Alternative Bus Companies To Udon Thani

[brycat]

I've traveled with Chakraporn bus company too many times. Anybody have the contact info for alternative, better bus companies that sell round trip tickets (Chiang Mai- Udon Thani)? Thanks.

[gotlost]

I thank that is the best. You could look at http://www.nokair.com/NokConnext/aspx/Welcome.aspx

[brycat]

I thank that is the best. You could look at http://www.nokair.co...px/Welcome.aspx

Thanks Gotlost. I've decided to go too late, and I'm afraid Nok's prices are a little out of my budget. Next time, I'll definitely book in advance though.

[brycat]

Mods- can you move this to the CM Forum? In my haste, I posted in the wrong forum. Thank you.

[gotlost]

Mods- can you move this to the CM Forum? In my haste, I posted in the wrong forum. Thank you.

Hit the report button on the lower left and it will be moved quicker.

[jazzbo]

Another option is to fly Nok Air Chiang Mai to Don Muang (which is about half the fare to Udon Thani) and then take one of the very nice MoChit buses to Udon Thani ... Avoiding all those windy mountain roads and hill climbs -- And you still can arrive (depending on connections) in less time than the bus from CM > UT.

[elektrified]

There are very comfortable, double-decker VIP buses to Udon Thani but you have to do a little research. The last one we took in 2008, my g/f made the booking from a tour company she found on on pantip.com. That bus only traveled to Udon Thani one day per week. We had to go a few km out of town to board the bus which was parked on the side of the road. At the time, I was the only farang on the bus.

This has come up a few times in the past and at one time a member posted the contact info for another VIP bus company, so maybe do a search of the forum. These are not companies that have offices at Arcade Station but are geared towards Thais going on bus tours.

There is also a double-decker VIP bus coming back to C.M. that you have to book and pay for at least 3-4 days in advance (no English spoken). I think I posted their contact info in a previous post.

Here is the number for the return bus: 042346391

Edited August 27, 2010 by elektrified

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Brycat,

There's been a lot of discussion on the two companies (to our knowledge, only two) that run buses CM<=>Udon Thani.

The other company is named Oosuksatour, and their window, in the Arcade bus station here, is right next to Chakrapong's window (as late as April of this year, It was).

See: Bus CM to UT

Since, as we all know, in Amazing Thailand "nothing" remains the same, which implies that "everything" is continually scrambled, strongly suggest you go in person to the Arcade bus station and verify for yourselves that they are still there, that they both continue the kind of alternating-days schedule they had before, etc.

Also suggest you monitor/search the main TV "visa run" forum for any recent reports on what's going on in the Thai immigration services in Vientiane. If you are delayed in Vientiane for any reason that might force you to wait an extra day (or more ?) to connect with the return bus UT=>CM ?

Last we heard, someone here mentioned that Chakrapong had "upgraded" their buses, but it was never clear that all VIP buses were upgraded, or not.

For what it's worth: when we travelled Chakrapong about three years ago, the so-called VIP bus was really trashy, and the seats very narrow and cramped for our big human's body. The next year, traveling Oosuksatour we found the bus much more roomy and the ride more comfortable.

Be great to hear from people who've travelled by either company ... or any other company ... recently on this route. If there is now another company, that would be of interest to many, we think.

best, ~o:37;

Edited August 27, 2010 by orang37

[drtreelove]

Nakhonchai Air (bus) , only way to go. www.nca.co.th Private terminal at Arcade. See previous thread and all the endorsements for this great bus company. Sombat tour is a close second for many.

[hanuman1]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Brycat,

There's been a lot of discussion on the two companies (to our knowledge, only two) that run buses CM<=>Udon Thani.

The other company is named Oosuksatour, and their window, in the Arcade bus station here, is right next to Chakrapong's window (as late as April of this year, It was).

See: Bus CM to UT

Since, as we all know, in Amazing Thailand "nothing" remains the same, which implies that "everything" is continually scrambled, strongly suggest you go in person to the Arcade bus station and verify for yourselves that they are still there, that they both continue the kind of alternating-days schedule they had before, etc.

