NCA bus Pattaya ---Chiangmai, First Class Bus available ?

[susanschwaiger]

Hallo !May I shoot a quick question here:

Today, I've bought tickets Pattaya to Chiangmai, and Chiangmai to Pattaya. I did not check clearly and I bought gold class tickets.

Later I read on web that NCA also has the best class ---First class bus. More expensive than Gold class but more comfortable too.

Does anyone know: if NCA pattaya station also sells first class tickets to and back from Chiangmai. If yes, I will go tomorrow to change the tickets......If not, then I don't need to bother.

Thanks a lot!

[MJCM]

Call 1624, it's the call center and they speak good English.

But my guess is they will !

[Asiantravel]

I have been on that route many times and I can tell you that unfortunately for some unknown reason first class is not available from Pattaya only gold class.First class to Chiang Mai only goes from Bangkok

But don't feel too bad about it because gold class is pretty comfortable and if you get the new Sunlong bus as opposed to the old Mercedes there isn't much difference in the actual style of seating between first and gold standard.(both have airline style touchscreens for each individual seat and they issue you with headsets to select your own movies )

The only real difference is less seats on first class.

[Oink]

It is only around Baht 2,000/2,500 return Air Asia from U-Tapao and the flight only takes one hour ten minutes.

Why bother with a ten hour bus ride?

[Cirencester]

It is only around Baht 2,000/2,500 return Air Asia from U-Tapao and the flight only takes one hour ten minutes.

Why bother with a ten hour bus ride?

Longer than 10 hours !! I drove from Buriram to Chang Mai with just a 30 minute break and it took 12 hours from right up there

[MJCM]

FYI, Buriram -> Chiang Mai vs Pattaya -> Chiang Mai is approx the same distance. (but indeed longer then 10 hours

Edit: I once did Surin to Chiang Mai with NakornchaiAir and it took 14 hours, but not tiring and beautiful scenery

[Asiantravel]

It is only around Baht 2,000/2,500 return Air Asia from U-Tapao and the flight only takes one hour ten minutes.

Why bother with a ten hour bus ride?

there are many reasons why someone chooses the bus instead of flying.

for example have you ever considered people who want to bring back something that is prohibited on the aircraft? Such as liquids of any sort over a certain size.

[Oink]

It is only around Baht 2,000/2,500 return Air Asia from U-Tapao and the flight only takes one hour ten minutes.

Why bother with a ten hour bus ride?

there are many reasons why someone chooses the bus instead of flying.

for example have you ever considered people who want to bring back something that is prohibited on the aircraft? Such as liquids of any sort over a certain size.

No. The OP did not indicate that the purpose of his trip was to transport items prohibited on aircraft.

Large quantities of hazardous liquids are probably banned on buses too!

[Asiantravel]

It is only around Baht 2,000/2,500 return Air Asia from U-Tapao and the flight only takes one hour ten minutes.

Why bother with a ten hour bus ride?

there are many reasons why someone chooses the bus instead of flying.

for example have you ever considered people who want to bring back something that is prohibited on the aircraft? Such as liquids of any sort over a certain size.

No. The OP did not indicate that the purpose of his trip was to transport items prohibited on aircraft.

Large quantities of hazardous liquids are probably banned on buses too!

who said anything about hazardous? And who said anything about large quantities?

I don't consider 1 L of any liquid to be a large quantity and that is the maximum your allowed to carry on and aircraft these days

[Oink]

It is only around Baht 2,000/2,500 return Air Asia from U-Tapao and the flight only takes one hour ten minutes.

Why bother with a ten hour bus ride?

there are many reasons why someone chooses the bus instead of flying.

for example have you ever considered people who want to bring back something that is prohibited on the aircraft? Such as liquids of any sort over a certain size.

No. The OP did not indicate that the purpose of his trip was to transport items prohibited on aircraft.

Large quantities of hazardous liquids are probably banned on buses too!

who said anything about hazardous? And who said anything about large quantities?

I don't consider 1 L of any liquid to be a large quantity and that is the maximum your allowed to carry on and aircraft these days

You are so right. Let her get the bus for ten hours, eleven hours, whatever, and don't offer any helpful alternative advice.

