Bangkok to Pattaya: bus, taxi or private car
About 150km of motorway. What each option costs, how long it really takes, and when the traffic turns a two-hour trip into four.
Pattaya is roughly 150km southeast of Bangkok on the motorway. In good conditions it is a two-hour drive; on a Friday afternoon leaving the city it is closer to four.
Buses leave from Ekkamai and Mochit. Private cars are door to door and priced before you go, which is the reason most people with luggage choose them.
The three ways
Questions
Can I do Pattaya as a day trip?
You can, but four hours of driving for a few hours on a beach is a poor trade. Overnight is better.
Is there a train?
There is a slow commuter service, but it is not practical for most visitors.
Written for travellers booking Thailand independently. Facts about specific tours come from the operator’s product record; practical advice is ours and marked as such. Prices and availability are checked on Viator, not guaranteed by us.