How to Get from Bangkok to Pattaya: Bus, Train, Taxi and Private Transfer

I live in Bangkok, and Pattaya is the closest real beach I can reach. It sits roughly 150 km southeast of the city along Motorway 7, close enough for a weekend and, if you plan it right, even a long day trip.

The good news is that this is one of the easiest routes in Thailand. The bad news is that there are so many options that people overthink it, overpay for it, or end up in a cramped minivan with a suitcase on their lap. Below is every way to make the trip, what each one actually costs, and which one I would pick depending on who you are traveling with.

Bangkok to Pattaya: all options compared

Prices below are one way and were checked in October 2026. Transport fares in Thailand move slowly, but they do move, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote.

Bus, minivan and private car seats can be booked ahead. Compare live times and prices for every bookable option on Bookaway.

1. Bus from Ekkamai: the one I recommend to most people

If you are already in central Bangkok, this is the answer. Roong Reuang Coach, which everyone just calls the Pattaya bus, runs full-size air-conditioned coaches from the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai to the North Pattaya bus terminal.

Ekkamai is the easy terminal. It sits right next to BTS Ekkamai on the Sukhumvit Line, so you can ride the Skytrain to the door instead of fighting traffic to a bus station on the edge of town. The coaches are comfortable enough, reasonably on time, and leave roughly every hour from early morning until late evening.

The catch is what happens at the other end. The bus drops you at North Pattaya terminal, and you still need a songthaew or a Grab to reach your hotel. With one backpack, that is no problem. With two large suitcases and a resort booking in Jomtien, the savings start to shrink.

My verdict: worth it for almost everyone traveling light. On public holiday weekends, book ahead, because the walk-up queue at Ekkamai gets long.

2. Bus from Mo Chit: only if you are already up north

The same operator also runs Pattaya buses from the Northern Bus Terminal at Mo Chit. The fare is similar, but the ride is closer to three hours because you spend the first stretch crossing Bangkok.

My verdict: skip it unless you are staying near Chatuchak or Don Mueang. From anywhere on Sukhumvit, Silom or the riverside, Ekkamai is faster.

3. Airport bus 389 from Suvarnabhumi

This is the option I wish more first-time visitors knew about. If Pattaya is your first stop, you do not need to go into Bangkok at all. Roong Reuang runs bus 389 straight from Suvarnabhumi Airport, with departures roughly every hour through the day.

Head down to Level 1 and look for the ticket counters near Gate 8. Some departures go to North Pattaya terminal and others continue to Jomtien, which costs a little more but saves you a transfer if you are staying south of the center.

My verdict: worth it if you land during the day with manageable luggage. After a long-haul flight that lands at night, I would book a car instead.

4. Bell Travel shared coach with hotel drop-off

Bell Travel sits between the public bus and a private car. You ride a coach from Suvarnabhumi to their Pattaya office, then a smaller van takes you to your hotel. Departures run roughly every two hours during the day.

It costs a little more than bus 389, usually around ฿200 to ฿250, and the van leg can add time if your hotel is the last drop. Some hotels with tight access roads are excluded from the drop-off, so check yours when you book.

My verdict: worth it only if you want to avoid the songthaew step and you are not in a hurry. It also works well in reverse, since Bell picks up from Pattaya hotels for early airport runs.

5. Minivan from Mo Chit or Ekkamai

Shared minivans run constantly between Bangkok and Pattaya, mainly from the van terminal near Mo Chit. Fares sit around ฿150 to ฿210, and some leave as soon as they fill up rather than on a fixed timetable.

I will be honest about these. They are cramped, luggage space is limited to whatever fits in the back, and some drivers treat Motorway 7 like a racetrack. They are fine for a backpacker in a hurry, less fine for anyone with a hard-shell suitcase.

My verdict: skip it if the big bus is running. The coach costs about the same and is more comfortable.

6. Train from Hua Lamphong

Yes, there is a train from Bangkok to Pattaya, and it still leaves from the old Hua Lamphong station in Chinatown, not the newer Krung Thep Aphiwat terminal. Take the MRT Blue Line to Hua Lamphong and you are there.

There are two very different trains. On weekdays, ordinary train #283 leaves at 06:55, costs around ฿31 and is scheduled to arrive around 10:30, though delays are common. It has fans, open windows and wooden-bench character.

On Saturdays and Sundays, special train #997 leaves at 06:45 and arrives around 09:13. It has air conditioning, costs about ฿170, and is the better train by a wide margin. The return #998 leaves Pattaya around 16:26, which makes it a ready-made day trip.

