Border crossing in Padang Besar

[Viking64]

About 1 month ago,i asked for some advise,to cross the border in Sadao.

Ubonjoe strongly advised me,to choose the Padang Besar-border instead.And that's what i did.

Here's a report:

I arrived in Hat Yai Airport,went to the exit and walked straight ahead for about 150meters,to the bus stop.(blue songteaw on picture).

Songteaw cost 30thb to the clocktower,from where the red bus to the border departs.

I think the red bus from clocktower to Padang Besar cost 40thb,but i'm not 100% sure.

A taxi to Hat yai from airport,will cost 350-380 depends on negotiation with driver,so don't do it.

I took the songteaw to southern busterminal and paid 40thb.

From southern bus terminal,i took minivan from platform 24(2nd picture),to Padang Besar.Price was 50thb(55km)

After 50 minutes,i was dropped of,right outside Thai immigration.

After 10 minutes,i had chekked out of Thailand.

I walked about 500-600 meters(dutyfree shops is halfway between the immigrations,keep on walking),to the Malaysian immigration.

Look for big blue sign with white pedestrian on your left side,i chekked into Malaysia,crossed the road,and then chekked out of Malaysia again.

Then i walked back to Thai immigration(on the left side of the big white custom-building) and got my 90 day permission to stay in Thailand.

When i got my passport,a motocycle taxi asked me,if i needed to go to minivan-terminal(not bus terminal),and i said yes please.Price:30thb(app 1-1½km)

The last minivan departs from Padang Besar about 17:30,i got into the last one.

From i was dropped of at Thai immigration to i was dropped of at minivan terminal,it took 1 hour on the clock.Very quick and easy.

No teamoney,no problems at all,only friendly and helpful officers and crew on both sides,i was very impressed.

Then back to Hat Yai again:50 minutes and 50thb again.

I was back on hotel 3 hours later and i had spend 100thb and i'd got my stamp.

I was very posetive surprised,i must say.

I had booked a cheap hotel near southern bus terminal,in Hat yai UDEE LIVING PLACE.690thb(book directly from website,thats the cheapest,don't book on Agoda(732thb) or anything else

It had very very clean room and bathroom,good tv and fridge and aircon.Staff in lobby spoke ok english.

The hotel is 1.4km from bus terminal and i can only recommend this place.

Near shopping mall and night market and McDonalds

I took it as a challenge,to see how cheap i could do this border run.

I hope this can help people in the southern part,to get a quick&easy border run.

Thanks a lot to Ubonjoe for advising me,to choose this border instead of Sadao.

I owe you a cold pint of Carlsberg :-)

Viking64

[Viking64]

I had some problems,when i posted the report.

I'd got a messege,that i'd lost connection to the server.

I clicked some times on it and suddenly i had posted the same messege 5-6 times,i'm very sorry for the mistake.

I'd posted 3 pictures as well,but i think admins have deleted 5 of the posts,included the one with pictures.

I know pics was there,coz i saw the pictures when i chekked the post.

I hope some can use the report.

I wish you all a very good day.

Viking64

[Argus Tuft]

Great report thanks, I'm interested to do this myself.

Please try and repost the photos if you can

[recom273]

There was a similar report to this a month or so ago.

Well done, you did well - if you had of walked a short way from the plaza you will find the minivan station to Padang and cut out the Songthaew and got the pick of the seats before it reaches the bus station [emoji106]

I don't know the hotel, but there are lots of hotels in town of a similar price, with all the amenities.

Yeah the IO's at Padang are very lazy they never have asked for tea money - you usually have to point out your visa.

[flyingdoc]

Good report. Very useful!

[Viking64]

Great report thanks, I'm interested to do this myself.

Please try and repost the photos if you can

I will work on the pictures,mate.

I'll try to post them today.

[Viking64]

Here's the pics :-)

Pic no1&2:

is the "songteaw.terminal" outside Hat Yai Airport.

When you exit the arrivaldoor in airport,turn right,walk to the exit.

You'll go out of exit from airport,keep on straight ahead for 100-150m,and you'll see to a little busstop,where you can sit and smoke a cig,while waiting for the songteaw to be filled up.

The songteaw is just across the road,25m from busstop.See picture.You can see it in the background on pic no1.

To clocktower:30thb

To southern bus terminal:40thb

Pic no3:

Platform 24 on southern bus terminal.

The "ticket-office/ticket-table" is right beneath the sign.

5 meters on your right hand,you can buy snacks and cold drinks.

To Padang Besar:50thb/ 50-60 minutes

Pic no4:

After you have stamped out in Thai-immigration,you'll see this gate.

Walk through it,you'll come to dutyfree shop,just continue and then you'll come to Malaysian immigration.

