Kingdom Tour is a bus operator based in Phitsanulok and focused on serving destinations across the north of Thailand.
Phitsanulok is the hub of Kingdom tour’s operations and there are two services each day to Chiang Rai, departing at 09.50 and 12.05 (scheduled to arrive in Chiang Rai at 17.10 and 19.25 respectively). Tickets for this trip are priced at THB350 with a journey time of around eight hours. There are also two departures every morning from Chiang Rai to Phitsanulok at 06.30 and 08.00 (with an arrival time of 13.50 and 15.20 respectively).
Passengers looking to visit Phayao from Phitsanulok have the option of two departures each day, also at 09.50 and 12.05. This journey takes six hours in total with scheduled arrival times of 15.35 and 17.50, with tickets available for THB290. There are also two departures from Phayao to Phitsanulok each day at 08.00 and 09.30 (due to arrive at 13.50 and 15.20 respectively), with tickets costing the same as the above journey.
From Phayao, travellers can also visit towns such as Nakhon Sawan. There are two services each day from Phayao to Nakhon Sawan at 08.00 and 09.30, with scheduled arrivals at 15.40 and 17.10, with tickets for the eight hour journey available for THB365. There are also two departures in the opposite direction each morning at 07.45 and 10.00, which are due to arrive in the late afternoon.
Another popular route offered by Kingdom Tour connects Chiang Rai and Nakhon Sawan, with two services headed in each direction every day. Buses depart Chiang Rai at 06.30 and 08.00, arriving in Nakhon Sawan around 10 hours later. In the opposite direction, there are two departures each day from Nakhon Sawan at 07.45 and 10.00 (arriving at 17.10 and 19.25 respectively. Typically, this journey takes around 10 hours and tickets are priced at THB425 per person in either direction.
One of the main advantages with opting for Kingdom Tour on these routes is the fact that larger buses are used instead of cramped minivans. Unlike travelling with some other operators, with Kingdom Tour you will travel in far more comfort. Frequent visitors to the country will know that sitting in a compact minivan surrounded by luggage is not much fun, especially if the journey is close to 10 hours long!
Kingdom Tour offers one of the widest ranging bus schedules in the north of the country, with services that will suit most schedules.
The biggest issue when travelling with Kingdom Tour is the fairly limited departures on offer. There are no options for overnight buses so passengers are forced to travel throughout the day, which can be inconvenient, especially if you have limited time.
Also, if you are intending to visit Chiang Mai then you will be required to change at either Chiang Rai or Phayao before heading to the largest city in the region. A direct service to and from Chiang Mai would be very helpful for those travelling around the region.
Phitsanulok and Chiang Rai are two of the largest cities in the region and key transport hubs for visiting other areas across the north of Thailand as well as destinations throughout the country that are accessible via the airports in both cities.
The biggest issue for those travelling with Kingdom Tour is the fairly limited departure times that are on offer. For example, there are no overnight departures available on any of these routes which can be an issue for those planning a trip. Unfortunately, this means that you will have to travel throughout the day, losing a whole day from your trip.
Also, as Chiang Mai is the major city in the north of the country, it is inconvenient that Kingdom Tour does not offer services to this hugely popular city. Anyone wishing to travel to Chiang Mai with this operator must first catch one of the services to Phayao or Chiang Rai and then arrange further transport from there, adding to the cost and duration of the journey. You can fly directly between Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai and save some time but obviously this will cost far more than travelling between the two cities by bus.