Getting Around Nong Bua Lamphu
How to get there, how to get around the province

🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026

Before planning, it helps to get the big picture: Nong Bua Lamphu has neither an airport nor a train station inside the province. The Isan railway runs through Udon Thani and Khon Kaen but skips Nong Bua Lamphu, and the nearest airport is Udon Thani, only about 46 kilometres away. That leaves two main options — take a bus straight from Bangkok into town, or fly into Udon and drive down Highway 210, then sort out local transport once you're there. Worth knowing: Nong Bua Lamphu sits roughly midway between Udon, Loei and Khon Kaen, so it's easy to string two or three provinces into one trip.

By bus from Bangkok

The bus is what most people use, because it runs straight into town and the fares are cheap. Buses leave from Mo Chit 2 Bus Terminal (Chatuchak) in Bangkok and drop you at Nong Bua Lamphu Bus Terminal, which is right in town and an easy hop to your hotel. Bangkok to Nong Bua Lamphu is about 595 kilometres and takes around 8–9 hours depending on stops and traffic. Most departures on this route are evening to late-night, so you sleep on board and wake up just as you arrive.

• Main operators — Transport Co. 999, Nakhonchai Air, Busarakam Tour and Sawasdee Isan all run this route, several departures a day between them.
• Rough prices — air-con / Class 1 seats start around ฿425–452, while VIP coaches with fewer seats run about ฿650–750 depending on the class and operator.
• Departure times — this route leans heavily on evening-to-late departures, mostly leaving around 19:00–20:30. You travel overnight and reach Nong Bua Lamphu in the morning — the slot most people pick.
• Booking — book ahead online through busonlineticket, busticket.in.th, Nakhonchai Air or 12go, or just buy at the counter at Mo Chit 2. Book early over holidays, as seats fill up fast.

Fly into Udon Thani, then drive 46 km

Because Nong Bua Lamphu has no airport, people who want to fly usually land at Udon Thani Airport (UTH), a busy hub with frequent flights from both Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi and fares that are usually affordable. From there it's only about 46 kilometres down to Nong Bua Lamphu, roughly 45 minutes to an hour, along Highway 210 (Udon–Nong Bua Lamphu–Loei), now widened to four lanes along much of this stretch so the drive is easy. This works well if you'd rather not sit through a long overnight bus, since Udon is the closest airport-equipped province to Nong Bua Lamphu.

• Airlines into Udon — Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Nok Air and Thai Vietjet fly in and out of Udon several times a day. Booked ahead, fares usually start around ฿800–1,400 one-way.
• Van/bus Udon–Nong Bua Lamphu — services run all day from Udon's bus terminal, with fares around ฿50–80 and a journey of about 45 minutes to an hour. Good if you're on a budget, and some routes carry on further.
• Private transfer from Udon Airport to Nong Bua Lamphu — chartered cars with a driver run from the airport into Nong Bua Lamphu town, starting around ฿700–1,200 per trip depending on vehicle type. Handy if you're in a group or arriving late.
• Why Udon is the better choice — just 46 km away, plenty of flights, flexible timetables, and you can fold a bit of Udon into the same trip since the two provinces sit side by side on Highway 210.

Midway between Udon, Loei and Khon Kaen — easy to stop off

Something a lot of people don't realise: Nong Bua Lamphu sits right on Highway 210, which runs from Udon Thani straight to Loei, and it isn't far from Khon Kaen to the south via Non Sang district. So if you're already planning an upper-Isan trip through Udon, Loei or Khon Kaen, you can drop in on Nong Bua Lamphu without much of a detour. It's a pass-through province many people overlook, but it's actually easier to reach than you'd think.

• Udon Thani → Nong Bua Lamphu — about 46 km, roughly 45 min–1 hr along Highway 210. Much of this stretch is now four lanes, and it's the route most people use.
• Nong Bua Lamphu → Loei — about 92 km, roughly 1.5 hrs continuing west on Highway 210 through Na Wang district. The mountain views start to get good as you enter Loei.
• Nong Bua Lamphu → Khon Kaen — about 113–117 km, roughly 2 hrs heading south through Non Sang district, skirting the reservoir above Ubol Ratana Dam. This is the route that passes right by Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham park.
• Stringing provinces together — Udon–Nong Bua Lamphu–Loei link up in a single line along Highway 210, one-way with no backtracking, or you can head down to Khon Kaen past Ubol Ratana Dam as another option.

Renting a car — the easiest way to do Nong Bua Lamphu

A lot of Nong Bua Lamphu's sights are spread across the outer districts and aren't well served by public transport — Wat Tham Klong Phen out on the Udon road, Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham park over on the Non Sang side, and the King Naresuan shrine in town. Renting a car and driving yourself is the most practical option if you want to hit several spots in one trip. There are a few local rental shops in Nong Bua Lamphu town, but if you're coming via Udon, it's better to rent at Udon Airport from the start and drive down, since the airport has far more big-name rental options to choose from.

• Renting at Udon Airport is better — if you want to drive yourself with first-class insurance, book through a major operator at Udon Airport where there's plenty of choice. Small sedans start around ฿750–1,000 a day, SUVs/pickups around ฿1,200–1,800 a day, and many shops deliver to the airport for free.
• Car with driver from Udon — if you'd rather not drive, a sedan with driver starts around ฿1,300–1,800 a day, and a van with driver around ฿1,800–2,400 a day (prices usually exclude fuel — you return it with a full tank at the end).
• Renting in Nong Bua Lamphu town — there are some local shops, but fewer options than Udon, and most lean toward car-with-driver. Always check the terms and insurance before you book.
• Driving in the province — Nong Bua Lamphu town is small, traffic-free and easy to park in, and the roads out to other districts are good highways (Highway 210 being the main Udon–Loei spine), so the driving is easy. Just note that out of town and on the climb up to Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham, petrol stations are spread out — fill up before any long stretch.

No car? How to get around town

If you're only seeing the town itself — the King Naresuan the Great shrine, Nong Bua (the lake in the centre of town), the local markets and the old quarter — you don't really need a car, since everything in town is close together and you can walk or grab a songthaew or motorbike taxi. But if you're heading out to Wat Tham Klong Phen or the Non Sang side, public transport gets inconvenient.

• Songthaew — run around town and out to nearby districts, with in-town fares in the low tens of baht. Always ask the price before you get on.
• Motorbike taxi — found at junctions and in front of markets, good for short hops around town.
• Motorbike rental — shops rent them for about ฿250–350 a day, good for solo travellers or couples not going too far. Wat Tham Klong Phen (about 13–15 km) is doable, but for the climb up to Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham on the Non Sang side a car is the better call, given the distance and the hill roads.
• Ride-hailing apps — coverage in Nong Bua Lamphu town isn't as dense as in big cities, and during quiet hours you may wait a while, so leave some buffer time.

In-province distances — to Wat Tham Klong Phen, Phu Phan Kham and nearby sights

Here are rough distances from Nong Bua Lamphu town to the spots people ask about most, measured from the town centre and rounded off to help you gauge travel time. You'll notice Wat Tham Klong Phen is out on the Udon road, while Phu Kao-Phu Phan Kham park is over on the Non Sang side toward Khon Kaen — opposite directions, so plan your route well to avoid backtracking.

Which option is best for you