Pattaya - Hua Hin ferry latest: Just 999 baht per trip!

[webfact]

Pattaya - Hua Hin ferry latest: Just 999 baht per trip!

 

Photo: Facebook

 

PATTAYA: -- It has been reported that the fare for the new ferry across the gulf will be just 999 baht for an economy seat.

 

Hua Hin reporter Kulsawek Sawekwannakorn announced the news on his Facebook site.

 

Kulwasek said that the period for free journeys was now over.

 

Apart from the economy fare for a one way journey, passengers could pay 1,299 for an upstairs "business class" seat or go the whole hog and hire a VIP room for 8 people costing 14,000 baht.

 

The ferry will leave Pattaya's Bali Hai port at 8.30am each day arriving in Hua Hin at 10.30 am. The return journey leaves Hua Hin at

1pm arriving in Pattaya at 3pm.

 

Earlier this month it was stated that the cheapest ticket was likely to be 1,200 baht.

 

More details are available from the operating company on 087 905 2525.

 

Source: Facebook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-01-31

[johng]

Also reported here

http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2017/01/ferry-service-fare-falls/

 

Quote

The absence of online bookings through the ferry’s website with a secure credit card facility discourages  sales. If the company offered bookings on the company’s own website with secure payments through convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, or other similar payment services it might draw more traffic.

 

 

Quote

The ferry has no capacity to carry vehicles, which eliminates travellers, resident on the eastern seaboard, who might wish to drive their car, or motor cycle, to the ferry in Pattaya to shortcut the long journey (six hours) by road with a two-hour ferry transfer across the gulf, before continuing their journey south to Phuket or Samui.

Royal Passenger Liner was the only firm to apply for a licence to operate the Pattaya-Sattahip-Cha-am-Hua Hin ferry route when applications opened, 9 August. It passed the selection process, 30 September.

 

[AhFarangJa]

So a family of say, three, can pay 3.000 Baht ( less 3 Baht ) to travel for a minimum of four hours round trip, and spend a whopping 2 1/2 hours in H.H.......not counting time to Disembark, and embark......Harldy time for a decent seafood meal....

[joepattaya1961]

12 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

So a family of say, three, can pay 3.000 Baht ( less 3 Baht ) to travel for a minimum of four hours round trip, and spend a whopping 2 1/2 hours in H.H.......not counting time to Disembark, and embark......Harldy time for a decent seafood meal....

Don't forget the time you'll need to get into HH downtown. 

Seems the the pier on the other side of the bay is some km's out of town. 

[GeorgeCross]

24 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

So a family of say, three, can pay 3.000 Baht ( less 3 Baht ) to travel for a minimum of four hours round trip, and spend a whopping 2 1/2 hours in H.H.......not counting time to Disembark, and embark......Harldy time for a decent seafood meal....

6000 baht (less 6 baht) - don't forget the return fare!

[andre47]

they are riding a dead horse....

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

What happens when the boat gets cancelled due to bad weather ? Why try a service that only covers 50% of the needs? This ferry can't sail in bad weather and can't transport vehicles. Tourists needs a reliable service not one relying on good weather and expats needs a ferry that can take there vehicles. The price compared to a bus is also double and the maximum time saved 3 hours, for someone travelling on a strict schedule they must choose between a ferry that maybe can go, at double the price, compared to a bus that will go at half the price but which will take 3 hours more.

[BMW Overlander]

Are they ever going to have proper ferry for cars and motorcycles?

There is a huge interest in motorcycling community, especially from riders based in Malaysia and Singapore.

[kevkev1888]

3 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

So a family of say, three, can pay 3.000 Baht ( less 3 Baht ) to travel for a minimum of four hours round trip, and spend a whopping 2 1/2 hours in H.H.......not counting time to Disembark, and embark......Harldy time for a decent seafood meal....

Obviously it is not suitable for a day trip there and back. 

It is great for a few days away, 2 nights in HH, as I did last week with the free service.

[fforest1]

A 1,000 Baht is still to much....

