Pattaya to Bangkok

As one of the closest, largest and most popular resorts to Bangkok, the city of Pattaya is a very popular destination for Thai people as well as tourists to Thailand. Less than 200 kilometers to the south of the country’s capital, Pattaya grew from a sleepy fishing village into a major resort city with beaches, hotels, shopping, nightlife and a bunch of Thai culture to experience too. Whether you’re visiting Pattaya for a few days as an escape from Bangkok, or you started your vacation in Pattaya and want to spend some time in the capital, Pattaya to Bangkok is a popular route that has plenty of transport options for all budgets.

Read about:
• Travel Options from Pattaya to Bangkok
• Flights from Pattaya to Bangkok
• Bus from Pattaya to Bangkok
• Van from Pattaya to Bangkok
• Taxis from Pattaya to Bangkok
• Trains from Pattaya to Bangkok

Options for Travel from Pattaya to Bangkok

Only 149 kilometers (93 miles) of road separates Pattaya and Bangkok, so however you choose to travel, it’s quite a quick journey. Going by road, whether it’s a bus, taxi or van, is usually the most popular way to travel between these two cities, but trains are also a great option. Catching a flight from Pattaya to Bangkok is also an option, although not especially recommended as there are no direct flights, however, we’ll include information on flights below anyway, so that travelers can make their own minds up.

Flights from Pattaya to Bangkok

The closest airport to Pattaya is the U-Tapao International Airport which lies about 45 minutes’ drive south of Pattaya City, so it is therefore further away from Bangkok than Pattaya itself. The problem with flying is that there are no direct flights from Pattaya to Bangkok because, with the cities being so close together it’s just not worthwhile to have a flight between them when you can travel by road so easily. U-Tapao Airport has actually become popular as an alternative airport to Bangkok’s own international airports, Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi, meaning that passengers are sometimes opting to fly to Pattaya and then transfer to Bangkok from there.

If you really wanted to fly from Pattaya to Bangkok it is possible, but unless you had a very strong hate for traveling by road or by train it is not recommended! You would have to connect at least once and it would be a long journey time that costs considerably more than buses and trains. There is a daily flight to Phuket from Pattaya with Bangkok Air, then you would have to wait several hours for the flight to Bangkok. So, as we said, it’s possible to catch a flight from Pattaya to Bangkok although unless you were completely stuck and couldn’t travel any other way, it’s not really a viable option.

Bus from Pattaya to Bangkok

Catching a bus from Pattaya to Bangkok is a far more sensible way to travel, and it’s the most popular way to get between these two cities. Just look at the number of buses departing each day and you can see that hundreds of people choose to travel this way. Bus travel in Thailand is cheap and has become a lot safer in recent years with more safety regulations in place. It can be quite a comfortable way to travel too, with generously sized seats and good storage for your luggage, plus it doesn’t take too long.

Bus company Roong Reuang Coach has the monopoly on buses from Pattaya to Bangkok so this makes booking easy as you don’t have to compare countless bus companies and schedules. Do take a look at 12go for booking though, as this travel website lists all of the departures and gives options for routes to the bus stations in Bangkok as well as to the airport, so it’s very easy to compare and book online through 12go.

There are two different departure points for buses from Pattaya to Bangkok – from Pattaya Bus Station and from Jomtien Bus Station.

Pattaya Bus Station, also known as North Pattaya Bus Terminal, is in the north of the city just off Highway 3 Sukhumvit Road on the North Pattaya Road. From here you can reach two of Bangkok’s major bus stations, Ekkamai (the Eastern Bus Terminal) and Mochit (Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal). There are 11 daily buses to Ekkamai, with the first leaving as early as 4:30am and arriving in Bangkok Ekkamai 2.5 hours later. The last bus of the day departs at 9pm and arrives in Bangkok at 11:30pm.

Buses from Pattaya to Bangkok arriving at Mochit are not quite as plentiful, with 7 departures per day starting at 5am and the last at 6pm. This bus journey is also around 2.5 hours.

Another option for buses from Pattaya to Bangkok is to take a bus to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. These depart from the Jomtien area of Pattaya and the Jomtien – Suvarnabhumi Airport Bus Station. This is a 2 hour journey and there are an impressive 13 departures per day traveling this route, starting at 7am and departing every hour until 7pm.

Van from Pattaya to Bangkok

An alternative to buses are vans, or minibuses from Pattaya to Bangkok. These provide even more departure time options although they are not necessarily a better choice than buses – it all comes down to personal preference really. The minibuses can be more cramped than regular buses as they tend to have around 14 seats but are usually more limited for cargo space and leg space, and they are priced right around the same rate as buses so traveling by van from Pattaya to Bangkok is not going to save you money.

There are two major van companies to choose from, both of which can be booked through 12go. They are T-Tour and Pannipa Pattaya Tour and they each have their own departures points within Pattaya. T-Tour departs from beside the Bali Hai Pier Bus Station, close to Walking Street, and their vans go to Ekkamai and Mochit and take 2.5 and 3 hours respectively. There are six departures per day, on the half hour, starting at 11:30am and ending 6:30pm.

