Penang Visa Run by Train/Minivan/Bus from Koh Tao Report (3rd Tourist Visa) - Travel Problems

[MikeENZ]

Just got back from another visa run for my 3rd tourist visa (1st Single Entry Penang, 2nd Double Entry Vientenne, 3rd Single Entry Penang).

Booked a Lomprayah from Koh Tao to Penang for around 1500 baht 2nd class, 2 hours before departure, get to Chumporn, bus provided to train station, 5 hour wait for train to leave for Butterworth. As usual 2nd class is good, comfortable and easy to sleep on, was the only one boarding train at Chumporn and by then everyone on the train was asleep. Managed to sleep through untill the morning, 1 hour out of Padang Bensar.

Immigration was fine, had an extension of stay (30 days) on my double entry and Thai immigaration asked "overstay mai?" which I pointed to the extension, and everything was ok. Not sure if officer was trying it on, or just early morning. Malay immigration fine, usual 90 day visa on arrival with them. Customs went thru bag quickly on malaysia side then back onto train.

3 hours later in butterworth, took ferry (1.2 ringitt) to georgetown and walked down to Love lane. Checked into Reggae hostel (28 ringitt per night hostel beds, which are private and in little cubicles with power/light etc). Went down to Jims place for visa app. 140 ringitt incl visa fee (so 30 ringitt fee for agency, still cheaper than taxis and messing around in consulate) and told to come back at 4pm next day.

Next day down to Jims and book return transport for 140 ringitt to Koh Tao, was led to believe it was minibus/bus then Lomprayah ferry ex Chumporn, given reciept and then wait for passports arrive.

Every person (5 total) who arranged their visas got the ones they applied for (mainly Single entry tourist which is standard in Penang) then wait for minibus driver to turn up. Minibus driver arrives very late, and does the usual insane thai minibus driver behavior and speeding, etc all the way to hat yai. Charged 1 ringit for thai immigration papers which are printed with name and passport details at duty free before border.

Immigation is easy, customs non existant and then onto the minivan to hat yai. This is where the stuff ups with the transport start. Get taken by minibus driver to travel agent across from bus station, and get told "mai me" when I give her my reciept. She then points at the reciept and suggests I call them, I tell her in english and thai that I don't have any credit on my phone for international calls etc, she sort of motions for me to leave, then relents and takes me to bus station, where I think (it was very strange) she purchased a ticket. Its for some local bus to Chumporn and a Songerm Joint ticket type job (bear in mind that the transport purchased in Penang was all the way to koh tao inclusive).

Bus leave at 9pm, rickety old thing and driven worse than any other bus I've been on in Thailand. Around 3am we arrive in Chumporn, though not at the terminal. We (there are 3 of us on Visa runs) get off and are told at 3am to get bike taxis approximately 15-20km to the Songserm terminal at 3am, 150 baht per person. None of this was told to us when purchasing transport (I got mine at Jims, and the other two got theirs from Banana hostel).

I finally get back to Koh Tao at around 10am, later on at my local bar venting about this to my neighbor, and he's nodding, then he tells me someone told him the exact same story regarding ex Penang transport yesterday. It seem theres an issue with Penang "joint tickets" that aren't really joint tickets when you get to Thailand.

Next time I'll stick with Jims (as it was obvious that people who bought from other travel agents, such as Banana had the exact same problem with transport, regardless or reseller) for the Visa, but get a train back (which was my original plan untill people told me you couldn't buy joint tickets with the train from Penang end) which was cheaper, safer and less hassle than the minivan/bus/ferry option.

Getting there (Lomprayah + Thai Rail): Painless

Getting the visa (Jims Place): quick and easy

Getting back: worst trip so far in thailand..

Hope that helps anyone planning a trip to Penang in the near future.

[EveryDayTheSame]

Why the hell are you going to Malaysia when you can have a (relatively) short ride to Ranong (from Chumpon) and go to Andaman club?....

[jrtmedic]

No "visas" available via the Andaman Club ! Only useful for those who need to exit/re-enter (ie those who have a visa) or those looking for a 15 day visa exempt entry !

[MikeENZ]

I did the Burma run when I had a double entry visa, doing a regular 15 day visa run however is nuts in my opinion. Much better to go to malaysia, get yourself 90 days (after extenion of stay) and be done with it.

Otherwise I'd be looking at 6 runs to burma, and lots of wasted time!

