Avoiding Arctic Travel

[coconutty]

Hello all, i am not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but i couldn't find anywhere more suitable so i'll ask here. you see, i'd like to go to koh chang and surrounding islands (Trat province) for some time, but just the thought of spending six hours in a closed bus with arctic-like air-con (with no possibility of "turning it off") and being bombarded by non-stop horrible music and/or stupid hollywood movies at the very top end of the volume range (yes, i've been through this trip before) is not exactly my idea of a fun way of getting there, so does anyone here has any idea if there is a way to get to Trat (from bkk, i forgot to mention) with non a/c buses?

i don't mind changing buses somewhere along the way (chonburi, rayong, chantanburi...) if there is no direct one.

i also know that there is a train running from bkk to sattahip/pattaya, so if there is an option of continuing with a non a/c bus after that train ride, that would be great.

thanks for your time, any advice will be really greatly appreciated as i couldn't get this info anywhere.

ps. flight is not an option

[asanee]

Hello all, i am not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but i couldn't find anywhere more suitable so i'll ask here. you see, i'd like to go to koh chang and surrounding islands (Trat province) for some time, but just the thought of spending six hours in a closed bus with arctic-like air-con (with no possibility of "turning it off") and being bombarded by non-stop horrible music

No chance, many drivers of non-air buses turn it on even louder, be it radio or CD.

and/or stupid hollywood movies at the very top end of the volume range (yes, i've been through this trip before) is not exactly my idea of a fun way of getting there, so does anyone here has any idea if there is a way to get to Trat (from bkk, i forgot to mention) with non a/c buses?

NO, alas, thats a thing of the last century for DIRECT links.

I don't mind changing buses somewhere along the way (chonburi, rayong, chantaburi...) if there is no direct one.

Thats in ALL these places then, at least doubling the traveltime, and also a very nasty (if you dont know how it works) transit just BEFORE Cholburi, at BangPakok.

I also know that there is a train running from bkk to Sattahip; NO: thats to Ban Pluta Luang, via Pattaya: again, not quite so, only 1 train, ONLY weekdays mo-fr, from BKk at 6.55, and a change in ChaChoengSao usually needed, IF the 2nd train runs at all, many reports of it being cancelled for whatever reason.

so if there is an option of continuing with a non a/c bus after that train ride, that would be great. NOT via either of those, but the solution then comes; TRAIN (14/day] to ChaChoeng Sao, then BUS (walk to bus station, turn RIGHT after exit, then cross the main road at the start of the fly-over, and youll see the crowd of buses. Some direct buses to Rayong (but most are 2nd cl AC), then as above; change everyhwere.

thanks for your time, any advice will be really greatly appreciated: Hopefully so then.

Best suggestion after all: doing he above gets you stranded in TRAT, as youll arr. too late for last boat. BUT: consider 2nd class bus, also AC, but NO TV and the BoKoSo= ex GOvt bus (with that metal looking plastic shield on the sides) are the best bet from EKAMAI; try out transport.co.th for a possible timing, and searhc for 2nd class/standard 2.

[cdnvic]

I used to think the hot buses were a good idea on cool days until I tried to sit in one. There is no room, and they are in questionable condition. I'd just take a jacket, some headphones, and enjoy the legroom.

[joinme2leave]

Ekamai bus terminal

first office on the left (used to be) ... tickets to Trat/KC via government bus (if remember correctly, it is bus no. 999)

little music on if any

direct and fast transfer

almost no ppl onboard

great price