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Whats The Best Way To Go From Bangkok To Pattaya?


whizgig

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Hi all,

I've got 2.5 weeks in Thailand planned for early January, I have booked 3 nights in Bangkok and then looking at going to Pattaya for an initial 4 nights.

What's the best way to get there, someone said you could by cab but is that expensive?

Is going by train or coach better? ( I don't want to sit on a hot crowded bus ). I'm not on a strict budget so want relative comfort.

Thanks.

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Hi all,

I've got 2.5 weeks in Thailand planned for early January, I have booked 3 nights in Bangkok and then looking at going to Pattaya for an initial 4 nights.

What's the best way to get there, someone said you could by cab but is that expensive?

Is going by train or coach better? ( I don't want to sit on a hot crowded bus ). I'm not on a strict budget so want relative comfort.

Thanks.

As Explorer said, bus is best, takes less than 3 hours and is very cheap - aircon so don't worry! If you're a bigger build buy 2 tickets side by side!

You may wish to keep your Pattaya hotel telephone number handy and call them to meet you from the bus station as there are no taxis foryour big bags. Humping them on and off songkaews isn't for everyone and you never know with the weather!

Personally,I don't recommend Thai trains.

BTW, there's a Royal British Legion is in Pattaya, google and look them up.

Enjoy

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To clarify that, if you get the bus you will be shepparded onto a songthaew (baht bus) when you arrive at the station. This will take you to your hotel for 20 baht. It is not particularly comfortable as you can be jammed in with a load of other passengers, but isn't too bad.

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Yeah, (private) taxi is probably your best bet. What ever hotel you are at in Bangkok should be able to help you with that.

Make sure you arrange to take the toll highway and that the tolls are included in the fare.

With the (private) taxi you'll also have to option of stopping along the way to take a whiz, have a smoke or stock up on mix, plus it will take you right where you want to go.

I haven't taken one in quite a while, but from the airport to Pattaya they cost what, 1,500-2,000 baht, (depending on your bargaining skills). That's between $40-60 US for an hour and a half trip (depending on traffic).

There are cheaper ways to go, but the taxi would probably be the quickest, most comfortable method.

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Yeah, (private) taxi is probably your best bet. What ever hotel you are at in Bangkok should be able to help you with that.

Make sure you arrange to take the toll highway and that the tolls are included in the fare.

With the (private) taxi you'll also have to option of stopping along the way to take a whiz, have a smoke or stock up on mix, plus it will take you right where you want to go.

I haven't taken one in quite a while, but from the airport to Pattaya they cost what, 1,500-2,000 baht, (depending on your bargaining skills). That's between $40-60 US for an hour and a half trip (depending on traffic).

There are cheaper ways to go, but the taxi would probably be the quickest, most comfortable method.

Only thing I would do differently is nip outside the hotel and book the taxi in a nearby travel agency or tour shop. Most hotels really jack up the price. On the other hand there are a few hptels with branches in both Bangkok and Pattaya, who give you either a free ride or reduced price if you transfer between sites - Dynasty is one.

Edited by citizen33
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Public bus from Ekami bus stop goes to Pattaya for ~ 120B. Ekami bus stop is about 100 yards away from the BTS skytrain stop so it is a doable walk. Once in Pattaya, easy to hop on a motorcycle taxi if you travel light with just a carry on bag as I do (highly recommended).

Bell has a private bus from the Suvi airport to pattaya that includes a minivan transfer from the pattaya bus terminal to your hotel in pattaya. I saw someone here post that they get that with the Ekami bus, but that would suprise me. I took the bus from Pattaya to ekami once and it is not a private venture as Bell is, so I would be surprised if going from Ekami to Pattaya includes a minivan transfer.

The quoted cab fares are about right and might be your easiest method depending on when you travel and how much baggage you have.

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The one downside to the bus is that both times I rode it, there were other people riding who were very obviously ill. One trip down, I sat about three rows behind a woman who was either had a really massive case of bronchitis or (more likely in Thailand) active TB. It's your call, but if you have the dosh, I'd recommend the cab.

I'd like to plug the Nova Lodge for a nice place to stay once you get to Pattaya. They had a truly wonderful brunch, the rooms were quite decent, and their property is right against the beach road. (The hotel is on the far side of the property from the beach, with the swimming pool and some greenery in between.) I think it was 1300B/night at the time. (Looking it up now on Google, the prices are lower, but that may be because it's not peak tourist season right now.) They're right next to the Hard Rock, which was something like 4000B/night at the time.

Oh, one stupid tourist mistake I made that you can avoid: the ordinary car-type taxis you run into on the street are Bangkok drivers who've just dropped off a fare. They'll take you back to Bangkok, but apparently aren't allowed to pick up local traffic. The bakkies with the cages on back are the local version, 20B a ride.

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Taxi - no brainer. Make sure tolls are included. About Bt1500 from Bangkok to Pattaya. Most likely the driver will not know your hotel in Pattaya so a telephone number and a print out of where it is will help. Or you could phone hour hotel and get them to pick you up in Bangkok and your taxi should know where the hotel is.

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Taxi - no brainer. Make sure tolls are included. About Bt1500 from Bangkok to Pattaya. Most likely the driver will not know your hotel in Pattaya so a telephone number and a print out of where it is will help. Or you could phone hour hotel and get them to pick you up in Bangkok and your taxi should know where the hotel is.

