Surat Thani direct to Krabi by bus?

[Greeen]

whats the best way to get to krabi from surat?

Is there a direct service?

I remember one trip from KPN to krabi years ago involved getting picked up in a minivan, then taken to a small bus station, then picked up by another mini van and then dropped of at some restaurant where we had to wait for 45 minutes for the next bus to leave, apparently this is some sort of scam by the bus companies...

[Rooo]

You can have a look here:

http://www.phantiptravel.com/index.php?mo=10&art=42148213

[Greeen]

thanks for the info, but I couldn't find any info on where the bus station is from their website, only the main office which is at talad mai in the City...

from research on the internet the bus station appears to be outside the city at Tambom Wat Pradu, this is where the government buses leave from I think

[Rooo]

Are you arriving to Surat by Air? If so they have a connection from the airport. But as you said in the city it's from the main bus terminal. Is that the one somewhere behind Central? I am pretty sure that's the main terminal.

[Greeen]

I'm arriving by air then going to Wat Suan Mokk in Chaiya, then after that I'm going to Krabi

I found this on info on a forum....

The main busstation of Surat Thani is located outside the city, on the way towards Phunphin in Tambon Wat Pradu. This is the one where the government buses leave, including the VIP buses.
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=9...09527&t=h&z=17

Directly inside the city is the old bus terminal, and it still has buses leave there, however these are lower standard private buses, and if I am not totally wrong only going to locations in the south. Though these are of course cheaper, I wouldn't bet my life on these and instead use the government buses instead.
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=9...04764&t=h&z=18

I think the Phantip travel buses leave from the old bus terminal as their office is located just around the corner from it...

[Greeen]

The bus departs every hour, opposite from Phanthip company at the Talad Mai. Ticket you can buy at Phanthip.

This is a safe bus, goes direct to Krabi. Once I heard a story that foreign passengers had to stay in the bus, while the Thai passengers were let out the bus at the bus station from Krabi. The bus drove another 1,5km. At that place where several Sog-Taews waiting who brought the passengers back to the bus-station, against very high prices. We complained about this at Phanthip, and it seems this problem is solved now.

Have a good trip!

Arjen.

yes thats what happened to me last time! we had to get a sontaeu into Krabi from a bus station just outside Krabi!

[phuketsub]

I would suggest you look into van services as well.

They have a lot or routes the buses don't run.

One that I use is Trang Town-Phattalung Town-Ranode Town-Songkhla-Town.

There might be similar routes linking Surat and Krabi;

I'll ask my students tomorrow.

If you get a reply, it means I officially don't have Alzheimer's Disease.

Be warned, some van drivers in this region are very reckless.

I can't say I the enjoy legroom, driving skills, etc., but if you arrive alive from Point A to Point B, it's generally the most efficient and cheapest inter-provincial public transport option in the South.

[Greeen]

From Suan Mokh, or Chaiya you can also find a minivan direct to Krabi. Can be an exciting trip!

the last time I booked a minivan to Krabi the trip went somethiing like this!

get in minivan, drive 10 minutes, get dropped off at a restaurant, wait 45 minutes, (just enough time to eat), then get on a really, really old bus that takes many hours to get to Krabi, then get dropped off at bus station outside Krabi, then get in sontaeu in to Krabi!

so I was in the minivan for about 10 minutes of the whole journey!

[JDGRUEN]

OP - Work hard to find that Big Bus station ... I advise -- do not take a Van from Surat Thani to Krabi... I have done it and there is a good chance you will get a Kamakazi Van Driver... My Van Driver went 140 kph... weaved in and out of traffic including in and out of a 2 kilometer long Big Bike motorcade - IN THE RAIN... He was finally pulled over in the edge of Krabi Town by an off duty cop ... lots of stern looks and finger pointing by the cop --- the driver had to circle around to go to the police station and pay a fine ... then he dropped me off last at a travel agency by the river... I had to find my own way from there...

So -- Find that Big Bus Station in Surat Thani ... Keep Googling ... try on Google Maps -- Bus Station near Surat Thani... find Surat Thani first -- the near word seems to be an operative word in Google Maps... use the GPS driven Google Maps in your Smartphone or Tablet.

[Greeen]

The regular bus does NOT depart from the big busstation outside the city.. But from the old busstation at the Talad Mai¡ opposite PhanThip company.

thanks, I'm going to try this service...

I will post back after my trip!