Piya

Based in Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai), Piya Rungrueng Tour connects the capital of Thailand with destinations across the whole country, including Hat Yai, close to the border with Malaysia.

Bangkok–Hat Yai

There are four services each day between Bangkok and Hat Yai in the south of the country, between 16.30 and 20.00. The trip typically lasts 14 hours and tickets are priced at THB820. From Hat Yai there are also four departures per day to Bangkok, with a choice of daytime and overnight services available (with buses leaving Hat Yai between 06.30 and 20.00).

Bangkok–Narathiwat, Pattani & Phattalung

From Bangkok you can also travel to other destinations cross the country including Narathiwat, Pattani and Phattalung. There is one departure each day from Bangkok at 17.20 which heads to both Narathiwat and Pattani, with journey times of 17 and 15 hours respectively. There are four services each day from Bangkok to Phattalung between 16.30 and 20.00, with the journey lasting approximately 12 hours. Tickets are priced at THB850, THB780 and THB740 to Narathiwat, Pattani and Phattalung respectively.

Bangkok–Songkhla

There is one departure each day from Bangkok to Songkhla, leaving the capital at 17.25 and scheduled to arrive at 07.35. There are also two buses per day departing Songkhla for the capital at 07.30 and 17.00 (with arrival times of 21.50 and 07.20 respectively), with tickets available for around THB865 in either direction.

Bangkok–Yala

There is also one service each day from Bangkok to Yala at 16.30, scheduled to arrive 16 hours later at 08.10, with tickets available for THB800.

Hay Yai–Chonburi & Pattaya

Hat Yai is the other major hub for Piya Rungrueng Tour, with services departing for destinations across the country. You can visit Chonburi from Hat Yai, with one departure each day at 15.30 and scheduled to arrive at 06.30 the next morning. Tickets are available for THB960 and the journey takes around 15 hours.

The same bus continues further on to Pattaya, bringing the whole journey to whooping 18 hours with ticket prices at THB960. The service from Pattaya to Hat Yai departs at 17.30 and arrives at 11.05 the following morning.

Hat Yai–Nakhon Ratchasima

Similarly, there is also one service in either direction between Hat Yai and Nakhon Ratchasima, with tickets priced at THB1,040 for the 18 hour trip. This bus departs Hat Yai at 16.30 and Nakhon Ratchasima at 17.00, arriving at around 10.00 and 10.30 respectively.

There are plenty of options for those looking to travel to and from the Thai capital to destinations across the whole country. Piya Rungrueng Tour is a good option for anyone wanting to head to the border with Malaysia. There are four services to Hat Yai from Bangkok, which is more than what is offered by other operators on the same route and very useful for those travelling around the region on a budget as tickets are far cheaper than the cost of a flight.

These services have on-board toilets across all the routes, which is not always the case with transport operators in the country. However, these will not be of the standard you might be used to!

Delays are very common on all of these routes so it is necessary to take this into account when planning your trip. However, this is an issue with operators throughout the country and not just a problem with Piya Rungrueng Tour. Also worth pointing out is that Sai Tai Mai can be a very confusing station when you are trying to find the correct bus or ticket office, so it is worth arriving early!

It can get pretty chilly on these services (especially on the overnight buses) and although you are given a blanket by staff on the bus, it is worth bringing something extra just to keep yourself warm!

The biggest attraction for passengers who travel with Piya Rungrueng Tour is the wide choice of departure times on most routes. These timetables offer great flexibility for those planning a trip on a budget or with plenty of time to travel by bus rather than flying. This operator is particularly popular with travellers heading to Malaysia as there is a good range of options for services from Bangkok to Hat Yai. Visitors can spend a day or so exploring one of Thailand’s largest cities before heading to the Malaysian border.