Sharing Taxi to Nangkhai friedship Bridge!
Sharing Taxi to Nangkhai friedship Bridge!
I will be arrive Udon's Airport at around 18:15 on 29 Nov 2007. I wonder anyone looking to share the trip fair 2/1000b=500b!
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jackspratt
- udonmap.com
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- Joined: July 2, 2006, 5:29 pm
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Irish Alan
- udonmap.com
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- Joined: April 1, 2007, 7:22 am
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laphanphon
I do believe 150 is accurate, possible 160, but shouldn't be more. and it's only 60 from airport to udon locations. these rates posted across from arrival hall at limo desk.
the only negative, if you are the only passenger going to nong khai, they may not make the trip, as it wouldn't be profitable. but an offer of 500 baht would make it profitable, 300 for fuel, 200 for driver. don't think anyone would turn that down. if they won't take you at 150 rate, try that. if they say no, hoping you'll break down, imply you'll just get a cheap hotel (top mansion) and take the train the next day. they will think you are experienced, no need to rush and take the 500 baht, as the alternative would only cost you less than 400 baht, and thy would recieve zip.
the only negative, if you are the only passenger going to nong khai, they may not make the trip, as it wouldn't be profitable. but an offer of 500 baht would make it profitable, 300 for fuel, 200 for driver. don't think anyone would turn that down. if they won't take you at 150 rate, try that. if they say no, hoping you'll break down, imply you'll just get a cheap hotel (top mansion) and take the train the next day. they will think you are experienced, no need to rush and take the 500 baht, as the alternative would only cost you less than 400 baht, and thy would recieve zip.
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rickfarang
- udonmap.com
- Posts: 2394
- Joined: January 1, 2006, 6:01 am
- Location: Udon Thani
To be clear, if you go to the limo window just right of the exit doors, the clerk there will sell you a ticket for the Thai Airways To be clear, if you go to the limo window just right of the exit doors, the clerk there will sell you a ticket for the Thai Airways limo, which is a minibus. The ticket is only about 150 bath.
Let the driver know that you are going to the Friendship Bridge, and he will drop you off at the Friendship Bridge bus station, where you can catch another bus or an inexpensive tuk-tuk for the very short ride to the bridge.
Let the driver know that you are going to the Friendship Bridge, and he will drop you off at the Friendship Bridge bus station, where you can catch another bus or an inexpensive tuk-tuk for the very short ride to the bridge.
Getting to Nong Khai Friendship Bridge / Lao Visa Run
Bangkok to Udon Thani (plane)/ Laos Visa run:
(Note: this site's program has altered the pasted text; the author is unable to get text icons -e.g. bold, size, etc- to work and correct the alterations and thus the organization is not as easy to follow.)
January 2011
This text serves to give information to help one get thru the learning curve for a fast visa run (i.e. fly to Udon Thani).
Air Asia 7.35am (cheap).
(Note: BKK subway line doesnt open til 6am, which might be too late if trying to take the skytrain/subway to airport; taxi middle of Bangkok to airport 200-250B plus toll road costs.)
Udon Thani: Landed at 8.30am. Large sign in airport lobby for "Limosine" service to the Laos bridge (three kilometers from Nong Khai). 200B. Van (i.e. limo) left at 8.45am; 35 minutes to bridge! (Employees are merely servants at counter so information is difficult to obtain at limo counter: pay and then exit the building; 20 meters ahead, on left, at the curb is a van.)
Bridge (9.20am):
1. Pass thru Thai immigration (have dept card filled out ).
2. Pay for bus (15B - good to have exact change as they might cheat you; one needs to keep in mind that your are in the midst of a culture that embraces cheating and human beings are taught from a very young age by parents to cheat; humanity is sick).
3. Board bus; wait.
4. Laos side of bridge: windows (2) for visa and application is a veer to the left and not straight ahead (just a little to the left, but easy to miss as you might be looking straight ahead and walk past and then have to figure out how things work). Signs are not that prominant; at least not to this traveler.
5. go to one of the two closed windows; someone opens and gives you an application.
6. Fillout app. and return to the very first window (on the left) and hand in app, photo, passport and money; wait five minutes around corner with other people; another window opens and they give you your passport. (needed one photo and paid $35 US for Laos visa.) Finished! (10am)
Walk past kiosks to far end; man looks at your passport and hands it back to you; you are in Laos.
Tuk-tuk or taxi:
200B is a lot of money! (negotiate - away from others...100-150B?)
(Time to Vientenne is about 20 minutes. Tuk-tuk, taxi or public truck.)
