Frequently asked questions

A free, map-first web app for getting around Hat Yai, Thailand by public transport. It covers the Songkhla PAO EV City Loop (Route 3), the Hat Yai Airport minibus, SRT trains between Hat Yai Junction and Padang Besar, and the seasonal KTM MySawasdee train from Kuala Lumpur. You get stops on a map, estimated times, fares and a journey planner, in Thai, English or Bahasa Melayu. No account or download is needed, and you can add it to your home screen like an app.

No. Hat Yai Transit is unofficial and independent. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Songkhla PAO, Airports of Thailand, SRT, KTMB, ViaBus or any operator. It was built by Aliff, an independent developer from Penang, Malaysia (TechMavie Digital), using public announcements, news reports and community posts (see Sources). Times may be estimates, so always check with the operator before you travel.

No account is needed. We use cookieless, self-hosted analytics and only remember your language choice on your device. Your location is used only if you tap “Use current location”. Details are in our privacy notice.

An air-conditioned electric bus service run by Songkhla Provincial Administrative Organization (Songkhla PAO). It loops around Hat Yai through 24 numbered stops. The first bus leaves at 07:00 and the last at 19:00: every 20 minutes from 07:00 to 08:00 and from 15:30 to 16:30, and every 30 minutes at other times (Songkhla PAO timetable). The buses show “Hat Yai City Loop 3” and have wheelchair ramps. For questions or complaints about the service, call Songkhla PAO on +66 74 244 443.

It’s free during the trial period, 10 October – 12 November 2026. From 13 November 2026 the fare is a flat 15 THB per ride, whatever the distance. Fares can change, so check Songkhla PAO’s announcements; the app shows the fare for the day you travel.

Even after the free trial ends, students in school uniform, Buddhist monks and novices, and passengers with disabilities ride free.

Both serve the same 24 stops, in opposite directions. Loop Left follows the official stop numbering (1 → 24) and Loop Right goes round the other way (24 → 1). About 4 buses run in each direction. Take whichever reaches your stop sooner. The journey planner works this out for you. If you’re not sure which way a bus is going, check the sign on the front or ask the driver.

Partly. Departure times from the start of the loop (stop 1) follow the Songkhla PAO timetable. Times at the other stops are our estimates, marked EST, worked out from the timetable and the usual travel time, so traffic, weather and a brand-new service settling in can shift them. To see where the buses actually are right now, use the ViaBus app.

Yes, the airport minibus (route 8299) runs between Hat Yai International Airport, the city centre and Hat Yai Bus Terminal. It has no fixed timetable in either direction: departures from the airport are timed to flight arrivals, roughly between 08:00 and 17:00. The fare is 60–80 THB, paid in cash (sources differ, so confirm with the driver or the counter).

We don’t recommend it. There are no guaranteed pickup times towards the airport, and riders have reported missing their flights. If you have a flight to catch, take a taxi or Grab, or leave plenty of spare time.

The shuttle trains can’t be booked online: 741 (08:55) and 743 (14:00) from Hat Yai Junction, and 742 (10:15) and 744 (15:40) from Padang Besar. Tickets are sold only at the SRT counter at Hat Yai Junction or at KTM Padang Besar station, from 2 hours before departure. The fare is 50 THB in 3rd class. These trains were numbered 947–950 until October 2026, so older guides may still use those numbers.

Only for the Special Express trains: 45 (leaves Hat Yai Junction at 07:20 for Padang Besar) and 46 (leaves Padang Besar at 17:00 for Hat Yai and Bangkok). Book them on SRT D-Ticket. Seats are limited, so book early.

All times in this app are Thailand time (GMT+7), including trains at Padang Besar. Thailand is one hour behind Malaysia (GMT+8): a train leaving Padang Besar at 10:15 Thai time leaves at 11:15 Malaysia time. Near the border, check which country’s time your phone is showing.

Sometimes. KTM MySawasdee is a seasonal charter train run by KTMB between KL Sentral and Hat Yai, on selected dates only, with fares from RM95. Check the dates and book with KTMB. Hat Yai Transit shows it for information but doesn’t include it in journey plans.

Yes, with our sister apps. Hat Yai Transit covers Hat Yai, the airport and the SRT line to Padang Besar. If your trip continues into Malaysia or Singapore, the journey planner hands you over to Malaysia Transit (buses and trains in 13 Malaysian cities) or SG-JB Transit (Johor Bahru and Singapore), with your places already filled in.

Hat Yai Transit shows timetables and estimates, not live positions. For live tracking:

• EV City Loop and airport minibus: the free ViaBus app (iPhone · Android).
• SRT trains: SRT TTS-TrainView, which shows each train’s position and delay.

We link to these services; we don’t copy their data.

From public information: Songkhla PAO’s announcements and route maps, the official websites of Hat Yai Airport (AOT), SRT and KTMB, news reports, and recent community posts from riders. Every source, what it supports and when we last checked it is listed on Sources & Open Data.

Yes. You can download the routes, stops and times as GTFS feeds under the Open Database License (ODbL). Just credit “Hat Yai Transit (unofficial) · © OpenStreetMap contributors”. There’s also a free JSON API (it works without a key; a free key raises the limits) and an MCP server for AI assistants. See Open data and the Developers page.

Thai, English and Bahasa Melayu. On your first visit we guess from your rough location: visitors in Thailand see Thai and everyone else sees English. You can switch at any time with the ไทย / EN / BM buttons at the top, and we’ll remember your choice on this device.

Thank you! Please report it on Threads (@hiiialanhere): send a message or reply to a post with the route or stop, what’s wrong, and a link or photo showing the correct information. Replies on Threads are public, so don’t include personal details there. For problems with the bus service itself, contact the operator (EV City Loop: Songkhla PAO, +66 74 244 443).