Bang Saphan Tour is a bus company based in Bangkok, with services departing from the city’s Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai). The operator is a specialist on the route between Bangkok and Prachuap Khiri Khan, a journey of around 240km towards the Myanmar border.
The operator only offers one route, connecting Bangkok and Prachuap Khiri Khan. There are 12 daily departures from Bangkok to Prachuap Khiri Khan, with buses leaving almost every two hours from 07.30 until midnight each day. The journey usually lasts just three hours, with tickets available from THB260.
There is a great deal of choice for those looking to travel from Bangkok to the town of Prachuap Khiri Khan, with departures throughout the day. If you do miss your scheduled departure then you will only have to wait around two hours until the next one, although you will probably have to pay for an additional ticket!
Bang Saphan operates big express buses and not vans – these buses are definitely slower than mini-buses but also more comfortable.
Sai Tai Mai, Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal, can be a very confusing station as it sprawls across several levels and it can often take a lot longer than expected to locate the correct bus stop or ticket office.
It is also worth pointing out that delays are very common on this route, as well as all routes across Thailand, as you can often be caught up in Bangkok’s notorious hectic rush hour which can significantly increase the duration of your journey. It is always sensible to factor possible delays into your schedule to ensure you do not miss any connection you may have arranged.
Another issue with Bang Saphan Tour is that the quality of the buses is not always great and the vehicles can sometimes be old and not in an ideal condition. However, the journey from Bangkok to Prachuap Khiri Khan is only usually around three hours long so it is not a disaster. At least you do not have to endure a longer trip in cramped conditions as is the case on some seven or eight hour long bus rides!
When you arrive at Prachuap Khiri Khan you will be dropped off at the edge of the town rather than in the centre. This means that you will have to negotiate with the waiting tuk tuk drivers to take you the rest of the way to your accommodation. This is an additional cost than you will have to take into account when planning your trip, not to mention the hassle of trying to negotiate a fair price as soon as you get off the bus.
Bang Saphan Tour is regarded by many visitors as one of the best operators to pick when planning a trip to the south of the country or to the border crossing into Myanmar. There is a wide range of departure times from Bangkok to Prachuap Khiri Khan, so there is bound to be something to suit your schedule; whether you are looking to spend a few days in the town itself or if you are planning to cross straight into Myanmar.
The biggest issue that passengers have with Bang Saphan Tour is the fairly low standard of buses along the route. The vehicles tend to be older than you would expect and not as high quality as the buses used by some other companies along this route.
Also, the buses tend to terminate just outside Prachuap Khiri Khan so passengers are required to arrange additional transport from the drop-off point into the centre of town. Although some hotels and guesthouses may offer shuttle transfers (usually at a premium), other passengers will be required to barter with the waiting tuk-tuk drivers to complete their journey.