Walking out of immigration, you can go left or right (a pack of drivers are in your face, even grabbing you; make sure valuables - in your pockets - are not easily accessible to them). (Note: passport is never kept in hand or pocket; use a nylon or plastic bag (ziplock freezer bag is ok to start with); your passport lives in this bag and almosts never pokes its head out except at an immigration window or airport counter. never!! many passports are lost, falling out of pockets in airports and taxis or snatched by the cockroaches of the world. Your mind is under "input overload" and easy to lose your passport with all the distractions and thoughts running thru your brain; keep passport in the bag and in your knapsack at all times.
Transportation Directions:
To the Right: the public truck is about 15 meters away with people already waiting in it for it to fill up. Cost? (cheap, but need to know the price.)
Left: to the left, one is heading in the direction where the taxis and tuk-tuks are parked about 100 meters down the street (your man runs to get his). For negotiating, one doesnt ever want to negotiate in a group (your's or thier's). walk away and someone will come find you alone! to negotiate (if you are in a hurry in life, there are hordes waiting to seperate your money from your pocket - take time out of the equation; sit down on the curb, relax, wait a few minutes to see what materializes; we are all squirrels just chasing a nut).
(Used a guy twice; and will use him again if i ever have to go back to Friendship Bridge; as good as any and probably better than most; personable, polite, patient; didnt have a single problem with him: Name: Sompan Phone: 556 28249.)
You have your driver:
Driver takes you to Thai Embassy (arrive embassy around 10.30pm)
(Note: see instructions on guest house; best to get your room before they are sold out?)
1. Thai Embassy: *get queu number from small machine near windows (back, right).
2. get application on table near window.
3. sit down and fill out (need two photos - glue pots are on tables for you to use - may need a copy of passport photo page, which you should always be carrying anytime you travel!)
4. Numbers called (wait is about 1-2hrs and goes past the 12.00 time of closing, so dont worry). ( wait was thru 300 numbers!! one hour and forty-five minutes.)
5. your number is called: line up at window 1 or 2. (try to make sure your paperwork is in order!); you will be asked for your queu number.
6. Next, go inside the building to another window to pay for your visa.
7. Next Day: 1pm (line starts out on street in hot sun about 12.30pm)
8. go to the back right corner again: for a new queu number.
9. Inside: wait for your number to be called (people mob the windows). about one hour.
10. by 1pm make sure to call or sms your driver. he will be there by 1pm and contact you.
11. exit embassy gate and your driver is probably waiting for you. jump in your reserved ride (he has probably managed to pickup some others for your ride - he is only a squirrel chasing a nut - but leaves according to your time frame - which you negotiated at the beginning, right?).
12. About 20 minutes back to the bridge.
Bridge (return):
1. have your departure card (do not turn this over to Thai Embassy when applying for visa!- keep it in your plastic bag where your passport normally resides) ready and filled out (**always carry a pen with you when traveling - you will see those who dont have one and they are stressed out at immigration trying to get others to give them their's - carry your own pen.)
2. present passport, get stamps and pass thru immigration.
3. pay again for bus (15B/ 4000Kip); again, pay with exact change or you are at risk of being cheated.
4. board bus: wait
5. Thai immigration: step one is to get an arrival/depart card and fill it out.
6. then, Line up at a window.
7. Passport and stamps returned to you by official and you are thru and back in Thailand.
8. Now: WTF are you going to do??
Thai immigration (bridge) to .......(where?)
1. You want to get back to Udon Thani airport: you must get 3 kilometers into Nong Khai (straight ahead and left at the intersection; main drag for Nong Khai).
2. negotiate at the bridge for a tuk tuk (expensive and probably have to wait in tuk tuk)
3. or...walk to the intersection (2 blocks) and wait for a tuk tuk with people (neg for 30B: even that is expensive for the five minute ride!); or...walk into nong khai if you have the time and like to walk.
(So, in review, from the bridge, where are you headed? Walk straight out from the bridge, ignoring the touts; one block away is a 7-11 for something cold to drink; then, walk to the intersection - about one short block from 7-11; wait for a tuk tuk and tell them you want to be dropped off at Udon Kaewtour Ltd. for Udon airport limo service in Nong Khai.)
-or ( another option): walk across intersection (still going straight) and on the otherside (on your left) is a small bus station for a private company; there are tuk tuks here that will take you to the Udon Kaewtour office; 50B.
So, you are now headed to Nong Khai by tuk tuk or on foot:
The tuk tuk will pass over the railroad tracks (about 2 kilometers from the bridge? not difficult to walk if you like walking..though maybe hot!) with the train station visible on your right.
Perhaps, another kilometer further and the limo office is on your right (just after an intersection traffic light); tuk tuk will make a u-turn into the parking lot; office is kind of
non-descript, but as you get close you see the writing on the glass for times. Pay 150B; limo runs on schedules (e.g. 1pm, 4pm, 5.30pm) and you will have to wait (glad you got something cold to drink at 7-11).