Or give Mr. T a call (081n258 7716) and he'll send a regular taxi to pick you at your hotel and bring you to Pattaya for 900 Baht or 1,200 for a non taaxi sedan.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Bangkok - Pattaya

THB 1,500 by taxi

THB 128 by air-condition bus (Ekammai station)

Or around 150 baht by airco bus from Mo Chit busstation.

Or if you really want to be adventurous, by train

Very cheap, very long, but good fun in the train with all the locals.

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Took a private car and driver last week. Brand New Honda Accord, nice lady driver - fast but safe.

Picked me up at my home and dropped at hotel in Pattaya according to my convenience, same on the return.

1200 baht plus toll way each way.

Have taken the bus before but doing the math vs convenience, the car (for me) is the way to go.

Bus - taxi to bus station Ekkamai - 80 baht (30 mins from my place + 20 min wait for the bus to leave)

Bus ticket 127 baht x 2 (2.5 hours journey time)

Baht bus pattaya to hotel 50 baht. (20 mins)

Total Bus 384 baht 3.5 hours total

Total Car 1320 baht 1.5 hours total

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For any budget travelers:

I'd recommend Mor Chit over Ekkamai if possible. Ekkamai buses tend to take the slow route and stop frequently to pick up/drop off passengers. At Mor Chit there's a motorway option and the buses seem to be in better shape.

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  • 1 month later...

Just wanna say thanks for all the comments, got just over a week now before travelling.

Was a bit worried when those airport protests kicked off but seems I will be going now...cool.

Great tips about getting to Pattaya, I'll probably go via taxi but maybe not one on the hotel rank in Bangkok as suggested.

By the way I'll be in the Majestic Grande in Bangkok and the Tim Boutique Hotel in Pattaya if anyone has any thoughts on those choices.

After that I'll be heading to island beaches.

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The best thing, however, would be to not go to Pattaya at all.

TRUE! the last thing Pattaya needs are tourists who ask "how much from BKK to Pattaya?"

But Naam !

I only pay 150 baht for the bus to Pattaya each time, which adds about 1,000 more I can spend at the bar on my first night home ! :D

(Even though that 1k will probably be a 10th or less of the total bin on the first night.) :o

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Taxi - no brainer. Make sure tolls are included. About Bt1500 from Bangkok to Pattaya. Most likely the driver will not know your hotel in Pattaya so a telephone number and a print out of where it is will help. Or you could phone hour hotel and get them to pick you up in Bangkok and your taxi should know where the hotel is.

Or give Mr. T a call (081n258 7716) and he'll send a regular taxi to pick you at your hotel and bring you to Pattaya for 900 Baht or 1,200 for a non taaxi sedan.

Warning : I and several other members have said this before – do not use Mr T.

He is totally unreliable and tells lies to cover up his mistakes

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Warning : I and several other members have said this before – do not use Mr T.

He is totally unreliable and tells lies to cover up his mistakes

I don't know where you got your facts from. A simple search for "Mr T Taxi" on this site brought up nothing but compliments. I have used him several times and found the company totally reliable and the drivers courteous. If you have other information, please quote your sources rather than making unspecified derogatory comments.

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I don't know where you got your facts from. A simple search for "Mr T Taxi" on this site brought up nothing but compliments. I have used him several times and found the company totally reliable and the drivers courteous. If you have other information, please quote your sources rather than making unspecified derogatory comments.

I posted this comment in January (on another thai forum) after also getting good feedback about Mr T. It seems to me that it's only the people he's fkd around that wouldn't find his services up to scratch;

OK you might want to scratch this loser. Confirmed he'd pick me up from swampy twice by email, the day before I arrived.

At the airport no sign of him, so I called his mobile and woke him up. A brief conversation and finally I had to ask... "is anyone coming to collect me"? answer "no".

I walked over to the taxi rank and got a 1400 baht (including tolls) taxi to Pattaya.

Sounded to me like he'd been on the piss, and the last thing on his mind was honouring his obligation, so FK him!

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Hi all,

I've got 2.5 weeks in Thailand planned for early January, I have booked 3 nights in Bangkok and then looking at going to Pattaya for an initial 4 nights.

What's the best way to get there, someone said you could by cab but is that expensive?

Is going by train or coach better? ( I don't want to sit on a hot crowded bus ). I'm not on a strict budget so want relative comfort.

Thanks.

WBU (Water Buffalo University) 101.

If you cannot move your body from BKK to PYA without advise, then you shold not come to Thailand.

Sincerely philo

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I've been using the services of Mr. T and his drivers for close to 6 years. Never once has there been a problem. Either with airport pick up or transport back to the airport. Sometimes I've made my booking for airport pick up as much as three weeks in advance and one of his drivers is ALWAYS waiting for me outside the baggage area, holding a sign saying "Mr. T and my name".

Transport back to the airport or to Bangkok, they always arrive at least 10 minutes early. Never any worry.

I've also used his services for transport around Pattaya, 300 baht 1st hour, 200 baht each additional hour.

The last time I used his services was May '08. Don Muang-Pattaya, 1150 baht (includes tolls).

Having said all that, I always have telephoned him, never have used e-mail with him.

Mr. T: 081-258-7716, 038-720-318.

Edited by maxjay
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