Pattaya to Kanchanaburi by bus

[Kleyshay 0]

Hi there, I was planning a 2 or 3 day trip up to Kanchanaburi next week. I am trying to do it both time and cost effective as possible.

Are there any direct Air Con buses that go up to there from Pattaya. What price and time does it take - possibly consider a mininbus.

I see there is a bus from the Southern Bus Station in Bangkok, but if I remember the buses from Patts are to Ekamai and Mo Chit only. Is this correct ?

How difficult and what sort of time from Ekamai or Mo Chit to Southern Treminal ?

Or can anyone reccommend a better way?

 

Thanks in advance chaps

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Or can anyone reccommend a better way?

 

Thanks in advance chaps

 

Go by train. Cheap as chips.

 

everything you need to know is below ........

 

 

http://www.seat61.com/Kwai.htm

[jacko 8,866]

There are some busses that leave from the Pattaya Roong Reuang Bus Station (Pattaya Nua) that go to the Southern bus terminal.

06:00, 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00... but check those times!

There are also some busses to Kanchanaburi that leave from Moechit.... but I would not recommend them as they seem to take forever, using a more Northerly route on 346 with frequent stops. There aren't many trains from Pattaya to Bangkok, but perhaps the bus to Moechit then taxi to the train station would be OK!

 

There are plenty of 'organised' trips to 'Bridge over the river Kwai' from many travel agencies in Pattaya, minibus, and hotel incl. Not my cup of tea but they would make better use of your limited time.

Edited January 6, 2009 by jacko

[tazzydevil 0]

If you are planning to go on an organised, tour 3 years ago we went with Good Times Travel, if they are still in business they are well worth getting in touch with.

 

I have seen travel companies in Pattaya doing day trips to Kanchanaburi but leaving around 5am but way too early

 

We spent extra & went with a taxi, the guy I met on the trip & shared the taxi back to Pattaya with went from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi on the train, he said it was very enjoyable but the train had wooden seats, fan and/or open windows for cool air so expect to rough it a bit

 

Good times travel details are on my old trip report

 

trip report

[Scottie 5]

Hi

Did the trip a few years ago with Malibu Travel.Nice minibus

and good accomodation on the river.Well worth it

Scottie

[Kleyshay 0]

Ok thanks chaps I am going tomorrow. Will bus up to Bkk in the morning ang catch the train from there. Will let you know how it goes. Once again many thanks

[Kleyshay 0]

Well I did it...just.

I (with the help of our kind receptionist) managed to get up about 8am, I got the 9:40 bus to Morchit BKK purely cos my mate was coming from Rayong so would meet him there. I arrived about 12.00 and we then planned to get a taxi to Thonburi station to get the train at 13:55 to the bridge.

Well, lo and behold my mates bus breaks down and he finally rolls in at 13:30 !!!

OK we then decide to get a taxi, to try and make up some time. 1350 baht and an hour and a half later we get there. So back on schedule pretty much

Had a nice time there, seeing the bridge, the museum, cemetry, caves etc etc

Got a room at the River Kwai Hotel 1400 baht for the night.

Up early again next day and took a baht bus taxi (1200 baht and he waits and brings you back) to Erawan Falls. Beautiful place to visit....not quite soi 8

Explained to him I wanted to get train back so he did his best Lewis Hamilton impression and got us back to

Kanchanburi train station with 10 minutes to spare.

100 baht (Thais are free) and Two and a half hours and a nice scenic route back and we are in Thonburi Station, Bangkok.

Seats are a bit harsh on the old butt cheeks but you can have a walk about and strtch your legs.

Took a taxi to Southern Bus Terminal which is about 30 minutes and 150 baht away and made it in time for the last bus back to Pattaya (19.30) got back here at 22.00 last night.

So all in all a nice little break for a couple of days. Yes it was a bit of a rush and I would say you could do with the extra day, but if you can get up a bit earlier than I can then 2 days is enough to see the above without rushing around.

Thanks for the advice lads, and hope this helps anyone thinking of doing it.

[radnyc 0]

There are many travel kiosks in Pattaya selling package trips to Kanchantaburi. I took the trip with my TGF last June. Price was decent (I forget how much, but pretty much the same in each place). I don't like packaged tours, but this worked out well. I didn't feel like driving.

 

Only people on minibus were the 2 of us, her girlfriend, an Aussie retired cop (they hooked up) & a Russian couple. (Minibus can accomodate nearly twice that amount). Picked us up at our hotel.

 

All meals were included--average, at best. But the bus ride was pleasant & uncrowded due to the sparse group. First stopped at a floating market--touristy, but OK--TGF loved it. I liked our hotel--actually floating (moored) on the River Kwai --beautiful placid river both evenig & morning with evening beers on the porch on the river--again pleasant (nightime there was a business karoke party on the hotel's travelling barge. The hotel also has a pool. The Erawan Falls was spectacular! The bridge was a great site. Then more touristy stuff, like elephant ride & River barge, tiger temple.

 

Overall, it was a pretty decent cheap side trip. TGF loved it. Many photos. Good for her to show family & friends since Thais don't travel. Good for me to show friends that I go for the culture.entertainment barge--some Thais invited us to join them. We had a ball--free booze--but we tipped generously)

 

In Feburary we rented a car for a quick photo-op to Ayutthya. Pleasant. But really rented car to visit her family in Korat.