Overview Compare Bus Minivan Train Taxi To Stay
How to get from Pattaya to Bangkok
Bangkok is full of life with busy streets, excellent shopping, and countless street food carts. You will find history, culture and beautiful sights all in this bustling city also known as ‘The City of Life’.
The distance from Pattaya to Bangkok is 150 km (95 miles). In this post, we compare the four options to travel from Bangkok to Pattaya: by bus (2-2.5 hours), by minivan (2.5 hours), by train (2.5-3.5 hours), or by taxi (2 hours). Ticket prices range from 30 THB ($0.80) to 1 THB ($39.50).
4 ways to get from Pattaya to Bangkok
The bus is one of the most popular modes of transport from Pattaya to Bangkok. Buses depart every hour and you can conveniently book your tickets online for about 170 THB ($5.00) or for 120 THB ($3.50) at the bus terminal.
Alternatively, you can take a minivan from Pattaya to Bangkok. However, minivans provide less space for your legs and also come with luggage restrictions. Tickets cost 215 THB ($6.00) when you book online.
The cheapest option is taking a train from Pattaya to Bangkok. However, there is only one train departing in the early morning. On the weekends you can travel by rapid train (2.5 hours), but on the weekdays you are bound to the ordinary (non-airconditioned) train. This train takes 3.5 hours to reach Bangkok from Pattaya. Weekday trains cost only 30 THB ($0.80), while the weekend train costs 170 THB ($5.00).
Instead of using shared transport from Pattaya to Bangkok, you can also book a taxi with fares as low as 1 THB ($39.50) when booking online. It’s a good deal if you consider the convenience and less hassle to travel to/from the bus or train station.
Itinerary from Pattaya to Bangkok
Pattaya to Bangkok by Bus
The bus is the most practical mode of transport when going from Bangkok to Pattaya. Buses take around 2.5 hours, depending on the traffic.
Departure stations
The main bus terminals for buses heading to Bangkok are:
- North Pattaya Bus Terminal
- Jomtien Bus Stop
Most buses depart from the North Pattaya Bus Terminal. This bus terminal is located along North Pattaya Road.
To reach the terminal, you can take a songthaew for 50 THB ($1.40) or take motorbike taxis that charge about 10 THB ($0.20) for short distances. A rule of thumb for longer distances is that 40 THB ($1.10) will be charged per kilometre.
Expect the journey to the bus terminal to take about 10 minutes from most hotels in Pattaya.
If you are coming from the Jomtien bus stop, you can travel directly to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Rong Reuang Coach Bus
Roong Reung Coach is a well-known bus company that operates along this route. They have several departures from both the North Pattaya Bus Terminal and Jomtien Bus Stop.
Buses depart every hour from 05:00 to 20:00 for the buses coming from North Pattaya Bus Terminal. If you are coming from the Jomtien bus stop going to Suvarnabhumi Airport, buses depart every 90 minutes from 7:30 to 16:00.
You can conveniently book online tickets on BookAway for competitive rates, an easy booking process, and excellent customer service.
See here the bus schedules from Pattaya to Bangkok:
Rong Reuang Coach Bus schedules from Pattaya to Bangkok
Arrival stations
Most of the buses coming from North Pattaya Bus Terminal are parked at the Eastern Bus Terminal in Ekkamai and a few continue on to Mochit Bus Terminal.
Besides these two bus terminals, you can also arrive straight from the Jomtien bus stop to Suvarnabhumi Airport. This is a very convenient option as you don’t need to worry about the busy traffic in Bangkok city centre.
Roong Reuang Coach operates trips from Pattaya to Bangkok on a daily basis.
Pattaya to Bangkok by Minivan
You can also travel from Pattaya to Bangkok by minivan. Minivans are smaller than buses and also leave many times a day.
Apart from the two minivan companies on the Pattaya to Bangkok route, there are also government-regulated vans that can take you from Pattaya to Bangkok. These vans are also parked in the Eastern Bus Terminal. The fare is 130 THB ($3.80) per person.
If you want to secure your minivan ticket earlier, you can also book via BookAway for 215 THB ($6.00).
Minivan schedules from Pattaya to Bangkok
Depending on the route the van takes, they may drop you off closer to your hotel than the bus. Simply ask your driver to stop if you are near your destination.
Pattaya to Bangkok by Train
Travelling from Pattaya to Bangkok can be done by train. Rates are much cheaper but the schedules are very limited. For that reason, we wouldn’t recommend this option.
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 #284 train at the railway station for as low as 30 THB ($0.80). Tickets for this ordinary train cannot be bought online.
It’s a cheap way to travel from Pattaya to Bangkok, but it will also take the longest time. With about 26 stops, it will take around 3.5 hours 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 #284 train, there is the #998 rapid train which has air conditioning and only takes about 2.5 hours from Pattaya to Bangkok.
Train you can buy your tickets on the 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 ($5.00) on both websites.
Train Schedules from Pattaya to Bangkok
Tickets for the ordinary train for this route are not sold in advance. You can only buy them at the station on the day of departure.
Trains depart from Pattaya Railway Station and arrive at Hua Lamphong Railway Station, which is 5 km away from Bangkok centre. From there, you will need to catch a transfer to your hotel or your next destination.
Pattaya to Bangkok by Taxi
Taking a taxi is quite convenient and comfortable as it brings you door to door.
Hiring a taxi from Pattaya to Bangkok starts with the price of 1 THB ($39.50). 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. Expect to pay a bit more, though, than when booking online.
You can also try your luck at hailing a taxi along the streets of Pattaya although most drivers will either decline or want to charge an extremely high rate, be prepared to negotiate.
Better yet, book online in advance to secure a flat rate. You can get a private car from Pattaya centre to Bangkok city for 1 THB ($39.50).
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Based in Bali, Maarten’s passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you’ll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.
Abby is a writer who finds joy in mountains, beaches, and road trips. She considers her solo backpacking trip to the rice terraces of Bontoc one of the most fulfilling moments in her life. She’s loyal to the islands of her home country, the Philippines, but Thailand’s beaches also have a special place in her heart.
Very helpful content. Going to BKK and Pattaya this February! Big help! Thanks much!
Hi R! Thank you so much for the kind words! Hope you enjoy Thailand!