Penang Tourist Visa Run - Hat Yai Transport Question

[JackThompson]

Hi folks. I will be making a tourist-visa trip to Penang - and it appears they are open on Monday (unlike Laos and Phnom Penh) http://www.thaiembassy.org/penang/contents/files/news-20151217-102212-807415.pdf

Upon receiving my passport back on Tuesday, I am looking for the best travel option back across the Padang Besar border (not Sadao), after which I need to get to the Hat Yai airport at 9 PM, for a flight to Bangkok.** I have read this thread:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/879418-guide-travelling-to-george-town-penang-and-back-to-thailand/
... but looking for any updated info, and specific to return connections / times.

After passport pick-up time (I will be using an agent), a train from Butterworth looks too early to catch, so not going to set myself up for stress and missed connections (correct me if I am wrong on this assumption).

I understand mini-buses are present from Penang to Padang Besar, but can anyone confirm their availability at around 3PM? Are there other timely alternatives?

From the border, I will need to get to the airport. Are taxis available just past the checkpoint at this time? What is the going rate to the airport from the border? Are there any timely alternatives? A bus to the bus-terminal + songthiew through town seems a bit on the time-consuming side to make it.

The latest AirAsia flight is 9:50PM, and I gain an extra hour crossing back to Thailand - will this be plenty of time with no checked-luggage? There was a 3+ hour wait at immigration on my last entry from Cambodia, and I am hoping the Pedang Basar crossing is more efficient.

If making the flight is going to be at all close, I will just take another in the morning, and spend the night in Hat Yai, but I would rather be back sooner, if possible.

Thanks for any info,

** (I could fly direct back from Penang (how I am getting there), but I cannot chance someone at the airport having a bad day and sending me 1/2-way around the planet, to great expense and trouble, however unlikely - so I will only enter Thailand by land-borders until I turn 50.)

[BritTim]

I was going to suggest flying from Penang to Bangkok but, due to an imagined one-in-a-million chance of a deranged immigration official, you seem determined to avoid Bangkok airport immigration.

Your chance of immigration problems (as I think you are aware) is far higher at land borders. I appreciate you will not be arrested and deported at a land border. However, a deranged police officer could choose to do so at a checkpoint between the border and Hat Yai (admittedly, another one-in-a-million chance).

[JackThompson]

I was going to suggest flying from Penang to Bangkok but, due to an imagined one-in-a-million chance of a deranged immigration official, you seem determined to avoid Bangkok airport immigration.

Your chance of immigration problems (as I think you are aware) is far higher at land borders. I appreciate you will not be arrested and deported at a land border. However, a deranged police officer could choose to do so at a checkpoint between the border and Hat Yai (admittedly, another one-in-a-million chance).

I have found police in Thailand to be generally friendly and helpful. If I am ever asked to show my passport with current permission to stay stamp, I can provide it. It would not be within their purview to deport me, given those conditions.

OTOH, we have several reports here (figure many times more not reported here) of people who have been forced across the planet from Thai airports, for the mere "suspicion" of working, It is difficult, if not impossible, to prove a negative. Re-routing to a nearby country is not permitted. As long as this insane punishment can be inflicted on innocent people at random, I am not willing to risk it on the luck of the draw.

[Briggsy]

I have used the Hat Yai to Georgetown (Penang) mini-buses. They are not legal but seem to run anyway. You can book them from any of the travel agents in Penang. They pick up and drop off at your hotel. They take around 5 hours. They are driven by Thais and the standard of driving is poor.

[Saigon]

This is what I did several years ago so you should double-check and update it

because nothing will stay the same, as you can imagine.

I took an air-con bus at Butterworth Bus Terminal at 9am to Padang Besar

(4hrs). Honestly, I have no idea how often the air-con bus runs a day.

There was a local bus passing in front of the immigration checkpoint on the Thai side

to Hat Yai Bus Terminal (1.5hrs).

The mini-van station is about 1km away from the checkpoint. I think it a better option

because it runs faster and more frequently. You can ask one of the immigration officials

where the station is. I didn't see a taxi at or near the checkpoint.

I will highly recommend you to take a mini-van from Penang straight to Hat Yai, from

where you can go to the airport. The mini-van runs around 4 times a day, I guess. I don't

know exactly what time you can pick up your passport, though. Early in the afternoon?

As you know, Thailand is 1hr behind Malaysia.

[lemonjelly]

I'd try to get to Penang on Thursday night and submit docs then or Friday morning (via agent), collect Monday afternoon, leave for Hat Yai stress free Tuesday morning to midday by minivan.

[lemonjelly]

http://www.thaiembassy.org/penang/contents/files/news-20151217-102212-807415.pdf

List of Penang Consulate official holidays and opening times etc for those that may need it.

[JackThompson]

I'd try to get to Penang on Thursday night and submit docs then or Friday morning (via agent), collect Monday afternoon, leave for Hat Yai stress free Tuesday morning to midday by minivan.

I will probably take your advice, and book my return flight for the following day - pickup PP Tue afternoon, head to Hat Yai, but fly out of HatYai Wed AM instead of Tuesday night.

Based on others' feedback, looks like I could pull it off with a bit of time to spare (thanks to the time-zone +hour), but one clogged motorway or other hiccup, and all bets are off.

Those new electric trains must be as quick as advertised, as they appear to get to PB from Butterworth in under 2 hrs.

https://intranet.ktmb.com.my/e-ticket/login.aspx

But none leave after PP handout. Sounds as if highway travel is 2x+ that travel-time.

[lemonjelly]

I'd try to get to Penang on Thursday night and submit docs then or Friday morning (via agent), collect Monday afternoon, leave for Hat Yai stress free Tuesday morning to midday by minivan.

