Many people who visit Bangkok will want to book a hotel in Pattaya for a couple of days as well. Even though Bangkok’s transit system is world class, unfortunately it won’t take you to the beach so you may be wondering about the best way to get there. Taking a bus from Ekkamai Station is cruising in cheap comfort and below you’ll find a step by step overview of what it is like to take a bus to Pattaya, and then on to Suvarnabhmi airport.
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Finding the Station
There are three terminals for intercity buses in Thailand. But they generally serve destinations in the same direction they are from the city center. Meaning; the Eastern terminal features routes to the East, the Northern to the North and Southern to the South. It prevents buses from passing through the entire city in gridlocked traffic. You can find the Eastern terminal by riding the BTS Skytrain to Ekkamai Station. The terminal is directly next to the station and very easy to find. You will probably see other passengers with luggage making a beeline in the right direction if you are not sure.
A very convenient thing about this trip is that if you check out of your hotel around check-out time at 11:00 and ride to the station and get the bus, you will arrive in Pattaya around the time to check into your hotel there, 2:30 or 3:00 in the afternoon.
If you’re planning to travel anywhere by bus you should strongly consider staying close to Ekkamai. It’s just a few stops from the most central part of the line and you can get to Nana or Siam in just a few minutes. It’s also a nice area in its own right and has everything you’ll need for a convenient stay.
Buying Tickets for the Bus to Pattaya
Searching the Internet will tell you that booking tickets in advance is not necessary. While that’s generally right it definitely doesn’t hurt to secure tickets in advance on 12Go, especially if it’s a busier weekend or your group wants to guarantee seats together. There are several operators running buses to Pattaya all day long. You may not know which one to choose. Looking at each window and finding the soonest departure is a good start. In my case I saw several people lined up at the Roong Reuang window so I just joined them on the theory that “fifty million Elvis fans can’t be wrong.”
Prices are also posted in the window and it’s just a few dollars to get to Pattaya. A truly negligible cost. The route is extremely popular with locals as well because a round trip bus to Pattaya and hotel for a weekend can be under $50 US.
Boarding the Bus to Pattaya
If you booked in advance you can go straight to the rear part of the station where the buses berth. It is shady here and there are snacks and restrooms. It should be the case that you only have to wait 20-30 minutes or less to board. If you’re very unlucky and the next bus was sold out you can always walk out to Sukhumvit and have lunch or drinks somewhere while you wait.
The crews running the buses are a little high strung so make sure you have your tickets handy all the time. They may ask for them before you actually step onboard. Any luggage can go underneath the coach and there is storage overhead for small items. You’ll have a seat assignment printed on your ticket.
Making the Trip
The Bus rolled out right on time. The seats are very comfortable and roomy. Lots of legroom and plenty of recline. The interior isn’t luxury but it is decent. No outlets but for such a short trip that hardly matters. The route starts by heading East on Sukhumvit Road and the bus did make a quick stop out near the end of the road.
Shortly after that stop the route goes onto an elevated highway not so different from an urban US interstate. There isn’t much else to see after this point. The areas between the two cities are mostly industrial in nature and while the windows are big and provide good views, there is really nothing to see of interest.
After about 90 minutes an announcement played on a loop that went on way too long and was very annoying. It was that the bus would be stopping for gas and that everyone would need to disembark for safety and wait while the bus fills up. There are bathrooms at the gas station but little else. It took about 15 minutes to fill the tank. I don’t believe this happens on every trip.
Arriving in Pattaya
Not long after the fill up the bus pulls into Pattaya. The station here is not near the beach so a last leg will be necessary to get to your hotel. There are a collection of trucks with bench seating in the beds that run from the bus station to the tourist areas. They are incredibly cheap. I believe the price is 20 Baht. You will see such trucks throughout Pattaya that can be hailed to go up and down the city. There are also motorbike taxis if you are not carrying too much luggage. I opted for a Grab car which was about the same price as the bus fare, but only a couple dollars. It won’t take more than 10 minutes to reach most hotels.
Before you leave you may wish to snap a photo like the one below to remember the bus departure times for the airports.
Pattaya Bus to the Airports
There is only one office running buses to the airports from Pattaya. It’s around the corner from the other ticket windows. It’s called Bell but as you can see on the bus the windshield says Rung Reuang so they are at least somewhat connected. it is the same process here: just show up and plunk down some small change to buy a ticket on the spot. Make sure you have plenty of time to catch your flight. The travel times posted at the office are conservative but with traffic they might be accurate. My trip was a bit shorter than the 2 hours advised.
If you are trying to get to Don Mueang airport you might find it convenient to take the bus to Suvarnabhumi instead and then ride a grab to DMK. That would be an additional 50 minutes and 500 baht but might be faster and more comfortable than a 4 hour bus ride.
If you want to get there faster taxis are only $24 to BKK and to Don Mueang. Booking a cab online will be cheaper than relying on the locals around your hotel.
Overall Impression of the Bus to Pattaya
It rules. It is great. Better than taking a Grab car from Bangkok. The seats are more comfortable than a car and it would be pretty awkward to have a rideshare with the same driver that lasts two hours. The bus costs so little it is basically free. Much better than the ride from Phnom Penh to Saigon by bus, this route is phenomenal and is really the best choice to get where you’re going.
