What's up with the Bkk wans?

[Norseman]

That is too late I'm afraid santa.
The last bus from Bangkok to Hua Hin depart at 18:00 hrs.
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I intend to live forever -- so far, so good.

[JimboPSM]

This may add some enlightenment to recent events - from Bangkok Post:

[Rider]

In a previous life I tried my hand at running a van/minibus company, the van firm 'mafia' the rules the roost at victory monument wanted 500,000 baht as 'van registration' to work the monument!
Told them to fck off!
If they are cracking down on it I hope they get a decent replacement deal sorted out as they are damned handy to use
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[thehamok]

Thanks for the latest Jimbo.

I think that makes my mind up for getting to Hua Hin.

Southern Bus Terminal it is now.

Will review the problem before coming back in 2 weeks time.

Thanks again.

[PJG]

Do not think it has happened yet but the Southern Bus Terminal is moving from its present location to nearer the Outer ring Road. That should shorten the journey time slightly as now the Buses from Hua Hin will not have to go almost to Pra Pink Klao Bridge and do a u-turn to get to the terminal.

[da]

I've seen it its pretty fancy, Thailand is coming up in the world. Way better location. It will work for me, so will the new BTS lines being run all over the place.
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[buksida]

Apparently the vans are running again now, staff just went down there to have a look see.
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Named must your fear be before banish it you can.

[thehamok]

Southern bus station is I belive still in the same place.

I had the misfortune of getting my bus from there last wednesday. Not one of my best options.

Arrived in the new airport at 11:50 am, on time, Got through Immigration, eventually. We were sent form a queue with about 25 people in it to a place further on that had about 50 to 60 in it in a one lane configuration which was different from the one we were told to leave.

Anyway I eventually arrived at the kerb to get the shuttle bus at about 1 pm. No problems there hoever, as we arriving at the Transportation centre I saw my 556 bus to the Southern Bus Station leaving. I said oh well I suppose a 30 minute wait at most.

No it wsn't. The 556 left at 2:30 pm and eventually arrived at the Southern Bus Station at 3:20.

I jumped off with 2 cases only to see a bus for Hua Hin leave. It stopped and I got on. Now I don't know if that was a good idea or now. I'm still trying to figure out if I got on a SLOW bus or do they all take the same route.

The end result is that I was dropped off in the centre of Hua Hin at 7:25pm.

I had little or no sleep over the previous 36 hours so I was well and truly knackered.

Anyway it was my decision to go that way becaue of the uncertainty with the mini bus from Victory Monument. I will be looking into the mini bus option for going back to Bangkok in a weeks time. At least Im here so it won't be a problem to ask.

For what its worth for anyone who is coming in this direction, there appeared to be plenty of 551 buses from the Transportation Area in the new Airport to Victory Monument - Id say they were every 10 or minutes.

I'll update here re the mini buses from Bangkok when I ask about the ones for my return trip.

[thehamok]

Thanks Buksida that will save me the trouble of asking here.

[Heebio]

Minibus Update:

Got the minbus up to BKK from the usual place on Wednesday afternoon - everything normal except that we were not dropped off at Victory Monument, the driver came off the freeway one stop before the usual turn off and dropped us about 200 metres before the small bus station at VM, but right under the BTS station - so no problems accessing the BTS.

My girlfriend asked the driver where the bus would leave from to go back to Hua Hin and was told the pick up point was now at a PTT station round the corner.

Lunchtime today - went to the usual pick up point at Victory Monument, on the off chance things were back to normal. Bought tickets at the usual spot and we were on the bus on the way down the road within ten mins - two hours, thirty mins later we were in Hua Hin.

Absolutely everything appears to be back to normal - hope it stays that way.
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[NOKYAI]

How frugal do you need to be? Splash the cash, B2000 for an excellent service HH - BKK, with a taxi surely must be woth not having the hassle. I've done the train, VIP bus, even friends in there Tigers! Fall asleep with a good taxi driver, budget for it, arrive stress free.

[ricardo]

I have stopped using the mini vans, as I find the driving too dangerous.

I saw one overturned last Sunday near Palm Hills and later learned that it had come from Ratchaburi, 4 people had died and 3 were in hospital.

I used to use thwm If I needed to make a quick day trip up and back to Bangkok as it was so easy to connect to the sky train. But now I drive to Tesco Lotus on On Nut leave the car, and then get on the sky train to do my business.

[long-in-thailand]