Hi

 

I will stay a night in mukdahan. I've googled but cannot find an answer that's current. Does anyone know what time the first bus crosses the bridge from mukdahan to skt to get to the thai consulate in good time?

Any tips on fastest and most cost effective way to get there on time would be appreciated bearing in mind I will have spend a bit of time doing laos visa

Also getting back to bkk there is a nok air MUK to BKK fly/drive leaving Muk at 4pm. Would be nice to catch this but again has anyone picked up visa here recently and knows if I could realistically make that bus at 4pm. my own research suggests there should be time as it's not crazy queues like vientianne to pick up visa??

thanks for any help or suggestions in advance

 

The first bus leaves at 7:30 from the bus station in Mukdahan.

Schedule is at number 4 here: http://home.transport.co.th/index.php/th/2014-12-16-07-24-56/ตารางเวลาเดินรถ/item/443-ตารางเดินรถโดยสารระหว่างประเทศ-international-route.html

I think it would be a rush to make it  by 4 pm dependent upon how busy it is at the bridge.

 

cheers ubon joe. i thought so. i'll book the 5pm coming back then, that should be ok do you think?

Just now, Happy enough said:

cheers ubon joe. i thought so. i'll book the 5pm coming back then, that should be ok do you think?

Yes it would be much better.

Ta, appreciated as always

Hi Ubon Joe, would it not be quicker for me and pretty cheap just to go straight from my hotel to the border crossing on the 20 baht bus and get a tuk tuk straight the the consulate as it seems pretty close to the border and the bus would take me into savannakhet bus station? also heard that the bus is pretty horrible too. Do you have any idea how much the visa is in USD nowadays too? Cheers

9 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

Hi Ubon Joe, would it not be quicker for me and pretty cheap just to go straight from my hotel to the border crossing on the 20 baht bus and get a tuk tuk straight the the consulate as it seems pretty close to the border and the bus would take me into savannakhet bus station? also heard that the bus is pretty horrible too. Do you have any idea how much the visa is in USD nowadays too? Cheers

There is no scheduled transportation across the bridge other than the bus from Mukdahan. They will not allow you to walk across the bridge.

You can take the bus across the bridge and take a tuk tuk to the consulate after you clear Lao immigration.

It is only a 5 minute walk from the bus station in Savannakhet to the consulate.

The fee for Lao visa on arrival varies by nationality. Info here: http://www.laos-guide-999.com/visa-on-arrival.html

OK, Understood. thanks again!

If you do happen to get delayed crossing back into Thailand, note that the Fly-ride minibus will, on request, pick you up near the bridge on the Thai side. This saves time getting back into Mukdahan to the Ploy Palace Hotel.

 

Also, when going, there is not too much point rushing to get to Savannakhet much before 8:00 am as the Laos visa on arrival counter is often not open until around that time, even if you can get a lift across the bridge.

5 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Also, when going, there is not too much point rushing to get to Savannakhet much before 8:00 am as the Laos visa on arrival counter is often not open until around that time, even if you can get a lift across the bridge.

I am sure that is why th0;e first bus does not leave Mukdahan until 7:30.

Their official hours are 08:00 to 6 pm. Sometimes if they are busy they will stay open after 6 pm.

I can't quite remember what the visa pick-up time is. It may be 2pm. If you were first in the queue, you might make the MUK bus station at 4 pm but it would depend on the border delay and what time the next cross-border bus arrived. Iffy.

Imposible combination.

 

You will arrive at the embassy late = you will get high number = you will be given passport back next day as one of the last persons. No time to catch 4pm.

 

You would have to be at embassy as one of the firsts. Which means around 7:15 - 7:30.

10 minutes ago, howard ashoul said:

You will arrive at the embassy late = you will get high number = you will be given passport back next day as one of the last persons. No time to catch 4pm.

Not sure that is correct for Savannakhet. I don't think they use the same number for pickup like Vientiane does.

the only number you get at savanna is when you hand in your papers to get your passbook back the next day

why the big rush i get there around 9-30 and may be 10 to 15 people

this may only happen on fridays i got to the consulate 1-35pm and they were already handing out passbooks and the buss to go back leaves at 2-30 and it is first in first out that was three weeks ago

20 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Not sure that is correct for Savannakhet. I don't think they use the same number for pickup like Vientiane does.

