Ubon Ratchathani travel guide

Getting around

Ubon is a large town. The TAT provides a map marking city bus routes – there are 13 routes across town. There are also lots of saamlors and tuk-tuks, as well as cars and motorbikes for hire.

Ins and outs

Getting there

The airport is a longish walk from the city centre, on the north side of town. It is just about possible to walk if it’s cool, there’s a following breeze and you have light bags. A taxi service is available: ฿70 to the town centre, ฿120 to the railway station at Warin Chamrap, south of town. Bigger hotels pick up guests gratis. Buses Nos 2 and 6 run into town from the railway station but most people arrive in Ubon by bus. The main bus terminal is north of town (too far to walk), but many tour buses drop off in the city centre. See also Transport, page , for further details.

Ubon Ratchathani

Air

Regular daily connections with Bangkok (1 hr).

Airline offices

THAI, 292/9 Chayangkun Rd, T045-254431.

Bus

The recently renovated BKS station for non-a/c buses is some distance north of town, not far from Wat Nong Bua at the end of Chayangkun Rd. Get there by town bus No 2 or 3. The station for a/c and non-a/c buses to Bangkok is at the back of the market on Chayangkun Rd, south of the Pathumrat Hotel. Regular connections with Bangkok’s Northeastern bus terminal (8 hrs), Nakhon Phanom (5½-7 hrs), and less frequently with other northeastern towns – eg there are 2 bus companies which service Surin regularly (4 hrs); a/c and non-a/c tour buses to Bangkok also leave from Khuan Thani Rd, opposite the TAT Office; Sahamit Tour, on Khuan Thani Rd near the National Museum, runs buses to Udon Thani via Mukdahan, That Phanom and Nakhon Phanom; Sayan Tour, near the Ratchathani Hotel, runs buses to Udon Thani via Yasothon, Roi Et, Mahasarakham and Khon Kaen. VIP buses to Bangkok leave from the station on the south side of the Mun River, north of Warin Chamrap on the left-hand side of the road, heading north. Night bus leaves at 2130, arriving in Bangkok at 0600. Reservations recommended.

Car and motorbike hire

Car drivers often wait on Rachabut Rd and near the TAT office. A car and driver for the day, including petrol, will cost about ฿1000. There are several car/motorbike rental places on Chayangkun Rd.

Chaw Watana, 39/8 Suriyat Rd, T045-242202. Costs ฿฿250 for a motorbike, ฿1000-1200 for a car). Seems to rent out anything with wheels.

Saamlor and tuk-tuk

Saamlors and tuk-tuks also available (at breakneck speed); map from the TAT office (fare ฿3).

Train

There are connections with Bangkok and stops along the southern northeastern track. It is also possible to enter Laos from Ubon, via Chongmek.

Regular connections with Bangkok’s Hualamphong station (10 hrs) and all stations in between.

Banks

Bangkok, 88 Chayangkun Rd. Thai Farmers Bank, 356/9 Phromathep Rd. Thai Military, 130 Chayangkun Rd. Siam Commercial, Chayangkun Rd. All have ATMs.

Immigration

Phibun Mangsahan Rd, T045-441108 (in Phibun Mangsahan).

Internet

Cafés at 323 Suriyat Rd and on Uparat Chayangkun and Srinarong roads. Email next door to the telephone office and above the Nevada Hotel.

Police

Tourist Police, Corner of Srinarong and Upparat roads, T045-243770.

Medical services

Rom Kao Hospital, Upparat Rd (close to the Mun River), is said to be the best in the city. There is another hospital on Sapphasit Rd, T045-254906.

Post office

Corner of Srinarong and Luang Rd.

Tele- phone

Office at the back of the post office.