Look for a big blue sign with a white pedestrian,that's your target.

After stamping in to Malaysia,i crossed the road and stamped out again.(just ask officer for direction,if you're not sure).

I was in Malaysia for 7-8 minutes :-)

Pic no 5:

Room on Udee Living Place

Adress is:

440 Sripuvanat Road, Hatyai

(right next to Chevrolet-shop and across the street,you'll see a temple )

Phone:

074-230345-074-231507

I booked room in evening before,no problem.

Price was 690thb.Price on Agoda:732+fees(about 15%),so book directly on Udee Living Place website to save money,easy to find on Google ;-)

Viking wish you all a pleasant day.

[Viking64]

There was a similar report to this a month or so ago.

Well done, you did well - if you had of walked a short way from the plaza you will find the minivan station to Padang and cut out the Songthaew and got the pick of the seats before it reaches the bus station [emoji106]

I don't know the hotel, but there are lots of hotels in town of a similar price, with all the amenities.

Yeah the IO's at Padang are very lazy they never have asked for tea money - you usually have to point out your visa.

"if you had of walked a short way from the plaza you will find the minivan station to Padang"

I'll keep that in mind.

Thanks for useful info

[rajyindee]

"A taxi to Hat yai from airport,will cost 350-380 depends on negotiation with driver,so don't do it.

I took the songteaw to southern busterminal and paid 40thb."

A meter taxi from opposite Arrivals should be 200 Baht to Hat Yai City Centre. Same price for the return journey.

[Viking64]

"A taxi to Hat yai from airport,will cost 350-380 depends on negotiation with driver,so don't do it.

I took the songteaw to southern busterminal and paid 40thb."

A meter taxi from opposite Arrivals should be 200 Baht to Hat Yai City Centre. Same price for the return journey.

My thai-gf asked some of them,while i was standing 100m away.

The infos she'd got was:

Most of them don't want to use meter,especially not when you're a farang.

BUT..if you can get a taxi with/without meter on,then 200thb is not a fortune :-)

Anyway,thanks a lot for info

[Beng]

Once at the border, there are motorbike taxis that will take you in and out. Used to be 20 Baht.

Well worth the money.

[nofarang]

Good report, thanks a lot!

I always go to Padang Besar to refresh my stay here. So I can confirm everything in the report is true and still this way. The border is never crowed like the neighbouring border in Sadao. When you enter the Thai border complex you come upon some motorcycle taxis waiting in front of the buildings. They take you to the Malaysian side and bring you back to the same spot. At the Malaysian border posts you don´t even have to get off the bike. When everything is set and done at the Thai entry point they take you to the minibus station in Padang (less than 2 km). Complete service 100 Baht.

To get to Padang now minibuses start ONLY from the bus station. To go there from town use a motorcycle taxi for 50 Baht. There are regular big buses to Padang as well starting from the clock tower. But the ride is 90 minutes and more to reach the border. Fare is around 30 something.

As for accommodation I like to mention the Laem Thong Hotel, about 100 m in front of the railway station, Thumnoonvithi Road. The rooms are kind of basic though, but they charge only 450 Baht and for a day stay only 200. Free WIFI in the lobby.

[rajyindee]

"A taxi to Hat yai from airport,will cost 350-380 depends on negotiation with driver,so don't do it.

I took the songteaw to southern busterminal and paid 40thb."

A meter taxi from opposite Arrivals should be 200 Baht to Hat Yai City Centre. Same price for the return journey.

My thai-gf asked some of them,while i was standing 100m away.

The infos she'd got was:

Most of them don't want to use meter,especially not when you're a farang.

BUT..if you can get a taxi with/without meter on,then 200thb is not a fortune :-)

Anyway,thanks a lot for info

I'm pretty sure the prices are listed at the taxi-meter booth. I'll check next time I'm up there. When I can through a couple of weeks ago, the airport limo folk had a promotion for 250 Baht one-way.

Regarding cheap hotels, the Tune in Hat Yai is a conversion rather than a new build so the rooms are quite large (for a Tune property). Good value for money if the inclusive package is booked on the likes of Agoda.

Edited March 30, 2015 by rajyindee

[Viking64]

Once at the border, there are motorbike taxis that will take you in and out. Used to be 20 Baht.

Well worth the money.

Good info.

I wasn't aware of that.

I didn't see any motorbike taxis and no one asked us,if we needed one.

Thanks mate

[recom273]

The blue/yellow taxi company is 098-7206889 or 061-1825788

Maybe a good idea to book before, they aren't always sitting outside waiting.

I just booked a taxi from klong hae to the airport and was quoted 250b which is closer than town. I didn't have the number and would have been 200 if my wife had called .. Probably.