Time to Udon Thani is about 45minutes but could be longer depending on traffic (i.e. you wouldnt want the 5.30 limo/van service for a 6.35pm flight to Bangkok!).
Air Asia back to Bangkok (landed about 7.30pm):
Total time for visa run was 37.5 hours (and a lot less stress and glut pain than van/bus service from Bangkok).
Driver in Laos
Name: Sompan
Ph: 556 28249
Guest House (50 meters from Thai Embassy!)
Kabayan Guest House
Block 336, Phonsinouan Rd.
+856-2077309989
[email protected]
Kabayan G.S. (150-600B) **fills up! When entering Vientenne, go to the guest house first and get a room (takes 5 min); and then walk down to embassy.
Philipino couple manages the place; friendly; good food; clean; quiet. Convenient! (Exiting Thai Embassy, guest house is fifty meters to the right, at the intersection.)
Limo/van company in Nong Khai:
Udon Kaewtour Ltd.
Miss Pichai (very pleasant)
102/1-2 Pranangcholpratan Rd,
Meechan Muan Nongkhai 43000
[email protected]
042-411-530
Mobile: 081-183-7574
(Note: this site's program has altered the pasted text; the author is unable to get text icons -e.g. bold, size, etc- to work and correct the alterations and thus the organization is not as easy to follow.)
January 2011
This text serves to give information to help one get thru the learning curve for a fast visa run (i.e. fly to Udon Thani).
Air Asia 7.35am (cheap).
(Note: BKK subway line doesnt open til 6am, which might be too late if trying to take the skytrain/subway to airport; taxi middle of Bangkok to airport 200-250B plus toll road costs.)
Udon Thani: Landed at 8.30am. Large sign in airport lobby for "Limosine" service to the Laos bridge (three kilometers from Nong Khai). 200B. Van (i.e. limo) left at 8.45am; 35 minutes to bridge! (Employees are merely servants at counter so information is difficult to obtain at limo counter: pay and then exit the building; 20 meters ahead, on left, at the curb is a van.)
Bridge (9.20am):
1. Pass thru Thai immigration (have dept card filled out ).
2. Pay for bus (15B - good to have exact change as they might cheat you; one needs to keep in mind that your are in the midst of a culture that embraces cheating and human beings are taught from a very young age by parents to cheat; humanity is sick).
3. Board bus; wait.
4. Laos side of bridge: windows (2) for visa and application is a veer to the left and not straight ahead (just a little to the left, but easy to miss as you might be looking straight ahead and walk past and then have to figure out how things work). Signs are not that prominant; at least not to this traveler.
5. go to one of the two closed windows; someone opens and gives you an application.
6. Fillout app. and return to the very first window (on the left) and hand in app, photo, passport and money; wait five minutes around corner with other people; another window opens and they give you your passport. (needed one photo and paid $35 US for Laos visa.) Finished! (10am)
Walk past kiosks to far end; man looks at your passport and hands it back to you; you are in Laos.
Tuk-tuk or taxi:
200B is a lot of money! (negotiate - away from others...100-150B?)
(Time to Vientenne is about 20 minutes. Tuk-tuk, taxi or public truck.)
Walking out of immigration, you can go left or right (a pack of drivers are in your face, even grabbing you; make sure valuables - in your pockets - are not easily accessible to them). (Note: passport is never kept in hand or pocket; use a nylon or plastic bag (ziplock freezer bag is ok to start with); your passport lives in this bag and almosts never pokes its head out except at an immigration window or airport counter. never!! many passports are lost, falling out of pockets in airports and taxis or snatched by the cockroaches of the world. Your mind is under "input overload" and easy to lose your passport with all the distractions and thoughts running thru your brain; keep passport in the bag and in your knapsack at all times.
Transportation Directions:
To the Right: the public truck is about 15 meters away with people already waiting in it for it to fill up. Cost? (cheap, but need to know the price.)
Left: to the left, one is heading in the direction where the taxis and tuk-tuks are parked about 100 meters down the street (your man runs to get his). For negotiating, one doesnt ever want to negotiate in a group (your's or thier's). walk away and someone will come find you alone! to negotiate (if you are in a hurry in life, there are hordes waiting to seperate your money from your pocket - take time out of the equation; sit down on the curb, relax, wait a few minutes to see what materializes; we are all squirrels just chasing a nut).
(Used a guy twice; and will use him again if i ever have to go back to Friendship Bridge; as good as any and probably better than most; personable, polite, patient; didnt have a single problem with him: Name: Sompan Phone: 556 28249.)
