Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai): Pattaya to Trat

The Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal, known as Ekkamai, sits on Sukhumvit Road at Soi Sukhumvit 63 and is the main Bangkok departure point for buses and minivans to Pattaya, Rayong (for Koh Samet) and Trat (for Koh Chang). From BTS Ekkamai Exit 2 it is about 50 m on foot. Fares are fixed per route and, in the operator listings, run from about 80 THB (~USD 2.40) to Chonburi and 124 THB (~USD 3.70) to Pattaya up to about 275 THB (~USD 8.20) to Trat.

Prices in this guide are converted at 33.40 THB per USD, the rate quoted by Thailand Business News on 30 September 2026. Timetables and fares change, so treat every figure below as a guide and confirm at the counter.

Where is the Eastern Bus Terminal and how do you reach it?

The terminal is on Sukhumvit Road, between Soi 40 and Soi 42, opposite Soi 63, in Khlong Toei district. Other guides locate it at Soi Sukhumvit 63, which is the same spot. It serves Eastern Thailand plus minivans to Hua Hin.

How do you get there by BTS?

Take the BTS Sukhumvit Line to Ekkamai station and use Exit 2 onto Sukhumvit Road. The terminal is about 50 m away. This is the easiest and fastest route in. If you are new to the trains, the BTS and MRT guide covers tickets and station layouts.

What about city buses and taxis?

City bus numbers listed for the terminal include 2, 25, 40, 48, 501 and 511. Routes 2 and 511 run from Democracy Monument, routes 25 and 48 from Siam Square and MBK, and routes 25, 40 and 501 from Hua Lamphong Station. The Bangkok bus system explained guide covers how the fares and route numbers work.

Taxis can be hailed at the terminal or on Sukhumvit Road. Ask the driver to use the meter. Motorbike taxi stands are at the terminal entrance, by BTS Exit 2 and on Soi 63. Their posted fare table is in Thai only. It lists 20 THB (~USD 0.60) for short hops such as Sukhumvit Soi 40 and 42 or Big C Ekkamai, and 40 THB (~USD 1.20) for Thong Lo BTS and Sukhumvit Soi 36.

How do you get here from Suvarnabhumi Airport?

One option is the Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai (30 minutes) and then the BTS to Ekkamai (16 minutes). A taxi from the airport is listed at about 350 to 450 THB (~USD 10.50 to 13.50), and the same guide says to insist on the meter.

Which destinations leave from Ekkamai?

The terminal is not big. About 10 bus companies run 29 ticket counters selling bus and minibus tickets to the Eastern provinces. The table below pulls together durations, departure windows and fares from several sources that sometimes disagree. Where they differ, the range is shown.

Minivans cover the same destinations as buses and, according to one guide, cost more than buses.

How do the Pattaya buses work?

Roong Reuang Coach runs the buses to Pattaya, with departures from about 05:00 to 23:00 roughly every 30 to 40 minutes on one listing, and 15 departures from 06:00 to 22:00 on another. The ride takes about 2.5 hours. The listed fare is 124 THB (~USD 3.70) at the counter listing and about 130 THB (~USD 3.90) in a second guide.

Know where you will be dropped. Buses end at Roong Reuang’s own terminal on North Pattaya Road. Minivans, which leave about every 15 to 30 minutes between 04:30 and 21:00, end at Bali Hai Pier or Jomtien Beach, so pick the vehicle that is closer to your hotel.

What about Rayong, Ban Phe and Koh Samet?

Rayong buses run every 30 to 60 minutes from 06:00 to 20:30 and take about 3 hours. For Koh Samet, buy a ticket to Ban Phe, the pier town. The trip takes about 3 to 4 hours depending on the source. Cherdchai Tour lists 10 Ban Phe departures between 07:00 and 18:30 at 173 THB (~USD 5.20), or 306 THB (~USD 9.20) return, and Rayong Tour lists Ban Phe at 200 THB (~USD 6.00).

The same listing gives Koh Samet boat fares from Nuanthip pier. Round trips cost 100 THB (~USD 3.00) to Nadan pier, 140 THB (~USD 4.20) to Vongduean and 200 THB (~USD 6.00) to Wai or Kui-Pakarang.

How do you reach Trat and Koh Chang?

Two kinds of service run this route. The government bus company, called Bus 999 or Bor.Kor.Sor., runs to Laem Ngop pier, the Koh Chang ferry port. One listing gives departures at 07:45 (to Thammachat Bay pier) and 09:45 (to Centre Point Bay pier) at 275 THB (~USD 8.20), or 520 THB (~USD 15.60) return. A second guide lists 07:45 and 08:45, so confirm the current times. The journey takes 5 to 6 hours.

Cherdchai Tour runs a first-class bus to Trat city, with 16 departures from 05:00 to 23:30 at 265 THB (~USD 7.90). It takes 6 to 7 hours, because it stops in Chanthaburi. If you miss the morning 999 bus, Cherdchai is the fallback, and from Trat city a songthaew or motorbike taxi reaches the pier. Combined bus and van tickets to Koh Chang are also sold.

Koh Chang ferries from Laem Ngop are listed separately. Thammachat Bay pier to Sapparot Bay pier runs every 45 minutes from 06:30 to 19:00, takes about 30 minutes and costs 80 THB (~USD 2.40). Centre Point Bay pier to Dan Khao pier runs about hourly from 06:00 to 18:00, takes about 45 minutes and also costs 80 THB (~USD 2.40).

How do the ticket counters work?

Counters at the entrance cover the government bus company and many private operators. Routes, schedules and prices are posted on the counter windows, so you can compare before paying.

• Fares are fixed, so discounts are not normally available. Some companies offer a discount on a return ticket.
• You can usually buy a ticket about 30 minutes before departure.
• Buses are either first class (air-conditioned, direct) or second class (air-conditioned, more stops and a longer trip). Check which one you are buying.
• Minivans serve the same destinations as buses, so check which you board.
• Minivan tickets can be bought on the day, and some can be booked online through 12Go.

Practical tips for foreigners

• Book ahead on holidays. New Year and Songkran in April are the periods when you may otherwise wait hours for the next bus.
• Early start? One guide suggests staying at a nearby hotel if you catch an early departure.
• Facilities. There are small shops and a 7-Eleven just outside the terminal. Toilets inside cost 3 THB (~USD 0.09). Luggage storage, run by a private company at the back of the station, is open 06:00 to 18:00.
• Platforms. Platforms are at the back of the main building, and the waiting area is surrounded by ticket counters.
• Hua Hin. Only minivans go there from Ekkamai, with 11 departures from 05:00 to 19:00. Buses to Hua Hin use the Southern Terminal.
• Other terminals. Northern and northeastern routes leave from Mo Chit, and southern routes from Sai Tai Mai.

See also: Bangkok to Pattaya, which Bangkok train station to use and On Nut station area guide.

What should you check before you go?

Sources differ on departure times and fares. Operator timetables are for information only and may change without notice, so compare them with the routes, schedules and prices posted on the counter windows on arrival.