 

500 Baht oneway for the cheap seats is a price cheap charlies could stomach...

[NCC1701A]

I live within walking distance to the Khao Takiab fishing village dock shown in the photo.

 

very nice beach area, but a very narrow Soi is the only way in or out.

 

it can be a nightmare of traffic to get into "downtown" Hua Hin from Khao Takiab. 

 

about a year ago they started construction of this new facility at the fishing village. They installed a break water and it is the obvious choice to land a ferry because it is very sheltered, but a horrible location to access Hua Hin. I guess they are having problems with the dock that is located near downtown. Maybe Khao Takiab is the foul weather alternate landing site.

[NCC1701A]

1 hour ago, fforest1 said:

A 1,000 Baht is still to much....

 

500 Baht oneway for the cheap seats is a price cheap charlies could stomach...

yes 2000 baht round trip goes a long way for what I do in Pattaya. 

(it is my spiritual retreat from the boredom of Hua Hin)

The VIP bus is only 387 baht each way. And a short motorbike ride from the bus station.

Edited January 31, 2017 by NCC1701A

[eeyang wah]

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

yes 2000 baht round trip goes a long way for what I do in Pattaya. 

(it is my spiritual retreat from the boredom of Hua Hin)

The VIP bus is only 387 baht each way. And a short motorbike ride from the bus station.

555555555555 excellent! That's the first time I've heard Pattaya referred to as a "spiritual retreat"!

[kennieboy]

8 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

So a family of say, three, can pay 3.000 Baht ( less 3 Baht ) to travel for a minimum of four hours round trip, and spend a whopping 2 1/2 hours in H.H.......not counting time to Disembark, and embark......Harldy time for a decent seafood meal....

 

4 hours ago, fforest1 said:

A 1,000 Baht is still to much....

 

500 Baht oneway for the cheap seats is a price cheap charlies could stomach...

yes i agree a monkey each way is a fair price, exscuse the pun.. monkey to monkey mountain

 

[kennieboy]

8 hours ago, joepattaya1961 said:

Don't forget the time you'll need to get into HH downtown. 

Seems the the pier on the other side of the bay is some km's out of town. 

Very simply no time for a turnaround ...  6 km,s to be exact...

[HerbalEd]

7 hours ago, fforest1 said:

A 1,000 Baht is still to much....

 

500 Baht oneway for the cheap seats is a price cheap charlies could stomach...

Poor Cheap Charlies. 

[HHTel]

I think you'll find that 999 baht is a promotional price.  Then it will be lifted to 1200 according to the Hua Hin office.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

And through all this, AFAIK, it's never been revealed just who the principals are behind Royal Passenger Liner or even how they came to be able to use that business name in Thailand. Or, why and under whose authority a Royal Thai Navy frigate was at one point (or still?) shadowing the ferry on its trips.

[balo]

So it's a 2000 baht roundtrip now.  Still too much . A family of 4 is 8000 baht for a few hours in HH. 

 

The regular aircon bus is 200 baht x 4 is 800 baht .  

 

Edited January 31, 2017 by balo

[Lancelot01]

Don't forget the time you'll need to get into HH downtown. 
Seems the the pier on the other side of the bay is some km's out of town. 

The pier for the previous ferry was 25km south of HH at Pranburi, the pier for the new service is in town not far from the Hilton Hotel.
But I get the point, not ideal for an away day.

Sent from my SM-T561 using Thaivisa Connect mobile app

[nemofound]

Still way too expensive considering it's thai standard boat. 27 euros will get you from Helsinki to Tallin easily by a much more seaworthy catamaran.

[ChrisY1]

9 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

And through all this, AFAIK, it's never been revealed just who the principals are behind Royal Passenger Liner or even how they came to be able to use that business name in Thailand. Or, why and under whose authority a Royal Thai Navy frigate was at one point (or still?) shadowing the ferry on its trips.

Maybe the "Royal" and that a naval vessel escorts or escorted, may be a clue to the owners

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Maybe the "Royal" and that a naval vessel escorts or escorted, may be a clue to the owners

That was my point. But again, as stated, I don't believe any of the articles written on this venture have ever actually said who is behind it and/or the company running the ship. Even here, that does seem a bit on the unusual side.

