Hat yai to Hua hin best method? train / Bus

[Rob W]

Just found out I can get a bus from Singapore to Hat yai and thought i may do this some time for the fun of it.
Ive had a look at the train times from there to HH and they are not good connections, but do able .
Does anyone know of other means of getting to HH?
Is there a good bus service?
Must be more fun that tiger air!!
cheers
Rob

[VincentD]

The buses have been running for more than twenty years. I believe they still leave from the same place in Beach road, a place called Golden Mile complex. Do note that these are Malaysian-registered buses and are nowhere near as comfortable as the Thai counterparts. If the guy in front reclines his seat, he will be in your face, literally.

You will have to cross two physical borders. You will be hassled at both. You also have to get out of the bus to clear immigration, leaving your luggage aboard. Customs is an entirely different matter and you are entirely at their mercy.

It's at least eighteen hours on the road between Sillypore and Hatyai. If you reach the border before dawn, you still have to wait for the Sadao checkpoint to open. There used to be a 'fee' collected just before the checkpoint; not sure about now, but I remember one farang couple who refused to pay being left at the border to fend for themselves, and it was still another thirty kilometers or so to Hatyai.

I did this trip more than twenty years ago, I wouldn't advise it now. There was some underground activity back then, but at least they were not blowing things up...

Then you still have to find your way to HH...

Take your chances with Tiger air.

[lomuamart]

Up from Singapore, I'm not sure of. But surely if you get to KL, or certainly Butterworth (Penang drop-off), you'll be fine.
Pass through Sadao, as VincentD said. It's a direct train from Butterworth in Malaysia to BKK. Obviously passes through HH. About a 17 hr overnight journey if I remember right and can be great fun.
You'll be travelling up through the western side of Malaysia/Thailand to start with, so you'll miss the dodgy provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narithawat in the East. They're probably pretty dangerous at the moment which is a shame because I've been down there and the people are great.
Religion, eh?

[Rob W]

Yes I looked at the train but thought that Its a bit quicker by bus and the new busses look fantastic 26 business class type seats in a double decker personal TVs etc . really just fancied the ride!.
its 12hrs from JB ( I live in northern Singapore so just as easy to get to JB as go down town)
May just bus up to Butterworth and train from there.
may do it later in the year.
The Malaysian boarder is very easy nowadays not sure on the thai one but what the hell.

[lomuamart]

Didn't realise that the busses could be that luxurious. Send us a trip report if you do it that way - price etc.
I don't think you'll find the border on the Thai side any problem. If I remember correctly, there's a huge duty free area in Malaysia. I stayed one night in Sadao many years ago and didn't find it the most welcoming place in the world. Then again, I wasn't a border-hopping Malaysian male looking for girlies and buying bottles of Black Label left, right and centre. Maybe I just went to the wrong places?

[johnnyk]

I bussed it from HY to HH when all trains were booked solid at songkran 2006.
Its a long ride but the buses are comfy.
My advice would be to break the journey at Chumpon and overnight there as its a large town with some choice of hotels. A decent, if spartan, hotel is about 280-300 baht. From Chumps it was about a 5-hour run to HH on one of the orange/blue buses less time on the big blue buses (big blue ones also booked solid for songkran so had to take the other).

[lomuamart]

That makes sense johnnyk,
Chumphon's a good place. I don't know it that well, but have stayed overnight on a number of occasions. Always the same hotel, which is 400B a night and has all the "mod cons". Air con, mini bar, telly, hot water shower etc etc. Great value and right in the centre of town.
PS, a train up to HH from there is fun as well. It maybe takes an hour longer then the bus, but personally I don't mind that as they sell beer in the restaurant carriage!!

[johnnyk]

I like that idea, bus to Chumps then beer on the train for the 2nd leg!

[Rider]

Take the bus, take the bus, no really! Take the bus!

Took the train 3rd Class from the border with Sungai Koluk to Chumpon, never again.
Low-life drunk peasants (I like the salt of the earth types but these types were nasty folk), sinister train police who seem to enjoy intruding on peoples personal space and so on.
Yes I was a masocist for taking third class but it put me off Thai trains for good (unless its a sleeper).
Still have shudders about those uncomfortable wooden seats!

[Sorrento10]

I understand that the Visa on arrival will only be granted if you have an AIRLINE ticket out of the country within the 30 day limit. If you arrive and leave by Train or Bus (thats to say are not using airlines) how do you stand with the visa situation?

[Bamboo Grove]

I understand that the Visa on arrival will only be granted if you have an AIRLINE ticket out of the country within the 30 day limit

Not correct. I´ve been asked to show a ticket out of the country, when I´ve applied for a tourist visa (happened once) and even then I was able to get the visa without any proof of a ticket. Never have I been asked about a ticket out of the country when I´ve arrived with or without a visa. Anyway, the last time I´ve come in for the 30 days, visa on arrival was in November.

[lomuamart]

I understand that the Visa on arrival will only be granted if you have an AIRLINE ticket out of the country within the 30 day limit. If you arrive and leave by Train or Bus (thats to say are not using airlines) how do you stand with the visa situation?

Apparantly, they are asking for this at the Cambodian land crossing at Aranya Prathet. I've not heard of it being enforced anywhere else. This is a recent development and only for the 30 day visa exempt stamps.
There's no need for an onward ticket if you've got a "proper visa" - Tourist or Non Imm.

[Nereus]

I understand that the Visa on arrival will only be granted if you have an AIRLINE ticket out of the country within the 30 day limit. If you arrive and leave by Train or Bus (thats to say are not using airlines) how do you stand with the visa situation?

Apparantly, they are asking for this at the Cambodian land crossing at Aranya Prathet. I've not heard of it being enforced anywhere else. This is a recent development and only for the 30 day visa exempt stamps.
There's no need for an onward ticket if you've got a "proper visa" - Tourist or Non Imm.

Quite right Lomu. This is another of those "rules" that have always been there, but not enforced. Without a visa you are obliged to show onward travel documents, regardless of mode of travel, or port of entry.

[PeteC]

There are many places outside of Thailand that enforce that also. I got caught in Honolulu once without an onward ticket and without a visa. Wouldn't let me check in until I bought an open date o/w Bangkok to Singapore. That was with United Airlines so assume any US airline that tickets to Bangkok looks for same. Pete

[Nereus]

There are many places outside of Thailand that enforce that also. I got caught in Honolulu once without an onward ticket and without a visa. Wouldn't let me check in until I bought an open date o/w Bangkok to Singapore. That was with United Airlines so assume any US airline that tickets to Bangkok looks for same. Pete

I think that you will find that requirement is an Airline, rather than immigration rule. If any Airline carries a passenger to a destination without a visa for that destination, then they are legally obliged to either, return you to the point of boarding, or carry you on to a destination that will accept you. And they do not have to accept your word that the destination does not require you to have a visa--it is the Airlines decision.