I m planning for my next trip during march to spend some days at Phuket. Does anyone know how long it takes to travel by
bus from HH to Phuket ?
Greetings from snowy Switzerland
Rosso 
Hua Hin to Phuket
Hua Hin to Phuket
Hello together
I m planning for my next trip during march to spend some days at Phuket. Does anyone know how long it takes to travel by
bus from HH to Phuket ?
Greetings from snowy Switzerland
Rosso
I m planning for my next trip during march to spend some days at Phuket. Does anyone know how long it takes to travel by
bus from HH to Phuket ?
Greetings from snowy Switzerland
Rosso 
HUA HIN TO PHUKET
Will they let you drive the bus?
at least you may have a chance of arriving in one piece if you drive!I took the air-conditioned VIP bus from HH to Koh Samui, in early January, which is almost as far as Phuket and if you have the happy facility to be able to sleep in a semi-reclined position, the hours pass quite painlessly. There is a "pit-stop" half way and you get a snack and drinks on the bus too. Unless HH airport reopens, there aren't too many other options !
hua inn --koh samui
Hi Phillip i will be in hua inn next week and i also want to go down to koh samui by bus where did you book the bus and how much was it sounds like it was a good trip does the bus take you over to the island as well ??
thanks Eyes
thanks Eyes
sorry for jumping in on this one phil but thought i'd fire in my two bahts worth as i've done the trip several times.
By bus there are essentially two ways two do it:
1) "VIP" Tour Bus.
This can be booked at any travel/tour agent in Hua Hin. It usually costs around 650 - 700 baht. The bus meets you at around 11pm at the Bank of Ayutthaya (just past traffic lights heading south). It says VIP but its just a regular bus -the VIPs have only 24 seats (and real big ones too!). It takes you to Suratthani town arriving at about 6am, you then have to wait around for two hours or so for the Songserm passenger ferry (ticket included in the price). The ferry takes around 2 and a half hours to get from Surat to Samui so you should be in resort (Chaweng/Lamai) by 11.00 - 12.00 the following day.
2) Governmet (bor kor sor) bus
This one you can't book, they leave twice daily from the bus station up near the railway (where the old Blue Star disco used to be). Usual times are 10.30pm and 11.30pm (best to check before). I've had no trouble getting on them but at peak times (Thai holidays) they get busy, you litterally buy the ticket as the bus turns up, costs around 260 baht so its a chance you take on it being full or not. It takes you to Don Sak where the car ferry leaves - arriving at about 6am. The ferry costs 50 baht (the bus goes on to the boat also). It takes about an hour and you are on Samui by 8am and in resort by 9am.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages, personally I prefer the goverment bus as i dont like waiting around. If you're going on a holiday eg Songkran - its best to book the tour one.
Good luck!
By bus there are essentially two ways two do it:
1) "VIP" Tour Bus.
This can be booked at any travel/tour agent in Hua Hin. It usually costs around 650 - 700 baht. The bus meets you at around 11pm at the Bank of Ayutthaya (just past traffic lights heading south). It says VIP but its just a regular bus -the VIPs have only 24 seats (and real big ones too!). It takes you to Suratthani town arriving at about 6am, you then have to wait around for two hours or so for the Songserm passenger ferry (ticket included in the price). The ferry takes around 2 and a half hours to get from Surat to Samui so you should be in resort (Chaweng/Lamai) by 11.00 - 12.00 the following day.
2) Governmet (bor kor sor) bus
This one you can't book, they leave twice daily from the bus station up near the railway (where the old Blue Star disco used to be). Usual times are 10.30pm and 11.30pm (best to check before). I've had no trouble getting on them but at peak times (Thai holidays) they get busy, you litterally buy the ticket as the bus turns up, costs around 260 baht so its a chance you take on it being full or not. It takes you to Don Sak where the car ferry leaves - arriving at about 6am. The ferry costs 50 baht (the bus goes on to the boat also). It takes about an hour and you are on Samui by 8am and in resort by 9am.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages, personally I prefer the goverment bus as i dont like waiting around. If you're going on a holiday eg Songkran - its best to book the tour one.
Good luck!
Watch out if you book the so-called VIP bus from a Travel Agent, it can be a bugger of a trip. We booked via the German 'reisburo' opposite the Hilton on Naret Damri. We were stuck in 'steerage class' downstairs, the seats were broken and didn't recline properly, the 'airco' was on full-blast and couldn't be turned down or off so we froze our arses, even after sticking on about 3 extra T-shirts, socks(!), and denim jacket. Result is: you arrive at the spot where you change buses ( after being told in the agency the bus took us direct to the ferry ), having not slept a wink and pretty bad tempered.
Be very careful at the bus transfer ( in this case not in the town of Surathani itself, but a field in the middle of nowhere ): you hang around for a couple of hours, are asked to 'confirm' your ferry trip a couple of times and after much to-do are given your ferry 'ticket'. And here lies the biggest hassle. In the agency we were assured our ticket was for the high-speed ferry ( approx. 45 mins to Samui ), but when you present the ticket received at the bus-transfer point this turns out to be for the old tub that will take hours longer. And this even after we had double checked at the agency after having heard of this scam - they assured us that the scam had operated on another route and we'd have no hassle. Ha Ha. They thought they'd never see us again. THEY WERE WRONG !!!
Be very careful at the bus transfer ( in this case not in the town of Surathani itself, but a field in the middle of nowhere ): you hang around for a couple of hours, are asked to 'confirm' your ferry trip a couple of times and after much to-do are given your ferry 'ticket'. And here lies the biggest hassle. In the agency we were assured our ticket was for the high-speed ferry ( approx. 45 mins to Samui ), but when you present the ticket received at the bus-transfer point this turns out to be for the old tub that will take hours longer. And this even after we had double checked at the agency after having heard of this scam - they assured us that the scam had operated on another route and we'd have no hassle. Ha Ha. They thought they'd never see us again. THEY WERE WRONG !!!
Wow ! What incredible hassle... I had none of this, just bought the tickets with the help of my Thai g/f the previous day at the bus station west and north of the night market, (upstairs, from a cheeky wee "clippie") (What Glaswegians call a tarty little bus-conductress), and the trip there and back went like clockwork. I did have to pay an extra 50 baht each for the ferry though. At the end of it all, I'm glad to have seen Koh Samui and can "tick the box" but I wouldn't rush back - too commercialised and the people were rather "grasping" (mercenary). The beaches could be lovely, if someone could be bothered clearing up the debris/flotsam left by the high tides ! And the beach-vendors are indefatigable. "Mai ow kraap" is usually sufficient but there's no peace to be had - mind you, that was chaweng beach.
I think it will be Krabi next time !
Chok dee, everyone.
Philip