Self-drive to Khao Yai

[stjoe1]

Anyone done self-drive from Bangkok to Khao Yai?

Can share the experience on driving condition, traffics, traffic signs, etc.? Thanks

Thinking of getting rental car and self-drive to explore various places in Khao Yai

 

[VacheronLim]

Anyone done self-drive from Bangkok to Khao Yai?

Can share the experience on driving condition, traffics, traffic signs, etc.? Thanks

Thinking of getting rental car and self-drive to explore various places in Khao Yai

am exploring this too, the cheapest private charter transport i found is 2500 baht (one-way from airport to khao yai), so back and forth is 5000 baht which makes me incline to doing self-drive too

plus, the attractions in khao yai don't seem very close to each other, so will need to rent another guide there if you don't drive, the cost will stack up quickly

 

[dEv_]

Perhaps i can share more on my recent experience

Rented my ride from hertz (Entrance 8) Picked up and returned my ride at the same place.

Navigated my way with Google maps. The traffic condition on Google Map is fairly accurate. It will indicate green, red, orange depend on how heavy traffic condition is.

One would need to pay toll via cash. 30 baht each entry. A total of 2 toll booth per way from BKK to Khao Yai. (Via Route 9, 1 and 2)

You may want to set your destination to Midwinter Green. That way, you can avoid long and winding road to Primo Piazza.

There is a PTT (Gas station) nearby Midwinter Green. On my return trip, topped up petrol along Lat Krabang Road before returning my ride.

Left Luggage service is available at 120 baht for small hand carry onwards. Fee was adjusted wef 1 May 2017.

Hope this help in anyway.

 

[stjoe1]

Perhaps i can share more on my recent experience

Rented my ride from hertz (Entrance 8) Picked up and returned my ride at the same place.

Navigated my way with Google maps. The traffic condition on Google Map is fairly accurate. It will indicate green, red, orange depend on how heavy traffic condition is.

One would need to pay toll via cash. 30 baht each entry. A total of 2 toll booth per way from BKK to Khao Yai. (Via Route 9, 1 and 2)

You may want to set your destination to Midwinter Green. That way, you can avoid long and winding road to Primo Piazza.

There is a PTT (Gas station) nearby Midwinter Green. On my return trip, topped up petrol along Lat Krabang Road before returning my ride.

Left Luggage service is available at 120 baht for small hand carry onwards. Fee was adjusted wef 1 May 2017.

Hope this help in anyway.

Thanks dEv_ for the sharing..

Can you share the traffic condition to Khao Yao is easy to drive?

Also what you mean by left luggage service?

You did not stay overnight in Khao Yao?

 

[PersisGal]

Anyone done self-drive from Bangkok to Khao Yai?

Can share the experience on driving condition, traffics, traffic signs, etc.? Thanks

Thinking of getting rental car and self-drive to explore various places in Khao Yai

Hello,

I did a self drive to Khao Yai from BKK earlier on in Feb. Booked the car via Hertz online. Please do note that there's a difference in price between booking online and walk in rates.

Driving from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Khao Yai is quite a straight forward affair. Just follow the directions using Google Map. Imagine driving from Singapore to KL using the North South Highway. Its something similar. Though the traffic can get a bit jam at certain areas (Google Map will warn you) but its not much of an issue. Just be slightly attentive on the roads as there's a lot of heavy vehicles carrying goods in a dangerous way. Traffic signs are easy to spot (in english). I think there's about 2 tolls? Its about 30baht per toll. Just remember to keep spare change at your side.

Once you reach Khao Yai, driving will be a breeze. At times, you will just see endless fields. Google Map is useful at Khao Yai too, but it can be a hassle trying to see road signs at certain junctions as they are piled in Thai language.

Good luck!

 

[VacheronLim]

seems like it's cheaper to book direct with hertz?

any other matters to take note of especially for the booking/returning of car?

 

[PersisGal]

seems like it's cheaper to book direct with hertz?

any other matters to take note of especially for the booking/returning of car?

There's other car rental companies at the airport. But since Hertz is widely known, so I just went with that.

They don't need you to clean the car prior to returning (unlike in Singapore car rentals), so don't have to worry about that. Just need to return the car with full tank of petrol (if that's what you get when you retrieve the car). There's some petrol stations near Suvarnabhumi Airport, which you can use Google Map to get there too.

When you get the car, the staff will inform you what road signs to look out for in order to get the car to the correct lane to get to the airport destination. That's about it.

 

[stjoe1]

Just want to share my experience with self-drive to Khao Yai this month.

I rented Toyota Vios from Hertz at Suvarnabhumi Airport and drove to Khao Yai, took road no. 7, then followed by highway 9, 1 and 2. There are 2 toll-booth along the way where we need to pay 30 Baths each, no need to pay with the exact amount as the toll attendant will give exchange. Just to pay attention to take the correct lane, there are lane dedicated for auto payment using card.

Driving to Khao Yai was quite a breeze, only on road no. 7 which is still considered in Bangkok, there was quite a traffic jam and the pace was very slow.

