Best way from Pattaya to Savannakhet? for Visarun

[alocacoc]

A direct flight with Lao Air is quite expensive. What are the common reliable routes from Pattaya to Savannakhet?

 

Is it easier from Don Mueang to Nakhon Phanom -> Mukdahan (by bus) with Nok Air Fly 'n' Ride, or:

 

From Utapao to Udon Thani with Thai Smile? It looks, they pick up the travelers at Central Festival. From Udon Thani to Savannakhet the bus ride is more than 4 hours.

 

So, option 1 seems better. Or there are better options?

Do i miss something?

[BritTim]

Personally, I think the Fly_Ride to Don Muang for the return is best, but, going, by bus to Mukdahan may be better. As I recall, there is a direct bus from Pattaya to Mukdahan, but I am unsure of the arrival time. I have taken an overnight VIP bus from Morchit. I hate using buses, but the arrival time is perfect for getting the first bus across the bridge in the morning.

[MJCM]

OP, maybe this helps ?

 

http://www.pattayaunlimited.com/pattaya-savannakhet-visa-run/

[alocacoc]

Once I drove with the Yellow Line VIP bus. The price was about 720 baht. A long trip (ca. 11hours) but the bus was quite comfortable. So yes, I think about if I should take the bus again.

[JackThompson]

18 minutes ago, alocacoc said:

Once I drove with the Yellow Line VIP bus. The price was about 720 baht. A long trip (ca. 11hours) but the bus was quite comfortable. So yes, I think about if I should take the bus again.

 

I found the Yellow Bus bus most uncomfortable for a long ride - barely ok for the run to Poipet.  They call it a 'VIP" bus - but it is 4-seats across vs 3 (a real vip bus) and some chairs have some sort of foot-stool that is a nightmare if one is tall.   Some of their buses are more comfortable than others - it's a roll of the dice.

 

For runs to Vientiene or Savanakhet, I prefer taking a bus to Morchit, then taking a real VIP bus from there - sleep like a baby, and get to the border just before it opens.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

Nok Air has several choices from Don Mueang to Mukdahan since they do the fly ride service from 3 airports.

See: http://nokair.com/content/en/destinations/fly-n-ride/Ubon-Ratchathani-mukdahan.aspx

None will get you there to apply for the visa on the same day you arrive in Mukdahan. But you can make the trip back on the same day you get your passport back.

Just be aware if you arrive at the bridge in Mukdahan after 6 pm you may not be able to cross since the Lao visa on arrival office off closes then unless they are busy.

 

[alocacoc]

4 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

 

For runs to Vientiene or Savanakhet, I prefer taking a bus to Morchit, then taking a real VIP bus from there - sleep like a baby, and get to the border just before it opens.

 

 

Same operator? Yellow Line Bus? I remember in the past they offered 24 seats VIP from Bangkok. From Pattaya only 32 seats. But now, on their website, Bangkok - Mukdahan is not listed anymore.

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, alocacoc said:

Same operator? Yellow Line Bus? I remember in the past they offered 24 seats VIP from Bangkok. From Pattaya only 32 seats. But now, on their website, Bangkok - Mukdahan is not listed anymore.

 

The bus I took from Bangkok to Morchit was not Yellow Bus - can't remember the company name.  I use ChanTour for runs Morchit to Vientiene, but they did not have a bus to Mukdahan, so they directed me to a nearby booth of another operator with similar buses. 

[Briggsy]

Yellow bus. Rungreuang Tour. Pattaya - Mukdahan direct. No mucking around.

 

http://iloveyellowbus.com/ticket.html

[thaisabai]

why do you want to go to Savannakhet?

I always go for my Non-O extension to Pong Nam Ron, Cambodia (every travel agent in Pattaya arranges it for you)

comfortable Minibuses, leaving 6.30 am, back in Pattaya at 3PM (2 stops, one for toilet/coffee outbound and one on the way back for lunch)

at the border you give your driver the passport and he gives it back to you within 15 minutes.

then check in with the Thai immigration and you are on your way back.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, thaisabai said:

why do you want to go to Savannakhet?

I always go for my Non-O extension to Pong Nam Ron, Cambodia (every travel agent in Pattaya arranges it for you)

comfortable Minibuses, leaving 6.30 am, back in Pattaya at 3PM (2 stops, one for toilet/coffee outbound and one on the way back for lunch)

at the border you give your driver the passport and he gives it back to you within 15 minutes.

then check in with the Thai immigration and you are on your way back.

He is not wanting to do a border run for a new 90 day entry (it is not an extension). He going to get a new visa.

[EcigAmateur]

And what is the best flight now ? Nothing from utapao ?

 

 

[ubonjoe]

2 minutes ago, EcigAmateur said:

And what is the best flight now ? Nothing from utapao ?

 

 

Air Asia from Utapao to Ubon Ratchathani then a bus or van to Mukdahan. Less than three hours to Mukdahan from here in Ubon to Mukdahan. 

[EcigAmateur]

28 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Air Asia from Utapao to Ubon Ratchathani then a bus or van to Mukdahan. Less than three hours to Mukdahan from here in Ubon to Mukdahan. 

 

Thanks, but Nakhon seems closer to Mukdahan than Ubon ?

