How to buy a train, bus or ferry ticket in Thailand

In 2015, a company called 12 Go Asia (go to website) came into existence, which, to date, works with 130 transport operators on about 13,000 routes in Southeast Asia. On the site of the company you can book tickets for several types of transport: planes, trains, buses, ferries, transfers and combo routes. And you can also rent a car, book a hotel or buy a sightseeing tour. Using and understanding the entire service is made much easier with responsive customer support, 9 languages and 19 currencies.

How do I book tickets at 12 Go Asia?

I want to answer the question “How do I get from Bangkok to Phuket” that many beginner travelers ask, and use 12 Go Asia as an example to help them book tickets.

So fill in the fields in the search form above, or go to the website of the company, get familiar with the interface, and change the language and currency if desired. Then we fill in the fields of departure and arrival town or station, enter the date and click on Find Tickets. The results are impressive, we have 19 different routes to choose from, ranging from 646 to 14,000 baht:

You can also find the best value for your choice.

First, we are offered combined Bangkok-Phuket tickets, combining train to Surat Thani Province transfer station and bus already to the destination:

Then cabs, buses, and airplanes (air travel is not always available). Cabs, by the way, are cheapest to order at KiwiTaxi.ru:

Choose operator and pay booking

When choosing your preferred method of travel on the site 12 Go Asia, be sure to check the photos and reviews of travelers who have already taken advantage of the service. Check the availability, and if you are happy with your booking, simply click the pay button, and your entry will be added to your cart.

Buy train, ferry, bus ticket in Thailand

Thereafter you should select the number of required seats and their location, fill in the information about yourself: full name, phone number, e-mail, passport data (if you travel by train), choose the travel accident insurance (if you want), check all the boxes and choose the payment method by entering the payment information.

Buy train, ferry, bus ticket in Thailand

Payment is possible in three ways: by bank card (Visa, MasterCard), PayPal or in Thai 7-Eleven stores. After the payment you will receive by e-mail or SMS an electronic voucher in PDF format (download a sample), which you can print out on a printer for your convenience. It will include your details, reservation number, seat number and exact boarding address with the location map:

Buy train, ferry, bus ticket in Thailand

Now let’s look at the booking process on site 12 Go Asia separately for each type of Thai transport, as the rules from transport operators are not always the same.

Peculiarities of buying a train ticket in Thailand

At the moment, to buy a train ticket in Thailand through 12 Go Asia is only available from the departure stations of Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) and Chiang Mai. And the whole process of online booking is semi-automatic – after payment you get a confirmation of payment by e-mail, then the operator acquires tickets at the train station box office in your name, after that you get a booking confirmation. So the price will be somewhat more expensive…or cheaper if it’s extremely inconvenient and unprofitable for you to go to the ticket office.

The price of it will be somewhat more expensive.

Unfortunately, the state Thailand Railways does not recognize e-tickets, hence the conductor will not put you on the train if you show such a document. Therefore, after confirming your reservation, at least 1 hour before departure you need to come to the 12 Go Asia offices located at the train stations:

  • Bangkok – on office days, in front of SK Tavel Agency, near Cyber Cafe, located on the balcony.
  • Chiang Mai – 24-hour reception at the Bossotel, located across from the train station.

It is also possible to send tickets via EMS (costs 1000 baht) or Thai Post, please tick the box and provide your shipping address when you purchase. If you are staying at a hotel, please provide the address.

Buy train, ferry, bus ticket in Thailand

When booking a train online, in addition to your name, you need to enter your passport information and your gender, as this may cause you to be denied boarding. The fact is that the State Railway of Thailand provides for female coaches separately from the male coaches. Also VIP compartment tickets are not sold to people of different sexes, unless they are booked by a couple. Only boys under 10 years old and under 150 cm tall are allowed in the women’s carriages.

Since 12 Go Asia is not connected to the Thai Railways database, the number of available seats on the trains is conditional until data is received from SRT about their complete unavailability. However, you will still get a seat in the carriage, and the reservation option remains open for at least 4 days before departure. But if it so happens that there are no trains left for the selected date, we recommend that you look into VIP buses.

When it comes to travel, we recommend that you take a look at VIP buses.