I previously recall paying 300 or more, back in ye old days it was more like 500 or you walked.

[recom273]

I saw this price list in a taxi the other week.

The price from the airport to downtown is between 200-300B

There is also a price to Sadao, the second hi lighted area for 700B, if one was in a hurry and in need of comfort, Im guessing, as the airport is closer to the border than downtown, then you may be able to negotiate a return price to the airport for around 1000B - considering it will cost you to take a bike taxi at the border, its probably not a bad deal.

You would never have to set foot in HY, and the whole trip would probably be 1.5 hours.

[recom273]

To get to Padang now minibuses start ONLY from the bus station. To go there from town use a motorcycle taxi for 50 Baht. There are regular big buses to Padang as well starting from the clock tower. But the ride is 90 minutes and more to reach the border. Fare is around 30 something.

I didnt believe this info .. so i took a trip down to the Padang van station which was close to the clock tower / plaza market.

I can confirm your info is 100% correct - Since central festival has opened, the vans have been struggling to cross town and now arrive and depart from the bus station.

Well reported nofarang.

[robsamui]

Once at the border, there are motorbike taxis that will take you in and out. Used to be 20 Baht.

Well worth the money.

For a while now all the independent mini-vans have been frowned on and the licenced vans leave from Had Yai bus station, every 30 minutes or so - located to the far right, towards the restrooms.

As soon as you come into the entrance to the border post at Padang there are motorbike taxis waiting just to the left, near a big table. You'll also be provided with the white departure card to fill in before you leave - hence the table.

The mbike taxi will take you there and bring you back, stopping at the duty-free shop on the way back if you want.

If you then ask him to take you to the mini bus, he'll run you down the road a kilometre or so and to the little mini-bus terminus where you can get a ride back into Had Yai - right to your door.

Although the bus drops off at Had Yai bus station, it will then run around dropping people off. The fare is only 50 baht - great value for door to door service.

The motorbike taxi charges 50 baht for the round trip, but I always give extra to take me to the bus station, - plus a tip - he seems happy to get 100 baht for it all!

(Avoid Sadao at all costs - they seem to hate foreigners there and do everything they can to make people's lives miserable. (Also from Had Yai, it's closer and quicker to Padang Besar!)

R

Edited April 9, 2015 by robsamui

[digitalchromakey]

To get to Padang now minibuses start ONLY from the bus station. To go there from town use a motorcycle taxi for 50 Baht. There are regular big buses to Padang as well starting from the clock tower. But the ride is 90 minutes and more to reach the border. Fare is around 30 something.

I didnt believe this info .. so i took a trip down to the Padang van station which was close to the clock tower / plaza market.

I can confirm your info is 100% correct - Since central festival has opened, the vans have been struggling to cross town and now arrive and depart from the bus station.

Well reported nofarang.

It's been quite a few years since I last made the trip, but the buses to Padang Bezar drive around Hat Yai for more than 40 minutes before they end up looping back then heading off to Padang.

I recollect that the last bus stop before leaving Hat Yai is in fact relatively close to the originating bus station, thus potentially slicing the bus journey almost in half, maybe a local can post as to where it is for the benefit of any budget travellers reading this thread.

[recom273]

To get to Padang now minibuses start ONLY from the bus station. To go there from town use a motorcycle taxi for 50 Baht. There are regular big buses to Padang as well starting from the clock tower. But the ride is 90 minutes and more to reach the border. Fare is around 30 something.

I didnt believe this info .. so i took a trip down to the Padang van station which was close to the clock tower / plaza market.

I can confirm your info is 100% correct - Since central festival has opened, the vans have been struggling to cross town and now arrive and depart from the bus station.

Well reported nofarang.

It's been quite a few years since I last made the trip, but the buses to Padang Bezar drive around Hat Yai for more than 40 minutes before they end up looping back then heading off to Padang.

I recollect that the last bus stop before leaving Hat Yai is in fact relatively close to the originating bus station, thus potentially slicing the bus journey almost in half, maybe a local can post as to where it is for the benefit of any budget travellers reading this thread.

Thats correct .. I think the stop would be on the Sadao road not far from central festival - maybe outside Macro (same side of the road), which you are right in saying is not far from the bus station, but still 15 minutes away. If you were competing for thrifty backpacker of the year you would search out this stop, but i think for most, it would include a gamble, walking and standing on the roadside eating dust.

The OP took the best budget option - Songthaew from airport to Paza ( clocktower ) > Tuk-tuk / bike from Plaza to bus station > Mini van to Padang.

If you want to save some cash, walk the loop into Malaysia. I used to catch the first van and walk the loop, then walk back to the van station before it got too hot - as mentioned in another thread, the locals are friendly enough and theres some good breakfast on the walk.