Bangkok to Pattaya: 144 THB Bus, 31 THB Train or Taxi?

The cheapest way from Bangkok to Pattaya is the 3rd-class train at 31 THB (~USD 0.93), which takes about 3 hours 40 minutes. The best value for most visitors is the Roong Reuang coach at 144 THB (~USD 4.30) from Ekkamai, about 2 hours to the North Pattaya terminal. A taxi or Grab costs around 1,200 to 1,500 THB (~USD 36 to 45) and takes 90 minutes to 2.5 hours depending on traffic. Fares in this guide come mostly from a Visit Thailand Today guide updated 30 September 2026, and USD figures use 33.40 THB per USD (Thailand Business News, 30 September 2026). Confirm times and prices before you travel.

How far is Bangkok from Pattaya?

Pattaya is about 145 km from Bangkok by road on Motorway 7, which operators usually round to 150 km. By rail the line runs about 155 km, and from Suvarnabhumi Airport the drive is about 120 km (Visit Thailand Today, 30 September 2026).

Travel time is 1.5 to 2.5 hours by any route, and 90 minutes to 2.5 hours by car. The spread is almost entirely traffic. The same guide advises avoiding Friday 15:00 to 20:00 heading to Pattaya and Sunday 15:00 to 21:00 heading back to Bangkok, and says holidays can add up to three hours.

Which option is best for Bangkok to Pattaya?

Sources: Visit Thailand Today (updated 30 September 2026), Thaiest (updated 3 March 2025), Andy B Travels (5 August 2026). Rate: 33.40 THB per USD, 30 September 2026.

Is the bus the easiest way?

For one or two travellers with a normal bag, yes. Roong Reuang runs the coach service covered here.

Ekkamai (Eastern Terminal)

• 144 THB (~USD 4.30).
• 16 departures a day: 05:00, 06:00, then hourly from 09:00 to 22:00.
• About 2 hours to the North Pattaya terminal.
• The terminal is next to BTS Ekkamai, so you can reach it by Skytrain.

Mo Chit 2 (Northern Terminal)

• 155 THB (~USD 4.60).
• Hourly from 05:00 to 18:00, about 2 hours.

A Bangna counter on Sukhumvit Road also sells the 144 THB fare.

Practical points from the same guide:

• Buses often sell out about an hour ahead, so buy early on weekends.
• Online confirmations must be exchanged for a printed ticket at the counter.
• Tickets are non-refundable.
• One bag up to 20 kg travels free.
• 12Go resells the same seats for 164 THB (~USD 4.90).

For how city buses and terminals work in general, see our guide to the Bangkok bus system.

Should you take the train?

Take the train if you want the lowest price and do not mind a slow, basic ride. Trains to Pattaya leave from Hua Lamphong, not from Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue).

Returning, train 284 leaves Pattaya at 14:21 and reaches Hua Lamphong at 18:15, and weekend train 998 leaves at 16:26 and arrives at 18:55 (Visit Thailand Today, 30 September 2026).

What the 3rd-class train is like, per Andy B Travels (5 August 2026): unreserved seats, basic benches, no air conditioning and windows that open. Tickets are sold only at the station, usually about an hour before departure, so you cannot book ahead. The weekend railcar can sell out, and Visit Thailand Today says it can be booked 30 days ahead on the State Railway of Thailand D-Ticket app.

Two quirks to know. Pattaya is an intermediate stop, so train boards often show Chuk Samet as the destination. And Pattaya station is about 2 km inland from Beach Road, so you still need a ride to the sea, which a Bolt covers for about 100 THB (~USD 3). For rail context in the capital, see our overview of the Bangkok rail network.

How much is a taxi or Grab from Bangkok to Pattaya?

From central Bangkok, expect 1,200 to 1,500 THB (~USD 36 to 45) on Grab or Bolt for a 4-seat car. A street taxi quotes 1,500 to 2,000 THB flat plus tolls. Tolls of 150 to 200 THB (~USD 4.50 to 6) are sometimes added on top (Visit Thailand Today, 30 September 2026).

Thaiest (March 2025) says a street taxi needs a fixed rate agreed before you set off, so agree the price up front, and that prepaid private transfers include expressway fees. Settle the price and whether tolls are included before you get in. To compare a metered city fare with a long-distance quote, read how Bangkok taxi fares work, and for hailing a car by app, see how to use Grab in Bangkok.

Private transfers booked from a Bangkok hotel, tolls included, were listed as:

• Mike, Cherry, Kim: 1,200 THB (~USD 36) sedan, 1,400 THB (~USD 42) MPV or SUV, 2,200 THB (~USD 66) ten-seat van.
• Pattaya Express: 1,399 to 1,499 THB (~USD 42 to 45) sedan.

What about the minivan?

Minivans leave from Ekkamai, Mo Chit and Victory Monument, usually when full, and take about 2 to 2.5 hours. On 12Go they cost 200 to 430 THB (~USD 6 to 13).