Oh yeah, thats right. For pick up passport you just wait in line. Just remmebered about Laos people skipping the line there.

Hi Joe, this is off topic for this thread but the other thread is confusing. I am leaving tonight to apply at SKT for non imm "multiple" entry based on marriage to a thai tomorrow morning. Is 200K in the bank needed or not as far as you can tell?

Just now, Happy enough said:

Hi Joe, this is off topic for this thread but the other thread is confusing. I am leaving tonight to apply at SKT for non imm "multiple" entry based on marriage to a thai tomorrow morning. Is 200K in the bank needed or not as far as you can tell?

Post done this morning stating that it was not needed.

 

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

Post done this morning stating that it was not needed.

 

 

cheers ubon joe. i thought so. i'll book the 5pm coming back then, that should be ok do you think?

 

You'll be short anyway, in May I took one and an half hour to cross the border then wait for another half hour to get the bus to Mukdahan BS, best thing will be get a night bus to BKK cozy, safe and it starts at 8:30PM.

Can someone take a pic of the savannakhet>mukdahaan bus timetable and post it here; it would be really useful for members to have..... I had to wait 2 hours for a bus to take me across the bridge last time due to bad timing.


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Can someone take a pic of the savannakhet>mukdahaan bus timetable and post it here; it would be really useful for members to have..... I had to wait 2 hours for a bus to take me across the bridge last time due to bad timing.

 

 

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Start at 7:30AM and it is running every hour until 6:30PM in both the directions.

 

But they always running late of course, is Loas company...

4 minutes ago, MekkOne said:

 

You'll be short anyway, in May I took one and an half hour to cross the border then wait for another half hour to get the bus to Mukdahan BS, best thing will be get a night bus to BKK cozy, safe and it starts at 8:30PM.


This is an acceptable signature (hopefully)

 

nothing safe about 10 or whatever it is on a coach in Thailand as you know

 
Start at 7:30AM and it is running every hour until 6:30PM in both the directions.
 
But they always running late of course, is Loas company...

I definitely had to wait 2 hours last time.....


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12 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

Can someone take a pic of the savannakhet>mukdahaan bus timetable and post it here; it would be really useful for members to have..... I had to wait 2 hours for a bus to take me across the bridge last time due to bad timing.


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I posted the a link to the bus schedule in my first post on this topic.

It is number 4 here: http://home.transport.co.th/index.php/th/2014-12-16-07-24-56/ตารางเวลาเดินรถ/item/443-ตารางเดินรถโดยสารระหว่างประเทศ-international-route.html

I honestly don't know.

I traveled there by air,

Lao Air has a flight  from Swampy to Vientiane and on to Savannakhet but it arrives to late and requires spending a night in Savannakhet.

Just now, IMA_FARANG said:

Lao Air has a flight  from Swampy to Vientiane and on to Savannakhet but it arrives to late and requires spending a night in Savannakhet.

More like 3 nights to get the visa.

To late to apply on the same day you arrive and to early to pick up your passport for the return trip.

Went last December, the times were the same as the year before. The first bus goes about 7:00 the second about 7:45. The first is too early for the VOA office. Also note the bus doesn't wait for people getting VOA so you have to get a tuk to the consulate.

15 minutes ago, RayD said:

Went last December, the times were the same as the year before. The first bus goes about 7:00 the second about 7:45. The first is too early for the VOA office. Also note the bus doesn't wait for people getting VOA so you have to get a tuk to the consulate.

Or you wait for the next bus. Don't have to pay again.

I can only provide recent experience at Savankhet Consulate.

1. At consulate on Monday 19th at 8:00

2. Handed documents and passport in at 10:00

3. Got number for passport pickup on Tuesday

5. Stayed Savanakhet overnight

6. walked to consulate Tuesday at 1:45 PM before gate opened.

7. Lined up for passport pickup based on place in waiting line

8 Got passport at 2:15

9. TukTuk to border arrived 2:30

10 Through both immigration at 3:00

11. TukTuk to Ploy Palace arrived 3:40

Pretty easy even with a big crowd.

 

to happy enough, hope this will help you. first picture is from mukdahan immigration to Savannahhet bus station & second is from savannakhet to mukdahan  bus station in the city.