I will probably take your advice, and book my return flight for the following day - pickup PP Tue afternoon, head to Hat Yai, but fly out of HatYai Wed AM instead of Tuesday night.

Based on others' feedback, looks like I could pull it off with a bit of time to spare (thanks to the time-zone +hour), but one clogged motorway or other hiccup, and all bets are off.

Those new electric trains must be as quick as advertised, as they appear to get to PB from Butterworth in under 2 hrs.

https://intranet.ktmb.com.my/e-ticket/login.aspx

But none leave after PP handout. Sounds as if highway travel is 2x+ that travel-time.

Hmmm, not sure about getting to Hat Yai in the afternoon, you're going to get your PP after 2pm, you won't make the train, I think the last minivan leaves around midday, maybe depart Penang Wednesday am and book evening flight for Wednesday.

[BritTim]

I'd try to get to Penang on Thursday night and submit docs then or Friday morning (via agent), collect Monday afternoon, leave for Hat Yai stress free Tuesday morning to midday by minivan.

I will probably take your advice, and book my return flight for the following day - pickup PP Tue afternoon, head to Hat Yai, but fly out of HatYai Wed AM instead of Tuesday night.

Based on others' feedback, looks like I could pull it off with a bit of time to spare (thanks to the time-zone +hour), but one clogged motorway or other hiccup, and all bets are off.

Those new electric trains must be as quick as advertised, as they appear to get to PB from Butterworth in under 2 hrs.

https://intranet.ktmb.com.my/e-ticket/login.aspx

But none leave after PP handout. Sounds as if highway travel is 2x+ that travel-time.

Some agents can get your passport with visa back to you before noon. They will probably need proof of your train reservation to do it, and probably a small extra fee. An option.

[Saigon]

I found a post on the Penang - Hat Yai mini-van, which is almost 2 years old.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g297921-i9790-k7297818-Hat_Yai_Penang_minivan_minibus-Hat_Yai_Songkhla_Province.html

Yes, the mini-van used to run 4 times a day but some say it did only twice

a day a few years ago.

If there's still a 15:30 mini-van running, you could make it to Hat Yai airport

in time for your 21:50 flight, BUT I'd think it better for you to fly out of Hat Yai

the day after you've picked up your PP in Penang just in case.

[JackThompson]

... There's still a 15:30 mini-van running, you could make it to Hat Yai airport

in time for your 21:50 flight, BUT I'd think it better for you to fly out of Hat Yai

the day after you've picked up your PP in Penang just in case.

Yes, it had not occurred to me that there would be NO options to get back to Hat Yai in the afternoon, but this could be the case. I might as well enjoy the fast train service the next morning - beats the heck out of a crowded mini-van in freeway traffic for speed, safety, and comfort.

Thanks to all the info / suggestions above from everyone. Flights are booked - all good to go.

[Dave67]

The trains will be fast from Butterworth to Pedang Basar , after that who knows how long it will take to get to Hatyai, dont forget the Train you get on for Hat yai comes from Bangkok originally. and turns around at Pedang Basar

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, Dave67 said:

The trains will be fast from Butterworth to Pedang Basar , after that who knows how long it will take to get to Hatyai, dont forget the Train you get on for Hat yai comes from Bangkok originally. and turns around at Pedang Basar

I caught a bus in across the street from the Pedang Besar checkpoint, and rode that into Hat Yai.  The wait for the bus was 30-40 mins.  When the bus passed the signs pointing to the airport, and were headed the other direction, I exited the bus and took a songthiew-taxi to the airport.  There was a train-option from PedangBesar to HatYai, but on the map, it did not appear to get one much closer than I guessed the bus would.  OTOH, the bus was non-aircon, so there is that to consider.

[Dave67]

1 minute ago, JackThompson said:

I caught a bus in across the street from the Pedang Besar checkpoint, and rode that into Hat Yai.  The wait for the bus was 30-40 mins.  When the bus passed the signs pointing to the airport, and were headed the other direction, I exited the bus and took a songthiew-taxi to the airport.  There was a train-option from PedangBesar to HatYai, but on the map, it did not appear to get one much closer than I guessed the bus would.  OTOH, the bus was non-aircon, so there is that to consider.

I used to have a regular Driver who'd pick me up and drop me at Hat Yai airport , I worked in Malaysia for 6 years and went home every month, used to take about 45 mins Border to hat yai

[my friend I]

On 5/5/2016 at 0:28 AM, JackThompson said:

I will probably thttp://www.train36.com/penang-padang-besar-komuter-train.htmlake your advice, and book my return flight for the following day - pickup PP Tue afternoon, head to Hat Yai, but fly out of HatYai Wed AM instead of Tuesday night.

Based on others' feedback, looks like I could pull it off with a bit of time to spare (thanks to the time-zone +hour), but one clogged motorway or other hiccup, and all bets are off.

Those new electric trains must be as quick as advertised, as they appear to get to PB from Butterworth in under 2 hrs.

https://intranet.ktmb.com.my/e-ticket/login.aspx

But none leave after PP handout. Sounds as if highway travel is 2x+ that travel-time.

http://www.train36.com/penang-padang-besar-komuter-train.html

[JackThompson]

5 minutes ago, my friend I said:

http://www.train36.com/penang-padang-besar-komuter-train.html

Thank you for the link.  When I was last down there the options were much more limited.  Glad to see fewer trains are skipping the Butterworth stop, now.

[4evermaat]

I always recommend that unless you are taking scheduled minivan or bus from Penang to Hat Yai, to wait an extra day.  You have enough time for direct minivan after obtaining passport.  But for the train, you may need an extra day.  Not a good idea to be stuck in padang besar without a ride back to hat yai.

 

Even the evening direct flight penang to BKK is cutting it close, although people do it (take the taxi directly to airport after collecting from embassy.