Pannipa Pattaya only has vans from Pattaya to Bangkok arriving at Mochit New Van Terminal. They start earlier in the day, at 8am, but there are fewer vans throughout the day with departures also at 10am, 12, 2pm, and 4pm, and the journey is advertised as taking 3 hours.

Taxis from Pattaya to Bangkok

The final option for traveling by road from Pattaya to Bangkok, is to go by taxi. Private taxis can be booked through 12go where there are a few different taxi companies to choose from, including one operated by 12go themselves, called 12Go Transfer. The others include Glassflower, Kim Transfers Thailand, MCC Van, Thailand Limo by Datum, and Bangkok Taxi 24. The price is a lot higher than traveling by bus or van, but then traveling in a private car or private minivan is arguably more comfortable than sharing with numerous other passengers and it’s quicker too, as well as being very convenient.

Private taxis take you door-to-door, or you can pick a transfer to Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang Airports, and you can be picked up from your hotel in Pattaya or from a central location. The price of a taxi is around 1500 THB and depends on the size of the vehicle – the larger the vehicle the more expensive it is but then if you are traveling with family or friends you can split the cost between you making the ‘per head’ cost less which makes the whole journey more cost effective. Plus, when you add in the cost, time and inconvenience to transfer from the bus station to wherever you are heading in Bangkok, traveling by taxi can be a really great way to go.

Trains from Pattaya to Bangkok

One last way to travel from Pattaya to Bangkok is by train. You wouldn’t catch a train if you wanted to get to Bangkok quickly (going by road will get you there faster), and you wouldn’t take a train to save money (because buses are cheaper!), so why would you go by train from Pattaya to Bangkok…? For the experience!

Traveling by train from Pattaya to Bangkok is quite a relaxing way to travel. Trains are never fast in Thailand (not until the high-speed trains start operating anyway!) but it is a more unique and scenic way to travel. Train travel isn’t expensive either, but there will be cheaper ways to go if you want to save the most money.

Pattaya Railway Station is situated about 3 kilometers outside of the heart of Pattaya, to the east, on the Lieb Tang Rodfai Road off the Chonburi-Pattaya Highway. Trains from Pattaya to Bangkok arrive at Bangkok’s main railway station, Hua Lamphong – at least they do for the time-being while decisions are made on the move to the new Bang Sue Grand Train Station. Either way, once you arrive in Bangkok you will have plenty of options for transfers onto local transit.

On weekdays there is one train per day running between Pattaya and Bangkok. This is a basic service that only offers 3rd class seats and does not have air conditioning, but it’s a comfortable enough ride. It is not fast either – this service (Train number 284) departs Pattaya at 2:21pm and arrives in Bangkok at 6:15pm, so it takes 4 hours. Because there are only 3rd class tickets available, these are not sold online and should be bought direct at the train station. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a seat for this weekday train from Pattaya to Bangkok, and you can usually buy tickets about an hour before the departure time right up until the train is ready to leave.

A better train option is the weekend service. Running on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, this train offers a few more comforts including 2nd class seats and air conditioning. The train (number 998) does make a few stops along the way between Pattaya and Bangkok, but even with those stops it still gets to Bangkok faster than the weekday service, leaving Pattaya at 4:26pm and arriving in Bangkok at 6:55pm.

Tickets for the weekend trains can be booked in advance at the station, or you can check online with travel website, 12go as they sometimes sell these weekend express train tickets too.

So, there are all the options for getting from Pattaya to Bangkok. If you want convenience over budget, choose a private taxi. Trains are good if you want to do something different but you are restricted by only having one train per day. Buses and vans offer the best value for money and with plenty of departures through the day it’s easy to find a bus that fits in with your schedule. Flights from Pattaya to Bangkok are also an option but not at all recommended unless you find you cannot travel any other way.

How do you get from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi Airport ?

Plenty of Roong Reuang Coach buses depart from the Jomtien area of Pattaya and the Jomtien – Suvarnabhumi Airport Bus Station. This is a 2 hour journey and there are an impressive 13 departures per day traveling this route, starting at 7am and departing every hour until 7pm. Ticket prices are 143 THB per seat.

Which Bangkok bus station is best to arrive in from Pattaya?

There are four possible arrival points in Bangkok. 1. Ekkamai (Eastern Bus Terminal) Easy walking distance to Ekkamai BTS Station and on Sukhumvit road in central Bangkok. 2. Mo Chit (Northern Bus Terminal), It is situated in the Northern Part of Bangkok close to the new train station Bang Sue Grand Station. 3. Southern Bus Terminal. It is situated west of central Bangkok. 4. Bangkok Airport is also a convenient option being closest to Pattaya and for people visiting east of Bangkok city centre.

How long does it take from Pattaya to Bangkok?

By road it is around 150kms (93mi) to travel by bus, van or taxi. Journey times depending on time of the day and traffic conditions. Taxis are fastest, taking around 2hrs to BKK city and 1.5hrs to BKK Airport. A bus with Roong Reuang Coach is scheduled as 2.5hrs to Ekkamai, Mochit while going to Suvarnabhumi Airport are only 2hrs away by bus. Minivans takes roughly 3hrs to arrive at Mochit New Van Terminal.