How's the bus?

[ricklev]

Thinking of coming from Bangkok for a couple of days.  How is the bus service to and from Ekamie station these days?  Are they still running every half an hour?  I used to buy two seats, but if they are running half empty I might only buy one.  Are the baht buses still a reasonable way to get around or have they mostly stopped running?  Thanks!  Only positive comments please, think twice before you snark.

Edited September 25, 2020 by ricklev

[steven100]

I always get a Limousine hire as it's much more comfortable and not expensive.

A bus I expect would be a hell trip, cramped and stopping every 20 minutes .... no thanks.

[Olmate]

2 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I always get a Limousine hire as it's much more comfortable and not expensive.

A bus I expect would be a hell trip, cramped and stopping every 20 minutes .... no thanks.

U expect? 

[champers]

The busses from Ekkami are comfortable and are safely driven. The journey takes a couple of hours and there are hourly busses. Some brief stops in Pattaya to let people off but nothing to write home about. Ticket is 119 Baht.

[steven100]

5 minutes ago, Olmate said:

U expect? 

what do you think of a bus travel .... relaxing ?  i doubt. 

[champers]

8 minutes ago, steven100 said:

what do you think of a bus travel .... relaxing ?  i doubt. 

Can be and in the specific trip in the OP it is. You should perhaps try the service in question before passing your pre-conceived and false judgement on it.

[Big Joke]

I used the Ekkami Pattaya bus on Monday  as my bus to my home town was cancelled. They are leaving every hour on the hour from 0600 to 1900???? Social distance applies so 1 person 2 seats limit to 19 passengers per bus. My bus had 12 passengers.

[ricklev]

1 minute ago, Big Joke said:

I used the Ekkami Pattaya bus on Monday  as my bus to my home town was cancelled. They are leaving every hour on the hour from 0600 to 1900???? Social distance applies so 1 person 2 seats limit to 19 passengers per bus. My bus had 12 passengers.

Excellent!  Thanks.

[OneMoreFarang]

I used to take the bus and it was never a problem.

But often when I take the taxi to the bus station the driver ask me where I go and I tell them Pattaya. They all want to go and often they offered (in the past) a trip for 1200B or something like that. I agreed.

 

And from Pattaya to Bangkok it's even better. At the corner of Soi 8 is a place where taxis to Bangkok can be hired for 600B. They look for all the taxis which would drive back empty and 600B is a lot better than nothing.

 

I did this for years but the last time was probably sometime in 2019. So I am not sure if the prices are still up to date.

[ricklev]

9 minutes ago, Big Joke said:

I used the Ekkami Pattaya bus on Monday  as my bus to my home town was cancelled. They are leaving every hour on the hour from 0600 to 1900???? Social distance applies so 1 person 2 seats limit to 19 passengers per bus. My bus had 12 passengers.

Thanks!  Are the baht buses running enough to be useful?  Oh, just realized you don't live in Pattaya...

Edited September 25, 2020 by ricklev

[phutoie2]

46 minutes ago, ricklev said:

Well, this thread  deteriorated quickly. ????

Standard now, I have suspected for some time most comments come from people who have never lived in Thailand. 

"I go by limousine" 55, that's up there with my uni gf. 

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

I always get a Limousine hire as it's much more comfortable and not expensive.

A bus I expect would be a hell trip, cramped and stopping every 20 minutes .... no thanks.

These Rung Reuen buses do not stop every 20  minutes. There is a pickup stop about 20 minutes out of Ekamai, and there might be a couple of dop offs heading into Pattaya, Laem Chabang, Rhompoh for example. It isn't bad really, I doubt you get a Limo for 128 baht ...and that is the Moe Chit cost.

My last bus to BKK was full, but only 8 customers on the return.

Edited September 25, 2020 by jacko45k

[Leaver]

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

I always get a Limousine hire as it's much more comfortable and not expensive.

Would that be a Toyota Camry?  ????

[Leaver]

OP, be prepared for the journey from the bus station in Pattaya to your hotel to cost more than the journey from Bangkok to Pattaya.   

[jacko45k]

5 minutes ago, Leaver said:

OP, be prepared for the journey from the bus station in Pattaya to your hotel to cost more than the journey from Bangkok to Pattaya.   

30 baht drop off no more?

[champers]

4 minutes ago, Leaver said:

OP, be prepared for the journey from the bus station in Pattaya to your hotel to cost more than the journey from Bangkok to Pattaya.   

Rubbish. Standard fare on a Baht bus from Nua bus station is 50 Baht.

[Leaver]

4 minutes ago, champers said:

Rubbish. Standard fare on a Baht bus from Nua bus station is 50 Baht.

Did the OP say he was getting off at Nua Station?  