Also suggest you monitor/search the main TV "visa run" forum for any recent reports on what's going on in the Thai immigration services in Vientiane. If you are delayed in Vientiane for any reason that might force you to wait an extra day (or more ?) to connect with the return bus UT=>CM ?

Last we heard, someone here mentioned that Chakrapong had "upgraded" their buses, but it was never clear that all VIP buses were upgraded, or not.

For what it's worth: when we travelled Chakrapong about three years ago, the so-called VIP bus was really trashy, and the seats very narrow and cramped for our big human's body. The next year, traveling Oosuksatour we found the bus much more roomy and the ride more comfortable.

Be great to hear from people who've travelled by either company ... or any other company ... recently on this route. If there is now another company, that would be of interest to many, we think.

best, ~o:37;

I agree with all of you, orang37. Suksaa Tour has better buses than Chakrapong, but each company's services leave on alternate days, so if you don't have any flexibility with the date of your departure, then it's 50-50 as to which company you'll have to go with.

Cheers

H.

[Ulysses G.]

Nakhonchai Air (bus) , only way to go. www.nca.co.th Private terminal at Arcade. See previous thread and all the endorsements for this great bus company. Sombat tour is a close second for many.

Good company (do they go to Udon?), but (as of two weeks ago) Oosuksatour was good too.

Edited August 27, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[gotlost]

Nakhonchai Air (bus) , only way to go. www.nca.co.th Private terminal at Arcade. See previous thread and all the endorsements for this great bus company. Sombat tour is a close second for many.

Good company (do they go to Udon?), but (as of two weeks ago) Oosuksatour was good too.

Unfortunately NCA does not go to Udon or Khon Kaen.

[Yunnie]

There's a couple of threads around in the CM forum and I've mentioned this before.

I actually dont take the VIP bus. I take a shuttle van (or mini bus, but its not a bus. lol ) from CM to Nong Khai. It cost double the amount of VIP bus, but less people, faster travel, and more potty breaks. If there's ALOT less people... you get to stretch out and get a whole row to yourself. lol

Drawbacks is.... since its faster, its bumpier, so you'll be lucky to get some amount of sleep. lol

The agency that runs the shuttle is aYa Service. The shuttles run EVERY evening leaving about 7~7:30pm and you arrive in Nong Khai about 5 ~ 6 (depends on how fast the driver is, breaks, and weather). aYa Service's office is across from the Chiang Mai Train Station. very easy to spot with their big sign and you can see some of the Vans in the Station's parking lot.

Van runs CM - Nong Khai or VTE and farther into Laos (although once in Laos you switch to a different company that works with aYa). But if youre doing a Visa run, You dont need to go into VTE. Because the stop in VTE is pass downtown near Lao Plaza hotel. You would have to back track to go to Thai embassy. So once over the bridge just take a taxi.

So Visa run would just book from CM - Nong Khai. Dont pay for crossing the bridge, you can do that your self there for like 15 baht instead of 200.

[YTP]

I took Chackrapong a couple of weeks ago and had a good experience with them.

The bus was a double-decker VIP, and appeared brand new.

Only thing I didn't like was buying the ticket. I went to the booth and the woman told me they were sold out.

I asked her if I could book for the next day and she told me to come back the next day at 8am.

I kindly asked her if I could buy a ticket in advance for another day (as many TV members have advised) and she said COME TOMORROW, 8AM and turned her attention away from me.

Being my first time to Udon, this left me pretty confused as to what to do next.

Edited August 28, 2010 by YTP

[Ulysses G.]

I had a Thai person do it all in advance and had no problem. I did not know when I would return when I started out, so called from a friend in CM from Vientiane and they made advance reservations and paid for it in Chiang Mai. When I got to the bus station in Udon, it was waiting.

Edited August 28, 2010 by Ulysses G.