 

 

[robsamui]

So far all but one of the comments are from people who are in Pattaya or thereabouts, looking at this as a trip to the mainland which bypasses Bangkok.

 

(And 375B for a VIP coach from Hua Hin to Pattaya? Post#12 NCC1701A ?? Really??)

 

But there are thousands of people living in and around Samui/Phangan for whom this will be a real enticement. Right now it's a 22 hour roadtrip by bus to get to Pattaya - counting the 2-hour ferry ride to the mainland.

 

But the thinking behind all of this is flawed. Firstly it's a passenger ferry that doesn't take vehicles, so who the hell is it being pitched at? (As voiced by most of the folks here already).

 

Secondly it utterly overlooks one of the other major tourist markets; Samui. If it went from the mainland port of Donsak (major access by road and plenty of berthing space) to call in at Hua Hin to pick up, and  then on to Pattaya, then it would maximize the potential market to the full, even including travelers coming north from Nakorn Sri Thammarat and Had Yai, and additionally cash-in on the backpacker market too (for what that's worth).

 

But, yes, I'm going to give it a go. Well, maybe not. It'll take me 3 hours to get to Surat Thani. Then I have to wait for a bus and get to Hua Hin. THEN I have to wait God knows how many hours for the next ferry. I'm probably up to 12 hours traveling before I go on the 2-hour ferry trip across to Pattaya. Or I Could stay in Hua Hin overnight? Hell what a mess. Don't think I'll bother after all!

 

 

[zorro1]

What happens when the boat gets cancelled due to bad weather ? Why try a service that only covers 50% of the needs? This ferry can't sail in bad weather and can't transport vehicles. Tourists needs a reliable service not one relying on good weather and expats needs a ferry that can take there vehicles. The price compared to a bus is also double and the maximum time saved 3 hours, for someone travelling on a strict schedule they must choose between a ferry that maybe can go, at double the price, compared to a bus that will go at half the price but which will take 3 hours more.

It would take a hurricane to stop that beast. The cancellation of the maiden Voyage made sense though, you don't want violently I'll reporters telling any stories

[Sakeopete]

Honestly I am suprised there is no low cost carrier doing fights.

[siam2007]

19 hours ago, Sakeopete said:

Honestly I am suprised there is no low cost carrier doing fights.

 

 

indeed KAN AIR could employ their small Cessna. 12 seats a day should be easy to fill, particularly as they already fly out of UTP (though using their large ATR72). I believe this would be profitable.

 

A friend of mine was on the PTY - HH ferry two days ago, he said there were barely 50 PAX on board this 250 seat vessel, and arriving at HH, there weren't more than 50 PAX either waiting for the return trip to PTY.

[balo]

On 2/1/2017 at 0:04 AM, nemofound said:

Still way too expensive considering it's thai standard boat. 27 euros will get you from Helsinki to Tallin easily by a much more seaworthy catamaran.

 

And you can take the ferry between Norway and Denmark for less than €40 one way .  And thats a big ferry with casino and tax free shopping. 

 

Normal fares in Thailand should be at least 5 times cheaper than Norwegian prices , just like it is with train and bus tickets .

 

 

[wpcoe]

On 1/31/2017 at 3:17 PM, NCC1701A said:

yes 2000 baht round trip goes a long way for what I do in Pattaya. 

(it is my spiritual retreat from the boredom of Hua Hin)

The VIP bus is only 387 baht each way. And a short motorbike ride from the bus station.

Is that the Bell Travel bus?  If so, they moved from the bus station by Soi 96 to a location north of the airport.  Nowhere near as convenient as it used to be.

[berybert]

7 hours ago, balo said:

 

And you can take the ferry between Norway and Denmark for less than €40 one way .  And thats a big ferry with casino and tax free shopping. 

 

Normal fares in Thailand should be at least 5 times cheaper than Norwegian prices , just like it is with train and bus tickets .

 

 

Is the Thai pricing system linked with that of Norway ?