[SeaVisionBurma]

Why the hell are you going to Malaysia when you can have a (relatively) short ride to Ranong (from Chumpon) and go to Andaman club?....

As the OP clearly stated he went to get a proper visa - the Andaman Club would have been a wasted trip.

No Thai embassy on Thahtay Kyunn (island), never has been one.

[NoshowJones]

Why the hell are you going to Malaysia when you can have a (relatively) short ride to Ranong (from Chumpon) and go to Andaman club?....

What is a Lompraya? Is it a plane? Surely posters should stick to the common words when posting.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Why the hell are you going to Malaysia when you can have a (relatively) short ride to Ranong (from Chumpon) and go to Andaman club?....

What is a Lompraya? Is it a plane? Surely posters should stick to the common words when posting.

Not sure why you quote the post that you did - it doesn't mention Lompraya.

Lomprayah - (a simple google search of lompraya would have given you the information) - is a local ferry/bus/ticketing company operating out of Samui/Surat Thani etc

[NoshowJones]

Why the hell are you going to Malaysia when you can have a (relatively) short ride to Ranong (from Chumpon) and go to Andaman club?....

What is a Lompraya? Is it a plane? Surely posters should stick to the common words when posting.

Not sure why you quote the post that you did - it doesn't mention Lompraya.

Lomprayah - (a simple google search of lompraya would have given you the information) - is a local ferry/bus/ticketing company operating out of Samui/Surat Thani etc

Thanks, I thought Lompraya was maybe a foreign word, and yes, I should have googled it.

[johan79]

You should spend an extra night in Penang and take the train. Train leaves approx 1 PM from Butterworth.

[PoorSucker]

Also you can fly with Firefly to Samui for 2850 baht.

[poooket]

Why would anyone go through all that? A flight ticket doesn't cost much, save money on something else..

[oldsailor35]

Did the train run from Suratthani to Butterworth recently, simply for a change ! but never again, it would have been better, quicker and just as cheap to have flown Firefly from KS. However as a principle i will not use Koh Samui airport or Bangkok Airways.

Arrived at Suratthani Stn for the 0020 hr train which arrived at 0430hr ! on arrival at the border we were all taken off and put on a bus for a further 3 hrs to Butterworth. Had booked a sleeper but was woken up by travellers from Bangkok who had had a good nights sleep at around 0530 busily talking(shouting) to each other as Thais tend to do. I do not recommend this trip at all and as i have said .....Never again !

[delh]

Did the train run from Suratthani to Butterworth recently, simply for a change ! but never again, it would have been better, quicker and just as cheap to have flown Firefly from KS. However as a principle i will not use Koh Samui airport or Bangkok Airways.

Arrived at Suratthani Stn for the 0020 hr train which arrived at 0430hr ! on arrival at the border we were all taken off and put on a bus for a further 3 hrs to Butterworth. Had booked a sleeper but was woken up by travellers from Bangkok who had had a good nights sleep at around 0530 busily talking(shouting) to each other as Thais tend to do. I do not recommend this trip at all and as i have said .....Never again !

Totally agree with your comments of NOT supporting Bangkok Airways, it appears to be a growing trend. However you can occasionally get good deals with Firefly. I have considered getting the early hours train but have been concerned by its ' departutre time' so thanks for confirming it being less than a reliable time and I'll never get on a minibus. For me though, I tend to make it an opportunity to see the region for a few days rather than a rush to get the stamp in my passport. Thanks for the info.

[MikeENZ]

Why the hell are you going to Malaysia when you can have a (relatively) short ride to Ranong (from Chumpon) and go to Andaman club?....

What is a Lompraya? Is it a plane? Surely posters should stick to the common words when posting.

Lomprayah is the main ferry company servicing the islands, there is also Seatran and Songserm. There is a big difference in the quality of all the boats between companies (personally I think the new Seatran boat is the best, but Lomprayah is usually the easiest to book, Songserm is the cheapest). Me thinks most of the commentors don't actually have a clue of what its like transport wise living on one of the islands in the gulf when you want to get somewhere :-)

The nearest airports for me are in Koh Samui, or Surit Thani, all of which would require either an extra nights accomodation, or a big layover time waiting for flights. Unless travelling to KL or somewhere, its just not justifiable. I would have taken train if a joint ticket option was available ex Penang... seems its only available going there, not getting back.

The warning for people taking the trip (and there are loads of people doing it every day, is that the travel you are sold in Penang, isn't what is advertised currently, regardless of who the agent is...