When traveling by train in a small company, the question arises about the availability of seats next to each other, which must be booked 4 or 8 weeks before departure. And, the more people, the greater the chance of getting seats apart. In any case, it’s best to coordinate with customer service.

In any case, it’s best to coordinate with customer service.

Frequently, trains leave on time, but arrive at different times (can either arrive faster or be delayed). If you book a combined train+ferry itinerary, if the train is late, you’ll be put on the next ferry free of charge.

If you book a combined train+ferry itinerary, you’ll be put on the next ferry free of charge.

Train 2nd class trains and compartments have air conditioning, but it’s on full power, so make sure you have something warm on hand, like a plaid (it’s mentioned in the “What to take with you to Thailand from cosmetics and medicine” article, by the way).

Peculiarities of buying a bus ticket in Thailand

Unlike trains, once you book a ticket for buses in Thailand on site 12 Go Asia, you don’t need to go to the office for the original, as the bus operators accept them electronically without question. After payment, you will receive an e-mail or SMS booking number, which you can print on a normal printer if you wish. Then you must show it to the man in the booth at the bus station, or the driver. Some operators require a printout of the reservation and an ID (even a Thai driver’s license may be sufficient).

What about the prices of buses, they can be both cheaper than at the ticket office, and slightly more expensive. It’s all about the operators who provide discounts.

VIP-buses differ from the usual buses by more space for passengers, comfortable seats and thicker plaids. But in general, the level of comfort is similar – pillows, plaids, snacks and water are provided. Also in most long-haul buses there are toilets (read more about toilets in Thailand).

Buy train, ferry, bus ticket in Thailand

When booking a combined itinerary on site 12 Go Asia bus+ferry provided by one operator, the transfer to the pier is already included in the total price.

Buses generally depart on time, but due to various traffic situations (traffic jams, weather, driver experience) it is possible for the buses to arrive earlier or later. Depending on the class of bus or route, there may be no stops en route, but if there are, they are for boarding/disembarking passengers or long ones – once every few hours or in the middle of the route.

Buses with air-conditioning and air-conditioning have a few seats.

The situation with air conditioners is somewhat worse than on trains because of their possible inoperability. If they do turn out to be in working order, they will definitely be on at full capacity, so, warm plaids remain relevant.

Peculiarities of buying a ferry ticket in Thailand

Site 12 Go Asia also allows you to buy tickets for steam in Thailand. Their prices are about the same as at the pier ticket offices. As for vacant seats, in reality there are more than you see on the screen. If you cancel a trip, they can be returned with a refund. Tickets for ferries, as in the case of bus tickets, are accepted electronically by the staff upon arrival at the pier. After paying for your reservation, you will receive an e-mail or SMS voucher (download a sample), which must be printed.

Buy train, ferry, bus ticket in Thailand

In case of combined Train+Ferry and Bus+Ferry itineraries, if you miss the ferry and the first mode of transportation, the transfer will take you to the pier free of charge and put you on the next one.

In other cases, the specifics of online booking on 12 Go Asia and ferry travel are not much different than with buses.

Peculiarities of traveling in Thailand with kids

If you travel in Thailand with children, you should pay attention to some peculiarities of travel on trains, buses and ferries (in the whole country, children under 3 years travel for free if travelling in the same seat with an adult):

  1. Train – children from 12 years and under 150 cm in height have a 10% discount on travel with the purchase of a separate ticket (for this you must buy an adult ticket online and the difference in price will be refunded in cash when you apply for it in the office)
  2. Ferry – on many ferry operators there are discounts for kids, so on ferries of the company Boonsiri children under 10 years travel with a discount of 50%, and on Lomprayah – children above 130 cm are guaranteed a slightly smaller discount, but in this case they must be purchased at the ticket office, not on the website.
  3. The ferry – in this case the children have to be in the carriage.
  4. Buses – it all depends on the operator, but there are no other additional discounts. In any case, on this issue should write to the company’s support.

The 12 Go Asia online booking company makes traveling in Southeast Asia, especially Thailand, much easier. Contact support with any questions, the answer will not keep you waiting long. Good luck with your travels!

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