# travel costs



## Hephesus (Mar 17, 2009)

So ok I was wrong, again. I thought that my simple question to the cost of travell on tuk tuk was very limitied but now I see it opens new doors. If the tuk tuk dies and is replaced by electic tuk tuk, maybe, but the cost is still acceptable to cheap. So how about the internal flight cost or trains????? or car rental.?


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## Guest (Apr 29, 2009)

Internal flights are pretty cheap at the moment especially. If you shop around, £20 including taxes Bkk - Chiang Mai is still possible (15k baggage allowance, but excess isn't expensive). Several flights a day between three (?) airlines.

There's a 'luxury' coach service from Bkk to CM too, the best seats going for about £15. About 12 hours if I remember right. Ok it seems a long haul but it's not so bad... pretty comfortable seats, tv (unfortunately showing Thai tv with lots of people dressed up as ghosts and running around, made no sense to me but then Thai sitcoms or whatever they are rarely do...) drinks, a snack voucher at a stop along the way. Even had a cute 'stewardess'.

The 'express' train takes longer still. Never used it, but it appeals to some chugging through the Thai countryside at an average 40 mph. Various classes, first class being pretty cheap. 

Car hire is a bit cheaper than in the UK, when they are desperate for business you can get some good upgrades. I booked the smallest class once, around £15 for the day (unlimited mileage), ended up with some giant 4x4 that I didn't really want or need. Good job diesel is cheap.

_(Seem to have used the word 'cheap' rather a lot in this post!)_


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## Hephesus (Mar 17, 2009)

frogblogger said:


> Internal flights are pretty cheap at the moment especially. If you shop around, £20 including taxes Bkk - Chiang Mai is still possible (15k baggage allowance, but excess isn't expensive). Several flights a day between three (?) airlines.
> 
> There's a 'luxury' coach service from Bkk to CM too, the best seats going for about £15. About 12 hours if I remember right. Ok it seems a long haul but it's not so bad... pretty comfortable seats, tv (unfortunately showing Thai tv with lots of people dressed up as ghosts and running around, made no sense to me but then Thai sitcoms or whatever they are rarely do...) drinks, a snack voucher at a stop along the way. Even had a cute 'stewardess'.
> 
> ...


My time on Crete is running out and I need to get my head in gear for the trip there, So the internal flights are cheap, do you know If I can get a ticket at the airport or do you think that booking it in advance is better. That is BKK to chiang rai. I only see one on the net and that was for 150 uk pounds.


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## Guest (Jun 3, 2009)

Advance booking has good deals but I don't know about Chiang Rai - £150 is a lot. A month ago I stupidly didn't book with Air Asia who had Bkk - CM at 99 baht! Now there are only a couple of offers at 999 baht, and they are selling fast. If comfort's not an issue and you want to save cash, it's almost worth flying to CM and either getting a bus, or seeing about CM - CR flights from there.

Hassle, though.


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## robby nz (Apr 27, 2009)

If I have to do a long trip like next week BKK to Udon Thani I use the overnight sleeper train, quite comfortable and you dont lose a day. Cost around 500b for a second class fan sleeper, top and bottom bunks are different prices.
Used the Air con version once and it felt freezing, fan for me from then on. Also have first class but dont know the cost, can look it up on line, online booking costs more.

Ever noticed how the first thing a lot of people do on a bus or train is pull the curtain so they cant see outside, then sit and look at the back of the seat in front for the whole trip, Ok sometimes they want to keep the sun off but me I want to see what is going past, part of the experience of being in this country.


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## Serendipity2 (Feb 22, 2009)

Hephesus said:


> My time on Crete is running out and I need to get my head in gear for the trip there, So the internal flights are cheap, do you know If I can get a ticket at the airport or do you think that booking it in advance is better. That is BKK to chiang rai. I only see one on the net and that was for 150 uk pounds.



Hephesus,

There are two discount carriers you can use to get to Chiang Rai. The first is NokAir and it's fares are good but your routing is BKK/CNX/CEI or Bangkok/Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai. I did a sample one way, June 15 [assuming you wanted to arrive CEI the same day] 

June 15 09:05 BKK/CNX 10:15
June 15 17:20 CNX/CEI 18:00 Total fare was THB 2940.

The better routing is direct from Bangkok to Chaing Rai

June 15 11:35 BKK/CEI 12:55 Total fare was THB 1138.

Fares can vary so you're wise to book well in advance and use just one way tickets for max. flexibility. These fares are probably "use it or lose it" and I'm sure not transferable. I would familiarize yourself with both carriers and their routes. The first was NokAir or Nok Air and they're only internal in Thailand. The second is Air Asia and they fly to numerous countries and several destinations within Thailand. There is a third discount carrier, Tiger Air which is also cheap. They only fly out of Bangkok but they fly to many countries throughout Asia including Vietnam, India, China, Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. Give them a look. My bill is in the mail! 

Serendipity2


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## Serendipity2 (Feb 22, 2009)

Serendipity2 said:


> Hephesus,
> 
> There are two discount carriers you can use to get to Chiang Rai. The first is NokAir and it's fares are good but your routing is BKK/CNX/CEI or Bangkok/Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai. I did a sample one way, June 15 [assuming you wanted to arrive CEI the same day]
> 
> ...




Arghhhh,

I should have pointed out that the direct and cheapest flight BKK/CEI was on Air Asia. :/


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## Guest (Jun 4, 2009)

Serendipity2 said:


> Arghhhh,
> 
> I should have pointed out that the direct and cheapest flight BKK/CEI was on Air Asia. :/


Most routes I check seem to have Air Asia as cheapest, within Thailand and to nearby countries... but beware the difference between the quoted price and the all-in one. They are strict on the excess baggage rule too, with a 15 kg limit, but at least the per kilo charge isn't excessive.


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## hoodon (Jun 1, 2009)

frogblogger said:


> Internal flights are pretty cheap at the moment especially. If you shop around, £20 including taxes Bkk - Chiang Mai is still possible (15k baggage allowance, but excess isn't expensive). Several flights a day between three (?) airlines.
> 
> There's a 'luxury' coach service from Bkk to CM too, the best seats going for about £15. About 12 hours if I remember right. Ok it seems a long haul but it's not so bad... pretty comfortable seats, tv (unfortunately showing Thai tv with lots of people dressed up as ghosts and running around, made no sense to me but then Thai sitcoms or whatever they are rarely do...) drinks, a snack voucher at a stop along the way. Even had a cute 'stewardess'.
> 
> ...


The internal flights are cheap but the problem is if you have just landed international. I can carry up to 30 kgs from the UK to Thailand on my Etihad Guest Card but the 15kg internal allowance means I can pay up to 1000 baht excess baggage which still makes it cheap but not quite so cheap. I seem to have gotten into your cheap usage habit.


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2009)

hoodon said:


> The internal flights are cheap but the problem is if you have just landed international. I can carry up to 30 kgs from the UK to Thailand on my Etihad Guest Card but the 15kg internal allowance means I can pay up to 1000 baht excess baggage which still makes it cheap but not quite so cheap. I seem to have gotten into your cheap usage habit.


Etihad guest card eh? That's efficient of you. I've flown with them a few times, always been limited to 20kgs. 

Etihad is often a che... erm a good value... comparatively economical... less expensive... option. But flying Swissair next time, stupidly left booking til too late, no special deals around.

Sometimes wondered if I shouldn't book last minute, ie last couple of days, there must me some good rates around then.


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