Follow-up to earlier question on first trip.

[Philippinesliving]

Info on the internet is very confusing for first time arrivers.

Need to know how best to get to Ekkamai bus station from the airport, since that is the place everyone goes to to take bus to Pattaya.

Read several negative reviews about the direct bus from the airport, including that they don't take walk-up tickets (absurd).

 

Where exactly do you catch the transport to Ekkamai from the airport? what level, where?

 

Also where can I buy a Thai sim that will work on a cheap, no smart cp for calls to the Philippines.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

[BritManToo]

Which airport?

If Don Muang, I'd get the bus to MoChit bus station which is nearby.

If Suvarnabhumi, I'd get the BTS train to  Ekkamai bus station, or a van direct to Pattaya.

Edited June 24, 2019 by BritManToo

[moontang]

I heard the bus from Swampy was quite a bit better than Ekami.  Swampy actually has its own public bus terminal.  Used to be vans running frequently to on nut BTS.. can anyone verify that? Was 25 THB.. 

[josephbloggs]

Easiest way, go down to the taxi queue on level 1 and get a taxi direct to Ekamai bus station.  Depending on time of day should be around 30-40 minutes and maybe 250/300 baht.

 

If you don't want to take a taxi you can go to the basement level and take the airport train to Phaya Thai (end of the line).  45 baht, 25 minutes.  Then walk to the connecting Skytrain (BTS) and take a train to Ekamai - 44 baht, 15 minutes.  That drops you right outside the bus station.   It's very clear and easy.  All in all cheaper than a taxi if you are travelling alone, but probably no quicker.  

 

As others have said there are buses and vans direct from the airport to Pattaya but I have never used them as I live in Bangkok.

 

On the arrivals level just after you exit customs there are tons of kiosks selling sim cards, can't miss them.

[lamyai3]

On 6/24/2019 at 10:40 AM, Philippinesliving said:

Info on the internet is very confusing for first time arrivers.

Need to know how best to get to Ekkamai bus station from the airport, since that is the place everyone goes to to take bus to Pattaya.

Read several negative reviews about the direct bus from the airport, including that they don't take walk-up tickets (absurd).

I've used the airport bus several times in the past - the standard cheapest option (around 120 baht) is operated by Roong Reuang coach company, so they're exactly the same buses that operate out of Ekammai and Mochit. Tickets can be booked at the desk on the ground floor, no need for advance booking. No reason at all not to use this bus, except that it can sometimes get overbooked and the next departure time might not be so soon. But it makes sense to check while you're at the airport, then if the wait is too long, you can go into town instead on the airport link to Phayathai, and then BTS back out to Ekammai (about an hour in total). There may or may not be queues at Ekammai too, though it'd be less likely. Going via Ekammai will add an extra two hours to the trip, so it wouldn't be worth it if there's an airport departure in an hour or less. 

 

Details of location of the desk, plus private bus company options here:

https://www.bangkok-travel-ideas.com/bus-to-pattaya.html