K Buddy
- About
- Popular Routes
- Stations
- Reviews
- Schedule and Timetable
About K Buddy
While some travellers feel skeptical about vans, a good choice of destinations and competitive prices make vans one of the most popular means of transport for others. Vans are always more flexible than big buses. If there is a sudden request for rides to some new destinations, van operators are always the first to offer their service. Indeed, it is easier to launch a new route if you operate a vehicle of 10-15 pax capacity, isn’t it?
K Buddy operates van service and offers tickets with easy online booking. Check them if you are looking for options to travel by van.
What are the Main Stations of K Buddy?
K Buddy’s vans run to and from the following terminals:
- Vientiane Northern Bus Station
- Huay Xai Transfer
- Chokprasert Bus Terminal
- Chiang Rai Transfer
- Chiang Rai Hotel Transfer
What are the Most Popular Routes of K Buddy?
The most popular trip destinations of K Buddy’s timetable are:
- Chiang Rai - Luang Prabang
- Chiang Rai - Huay Xai
- Luang Prabang - Chiang Rai
- Huay Xai - Chiang Rai
- Chiang Rai - Vientiane
- Vientiane - Chiang Rai
- Chiang Rai - Savannakhet
- Chiang Rai - Don Det
- Chiang Rai - Hanoi
- Chiang Rai - Thakhek
- Chiang Rai - Pakse
- Chiang Rai - Hue
- Chiang Rai - Siem Reap
- Chiang Rai - Da Nang
What are the Vans Classes & Prices of K Buddy?
As a rule, it is not possible to choose a ticket class when travelling by van. Yet you can check with the operator and/or choose the type of van which serves your route. Some vans seat only 9-10 passengers, others accommodate up to 15 travellers. The former case means you may have more legroom, wider seats and a more comfortable ride, the latter – be ready for a limited space for your legs, elbows and your luggage. Read reviews on K Buddy van service to be sure they meet your expectations.
Pros & Cons of Van Travel
Pros of Van Travel
- Vans often reach the destinations where neither buses nor trains travel. These include secondary towns and smaller villages
- In most cases vans are the fastest way to get to your destination if travelling to relatively short distances overland simply because they are smaller than buses and more maneuverable
- Vans can let you get off at a more convenient point enroute – not necessarily at the terminal, what actually can save you loads of time and money in some cases.
Cons of Van Travel
- Some vans can be quite cramped with limited space for luggage available. Well, actually almost all vans offer limited luggage space and if you have more than one bag, suitcase or backpack, it may be a good idea to buy a separate seat for your luggage – yes, you will pay double for your trip, alas
- It is worth checking if your van runs on schedule or leaves when full – in the latter case you may end up waiting too long as on several routes it can take quite a time for a van to fill up.
- You should know that van drivers are notorious for their speedy driving. Even the most reputable companies sometimes fail to persuade the drivers to respect the speed limits. Even if your van driver does not insist on it, always buckle your seatbelt while travelling by van
- If you easily get seasick and your trip includes winding stretches, chances to feel motion sickness are higher while travelling by van than by bus. Take your medicine half an hour before your trip to be on the safe side.
NaN Passengers
K Buddy Stations
Vientiane Northern Bus StationHuay Xai TransferChokprasert Bus TerminalChiang Rai TransferChiang Rai Hotel Transfer
K Buddy Company Reviews
C Z
Celia ZI had booked the van plus overnight bus to Laos.
Departure was scheduled for 12pm at my hotel. A gentleman came by at 11am to tell me that the departure had been postponed until 2pm. At 1.30pm another man in a basic car picked him up and dropped me off at the van.
The rest went pretty well. The van was comfortable and air-conditioned, and he took us to a small roadside shop to do the paperwork before the border (rather bizarre). We filled in the customs form and took photos if we didn't have any. You can also change baths into kip at a very attractive rate.
Customs clearance was fairly straightforward, with nothing to report on the Thai side. On the Laotian side, however, there was a $1 or 50 bath service charge (just for her to check the form). Pay $40 or 1,800 baths for the visa (be careful, in baths it's much more expensive). After passing through customs, we had to wait to catch the night bus, which took us to the small but well-stocked bus station. The night bus left more than 30 minutes late, the staff were as unfriendly as possible, they didn't explain anything to us and they didn't speak English. You end up in a rather narrow berth with a stranger (they try to put tourists together). And a road that jolts you back and forth between holes and bends is enough to make you want to vomit. There was a dinner break at 8pm, and after that we had no idea whether there were breaks or just the travelers' stops, because nothing was said in English.
The journey goes on, we don't sleep or don't sleep much, but at least we make it to our destination.
This review was autotranslated
Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Sleeping Bus, K Buddy, Mar 5, 2024
C M
Christine Mbon dans lense
Bus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy, Feb 6, 2024
S K
Sarah KStarting at the Lao bus terminal was a bit tough, you have to exchange the voucher and find the bus - not many speak English, in our case there was luckily only one possible option. The whole route took longer than suggested, but we figured that from all other travel offers. The local sleeping bus takes about 15h to get to a station 15 minutes away from the border. After the bus ride we had a K buddy affiliate waiting to show us the vehicle we would take to ravel to the Lao Border Town Huay Xai (ca. 15 min away) There they awaited us and explained the next steps , bought the bus ticket and handed them to us since you need to take an mandatory bus line across the friendship bridge to Thai border. On the other side, after immigration at the Thai border there was a Thai driver from K buddy waiting to take us to Chang Rai.
The whole travel was very seamless and easy. Biggest pain point was the Lao Sleeping Bus as is was quite rudimentary, also some people that got in at later bus stops had to sleep on the floor between the bed stations as all beds were full. We expected that though so all was fine and K Buddy really guided us through - their service was great :)
Bus Sleeping Bus + Taxi + Bus + Van, K Buddy, Nov 21, 2023
H K
Heinrich KBus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew, K Buddy, Mar 16, 2024
R S
Rosemarie SBus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy, Feb 15, 2024
L M
Luca MBus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy, Feb 13, 2024
C E
Clive EBus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Slow Boat, K Buddy, Feb 9, 2024
L M
Lorena MBus Taxi + Bus + Song Taew + Sleeping Bus, K Buddy, Dec 1, 2023
W P
Wendy PBus Sleeping Bus + Taxi + Bus + Van, K Buddy, Nov 6, 2023