Location of Hua Hin in Thailand
Rail
There are several trains daily from Bangkok which stop in Hua Hin on their way south. Most leave Bangkok in the early to late afternoon and arrive in Hua Hin about four hours later. A 2nd class seat on an air-conditioned Express train is less than $6 and may be purchased up to 90 days in advance at main railway stations. Tel: Hua Hin Station Office, Damnoenkasem Rd. (032) 511-073.
Bus
Air-conditioned buses leave the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok every 30 minutes between 0500 and 2200 for Hua Hin. The journey takes about 3 hours and costs less than $4. The air-conditioned bus terminal in Hua Hin is at the Siripetchkasem Hotel on Srasong Rd, near Dechanuchit Rd, and buses leave for Bangkok every 30-40 minutes daily between 0300 and 2100. Tel: (032) 511-654, 512-543.
There is now a direct bus from the Suvarnabhumi Airport to Hua Hin. The Hua Hin – Suvarnabhumi Airport Shuttle makes 5 trips in each direction each day between the hours of 0700 and 1830. The cost is 305 Baht, including one checked bag and one carry-on, and the trip takes from 3-4 hours depending on traffic. The 24-seat bus leaves Hua Hin from the bus station at Soi 96 and will take you to the departure terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport. A friend recently took this coach and says it is very good.
There are also nightly air buses to other cities in southern Thailand. Most depart Hua Hin around 2200 and fares range from $22 to Phuket or Koh Samui to $26 to Hat Yai.
There are also non air-conditioned buses which travel between the market on Srasong Road in Hua Hin and the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok around the clock. These cost about $2 and take 4 hours.
The bus station at Soi 96 has buses to Korat, Chiang Mai, and Phuket with stops at large cities in between. There are normally 2-3 departures each day on VIP buses. Buses generally leave in the early morning, early afternoon and late evening.
The VIP bus to Korat is particularly convenient as it bypasses Bangkok and puts you at the front steps of Essan in only six to seven hours. While Korat is not the most exciting city in Thailand the hotels and restaurants are reasonably priced and it’s only a hop, skip and a jump to the many interesting places in Northeast Thailand where the renowned Thai smile is still genuine. There are currently five departures daily between Hua Hin and Korat starting at 0830. I know of no direct mini-vans between Korat and Hua Hin but if there are mini-vans from Korat to Victory Monument in Bangkok, transfers should not be a problem.
Air
There are currently no commercial flights from Bangkok to Hua Hin though I understand there is the occasional charter from Singapore. Berjaya Air is now offering flights to and from Hua Hin via Penang with connections to many cities in Malaysia. Hotel packages with transfers may be booked from their website.
The Thai budget carrier, Nok Air, has announced that they will be beginning service to Hua Hin in mid-November 2013. There will be three flights weekly, on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. For more information, see the blog post here.
Ferry
There was some talk a few years ago about a ferry between Hua Hin and Pattaya and I wrote about this a few times on the blog. I see that many folks still come to the Hua Hin Pages looking for information about this ferry. As far as I know it never got off the ground or in the water. I’ve never seen a ferry at the pier in Hua Hin and have never heard of any place where one might purchase tickets. A venture of this sort would cost a lot of money and the cost of tickets would be out of reach for many who might want to take advantage of it. Should I hear anything new of this, I will post it here.
Vans
Mini-vans leave as they fill from the southwest outer ring of the Victory Monument in Bangkok. Hours are from around 0600-2000 every day. Not good for lots of luggage but great for a quick trip. The mini-van station in Hua Hin is on Petchkasem Rd. across the street from the Tesco Express/Esso station on Petchkasem Rd–just north of Chomsin Rd or where Sois 55 and 70 meet.
BKS is now offering mini-van service between Hua Hin and Bangkok. They also go to Victory Monument in Bangkok. Their office in Hua Hin is very near the original company on Petchkasem Rd. The office is located next door to Top Charoen Optical shop just north of Chomsin Rd (Soi 70). The price is currently 180 Baht each way.
BKS is also doing Pranburi and Victory Monument in Bangkok with minivans. The stop in Pranburi is just outside the entrance to Tesco Lotus and trips run at least hourly between before sunrise to late evening.
There is also a new mini-van service between Kanchanaburi and Hua Hin. There are four trips daily for the 3 hour trip (0900, 1200, 1500 and 1800). The office in Hua Hin is near Hua Hin Tansamai Shop on Petchkasem (Soi 56) and the van stops in Kanchanaburi at MuBan Jong Charoen which (I am told) is near the main train station in Kanchanaburi. The cost is 220 Baht each way.
Major hotels such as the Dusit and Sofitel have daily vans from their hotels in Bangkok to their hotels in Hua Hin. These usually leave Bangkok after lunch and take about 2.5 hours to reach Hua Hin. Prices vary but are around $20/person.
Taxi
Some Bangkok taxis will travel to Hua Hin for $60-75. The trip takes about 2.5 hours and allows you to see a bit of the countryside if your time in the Kingdom is limited. These taxis are best arranged at the airport or by your hotel in Bangkok.
Travel Agents
Travel agents in Thailand and around the world offer packages to Hua Hin. These can be golf tours complete with green fees, transportation, and caddies or group tours for families or couples. If you prefer one-stop shopping, contact your local agent. Should you like to explore a bit more, above are ways of reaching Hua Hin from Bangkok.
In addition, especially for golfers and those coming for only a few days, the larger hotels often have golf packages and/or weekday specials, with prices especially low during the off season between January and October.
In many cases in Thailand, agents can often provide lower rates than hotel clerks or airline reservation offices. It’s always best to check around and compare prices and services if you’re looking for a deal.
