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Route 1: Take
Highway No. 1 (Phahon Yothin) from Bangkok to Saraburi and
then take Highway No. 2 (Mitraparp Highway) from Saraburi to
Nakhon Ratchasima. The total distance is 259 kilometers.
Route 2: Take
Highway No. 304 from Bangkok and proceed past Min Buri,
Chachoengsao, Phanom Sarakham, Kabin Buri, Pak Thong Chai,
to Nakhon Ratchasima. The total distance is 273 kilometers.
Route 3: Take
the Bangkok-Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok route then take Highway No.
33 to Kabin Buri and Highway No. 304 past Wang Nam Khiao,
Pak Thong Chai to Nakhon Ratchasima.
Thai Airways
International (THAI) flies to Khorat from Bangkok twice a
day. For more information, contact their Bangkok office at
tel. 0 2280 0060, 0 2628 2000 or visit
www.thaiairways.com.
The THAI office (Tel: 044-257211/5) is at 14 Manat Rd., off
of Mahat Thai Rd. inside the city moat.
Air Andaman
provides two daily flight services from Bangkok to Nakhon
Ratchasima. For more information, contact their Bangkok
office at tel. 0 2996 9119 or visit
www.airandaman.com.
Ordinary
buses leave the Northern Bus Terminal (Mochit 2 Bus
Terminal) in Bangkok every 15 or 20 minutes from 5 a.m. to
10.15 p.m. Air-conditioned buses leaving for Bangkok arrive
and depart from the Korat’s air-conditioned bus terminal on
Mitraparp Highway.
The
Transport Co., Ltd. (known as Bo Kho So) has both
air-conditioned and non air-conditioned buses departing from
the Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal)
daily. Air-conditioned buses depart from Bangkok every 10
minutes all day, traveling time is 3.20 hours and the fare
is 157 bahts. Non air-conditioned buses depart from Bangkok
every hour from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., traveling time is 4.30
hours and the fare is 87 bahts. For information, call 0 2936
2852-66 or get more updated information at
www.traco.motc.go.th.
Private
companies that offer bus services are Ratchasima Tour Co.,
tel. 0 4424 5443, Bangkok tel. 0 2936 1615 and Air Khorat
Co., tel. 0 4425 2999, Bangkok tel. 0 2936 2252.
Buses
running to other provinces leave from Bus Terminal 2 in
Khorat. There are services to the northeastern provinces of
Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom,
Sakon Nakhon, Kalasin, Ubon Ratchathani, Buri Ram (the old
route goes past Nang Rong and the new one past Huai
Thalaeng), and Surin (past Nang Rong-Ban Tako). In addition,
there are buses to Bangkok, Chon Buri, Pattaya, Rayong,
Chanthaburi, Lop Buri, Sing Buri, Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Mai,
and Chiang Rai (up to Mae Sai). All depart from the Bus
Terminal 2 in Khorat.
Getting around Korat
Traveling
within the province is easy, with many mini-bus and bus
routes operating in the city and nearby areas. The fare on
each route is 3 bahts. Comfortable air-conditioned bus
services are also provided for route No. 2 at the rate of 5
bahts.
A more
convenient way to get around is to take the Tuk-Tuk or
Samlor in the city. Samlors around the city costs 20 bahts;
while tuk-tuks cost 40 bahts to most places around town (30
bahts for a short hop) and 50 to 60 bahts for longer trips.
The rate for motorbike taxis is within the same range.
Please note that the price must be agreed upon before a
trip.
If traveling
to another district, it is possible to take either a bus or
mini-bus at Bus Terminal 1 on Burin Road. At Bus Terminal 2,
only provides bus services to Amphoe Phimai and Dan
Kwian-Chok Chai.
For
information, call Bus Terminal 1 on Burin Road, tel. 0 4424
2899 and 0 4426 8899 and Bus Terminal 2 on the
Mitraparp-Khon Kaen Road, tel. 0 4425 6006-9 ext. 175, 176
(air-conditioned), 178 (regular).
An express
train bound for Ubon Ratchathani departs Bangkok's
Hualamphong Station at 9 p.m. and arrives in Khorat at 2.03
a.m.
Rapid trains on the Ubon railway depart at 6.50 a.m., 6.45
p.m. and 10.45 p.m., arriving in Khorat at 11.48 a.m. and
11.51 p.m. and 4.07 a.m. respectively. especially the
morning arrival, which leaves plenty of daylight time to
explore the city.
There are
also two ordinary trains (3rd class only) that depart
Bangkok at 3.25 and 11.25 p.m., arriving in Khorat about 5
1/2 to 6 hours after departure.
The 1st class fare (express train only) is 230 bahts, while
the 2nd class and 3rd class fares are 115 bahts and 50 bahts
respectively. An additional fee of 40 bahts is charged for
rapid trains, 60 bahts for the express and 80 bahts for the
special express train. The train passes through some great
scenery on the Khorat Plateau, including a view of the
enormous white Buddha figure at Wat Theppitak on a thickly
forested hillside. Visit www.railway.co.th or call 1690 for
more up-to-date schedules and fares.
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