And, it's only going to get worse.

[Baloo22]

""What they really need now is a bus service from town. Tuk Tuks, Song Taews and Taxis aplenty, but they all charge roughtly the same - ten times the usual fare for song taews. ""

If you go through the termial to the parking lot you can get on a songteaw to intown locations for 20 baht, tell them where you want to go and they will put you in a car going that way, they pack it full, 12 people ...... ah luxury travel.

No think you will have to walk through to Geawnawarat Rd for that - but only a short walk. The car park Songtaews all want 200-300 baht or more - to anywhere.

Returned from a trip to Chiang Rai about two weeks ago. Walked right to the front of the station and caught a song-theow after it dropped some people off. Forty baht to go to Kad Suan Kaew area. It was a shared ride, not solo, three others in the truck. Problem was, it was about 7pm and the traffic was sloowwwww! It was my second time using the Arcade Station and I've found that it usually cost more to get a song-theow to go out there.

I agree that a bus service is needed. Not just to the Arcade Bus Station, a real city bus system. But of course, they will also need police that will not permit "competitors" to block the buses, etc. They would be able to save some baht by refurbishing/cleaning some of the bus stops that are still here and reuse them!

[scorecard]

Nakorn Chai Air ticket office in CM is excellent, staff well trained, friendly, and very helpful, always suggest options etc., most of their ticket staff speak adequate English, made advanced reservations there many times, never a problem.

Their terminal in Bkk is well planned and it's easy to understand what's going on, staff friendly, focused and helpful, buses seem to always depart exactly on time, plus great attention to safety.

[nong38]

I will be visiting CM on the 10th by bus for a short visit and it sounds like the bus station is going to be a good experience. I will retturn to Nakhon Sawan on the 14th, ideally I would like to purchase my tickets for the return before travelling back, is there anywhere I can get details of what time the departures are and who provides a service to Nakhon Sawan?

[ThaiSold]

The one probelm is that there isn't enough seating - and none inside where it's cool and you have to wait for tickets. This has been a long standing complaint I hear since it opened.

It is good though - especially the ticketing system. Be nice if they sorted out the online system too - never seems to work. Last time I went they made me sign each of the tickets which I thought was odd (never done that before).

What they really need now is a bus service from town. Tuk Tuks, Song Taews and Taxis aplenty, but they all charge roughtly the same - ten times the usual fare for song taews.

You are really ill-informed, the new bus terminal has an area for public Song Taew into the city or anywhere in the city similar to what Pattaya has, it's 20 baht! sure if you don't want to wait get a private ride for 100 baht or go the public song taew for 20 baht! Also in the new terminal if you walk upstairs there is an air-conditioned room with plenty of seating!

Some companies you can call and reserve your ticket then go to any 7-11 to pay for them.

[ThaiSold]

I will be visiting CM on the 10th by bus for a short visit and it sounds like the bus station is going to be a good experience. I will retturn to Nakhon Sawan on the 14th, ideally I would like to purchase my tickets for the return before travelling back, is there anywhere I can get details of what time the departures are and who provides a service to Nakhon Sawan?

I love Nakhon Sawan! Bon Bon club has heaps of hot chicks!

You can't book tickets from Nakhon Sawan but you don't need to there are buses that go there every 60 minutes and are never full.

One thing people don't realise about bus services in Thailand is if you book a ticket in advance on a ticket half way through transit you pay the full transit fare. For example if a bus goes from chiang mai to bangkok and you get off at phitsanulok but you book the return ticket from phitsanulok in advance you will pay for full fare from bangkok to chiang mai just so you have that seat. so in order to do that you have to go with the service that starts and ends at your destination, which btw Nakhon Sawan chiang mai there is no dedicated service.

I suggest you go with bus number 99 takes 6.5 hours to get to chiang mai.

[Baloo22]

I will be visiting CM on the 10th by bus for a short visit and it sounds like the bus station is going to be a good experience. I will retturn to Nakhon Sawan on the 14th, ideally I would like to purchase my tickets for the return before travelling back, is there anywhere I can get details of what time the departures are and who provides a service to Nakhon Sawan?

Another option is train. A number of different trains going from Chiang Mai to Nakon Suwan. You can check them out on the State Railways of Thailand website.

Edited January 1, 2013 by Baloo22

[nong38]

I will be visiting CM on the 10th by bus for a short visit and it sounds like the bus station is going to be a good experience. I will retturn to Nakhon Sawan on the 14th, ideally I would like to purchase my tickets for the return before travelling back, is there anywhere I can get details of what time the departures are and who provides a service to Nakhon Sawan?

Another option is train. A number of different trains going from Chiang Mai to Nakon Suwan. You can check them out on the State Railways of Thailand website.

Came up on the train in November 2 1/2 hours late, so coming by bus this time see if its a better alternative.

[wolf5370]

The one probelm is that there isn't enough seating - and none inside where it's cool and you have to wait for tickets. This has been a long standing complaint I hear since it opened.

It is good though - especially the ticketing system. Be nice if they sorted out the online system too - never seems to work. Last time I went they made me sign each of the tickets which I thought was odd (never done that before).

What they really need now is a bus service from town. Tuk Tuks, Song Taews and Taxis aplenty, but they all charge roughtly the same - ten times the usual fare for song taews.

You are really ill-informed, the new bus terminal has an area for public Song Taew into the city or anywhere in the city similar to what Pattaya has, it's 20 baht! sure if you don't want to wait get a private ride for 100 baht or go the public song taew for 20 baht! Also in the new terminal if you walk upstairs there is an air-conditioned room with plenty of seating!

Some companies you can call and reserve your ticket then go to any 7-11 to pay for them.

Firstly, if I'm really ill-informed, then it's hardly my fault - it is their job to inform me, no? Its a business, signage and adverstising works wonders on that front - seen any signs there saying "Song Taews to city 20B" - area upstairs is only open between certain hours, about 15 minutes before the early MS bus leaves, so pointless to me and many I would guess (i.e. it should open earlier) - this also doesn't help while waiting for tickets to be called at the Green Bus desk - onlt 4 seats and they are actually on the stand next door (behind a ribbon) - and reserved for monks. 4 seats is not enough for the crowds that stand about waiting for their tickets to be called - and can't hear it from upstairs!

Never been to Pattaya bus garage and no idea why you think a comparison is of any worth here - this is a CM forum. DId a trip just last week. Not one SongTaew in the car park (new terminal) nor outside was willing to do squat for 20B. Everyone I approached (and spoke in Thai to) wanted 100B shared or 200-300B+ private.

The old Carre-4 (Tesco Express) has a board up listing all prices from the songtaews there to whatever destination - what is so hard about doing the same. The airport has fixed price taxis, book inside, set price plus 50baht airport "pick-up" fee - good business, so why not the bus station, it has at least as many customers throughout the day as CMX.

Any way - it seems like the online for Green Bus is working as intended now (never did for the last 4 years or so it's been up!)- got my tickets online, self printed, and all was fine (except songtaews outside).