My verdict: the weekend train is worth it as an experience. The weekday train is only for people who want the slow ride for its own sake, since there is one departure a day and Pattaya station is a fair distance from the beach.

7. Grab or Bolt

Both ride-hailing apps will take you from Bangkok to Pattaya, and this is how I usually go when I am traveling as a couple. The price is fixed when you confirm, so there is no haggling and no meter anxiety.

From Suvarnabhumi, expect around ฿930 to ฿1,100 for a standard car, and more for an XL with room for extra luggage. From central Bangkok it is typically ฿1,200 to ฿1,600. Check whether tolls are included before you set off, as some drivers will ask you to pay them at the booths.

My verdict: worth it for two people with bags. Split two ways, it is a small premium over two bus tickets plus a songthaew, and it saves you at least an hour.

8. Private transfer: the comfortable way

If you are arriving on a long-haul flight, traveling as a family, or checking into one of the quieter resorts on Pratumnak Hill or along Na Jomtien, this is the option I would choose. A driver meets you in the arrivals hall or at your Bangkok hotel lobby and drops you at the door in Pattaya.

Pre-booked fares generally include tolls and run about ฿1,000 to ฿1,800 for a sedan, with ten-seat vans around ฿1,800 to ฿2,000. Divide a van between five or six people and it competes with the bus.

My verdict: worth it for groups, families and anyone whose time in Pattaya is short. Book at least a day ahead and send the driver your flight number.

9. Taxis and the airport limousine counter

You can take a regular Bangkok taxi to Pattaya, but there is no fixed fare. You agree a price with the driver, and from the airport you also pay the tolls plus a ฿50 airport surcharge. Walk up without a number in mind and you will pay more than a pre-booked car.

The AOT Limousine counter in the Suvarnabhumi arrivals hall is the other walk-up choice. Prices to Pattaya start around ฿2,700 depending on the vehicle, so confirm at the counter.

My verdict: skip the street taxi. The limousine counter makes sense only if your plans changed at the last minute and you want a premium car right now.

10. Driving yourself

The drive itself is simple. Motorway 7 runs almost the whole way, it is well signed in English, and you pay a few tolls in cash or by card at the booths.

The hard part is getting out of Bangkok and parking once you arrive. You also need an International Driving Permit alongside your home license for your insurance to hold up.

My verdict: worth it only if you plan to explore beyond Pattaya, toward Bang Saray, Sattahip or Rayong. For Pattaya alone, a car is more hassle than help.

What about flying?

There are no direct flights from Bangkok to Pattaya. U-Tapao Airport, about 40 minutes south of town, is only useful if you are coming from the islands, for example on Bangkok Airways from Koh Samui or Phuket.

When you arrive in Pattaya

Buses from Bangkok arrive at the North Pattaya bus terminal on North Pattaya Road, a few kilometers from the beach. Grab and Bolt both work here and are the simplest way to reach your hotel with bags.

The cheap option is the blue songthaew, the shared pickup truck locals call the baht bus. On the fixed loops along Beach Road and Second Road, fares were raised in 2026 to around ฿15, with longer runs to Jomtien or Naklua around ฿20. If a driver quotes you a price upfront, he is offering a private charter, so wave him on and catch the next one.

Going back: Pattaya to Bangkok

Every option above works in reverse. Roong Reuang buses run from North Pattaya terminal back to Ekkamai through the day, and bus 389 heads to Suvarnabhumi from Jomtien and North Pattaya.

For an early flight, Bell Travel’s hotel pickup or a pre-booked car is far less stressful than hoping for a songthaew at 5am. You can compare return times on Bookaway as well.

My pick

Traveling light from central Bangkok, I take the Ekkamai bus. It is cheap, frequent and starts at a Skytrain station.

Arriving from overseas or checking into a resort outside the center, I book a private car. Two hours door to door, no terminals, no transfers, and the price difference matters far less than how you feel on your first evening by the sea.

Whichever you choose, you can book the bus or a private car to Pattaya on Bookaway.

Planning more of Thailand? Start with my Thailand transportation guide, and if Bangkok comes first, here are the best things to do in Bangkok.

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Tim Kroeger( International Tourism Management Expert )

Tim Kroeger is the founder and editor of Universal Traveller, covering luxury stays and active travel. Based in Bangkok, he draws on 15+ years of travel across 112+ countries, from reviewing luxury hotels to bikepacking through Southeast Asia. He also writes about luxury wellness and longevity travel at tim-kroeger.com, where he developed the Restorative Index.

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Expertises: International Tourism Management, Luxury Travel, Adventure travel, Luxury Bikepacking