Situated just 25 km apart, Cha-am and Hua Hin lie a three-hour
drive southwest of Bangkok or 195 kms away. Several air - conditioned
coaches depart Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal daily, alternatively
there are a number of daily trains from Bangkok's Hualamphong
station to Hua Hin, the journey taking about four and a half hours.
Below is more information on the various forms of transport to help
you plan your trip better.
Until a few years ago
flights operated in and out of Hua Hin on a regular basis but the
airport was closed for a long time and its reopening celebrated in
May 2001 is a boon to travellers.
Flights between Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui and Hua Hin are
regular and competitively priced in regards to other forms of
travel. For more information on flight timetables etc. telephone the
department you require as follows: International Flights: (Bangkok)
5351111, Domestic Flights:(Bangkok) 5351253, Arrivals: (Bangkok)
5351301 and Departures: (Bangkok) 5351386 or contact us via our
mailbag pages. Information on flights between other areas in
Thailand and Bangkok can be found on the travel guide pages for the
areas themselves.
To reach the seaside resort other than flying one has to either
catch one of the following buses or trains that run regularly to and
from Hua Hin/Bangkok. From the Bangkok airport you will have to take
a taxi to either the train station or Bangkok's Southern Bus
Terminal on Pinklao - Nakhon Chaisi Road (in Thonburi).
Trains depart daily from
Bangkok for Cha-Am, Hua Hin. Express Diesel Railcar leaves Bangkok
daily at 9.15 p.m. Express trains leave Bangkok 5 times daily at
2.00 p.m., 3.15 p.m., 5.05 p.m. 7.20p.m.and 10.35 p.m. Rapid trains
leave Bangkok 4 times daily at 12.35 p.m., 4 p.m., 5.45 p.m., and
6.30 p.m. Diesel Railcars leave Bangkok twice daily at 9.00 a.m. and
1.40 p.m.
from
Bangkok's Southern
Bus Terminal on Pinklao - Nakhon Chaisi Road (in Thonburi) run every
30 minutes. Returning buses also leave half hourly. Air-conitioned
buses leave Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal Tel. Bangkok 435-5032,
435-5097, 4357455 Non-air-conditioned coaches leave from Bangkok's
Southern Bus terminal on Petkasem Road daily.
, small mini-vans, are a
common mode of transport. These like the rest of the public
transport in the area, can be hailed anywhere along a particular
route. Within the city fares vary but are never more than a few Baht
and generally there is a set price from one point to another.
Outside the town, the price is negotiable and it's a good idea to
agree on the fare before you climb in.
taxis are everywhere.
Easy to find, they hang around most of the busier intersections and
along most roadsides in the area. Again it is wise to sort out the
price before departure.
is reasonably
priced and readily available. It is one of the best ways to see the
area. Check that the vehicle you are hiring is covered by insurance.
Unless hiring from a reliable source you may find it isn't and as
it is the driver's responsibility to pay all damages if there's
an accident, you may be in for a nasty surprise.
shops are easy to
find and the bikes cheap to hire. Insurance cover is not available
for motorcycles and any damages incurred along with medical bills
are your responsibility. Renting a bike in Hua Hin or Cha Am may
cost you your life rather than a few Baht though as the accident
rate in Thailand is EXTREME to say the least!