Thaiest (March 2025) lists Ekkamai minivans departing every 15 to 30 minutes from 04:30 to 21:00, ending at Bali Hai Pier or Jomtien Beach. Those drop-offs differ from the coach’s North Pattaya terminal. The Mochit Van Terminal runs from 07:00 to 19:00. Check the drop-off point before you pay, since it is the detail that varies most between operators.

Bangkok DMK airport to Pattaya: bus and taxi cost

From Don Mueang (DMK), a direct bus is the cheapest option. Transport Co. route 999 costs 167 THB (~USD 5), takes about 2.5 hours and leaves six times a day: 06:30, 07:30, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30 and 17:30. Counters are at Terminal 1 Gate 1 and Terminal 2 Gate 11, and the bus drops at the North, Central and South Pattaya junctions and Thepprasit (Visit Thailand Today, 30 September 2026).

How much is a taxi from Bangkok airport to Pattaya? From Don Mueang the guide listed:

• Kim: 1,400 THB (~USD 42) sedan.
• Pattaya Express: from 1,499 THB (~USD 45).
• 12Go: 2,050 to 2,300 THB (~USD 61 to 69) sedan.

The same sedan ride ranges from 1,400 to 2,300 THB depending on the seller, so compare two or three before booking. If you land at DMK and head for the city instead, our airport to Bangkok city guide covers the first leg, and the A1 bus (30 THB, every 15 minutes from Terminal 1 Gate 6) links to BTS Mo Chit.

From Suvarnabhumi

Suvarnabhumi is closer, about 120 km from Pattaya.

• Roong Reuang bus (Level 1, near Gate 8): 135 THB (~USD 4) to North Pattaya, seven daily; 158 THB (~USD 4.70) to Jomtien, hourly from 06:00 to 22:00. About 2 hours. Arrive 15 minutes early.
• Bell Travel shared van or VIP coach: 300 THB (~USD 9) with one hotel drop, 450 THB (~USD 13.50) with pickup and drop at both ends.
• Taxi or private transfer: 1,000 THB (~USD 30) for a sedan with Mike, Cherry, Kim.

Where do you get off in Pattaya, and how do you reach your hotel?

The bus, minivan and train each end somewhere different, so the drop-off matters more than the ticket price.

• North Pattaya bus terminal (Pattaya Nuea Road): about 2 km from Beach Road. A songthaew costs a flat 50 THB (~USD 1.50) to central Pattaya, and a Bolt about 80 to 120 THB (~USD 2.40 to 3.60) to Beach Road.
• Jomtien terminal (Jomtien Second Road): near the beach, with a songthaew to most Jomtien hotels at 20 THB (~USD 0.60).
• Pattaya station: about 2 km inland, with a Bolt to the beach at about 100 THB (~USD 3).

Songthaew (baht bus) fares were raised in April 2026: 15 THB (~USD 0.45) for up to 10 km on fixed loops (Beach Road south, Second Road north) and 20 THB (~USD 0.60) for longer runs to Jomtien or Naklua. Stating a destination before boarding turns the ride into a private charter at 100 to 200 THB (~USD 3 to 6).

Which option fits which traveller?

• Solo, light bag, minimal budget: the 31 THB train, if you can be at Hua Lamphong for 06:55 and accept 3 hours 40 minutes. On weekends the 170 THB railcar saves about an hour.
• Solo or couple, normal luggage: the Ekkamai coach at 144 THB, then a songthaew or Bolt.
• Staying in Jomtien or south Pattaya: the Suvarnabhumi Jomtien bus or an Ekkamai minivan, which both end near the beach.
• Group of four or more, or heavy luggage: a booked van or MPV transfer with tolls included.
• Arriving at DMK: the last route 999 departure listed is 17:30.

If you are weighing Pattaya against other coast trips, see our guide to beaches near Bangkok.

Are there flights or a high-speed train?

Not yet. There are no direct flights from Bangkok to U-Tapao (UTP). The high-speed rail contract was signed in 2019, construction has not started, and the consortium gave termination notice in July 2026 (Visit Thailand Today, 30 September 2026). Plan around the road and the existing train.

Quick answers

What is the cheapest way from Bangkok to Pattaya? The 3rd-class train 283 at 31 THB (~USD 0.93). It leaves Hua Lamphong at 06:55 daily.

How long does the bus take? About 2 hours from Ekkamai or Mo Chit 2 to the North Pattaya terminal, longer on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons.

Which is better, bus or minivan? The coach is cheaper and runs to a timetable. The minivan leaves when full and, per a March 2025 listing, ends nearer the beach at Bali Hai Pier or Jomtien.

Does the train go from Bang Sue? No. Trains to Pattaya use Hua Lamphong.

How much is a taxi from Don Mueang to Pattaya? From 1,400 THB (~USD 42) for a sedan with some providers, up to 2,050 to 2,300 THB (~USD 61 to 69) through a booking platform. Prices checked against a 30 September 2026 guide.

Prices and timetables change. Check the Roong Reuang counter, State Railway of Thailand or your chosen transfer company before you go.