5 Ways To Get From Bangkok To Pattaya

There are many ways to get from Bangkok to Pattaya but the most affordable and convenient way is by bus straight from Eastern Bus Terminal, adjacent to the Ekkamai BTS Station. The bus leaves approximately every 30 mins and the ticket cost is between THB 120 to THB 150.

In this article, we will explore 5 ways to travel from Bangkok to Pattaya city along with the details of each

1. Bus

Getting to Pattaya from Bangkok by bus is the most preferred way for many people, including the tourists. This is because the ticket is affordable, easy-to-get and the bus is air-conditioned with comfortable seats.

There are 3 stations where the bus leaves BKK:

  1. The Ekamai Bus Station on the Sukhumvit Road – The bus leaves approximately every 30 mins. from 05:00 to 23:00 and it takes roughly about 2 hours to reach the destination.
  2. Southern Bus Station on the western side of the city center – The bus leaves every 2 hours from 05:30 to 19:30 and it takes roughly about 3 hours to reach the destination.
  3. Mochit Bus Station in the northern suburbs of Bangkok – The bus leaves approximately every 30 mins from 05:00 and 20:00 and it takes roughly about 3.5 hours to reach the destination.

All buses to Pattaya will terminate at the Pattaya Bus Station on Northern Pattaya, where they make 1-2 stops in between nearby for a quick drop-off. Once the bus reaches the station, most passengers prefer to be transferred to their respective hotels and accommodation via motorbike taxis or shared pickup taxi trucks (Songthaew) which will be waiting at the arrival.

2. Taxi

Next option is by using a taxi or a rented car to get from Bangkok to Pattaya. This is by far the most convenient and private way as you get a door-to-door service straight to your desired destination. However, it’s not the cheapest as compared to other options listed in this article.

There are many private Pattaya taxi service like us that you can either book for a one-time transfer or rent a car for full/half day tour to take you to places like Sancturary of Truth Museum, Big Buddha Temple, Nong Nooch Topical Garden and more.

The cost of taking a taxi to Pattaya from Bangkok usually starts at THB 1500 and can be more if you opt for the tour service. Make sure you discuss the full cost prior to avoid any extra and surprise charges.

3. Minivan

Minivans offer pretty much the same convenience of taxis by providing an almost door-to-door service but at a cheaper cost. They are the go-to alternative to the buses and can be found at the Ekamai Bus Terminal (They used to leave from Victory Moment but later relocated due to traffic issue)

Minivans are often faster to reach the destination (roughly about 1.5 hours) and the cost is between THB 150 to THB 200 per person. Before leaving, the driver will ask you where to drop off. You might tell him places like Pattaya Beach, in front of Central Festival or Jomtien Beach as they won’t drop you off at the exact location, say your hotel.

Note: Space for luggage is quite limited in the minivans and if you carry more than a small backpack, they may have you pay for a second seat.

4. Train

Not many people know this but you can actually take a train from Bangkok to Pattaya. It’s the second least-preferred option due to inconveniences.

There are 2 types of trains from BKK available:

  1. Non-AC train – This option is only available for trains leaving on weekdays and it’s the slowest, least convenience and takes the longest time to arrive at Pattaya (3.5 hours). However, it’s the cheapest way available among all.
  2. AC train – This option is only available on the weekends and you get more comfortable seats compared to the non-AC option. It’s much faster than the above option but also a little more expensive than the bus.

The train departs from Hualamphong Station in the city center which can easily be reached via the subway or taxi. For more information, check the train timetable to know when each option of the train departs.

5. Flight

The least preferred way to travel from Bangkok to Pattaya is by flight. It’s the most expensive way (around THB 3000) and there’s no straight flight into the city as the closet airport is U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport, which is 40 kilometers (25 miles) away.

To take a flight to Pattaya, you would need to fly from Don Muang Airport (DMK) which is located in the northern part of Bangkok. Once you reach U-Tapao, you would need to also find a car to get into Pattaya city. So the overall travel time and cost is just not worth it.

Travelling From Bangkok Airport

There are 2 ways available to get from the Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya:

1. Shuttle Bus

If you’re not travelling with many luggage or don’t have a long way to go into Pattaya city, getting from the Airport to Pattaya via the Bell shuttle bus is the easiest and most affordable way.

The buses are located on Level 1 gate 8 of the BKK terminal and depart every 2-4 hours. The cost is THB 300 per person and takes about 2 hours to reach the destination.

2. Bangkok Airpot Transfer/Taxi

The second option is to either take the taxi service available at the airport or book a door-to-door transportation service online from reputable sources. For the public taxis available at the terminal, you can either take it from the level-2 via the official counter or take the metered taxi available on the level-1 of the terminal.

Getting from Bangkok Airport to Pattaya by taxi or private car is the most convenient way but certainly not the most affordable. The cost of a public metered taxi starts at around THB 35 per km while for the private car, it’s usually around THB 1000 for the trip.