You have your driver:
Driver takes you to Thai Embassy (arrive embassy around 10.30pm)
(Note: see instructions on guest house; best to get your room before they are sold out?)
1. Thai Embassy: *get queu number from small machine near windows (back, right).
2. get application on table near window.
3. sit down and fill out (need two photos - glue pots are on tables for you to use - may need a copy of passport photo page, which you should always be carrying anytime you travel!)
4. Numbers called (wait is about 1-2hrs and goes past the 12.00 time of closing, so dont worry). ( wait was thru 300 numbers!! one hour and forty-five minutes.)
5. your number is called: line up at window 1 or 2. (try to make sure your paperwork is in order!); you will be asked for your queu number.
6. Next, go inside the building to another window to pay for your visa.
7. Next Day: 1pm (line starts out on street in hot sun about 12.30pm)
8. go to the back right corner again: for a new queu number.
9. Inside: wait for your number to be called (people mob the windows). about one hour.
10. by 1pm make sure to call or sms your driver. he will be there by 1pm and contact you.
11. exit embassy gate and your driver is probably waiting for you. jump in your reserved ride (he has probably managed to pickup some others for your ride - he is only a squirrel chasing a nut - but leaves according to your time frame - which you negotiated at the beginning, right?).
12. About 20 minutes back to the bridge.
Bridge (return):
1. have your departure card (do not turn this over to Thai Embassy when applying for visa!- keep it in your plastic bag where your passport normally resides) ready and filled out (**always carry a pen with you when traveling - you will see those who dont have one and they are stressed out at immigration trying to get others to give them their's - carry your own pen.)
2. present passport, get stamps and pass thru immigration.
3. pay again for bus (15B/ 4000Kip); again, pay with exact change or you are at risk of being cheated.
4. board bus: wait
5. Thai immigration: step one is to get an arrival/depart card and fill it out.
6. then, Line up at a window.
7. Passport and stamps returned to you by official and you are thru and back in Thailand.
8. Now: WTF are you going to do??
Thai immigration (bridge) to .......(where?)
1. You want to get back to Udon Thani airport: you must get 3 kilometers into Nong Khai (straight ahead and left at the intersection; main drag for Nong Khai).
2. negotiate at the bridge for a tuk tuk (expensive and probably have to wait in tuk tuk)
3. or...walk to the intersection (2 blocks) and wait for a tuk tuk with people (neg for 30B: even that is expensive for the five minute ride!); or...walk into nong khai if you have the time and like to walk.
(So, in review, from the bridge, where are you headed? Walk straight out from the bridge, ignoring the touts; one block away is a 7-11 for something cold to drink; then, walk to the intersection - about one short block from 7-11; wait for a tuk tuk and tell them you want to be dropped off at Udon Kaewtour Ltd. for Udon airport limo service in Nong Khai.)
-or ( another option): walk across intersection (still going straight) and on the otherside (on your left) is a small bus station for a private company; there are tuk tuks here that will take you to the Udon Kaewtour office; 50B.
So, you are now headed to Nong Khai by tuk tuk or on foot:
The tuk tuk will pass over the railroad tracks (about 2 kilometers from the bridge? not difficult to walk if you like walking..though maybe hot!) with the train station visible on your right.
Perhaps, another kilometer further and the limo office is on your right (just after an intersection traffic light); tuk tuk will make a u-turn into the parking lot; office is kind of
non-descript, but as you get close you see the writing on the glass for times. Pay 150B; limo runs on schedules (e.g. 1pm, 4pm, 5.30pm) and you will have to wait (glad you got something cold to drink at 7-11).
Time to Udon Thani is about 45minutes but could be longer depending on traffic (i.e. you wouldnt want the 5.30 limo/van service for a 6.35pm flight to Bangkok!).
Air Asia back to Bangkok (landed about 7.30pm):
Total time for visa run was 37.5 hours (and a lot less stress and glut pain than van/bus service from Bangkok).
Driver in Laos
Name: Sompan
Ph: 556 28249
Guest House (50 meters from Thai Embassy!)
Kabayan Guest House
Block 336, Phonsinouan Rd.
+856-2077309989
[email protected]
Kabayan G.S. (150-600B) **fills up! When entering Vientenne, go to the guest house first and get a room (takes 5 min); and then walk down to embassy.
Philipino couple manages the place; friendly; good food; clean; quiet. Convenient! (Exiting Thai Embassy, guest house is fifty meters to the right, at the intersection.)
Limo/van company in Nong Khai:
Udon Kaewtour Ltd.
Miss Pichai (very pleasant)
102/1-2 Pranangcholpratan Rd,
Meechan Muan Nongkhai 43000
[email protected]
042-411-530
Mobile: 081-183-7574