One up to you Asiantravel, I am so humbled by your insight.

Some people will argue with a tree.

[anto]

I have been on that route many times and I can tell you that unfortunately for some unknown reason first class is not available from Pattaya only gold class.First class to Chiang Mai only goes from Bangkok

But don't feel too bad about it because gold class is pretty comfortable and if you get the new Sunlong bus as opposed to the old Mercedes there isn't much difference in the actual style of seating between first and gold standard.(both have airline style touchscreens for each individual seat and they issue you with headsets to select your own movies )

The only real difference is less seats on first class.

Can i ask your reason for taking the bus ,rather than flying ?

[Asiantravel]

I have been on that route many times and I can tell you that unfortunately for some unknown reason first class is not available from Pattaya only gold class.First class to Chiang Mai only goes from Bangkok

But don't feel too bad about it because gold class is pretty comfortable and if you get the new Sunlong bus as opposed to the old Mercedes there isn't much difference in the actual style of seating between first and gold standard.(both have airline style touchscreens for each individual seat and they issue you with headsets to select your own movies )

The only real difference is less seats on first class.

Can i ask your reason for taking the bus ,rather than flying ?

Yes easy to answer.

I flew there but if I had flown on my return journey I had already exceeded my carry on allowance and I had an additional item which was considered fragile by the airline and I was required to sign a limited release at check-in to confirm that I would not make any claim against the airline if it was damaged. Plus I would have needed to pay excess baggage but it was the potential damage that was of the most concern.

Instead I gave a tip to the NCA baggage guy and even watched as my item was very carefully loaded into the lower compartment of the bus (where they even gave me my own individual section with no other luggage)

now I’m sure even a tree which Oink referred to wouldn’t be so dumb as not to understand why in this case NCA was not only a better choice but it was the only choice

[susanschwaiger]

I used NCA night bus to Chiangmai once and it was great. You get on bus and sleep and wake up in Chiangmai. It saves time. Besides, my little girl alway likes to go with "Big Bus Round & Round" )) No first class NCA from Pattaya. Because the terminal stop is in Rayong.

But this time, there happened something that was quite unpleasant:

When I bought the tickets, I brought all 3 passports for my family. According to the rule, you need passport to buy NCA ticket. But the ticket sales girl said: "Oh, I just need one passport". So she only took my passport and did the operation in computer. Then all the 6 tickets shown my name.

Later, I found out that kids under 130cm only need to pay half price. So I went there again and explained to the guy in charge. He was very polite and but he called head company and said they can't return the gap money because the record can't be changed in system....

Well, not much money indeed, but really annoying ......Anyway, let it go. Really looking forward to the family trip to Chiangmai in July buddha holiday !

[MJCM]

@susans

Good that you booked early as a lot of Thais will be traveling then. I hope you also already booked your hotel in Chiang Mai

Have a nice trip and sorry to hear about your troubles with getting the money back.

[lor]

About 12 years ago there was a double decker bus running from Chang Mai. To Bangkok. Inside it had about 6 or 8 beds on each floor. Never used the service but it looked very comfortable.

[Asiantravel]

About 12 years ago there was a double decker bus running from Chang Mai. To Bangkok. Inside it had about 6 or 8 beds on each floor. Never used the service but it looked very comfortable.

those kinds of buses are still used in Cambodia and Laos.

The trouble is the roads are in such poor condition(particularly on the outskirts of Vientiene on the way to Luang Prabang) that no matter how comfortable the bus itself is the journey is not at all pleasant

[anto]

About 12 years ago there was a double decker bus running from Chang Mai. To Bangkok. Inside it had about 6 or 8 beds on each floor. Never used the service but it looked very comfortable.

those kinds of buses are still used in Cambodia and Laos.

The trouble is the roads are in such poor condition(particularly on the outskirts of Vientiene on the way to Luang Prabang) that no matter how comfortable the bus itself is the journey is not at all pleasant

I have taken the sleeper bus from Savanaket Lao to Vientiane Lao .Always pay for two bunks ,otherwise you will be sharing a very narrow bunk with somebody else .