Bus to Chiang Mai.....

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astrid
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Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by astrid » September 29, 2008, 1:01 am

Anybody that know about if there is buses going
to Chiang Mai from Udorn and if so :

Cost for ticket, how much r/t, how many hours on the road.

Bo :-({|=



lee
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by lee » September 29, 2008, 10:14 am

Buses depart from the western bus terminal (Map ref C9). There are several ticket offices there that can give you the schedule and costs. I believe it's around 10-12 hours by road. :sleepy:

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BobHelm
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by BobHelm » September 29, 2008, 10:24 am

lee wrote: I believe it's around 10-12 hours by road. :sleepy:
From what TG tells me this is not a way to get from Udon to Chang Mai that should be undertaken lightly.
It is (as Lee says) a long journey on roads that span mountains & are not exactly suitable for large buses.
The maintenance & condition of some of these buses leaves a great deal to be desired.
Personally I wouldn't entertain getting to Chang Mai this way & would hire a car & drive it myself if air travel wasn't an option..

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rickfarang
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by rickfarang » September 29, 2008, 12:15 pm

Or...if you want to see the country side, you could take an overnight sagging, squeaking train held together with string and bailing wire down to Bangkok, and then jump on a sleek, clean more modern (by comparison) train and up to Chaing Mai. We did that once. Its a much longer trip than the direct one by bus, but it was certainly a lot more fun than the bus trip would have been - you can walk around on the train, visit the dining car, in addition to staring out the window and reading a book.

Hey...I've almost talked myself into doing it again! :razz:

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steadyjohn
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by steadyjohn » September 29, 2008, 12:32 pm

I took the bus from Udon - Chiang Mai a few years ago and it takes about 12 hrs

The bus I got left at 8.00-8.30 pm, but there are buses that leave in the morning not sure of the time though you are best to go to Bus station and check it out the No.6 white song taew from Rajabhat stops there
In the evening there are 2 buses the normal one and the VIP one, I took the VIP and it was the best bus I been on here..................not sure of the prices sorry.....the office is in one of the buildings on the left hand side of the station as you enter.....it is open all day
I went one-way and when I returned I went to the wrong counter in Chiang Mai and the bus was 3 hrs late and there was no VIP service :(

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Johnny

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Khun Paul
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by Khun Paul » September 30, 2008, 8:08 am

Not something I would undertake lightly I agree with previous posts, driving can be fun depending on your route, train is always the lesser of all evils.

personally I would give the bus a miss, and take a train, unless driving about 8-10 hours turns you on, this way you can even stop o/night at some place or other to make a short holiday of the trip itself.

reasons for not using Bus.
1. lack of maintainance.
2. driver incompetent and/or drunk
3 roads can be bad and buses to bag.
4 With no vip, I am sorry to say this but the pervading smell form many Thai passengers and some of their foodstuffs make one want to retch.
5. last and not least.The seats are as uncomfortable as their beds hard and unyeilding.

laphanphon

Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by laphanphon » September 30, 2008, 12:19 pm

take a train
as soon as they build the tracks and offer service, that would be a good idea......CM to UT, not BKK.

won't comment on the rest, but if taking bus, try VIP/407, (ac, 24 seater, almost comfortabe, faster) as gov't busses, hopefully better and safer, and no price scamming or thefts. if no vip/407 service, i would consider flying, if not driving yourself. as mentioned, it is a pleasant drive, i've done it a couple times, enjoyed it.

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beer monkey
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by beer monkey » September 30, 2008, 3:23 pm

Do it by Bicycle...ask the 'cyclist' for a few tips whilst in the saddle.

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/c ... 10320.html
Can You Dig It Dug.?

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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by cyclist » September 30, 2008, 4:59 pm

I did the bus ride a couple of years ago, a so called overnight vip bus. As soon as we left Chiang Mai it was plainly obvious that the hydraulic suspension on the bus had colapsed, the whole bus was leaning to one side at a thirty degree angle. The police pulled us over and we had a two hour wait while they decided what to do. In the end they just let us go on. Believe me if we had stopped at a town where there was a hotel I was of that bus. I swore at the time I would never do the journey again.

But last week I booked a ticket for the same journey but circumstances changed and ended up canceling it. The cost of the ticket was 700Bhat. Which I shall reclaim in alcohol when I get to Udon in November.

Taking all things into consideration its safer and much more pleasent to cycle the journey than take the bus.

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beer monkey
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by beer monkey » September 30, 2008, 5:37 pm

The double decker buses look Unstable to me they all seem to lean at a unusual angle i know they are suppose to have a certain amount of lean but don't look right...just drive a car that route or any route and you will see what Buses are capable of doing on the road.....most passengers don't get the 'full effect' as they are asleep, but i always slept with one eye open when doing over-nighters, at least i could brace myself and hang-on to something if we did have a problem.....spare under crackers are an essential item to be taken on board. :mrgreen: and a Loud Hailer to use to wake the Driver.. :lol:

Speed limiters would be a good idea.
Can You Dig It Dug.?

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fussychunk
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by fussychunk » October 1, 2008, 3:04 pm

I took the bus to Udon from Chaing Mai a few years back, it broke down with problems with the brakes. A total of 17 hrs on the road in pile of crap. Noodles at 1 am were Ok if it wasnt for the Mozzies. Arrived in Udon at 4am and went to Grand Chorensri and had to explain that all we wanted the room for was 5 hrs before we were off to the village.

Walk it will be quicker!!..or fly to bkk then back up

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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by saint » October 2, 2008, 7:27 am

ive travelled several of thousands of kilometres on thai roads , and there is no way i would put my life in the hands of any bus driver in thailand . they are quit simply suicidal , the buses are accidents waiting to happen , the drivers are pretty much of their faces on yabba , with schedules that they cannot rationally keep to without driving like the horsemen of the accopolypse . the worst, most ignorant drivers in thailand with one exception , mini bus drivers !!!!!!!!! =; =; =; =;

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Roy
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by Roy » October 2, 2008, 7:30 am

Thanks Saint, I am going down to Bangers tonight on the bus and you have just killed any chance of sleep :lol: :lol:
Free the Doug 1

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beer monkey
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by beer monkey » October 2, 2008, 3:32 pm

Roy wrote:Thanks Saint, I am going down to Bangers tonight on the bus and you have just killed any chance of sleep :lol: :lol:

:sleepy: One Eye Open Roy....One Eye Open....!! . :sleepy:
Can You Dig It Dug.?

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Brian Davis
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by Brian Davis » October 3, 2008, 1:48 pm

Don't know your timescale, budget etc. but if you're not against flying, don't Thai Airways start a DIRECT service Udon to Chiang Mai from 1 November, I believe? If you're not planning to go crazy shopping and fill a car, that would be my preference. It's a cheap but long haul by bus with all the quality of service and safety concerns.

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Brian Davis
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Re: Bus to Chiang Mai.....

Post by Brian Davis » October 4, 2008, 8:10 pm

A check on line bookings with Thai Airways suggests Direct service from 26 October.

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