Siam Lane Tour is a private bus operator that specializes in long-distance trips from Sai Tai Mai (Southern Bangkok Bus Terminal) in the capital. Destinations you can visit with Siam Lane Tour include Hat Yai, a major city close to the border with Malaysia, and Nakhon Si Thammarat, boasting its famous temple.
There are 14 services operating from Bangkok to Hat Yai each day, throughout the day from 06.10. The journey takes 14 hours so you can schedule to arrive into Hat Yai for whatever time is convenient for you. The final bus of the day leaves Bangkok at 20.50, travelling overnight to arrive in Hat Yai for around 11.00.
There are also nine buses heading from Yai to the capital each day, from 07.00 until 20.00. Again, you have the option of travelling throughout the day or overnight to arrive refreshed the following morning. Ticket prices vary but start from around THB700 for either direction.
The trip from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat is a little shorter, taking around 12 hours in total. There is one daily bus leaving Bangkok at 15.30 and scheduled to arrive at around 03.30. This ticket usually costs THB520.
Siam Lane Tour provide overnight services from Bangkok to Pattani, with around five buses per day leaving between 15.30 and 20.50. The journey usually lasts 15 hours so you will be arriving at 06.30 at the earliest, or at lunchtime if you catch the latest departure.
If you’re looking to visit Narathiwat from Bangkok then there are also several overnight buses available. There are four departures each evening from 17.00 until 20.50 that make the 16 hour trip.
Tickets from Bangkok are priced at THB730 to Pattani and at THB800 to Narathiwat.
There are two buses headed for Yala from Bangkok, leaving daily at 15.30 and 17.40, which will arrive at 07.10 and 09.20 respectively with tickets priced from THB800.
The Bangkok – Songkhla route is highly popular as well for those looking to escape the hectic city and enjoy some relaxing beach time. There are three departures in both directions every day, at 08.00, 17.10 and 18.35 from Bangkok and 17.30, 19.30 and 20.00 from Songkhla. The 14 hour trip will set you back THB840.
The good news is that these long-distance buses are pretty comfortable. For many, that will be the key concern when planning a long journey such as this and you’ll be relieved to hear that this is about as comfortable as overnight bus travel can get.
Siam Lane Tour offers a huge range of departure times which is particularly handy if you need to be in Bangkok or Hat Yai for a particular time or if you have a flight or train to catch. With a choice between overnight and day buses, there is bound to be an option that will suit your schedule or budget, if you are looking to save spending money on an additional night in a hotel.
The biggest issue is that Sai Tai Mai is not very conveniently located in the south of the city. Mo Chit is far more accessible using public transport so you may have to pay more to travel to your hotel or the airport in a taxi. However, travelling through Bangkok to Mo Chit bus station would probably add on a great deal of time and result in higher fares so it is probably worthwhile.
Sai Tai Mai is huge and spread out on several levels so it is best to arrive in plenty of time because it is sure to take longer than you think to find the Siam Lane Tour ticket office or the bus stand.
Travellers repeatedly choose Siam Lane Tour for these trips largely due to the flexibility offered by the wide range of departures, both from Bangkok and other towns and cities on the route. Whether you need to travel through the day to catch a flight that night or you want to save the cost of a bed for the night, then there will be a departure time that suits.
The price is very competitive as well so is it is a popular choice for those on a budget.
Delays are pretty common which can be inconvenient and stressful, especially if you are on a tight schedule. Unfortunately, these delays occur with very private operator so there is little that can really be done about this apart from ensure you have plenty of time if you have a connecting bus, train or flight to catch. If you are on a very strict time limit and need to reach Bangkok from Hat Yai then you may want to consider flying as, although it is more expensive, you will ensure you do not miss your flight.