 

 

[ubonjoe]

14 minutes ago, EcigAmateur said:

Thanks, but Nakhon seems closer to Mukdahan than Ubon ?

 

Yes but there are no flights from Utapao to there. You would have to go to Don Mueang.

[Becker]

I go from Utapao via Ubon to Mukdahan. Much better than having to go via Don Muang. Air Asia has a van service to/from Pattaya as well. Last time (in September) I got a return ticket for just over 1000 Baht.

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, Becker said:

I go from Utapao via Ubon to Mukdahan. Much better than having to go via Don Muang. Air Asia has a van service to/from Pattaya as well. Last time (in September) I got a return ticket for just over 1000 Baht.

I might do that going to Mukdahan if unwilling to take the bus. There is anyway no way by air to reach Savannakhet in time to apply for a visa the same day. Returning to UTP is really inconvenient. The return flight is mid afternoon, too early to catch the same day you receive your visa. Unless you fancy a night in Ubon anyway, this would not be my choice. Fly-ride service to Don Muang the same afternoon/evening you receive the visa seems better in most circumstances.

[leddie]

17 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I might do that going to Mukdahan if unwilling to take the bus. There is anyway no way by air to reach Savannakhet in time to apply for a visa the same day. Returning to UTP is really inconvenient. The return flight is mid afternoon, too early to catch the same day you receive your visa. Unless you fancy a night in Ubon anyway, this would not be my choice. Fly-ride service to Don Muang the same afternoon/evening you receive the visa seems better in most circumstances.

What is fly-ride service?

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, leddie said:

What is fly-ride service?

Nok Air (and to a lesser extent Air Asia) provides a combined van+flight service from Mukdahan to Don Muang. There are several services available leaving Mukdahan mid to late afternoon. If wanting to get back to Pattaya the same evening on arrival at Don Muang, I would probably book one of the earlier options, planning to ask the van to pick me up at the bridge if short of time (the van passes very close to the bridge on its way from Mukdahan to the airport).

[JackThompson]

If doing a Don Muang route on the return, you can get a bus or taxi to the nearest BTS station from the airport, train to Ekamai (missing a lot of Bangkok traffic), then catch a bus back to Pattaya.  The last bus leaves at 11 PM. 

 

You could also return from MorChit station, which is closer to Don Muang, but I believe the last bus to Pattaya from there is 8 PM, and a chunk of return-time may be added poking through Bangkok traffic.

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, JackThompson said:

If doing a Don Muang route on the return, you can get a bus or taxi to the nearest BTS station from the airport, train to Ekamai (missing a lot of Bangkok traffic), then catch a bus back to Pattaya.  The last bus leaves at 11 PM. 

Another option if returning via here in Ubon would be Thai Smile to Suvarnabhumi and then the bus from there to Pattaya/Jomtien. Last flight is at 19:50 which should be enough time after picking the passport at the consulate.

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Another option if returning via here in Ubon would be Thai Smile to Suvarnabhumi and then the bus from there to Pattaya/Jomtien. Last flight is at 19:50 which should be enough time after picking the passport at the consulate.

Yes - last bus of this service leaves Suvarnabhumi at 10PM.  Good option.

Note: I once made the error of thinking I could land in Don Muang and use the airport-to-airport shuttle bus to Suvarnabhumi and then catch the bus from Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya/Jomtien - but, I was informed that while the airport-to-airport shuttle is "free" to anyone who can show a ticket leaving from the other airport, it is not available at any price to those without a flight-ticket out. 

Also, to correct some stale info on some sites - Bell Travel used to have a shuttle out of Don Muang to Pattaya, but I cannot find reference on their site to this any more.

[my friend I]

Savan Vegas casino often have tours that are not expensive

[ubonjoe]

17 minutes ago, my friend I said:

Savan Vegas casino often have tours that are not expensive

How long has it been since you did it. Not any shown on their website now that I can see. http://www.savanvegas.com/home.html

[EcigAmateur]

16 hours ago, Becker said:

I go from Utapao via Ubon to Mukdahan. Much better than having to go via Don Muang. Air Asia has a van service to/from Pattaya as well. Last time (in September) I got a return ticket for just over 1000 Baht.

 

and then how do you go from Ubon to Muk ? Thanks.

 

 

[ubonjoe]

30 minutes ago, EcigAmateur said:

 

and then how do you go from Ubon to Muk ? Thanks.

There are many buses and vans from Ubon to Mukdahan. Or even a taxi for about 1500 to 2000 baht if you were in a hurry.

You have a reply here to  a post you did in the Isaan forum.

 

[Becker]

1 hour ago, EcigAmateur said:

 

and then how do you go from Ubon to Muk ? Thanks.

 

 

I take a minibus straight from the Ubon airport to Mukdahan. I book ticket on the minibus through Ploy Travel (not sure about the name) which has an office in the Ploy Palace Hotel. Just call them and they'll be able to help. The minibus runs three times a day between Mukdahan and Ubon airport.

[my friend I]

On 18/10/2017 at 10:17 AM, ubonjoe said:

How long has it been since you did it. Not any shown on their website now that I can see. http://www.savanvegas.com/home.html

More than a year. There was also an online agents doing a similar deal but I don't remember the name.

They have a direct Bangkok to Savan minibus.