buffalo_bill Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 Gentlemen , arriving at the fine-tuning part of my forthcoming motorcycle-purchasing voyage into the Korat province the problem of getting there comes up . No planes . I have done it once by bus on strong recommendation by lovely Nok but shall never ever step on a Thai overland bus again . On the way back I spent 5 hours in front of the TV and needed 4 days emergency treatment under an oxygene tent later to stabilize my nervous system . Taking a car sounds fine but my appointed driver is buzy in the South by that time and further I do not feel exactly comfortable with Thai road traffic . So what about train , I like to go by trains . Unit leaves Hualampong several times a day and arrives Korat Central 4,5 hours later if you take the Express version . Cost is close to zero ,they supply food and Beersingha to your hearts content and hong nam available any time. Proudly did I present my battle plan to Madame Nok today only to receive a hysterical outcry and a detailed explanation why my idea is total crap . So WTF ?????? I can only estimate that Thai Railways are in disagreement with supranatural powers and all is full of bad karma , possible negative vibrations leading to disease or early death . Why Thai people no like train ? I have been to Kanchanaburi twice and it was great . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 She has acquired the Thai pseudo-snobbish idea that trains are for pheasants! I'd take the train in a heart beat. I used to take the train to Chiangmai as a pleasant overnight journey. I'd book a sleeper the day before and catch the train on my way from work. Have a yam pla grawp and a couple of ice cold bottles of Singha, then crash for the evening. I'd wake up in the mountains south of Chiangmai and have a breakfast of fried eggs and ham. When we rolled into CM, my Mrs would be waiting for me at the station. (But when she came to see me, she'd take the bus - leaving me to worry about her the whole time. Now she flies.) University students regularly go on excursions by train, but Thai BGs expect to travel by air over by a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce. I despised Thai buses ... would sooner ride in the boot of a mini then take one again. Go by train and to hell with it. If she doesn't like it, she can hitch hike. p.s. Tell her your daddy was an engine driver and you want to take the train in his memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Hi, Agree completely with Flash. I refuse to take busses in Thailand for any trip longer than 2-3 hours. Have only ever taken such a bus 3-4 times, one of which ended in an accident (bus driver broke his leg, no running away for him , nobody got seriously injured, but a pain in the ass nevertheless ). I just do not trust the drivers. Have taken the train a couple of times and while they are VERY slow they are (or at least seem) much safer than the busses. If you have to go by bus, there is a company that uses only VIP busses (forgot the name, but can find out), 24 chairs per bus only. My wife's friend took it back to Phayao a few weeks back and the busses looked pretty nice. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 There are 3 types of train - express, rapid and ordinary. I once made the mistake of taking an ordinary train, since I didn't want to wait two hours for the rapid. It was only from Nakorn Sawan to Phitsanulok anyway. As it happened, the express train I chose not to wait for arrived in Phitsanulok an hour and a half BEFORE the ordinary train I rode on did. I've taken the train a couple oif times to Malyasia. Once is nice, since you get to see so much of the countryside. The second time was boring as hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 There are 3 types of train - express, rapid and ordinary. I once made the mistake of taking an ordinary train, since I didn't want to wait two hours for the rapid. It was only from Nakorn Sawan to Phitsanulok anyway. As it happened, the express train I chose not to wait for arrived in Phitsanulok an hour and a half BEFORE the ordinary train I rode on did. I've taken the train a couple if times to Malyasia. Once is nice, since you get to see so much of the countryside. The second time was boring as hell. Now I'll fly to Malaysia, if I need to go there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiHome Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Hi, Agree completely with Flash. I refuse to take busses in Thailand for any trip longer than 2-3 hours. Have only ever taken such a bus 3-4 times, one of which ended in an accident (bus driver broke his leg, no running away for him , nobody got seriously injured, but a pain in the ass nevertheless ). I just do not trust the drivers. Have taken the train a couple of times and while they are VERY slow they are (or at least seem) much safer than the busses. If you have to go by bus, there is a company that uses only VIP busses (forgot the name, but can find out), 24 chairs per bus only. My wife's friend took it back to Phayao a few weeks back and the busses looked pretty nice. Sanuk! It’s called Nakhon Chai Air. Runs out of a private terminal near the Mor Chit bus terminal. Their first class bus service is supposed to be the best. Also, the bus speed is recorded and they carry backup drivers, so considered safer than most other bus companies. In Thai The train is probably as comfortable as the bus (assuming one buys the first class ticket), but the length of the trip makes it a really bad deal in my book. For the train, check out this video of a trip from Korat to BKK. TH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGLom0P9CYM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Yes, my vote is for the trains if for no other reason you can stand up, stretch and walk around. I bussed to Nong Khai from Chiang Rai a couple of times. One nightmare tripped involved a total of 28 hours on the bus and a visa run to the Thai Embassy in Vientiane all in the space of 65 hours.... I was weeks recovering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bar4 Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Love to travel by train. Some more info here: http://www.railway.co.th/home/Default.asp?lenguage=Eng www.seat61.com Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Hi, "It’s called Nakhon Chai Air. Runs out of a private terminal near the Mor Chit bus terminal." Yes, that's the one. Thanks. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiHome Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 I’m unclear why BB doesn’t just rent a car and drive himself there. It is an easy 4 hour or less drive on major highways the entire way. Take Highway 1 out of Bangkok to Saraburi; take a break there when you change to highway 2 and then on to Nakhon Ratchasima. Next to the drive from Bangkok to Pattaya, it is the easiest drive in Thailand. Though there are many maniacs on the road, they are easily avoided and the biggest problems are the big trucks and cars driving slowly and not getting out of the right lane. TH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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