Short answer
Pattaya is about 150 km from Bangkok, and the standard way there is the first-class bus from the Ekkamai or Mo Chit 2 terminals, which Wikivoyage says takes 2 to 2.5 hours and leaves every 20 to 40 minutes. From Suvarnabhumi Airport the airport's own page lists buses at roughly 140 to 190 baht. The cheapest option is a slow third-class train at 31 baht, which takes up to 3.5 hours. A taxi is a negotiated fare, not a meter ride, and readers quoted by The Thaiger mention 1,600 to 2,000 baht.
The first-class bus from Ekkamai or Mo Chit 2 is the standard choice
Wikivoyage describes first-class buses from Bangkok's Eastern (Ekkamai) and Northern (Mo Chit 2) terminals to the North Pattaya Road bus station as air-conditioned, almost always with an on-board toilet, and essentially non-stop. They leave every 20 to 40 minutes and take 2 to 2.5 hours. Ekkamai to Pattaya runs from 05:40 to 21:00 and Mo Chit 2 from 05:40 to 19:00, according to the same page.
Wikivoyage says exact fares are clearly posted at the official ticket counters and vary slightly by route, so we do not quote one. You buy at the bus station; the page says these buses are usually full when they leave, you cannot book them more than about an hour ahead, and if one is full there is usually a seat on the next. Buses from the Southern terminal are less frequent and take a little longer.
From Suvarnabhumi Airport there is a direct bus
If you land at Suvarnabhumi, you do not need to go into Bangkok first. The airport's own page for provincial buses lists a Pattaya route at roughly 140 to 190 baht, with service from 06:30 to 21:00, and asks travellers to check the fare because operators can change it. Wikivoyage gives the government bus 389 at 143 baht as of December 2023, hourly from 07:00 to 22:00, leaving from level 1 of the airport.
The airport's page for one coach operator says that tickets have no special child or senior fares, that the name must match the passport, that changes need two days' notice and cost 30 baht per person, and that you may take one 20 kg checked bag and one personal bag free. Wikivoyage says the airport bus stops along Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya before it reaches the bus station, so check which stop is closest to your hotel.
Minivans and taxis save the last leg, at a price
Wikivoyage says minibuses run between Pattaya and Bangkok's hotels and Khao San Road, with 09:00, 12:00 and 17:30 the most advertised departures, and vans also leave from the Eastern Bus Terminal next to Ekkamai Skytrain station. The driving time is about two hours, but the overall trip can take much longer if you are the first to be collected and the last to be dropped off.
A taxi is the most direct option. The Thaiger reported in June 2022, citing a Royal Gazette notice, that Bangkok-licensed taxis need not use meters outside Bangkok and six nearby provinces, so the fare to Pattaya is agreed with the driver. Wikivoyage says to allow 90 to 120 minutes, warns that a pre-paid price may turn out not to include expressway tolls, and says the fare ranges from the meter rate to far higher.
What a taxi really costs: readers' figures, not a tariff
There is no official fare table for a Bangkok to Pattaya taxi, so treat every number as a guide. In September 2026 The Thaiger reported readers commenting on an airport fare dispute: some said 2,000 baht would cover a taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya, and one said a recent trip there had cost 1,600 baht. These are social-media comments, not published rates, and the paper did not verify them.
The practical rule is to agree the full price before you get in, and to ask whether tolls are included, because Wikivoyage describes drivers who say a price is all-inclusive and then ask for the expressway fees at the first toll booth. Wikivoyage also notes that a returning Bangkok cab arranged in Pattaya can be cheaper, because the driver is going home anyway. If the quote sounds high, the bus or van is the alternative.
The slow train: 31 baht, but weekend times are unclear
Wikivoyage and Seat61 agree on the basics of the ordinary train 283: third class only, no air conditioning, 31 baht, leaving Bangkok's Hua Lamphong station at about 06:50 to 06:55 and reaching Pattaya at 10:18 to 10:34. You simply turn up and buy a ticket at the station; neither source says it can be booked ahead. Wikivoyage says the ride can take as much as 3.5 hours, against 1.5 to 2.5 hours by bus, and that the carriages have no toilet.
The sources disagree on days. Wikivoyage says the train runs Monday to Friday only; Seat61, whose Thailand page is dated 2026, lists it daily, with a reserved air-conditioned railcar at weekends for 170 baht, leaving at 06:45. We could not open the State Railway timetable, so check it before you plan around the train. The Thaiger said in September 2026 that the future of the three-airport high-speed rail project is unresolved, so do not wait for a fast train.
Which one to choose
Take the bus if your hotel is near the main road and you want the usual, predictable ride. Take the airport bus if you are arriving by plane, because it avoids a trip into Bangkok and back out. Take a minivan or taxi if you have heavy luggage, children or a hotel far from the bus station, and accept the price. Take the train only if the cost matters more than comfort and you can accept a long day.
Once you are in Pattaya, Wikivoyage says the baht bus on the main route covers most places in the downtown zone for about 10 baht, though it adds that songthaew drivers at the bus station often ask for far more than the standard fare. Use ride-hailing or agree the price first. Our Pattaya things to do guide and Jomtien or Pattaya beach guide help you choose where to stay.
Do not try to reach our Koh Larn tour the same morning
Our Koh Larn Coral Island tour, from $25 per person, meets at about 9:00 am at the marina on Pattaya Beach Road, and hotel pickup is available only in the operator's service area. The first bus from Ekkamai at 05:40 and a 2 to 2.5 hour ride would land you at the bus station around 08:00, still short of the marina. Arriving the day before is the safe plan.
On the tour the speedboat takes you to Koh Sak for about two hours of snorkelling and then to Koh Larn for about three hours on the beach; lunch and any water sports are paid on the spot. Our guide to Koh Larn from Pattaya explains the day, and the speedboat or ferry guide compares the two ways to cross.
Practical checklist
- Pick the Ekkamai or Mo Chit 2 first-class bus for the standard 2 to 2.5 hour ride, and buy the ticket at the station.
- If you land at Suvarnabhumi, ask for the airport bus to Pattaya and check the stop nearest your hotel.
- Agree the full taxi price, tolls included, before you get in.
- Check the State Railway timetable before planning around the 31-baht train, because sources disagree on weekends.
- Arrive in Pattaya the day before our 9:00 am Koh Larn meeting, not the same morning.
Questions and answers
How long does it take to get from Bangkok to Pattaya?
Wikivoyage says the first-class bus takes 2 to 2.5 hours, a taxi 90 to 120 minutes, and the slow train up to 3.5 hours. Pattaya is about 150 km from Bangkok, and rush hour adds time.
How much is the bus from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya?
The airport's page lists roughly 140 to 190 baht, service from 06:30 to 21:00, and asks travellers to check the fare. Wikivoyage gives bus 389 at 143 baht as of December 2023.
Is there a train from Bangkok to Pattaya?
Yes, a slow third-class train for 31 baht from Hua Lamphong station, with no air conditioning. Wikivoyage says weekdays only; Seat61 lists it daily plus a weekend railcar at 170 baht. Check the State Railway timetable.
Do Bangkok taxis use the meter to Pattaya?
No. The Thaiger reported in June 2022 that Bangkok-licensed taxis need not use meters outside Bangkok and six nearby provinces, so the fare is agreed with the driver. Settle the price and the tolls first.
What time does the last bus leave Bangkok for Pattaya?
Wikivoyage lists the last Ekkamai bus at 21:00 and the last Mo Chit 2 bus at 19:00. Check the station for the current timetable, particularly on holidays.