However, on our way back to Bangkok from Khao Yai (which was on Saturday), I could see a long traffic jam and slow moving traffics on highway 9, 1 and 2 on the opposite direction (from Bangkok to Khao Yai). I guess during weekend many Bangkok residents flocking to Khao Yai to spend their weekends there.

I don't recommend to self-drive, even driving to Khao Yai from Bangkok on Saturdays.

I have 2 AIS SIM card to give away for free - active till 03/09/17 and have some balance inside 10+ Baths.

If any of you need Thai SIM card, just PM me with your address, I will send the SIM card by post to your address for free. First come first served.

 

[kediraksith]

hmm... Hertz really that good? Coz i was thinking of renting from Thai Rent a car...

btw how come those using meta search engines rates are cheaper compared to the website itself?

 

[VacheronLim]

hmm... Hertz really that good? Coz i was thinking of renting from Thai Rent a car...

btw how come those using meta search engines rates are cheaper compared to the website itself?

some of the rental companies offer promotion from time to time (which may not be reflected using search engines), thai rent a car has pretty competitive rates too...

 

[stjoe1]

Reason I use Hertz is to ensure whatever insurance I bought is really covered by the company.. Hertz seems to be global rental company.. Don't think they will try to play funny with the insurance..

Read somewhere some local rental companies claim they have insurance coverage blah blah, turned out no insurance, thus the cost can be cheaper..

You know when we buy or add insurance, it is a tick on rental form, we don't really see the contract between the insurance company with the rental company.. How do we know that the rental company really have insurance coverage of what we buy.. To me, I can trust Hertz more than a local unknown rental company on this aspect..

 

[BlackCube]

Most of the time I rent with Budget, no issue with them. Quite good also.

 

[acchhhoooo]

Just want to share my experience with self-drive to Khao Yai this month.

I rented Toyota Vios from Hertz at Suvarnabhumi Airport and drove to Khao Yai, took road no. 7, then followed by highway 9, 1 and 2. There are 2 toll-booth along the way where we need to pay 30 Baths each, no need to pay with the exact amount as the toll attendant will give exchange. Just to pay attention to take the correct lane, there are lane dedicated for auto payment using card.

Driving to Khao Yai was quite a breeze, only on road no. 7 which is still considered in Bangkok, there was quite a traffic jam and the pace was very slow.

However, on our way back to Bangkok from Khao Yai (which was on Saturday), I could see a long traffic jam and slow moving traffics on highway 9, 1 and 2 on the opposite direction (from Bangkok to Khao Yai). I guess during weekend many Bangkok residents flocking to Khao Yai to spend their weekends there.

I don't recommend to self-drive, even driving to Khao Yai from Bangkok on Saturdays.

I have 2 AIS SIM card to give away for free - active till 03/09/17 and have some balance inside 10+ Baths.

If any of you need Thai SIM card, just PM me with your address, I will send the SIM card by post to your address for free. First come first served.

hihi, you mentioned that travelling to Khao Yai was a breeze but you do not recommend self driving. Is it that you do not recommend driving there on Saturdays? I'm a little confused. Care to elaborate?

 

[stjoe1]

hihi, you mentioned that travelling to Khao Yai was a breeze but you do not recommend self driving. Is it that you do not recommend driving there on Saturdays? I'm a little confused. Care to elaborate?

Yes, driving to Khao Yai is a breeze on other days than Saturdays, in fact without a car in Khao Yai would be difficult to go around as the public transport there is non existent.

But I advise against driving to Khao Yai on Saturdays due to traffic jam even on toll roads.

 

[BlackCube]

Yes, driving to Khao Yai is a breeze on other days than Saturdays, in fact without a car in Khao Yai would be difficult to go around as the public transport there is non existent.

But I advise against driving to Khao Yai on Saturdays due to traffic jam even on toll roads.

It's normal to jam cause the toll road you are in is actually still within Bangkok.

Once out of Bangkok, usually traffic is better.
Weekend in any country, traffic will be heavier. And don't choose the weekend where it's long or around public holiday cause people will be heading back to home town.

I have driven before where it takes 3 hours drive to a about 10 hour drive in Thailand due to the holiday jam. And it's two days or so before the actual holiday. On the day before, it's much much much worst.

 

[yusin79]

Hi i am planning to rent a car and drive from bangkok to Khao yai. Just want to check whether do Singaporeans need a IDP licence to drive there?

Many thanks

 

[BlackCube]

Hi i am planning to rent a car and drive from bangkok to Khao yai. Just want to check whether do Singaporeans need a IDP licence to drive there?

Many thanks

Better to have it.

 

[BuGGi3]

anyone able to share how much was your daily rental rate?

 

[BlackCube]

anyone able to share how much was your daily rental rate?

Most of the time it was 50+- inclusive of insurance.

Honda City/Accord type of car.

 

[BuGGi3]

Most of the time it was 50+- inclusive of insurance.

Honda City/Accord type of car.

Thanks for the info! Likely will rent from thairentacar, going for yaris hatch.

Not confident to drive into bkk city thus i'll just pickup the car at airport, return to airport then head to city via Grab