The Station has been moved from the town center.
Now it is located on the road to the airport a few kilometer to the north, a motorbike ride is around Baht 100,- from anywhere in the center. There is also a redesigned truck from town and Patong, that's the cheapest way, below Baht 50,-.
It starts from the market close to the round-about and from the old bus station, it needs to ask but be careful most people have no idea and tell you a wrong thing just to get rid of you.
One thing keep in mind, don't use tuk-tuk, they will cheat you and get quickly physical when you argue. Currently (August 2014) the police and military are searching the "godfather and his son" a former Mayor of Patong because he run a mafia style business with the tuk-tuk. Since this guy is a "influential person" as they call this people he managed to avoid that any public transport was installed on the island ever. There are also no taxi except a few are at the airport but they charge about the double as in Bangkok for about the same distance.
Now Nov 2015 the authorities promise to build something like a tram / light rail from somewhere in the north of the island to Chalong which is in the very south. The other day they made a big announcement and promised this will be finished within 6 years. But considering the usual awful corruption it's hard to believe, why? Because many influential people will try to milk this project and when they are not able because there are also other they will block each other.
Phone number from the terminal information is
076373193, they speak English.
Departure destinations.
Available are big and small buses (van or minibus) to almost everywhere in southern Thailand but every bigger town e.g. Trang, Ranong etc. has their own terminal serving the region. The biggest one in the south is Hat Yai.
If you want to travel in the region visit this place, check it out careful since they are overlapping means different pricing, timing and you will never get a central information. Everyone pretend not to know what the other is doing that the usual Thai style never give an edge to other. There are a dozen more counters around for all directions.
Beside of serving the south there are buses to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pattaya, Hua Hin and some more destinations.
It needs to go there and ask because some have a signboard others not and the one will never tell you about the other. It is very chaotic and not transparent at all.
Typical travel time and prices.
Phuket to Bangkok, about 12 hours price is Baht 680,- for a normal ride in a "double-decker bus" there is a "VIP" service for almost 1100,- with only 3 seats per row, some drive to the "North Bangkok Terminal", other to the "South Bangkok Terminal" which is far in the south east of the capital about half hour drive with the taxi behind the last BTS Station of the capital. |
| To Ranong |
the big one, another is a medium sized and a smaller one is a Toyota Van for 12 pax, all have to same price. To Ranong (+Myanmar) its 5 hours and cost 260,- and so on.
Popular Coach Travel Destinations.
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