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dirtydog

A cheap visa run from Pattaya to Vientiane, got to admit I didn't even know about this coach service, they set off from Rayong and do stops at Maptaput, Sattahip, Pattaya, Sri Racha, Chonburi, Chachoengsao, Korat, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and finish at Nong Khai, all in all takes 12 hours but you only get 2 stops where you can get off to buy food or have a smoke.

The bus company is called 407 Pattana Company Limited, all the office signs along the route are in Thai so they don't get many foreigners on their buses, the cost from Pattaya to Nong Khai is 581baht, bit of an odd number, anyway, on all there buses you will see "407" on them so if you don't read Thai this should help, the office in Pattaya is on Sukhumvit Road just past Center Road in the Petronas Petrol Garage down on the far left, this is the garage opposite Soi Nern Plub Wan for those on the darkside of Pattaya.

They have 10 buses perday going through Pattaya at the following times, should mention you get a free cake and a free bottle of water.

08.10am
17.40pm
19.00pm
19.35pm
20.10pm
20.40pm
20.50pm
21.00pm
21.30pm
22.00pm

Obviously with the way the times are bunched together during quiet periods I would imagine they could drop out a couple of coaches, but you book your tickets in advance anyway.

Here is a picture of the Pattaya office.



So if your going to be on a coach all night it is best to eat something small and safe at a nice restaurant so I went to my favourite noodle place.



You can't really miss the "407" on this, although with all the timetables so close together they do tend to meet up at different stations along the way, luckily they didn't buy or sign write their buses with a theme and are all different.

This one was a double decker beasty, I made the mistake of booking the upper floor front seat, if that bus crashes your going to be the first one through the windscreen onto the road slowly bleeding to death, but he didn't crash this time



I noticed he had a habit that as he got towards the top of a slope he would start slowing down, as he went over the crest he would continue slowing down on the way down, strange habit I thought, after about the 4th time he stopped about 100 meters past the bottom and got out to pray at this shrine, probably a family he wiped out barreling down the hill too fast I assume.



One of the bus stations on route, I think this is Korat, they all looked the same though so it don't make much difference.



Once you get to Nong Khai if you have a visa already to get into Laos you can catch the 55baht bus to Vientiane, if not you have to deal with the tuk tuks, 60baht would be overpaying but expect to start bargaining from 100baht then as you get near to Friendship bridge expect him to stop at a visa agents where he says they will sort out everything for you, I think for English people they charge 1,800baht, he will tell you 2,000baht to make extra comission, they will do your photocopy of your passport and may supply you with the photos you need at the Laos immigration and also the Thai embassy in Vientiane if you need a new Thai visa, they also take you to your hotel in Vientiane in the hope of more comissions, but you can just as easily carry onto friendship bridge and do it all yourself and save about 400baht or more if there is a few of you.

To the left just out of the picture is where you get your Laos visa, left in the picture is a currency exchange, straight is your Thai immigration to get out of Thailand.

Then it is onto the 20 or 10baht bus to take you across the bridge and to Laos immigration.



The prices for taxies and tuk tuks from friendship bridge start at 300baht to charter one, obviously it works out better if there is a few of you, or just get the driver to start hassling others to get on your tuk.



updated 2/1/2009
If you need to get your Lao visa at Friendship Bridge you will also be stamped into Laos at the same time, so don't start queuing up to get stamped in after receiving your visa.
Some of the buses are older single storey types, these cost 506 baht each way from Pattaya to Nong Khai, the double decker buses have a VIP area on the lower deck, 3 seats wide with vibrating massage in the seats, these cost 781baht each way.

You can find more on Laos and doing a visa run to Laos here.

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Gaudente

I was thinking to avoid the long bus journey by taking the Air Asia plane landing in Udon Thani at 17.15 . Of course getting into Laos the same day is out of question, so I wonder how long would it take to get to Nong Khai from the Udon Thani airport ? Any suggestion about accommodation at Nong Khai ?

melvbot

I usually stay at this place when I do my run



400 or 500bt a night, clean, hot shower, cable TV and a fridge if you go for the 500 room.
Within walking distance of the river and a few restaurants.

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The Geek Shall Inherit The Earth

Gaudente

At Udon Thani airport there is a minibus service that for 200 baht takes you directly to the border. So I could cut Nong Khai off my itinerary and go straight to Vientiane. I landed off the plane at 17.15 and checked in at Samsenthai Hotel at 20,00 . The border is anyway open until 10 pm. From the border to Vientiane I shared a taxi with 3 other people and paid 100 baht.

Gaudente

Thanks for the suggestion, is it at walking distance from the bus station also ?

dirtydog

Gaudente

Not to sound hypercritical but on the map at this link http://teakdoor.com/view.php?pg=nong_khai_maps I cannot locate nor the bus station nor the apartment melvbot adviced, so I still do not know if it is at walking distance or not.

melvbot

Its about 10 mins walk from the bus station or 30 baht in a tuk tuk.

Gaudente

thx

Sparky

^ Air Asia flight on time ! Did it once 2+ hours late leaving , 0ver 1 coming back !