How to get from Bangkok to Pattaya

Why visit Pattaya?

Pattaya is the closest well-known beach destination to Bangkok. Far from your traditional Thai city, this one is tailored for tourists — not exactly a backpacker’s choice, but a favoured spot by families travelling with kids.

Every other travel guide to Pattaya will tell you there’s so much you can do in this vibrant city. They’re not exaggerating. White sand beaches, waterparks, watersports, botanical gardens, a floating market, live shows, and a vibrant nightlife — Pattaya has it all.

There are 4 ways to travel the 150 kilometres (93 miles) from Bangkok to Pattaya. You can choose between the bus, minivan, taxi and train. The journey takes 1 hour 30 minutes to 4 hours and the quickest way is by taxi. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by train with tickets starting at 31 THB ($1).

Although the bus is a more popular option to travel from Bangkok to Pattaya, you can also reach this beach destination by train.

The downside of the train is that the schedules are very limited.

The ordinary train (weekdays)

The only train that operates during the week is the ordinary non-airconditioned train (3rd class), which is ventilated by fans.

Tickets are super cheap, though. You can buy the tickets for the #283 train at the railway station for as low as 31 THB ($1). Tickets cannot be bought online.

It’s a cheap way to travel from Bangkok to Pattaya, but it will also take the longest time. With about 26 stops, it will take around 2 hours 30 minutes before you reach Pattaya.

The rapid train (weekends)

During weekends, the ordinary train for this route doesn’t operate. But there is good news.

Instead of the slow #283 train, there is the #997 rapid train which has air conditioning and only takes about 2.5 hours from Bangkok to Pattaya.

You can book train tickets for the rapid train on State Railway of Thailand website, but we recommend booking on Baolau. Baolau’s website is easier to navigate through and also accepts international credit cards. Train tickets are priced 170 THB ($5.20) on both websites.

The most practical mode of transport when going from Bangkok to Pattaya is by bus. Buses take about 2 to 4 hours, depending on the traffic.

Departure stations

The main bus terminals for buses heading to Pattaya are:

• Eastern Bus Terminal Ekkamai
• Bangkok Bus Terminal Chatuchak – Mochit (North of Bangkok)

If you will take a taxi from your hotel to the bus terminal, it’s best to depart from Mochit, which is closest to Bangkok centre. The taxi drive to Mochit takes about 20-30 minutes while the drive to the Eastern Bus Terminal will take double the amount of time.

On the other hand, if you want to travel by public transport, go to the Eastern Bus Terminal. Ekkamai is conveniently connected with the Bangkok BTS metro line. Mochit Bus Terminal is only accessible by bus.

Buses from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

Apart from these two bus terminals, you can also depart straight from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya. This is a very convenient option as you don’t need to worry about the busy traffic in Bangkok.

The buses are leaving from the first floor at the Suvarnabhumi Airport, Exit door No. 8.

Bus companies operating on the route between Bangkok to Pattaya

Roong Reung Coach is the most popular bus company operating along this route. They have many departures from both the Eastern and Mochit bus terminals in Bangkok.

From the Eastern Bus Terminal, Roong Reung buses depart every hour between 06:00 and 21:00. From Bangkok Bus Terminal, their buses depart every two hours between 09:00 to 16:00.

Booking your ticket online costs about 159 THB ($4.90). An advantage of booking online is that you don’t need to wait in a long queue at the bus terminal. Thereby, you will be assured of a bus ticket at your desired departure time.

Tickets are available on BookAway, which offers competitive rates, an easy booking process, and excellent customer service.

Similar to the bus, you can also travel from Bangkok to Pattaya by minivan. Minivans are smaller than buses and also leave many times a day.

However, we don’t see a real advantage in taking the minivan instead of the bus. Vans have less luggage space and also provide less space than a bus.

There are also government-regulated vans that can take you from Bangkok to Pattaya. These vans are also parked in the Eastern Bus Terminal. The fare is 130 THB ($4) per person.

If you want to secure your van ticket earlier, you can also book via BookAway for 159 THB ($4.90).

Taking a taxi is by far the most convenient way to travel from Bangkok to Pattaya. As the taxi brings you door to door, you don’t need to worry about getting to/from the bus terminals or railway stations.

The cost of hiring a taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya normally starts at 1,350 THB ($41.50) – 2,500 THB ($77). You can ask your hotel if they offer a taxi service for this route, they should be able to book this in advance for you.

You can try your luck at hailing a taxi along the streets of Bangkok although most drivers will either decline or want to charge an extremely high rate, be prepared to negotiate.

Therefore we recommend booking your taxi online in advance. This way you can book with a trustworthy taxi company that can bring you safely and cheaply to Pattaya.

You can book a private car with a driver from Bangkok city centre to Pattaya already for 1,674 THB ($52).

Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya by Taxi

Want to travel straight from Bangkok Airport to Pattaya? That’s even easier as you won’t need to travel through Bangkok’s busy city centre.

Taxis hired from the airport charge an average rate of 1,500 THB ($46). This price includes an airport surcharge of 50 THB ($1.50) and highway toll fees.

In other words, it’s an all-in fare which brings you straight from the airport to Pattaya for approximately 1,500 THB ($46). Make sure to verify this with the driver to avoid surprises afterwards.

Even better, book your taxi in advance for an extra low rate, starting from 1,476 THB ($45.50) on BookAway.

Once your flight has landed and you picked up your baggage, the driver will be waiting for you, holding a sign with your name on it.