[moontang]

I went from Mor Chit, three weeks ago...all good.  Half full, a few dropoffs I the edge of Patts.  Clean bus, safe driver.  2 hours and twenty minutes.  Enjoyed the walk to my hotel, and plenty of baht busses to go to Jomtien the next day, which was much, much nicer.  Begging, vagrancy, and a ladyboy every 60 meters in Patts.  Was 0-3 on restaurants I knew being open..my date and I did 7-11 wave food on the beach.  She was allowed the premium green curry, for showing some enthusiasm for a change.  My new best friend in Jomtien is the OYO franchisee from Mumbai...really interesting, nice guy.  

[Leaver]

13 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

30 baht drop off no more?

Was told by a friend who caught the airport bus, pre Covid, that they wanted 200 baht from everyone to jump in a baht bus to be taken to their hotel.  That's several people in one baht bus, not a baht bus each.  He got them down to 150 baht.  Best he could do.

 

He had a suitcase, so couldn't jump on the back of  moto taxi.  

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Leaver

[champers]

6 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Did the OP say he was getting off at Nua Station?  

You presumed he was, as did I.

[champers]

2 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Was told by a friend who caught the airport bus, pre Covid, that they wanted 200 baht from everyone to jump in a baht bus to be taken to their hotel.  He got them down to 150 baht.  Best he could do.

 

He had a suitcase, so couldn't jump on the back of  moto taxi.  

The 50 Baht price I quoted was from less than 2 weeks ago and another month prior to that, not pre-Covid.

[jacko45k]

8 minutes ago, Leaver said:

Was told by a friend who caught the airport bus, pre Covid, that they wanted 200 baht from everyone to jump in a baht bus to be taken to their hotel.  That's several people in one baht bus, not a baht bus each.  He got them down to 150 baht.  Best he could do.

 

He had a suitcase, so couldn't jump on the back of  moto taxi.  

 

Sounds like a rip off and probably breaks the terms of their permission to be on the bus station property. Be tempted to put a complaint in to TAT or City Hall.

Some cross over Nua to get the regular baht bus.

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by jacko45k

[Lacessit]

Aircon buses are OK for 3 hours, gets a bit wearing after that. The Bangkok to Chiang Mai bus trip is only recommended for masochists. Tuk-tuks and songthaews 20 minutes max.

I won't get in a van-type bus, those guys are maniacs.

[Leaver]

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Sounds like a rip off and probably breaks the terms of their permission to be on the bus station property. Be tempted to put a complaint in to TAT or City Hall.

Some cross over Nua to get the regular baht bus.

 

I didn't go into it with him too much.  He's been here many times and speaks a bit of Thai.  He's not a newbie. 

 

It may have been raining, or later at night, so they had the people getting off the bus over a barrel.  

[moontang]

9 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Sounds like a rip off and probably breaks the terms of their permission to be on the bus station property. Be tempted to put a complaint in to TAT or City Hall.

Some cross over Nua to get the regular baht bus.

 

That is similar to the situation at Arcade Bus Station in CM... Those rejects will sit there all day with their clown friends acting tough, and waiting to charge OTT..walk for three minutes and there are scores heading into town for 20.

Edited September 25, 2020 by moontang

[potless]

3 hours ago, ricklev said:

Thinking of coming from Bangkok for a couple of days.  How is the bus service to and from Ekamie station these days?  Are they still running every half an hour?  I used to buy two seats, but if they are running half empty I might only buy one.  Are the baht buses still a reasonable way to get around or have they mostly stopped running?  Thanks!  Only positive comments please, think twice before you snark.

Edited 3 hours ago by ricklev

A thread in the Pattaya forum yesterday, "which bus/minibus is operating Pattaya - Bangkok now". Its a couple of places below yours. It may have some info thats useful to you. Still plenty of baht buses running, mostly empty.

[Mike Teavee]

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

I always get a Limousine hire as it's much more comfortable and not expensive.

A bus I expect would be a hell trip, cramped and stopping every 20 minutes .... no thanks.

Got the bus a couple of Monday’s back & it was 1/2 empty but I have been on it when we got the last 2 seats (not together) & it was fine.

 

Makes 1 stop at the bus station before hitting the highway & maybe a couple of people will get off at non-scheduled stops when you get to Pattaya but doesn’t really impact the flow.

 

119 Baht (though I will be getting Mr T’s taxi back, 1,300 as I can’t be bothered getting to Pattaya bus station) 

Edited September 25, 2020 by Mike Teavee

[steven100]

3 hours ago, Leaver said:

Would that be a Toyota Camry?  ????

no Mercedes ... 

[steven100]

I didn't realize there were so many cheap charlies and visa free loaders in Thailand.

Just goes to show the government have done their homework. 

[moontang]

4 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I didn't realize there were so many cheap charlies and visa free loaders in Thailand.

Just goes to show the government have done their homework. 

Going to Patts in a Mercedes is like using a knife and fork at McDonald's.