Phitsanulok Tour

Based in Phitsanulok, one of Thailand’s oldest cities located around halfway between Bangkok and the Laos border, Phitsanulok Tour runs services connecting two historic city with the capital. In addition, Phitsanulok Tour also offer buses heading to Sukhothai and Phetchabun, both cities found near the mid-way point between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

All the buses on these routes are single-deck vehicles and you will be welcomed with complimentary snacks and drinks when you board and throughout the journey.

Bangkok–Phitsanulok

As mentioned above, the main route this company runs connects Thailand's capital city, Bangkok, with historic Phitsanulok. There are 16 departures each day from Morchit bus terminal in northern Bangkok, between 07.00 and 23.00. This journey should take around six hours and with the high number of services throughout the day, there should be a departure time that fits your schedule nicely. Tickets for this trip should be priced around THB300 each way.

Bangkok–Sukhothai & Phetchabun

There are also five services every day from Bangkok heading to Sukhothai and Phetchabun. A ticket to Sukhothai costs approximately THB330 for the 7 ½ hour journey (with departures between 07.00 and 21.30) whilst you can travel to Phetchabun in around 8 ½ hours for THB370 (between 10.30 and 22.00).

Firstly, Phitsanulok Tour offers a very frequent and reliable timetable throughout the day. If you are thinking of heading out of Bangkok to explore Phitsanulok, then there really is no better company with which to travel. There are 16 departures every day, so you are spoilt for choice and can tailor your arrival time to your schedule.

Despite being one of the most popular transport providers on these routes, the fares on Phitsanulok Tour services are very competitively priced. There are not that many companies across Thailand that offer tickets for less than THB400 for a trip lasting almost nine hours.

The buses used by Phitsanulok Tour do not currently offer wifi, this can be annoying if you are reliant on it to entertain you during the journey. Also, the seats can sometimes not be up to the high standards of some of the other bus companies so may be a bit uncomfortable, especially if you're travelling for up to eight hours.

Services depart Bangkok from the notoriously busy and confusing Morchit bus terminal and it is always worth arriving with plenty of time to spare when catching a bus here. It can often take quite a long time to locate the correct office or bus so get there early to avoid any stress! However, if you do miss your departure then you shouldn't have to wait too long for the next one, although you may have to purchase another ticket or pay an administration fee.

It's worth noting that there are two bus stations in Phitsanulok so if you've booked accommodation close to one of them, then it's worth checking which terminal you will arrive at when boarding and leaving the bus to save any confusion.

Travellers are usually pleased with the sheer number of services, especially on the Bangkok to Phitsanulok route, giving you a great deal of flexibility when booking your journey.

There are reports that sometimes the services can be delayed due to the drivers dropping locals off individually and making small detours from the route. Unfortunately, this is a fairly common occurrence and there isn't much that can be done about this. If you're due to meet someone at the bus terminal it's always worth having their contact details to hand, as well as a Thai SIM card, so you can let them know if you're running late.