Driving to / from Bangkok best route now Rama 2 is a mess?

[Hamus Yaigh]

I have always used Rama2 road in/out of Bangkok driving to/from Hua Hin and further south. Last week we came back to Bangkok this way and the traffic was a mess on Rama 2 backed up 8km as the powers that be try to merge 4 lanes of fast moving vehicles into 3 to get under all of the overhead expressway construction. It looks like this will go on for several years.

 

So my question is whether the northern route via Nakhon Pathom is any less congested and whats it like getting into the Bangkok expressway system these days? Any experience please?

[richard_smith237]

We did just this last week and Rama II road is indeed mish-mash of overhead construction and cars & pickups jostling to get one car ahead.... 

 

But...  even with the road works Rama II road remains the best route into Bangkok, unless google maps show its horribly gridlocked. 

 

Just looking at Google Maps and comparing the route now - Continuing north via Ratchaburi and coming in through Nakhon Pathom (as if entering BKK from Kanchanaburi) adds an extra hour to the trip. 

 

Peeling off north on Route 3091 effectively ‘cutting out the ‘Ratchaburi corner of the journey’ and heading in through Bang Khae may be a decent option, but then you are entering smaller roads which also have their own risk of tail-backs, also this enters the city along Sathorn road which gets very busy.

 

Another option maybe peeling off from Rama II road at taking the outer ring road, but that still involves a couple of KM’s of road-works and a possible tail-back. 

 

 

Ultimately - it depends on the time of travel.

We looked at this last week, Monday was a public holiday. Travelling in at Lunchtime on a Sunday was fairly quick without any notable delay, at times the frontage road was moving faster than the central lanes though... But everything was still moving at 60-100 kmh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tom H]

Train:).

[Hamus Yaigh]

 

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Ultimately - it depends on the time of travel.

 

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Rama II road remains the best route into Bangkok

OK I like that idea - thanks for feedback. We drove it last Monday at about 5pm on a public holiday - perhaps not the best time and crawled at <5kph for 2 hours. So maybe our only choice next time is to make two days of the journey to ensure Rama 2 road is hit around mid day as we are coming from several hundred km away.

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

OK I like that idea - thanks for feedback. We drove it last Monday at about 5pm on a public holiday - perhaps not the best time and crawled at <5kph for 2 hours. So maybe our only choice next time is to make two days of the journey to ensure Rama 2 road is hit around mid day as we are coming from several hundred km away.

One of the reasons we came back on the Sunday was to avoid the ‘long weekend traffic’ returning on Monday evening...  

 

That said - IMO as long as you hit the Rama II area before 3pm I think you’ll be (mostly) OK on any day (other than something crazy like end of Songkran etc).

 

 

[Callmeishmael]

The frontage roads are frequently faster and less crowded than the main highway.

[KhunLA]

What day and timing of makes a big difference.  We used the Nakhon Pathon route last going to, and worked out good.  Very little difference, and I'd rather be moving than in gridlock, along with more of a potential of someone having an oops.

 

Also depends where destination is also, and what neighborhood you're headed to.  

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Tom H said:

Train:).

Not so easy to park it outside of our house... 

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

5pm on a public holiday

says it all????

[richard_smith237]

21 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

2 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

5pm on a public holiday

says it all????

True dat.......     to be fair - traffic in any country at the end of a national / public holiday is rather horrific...

 

A couple of years ago we had a 3.5 hr journey turn into 6 hours in the UK - simply due to return holiday traffic.... It's the same here. 

 

Now...  Airport Holiday traffic in the UK summer is a whole new ball-game... utterly utterly horrific security queues alone make me want to avoid UK airports full stop... But.. I’ve digressed...

 

... avoid the main peak traffic periods and the roads are generally OK, even the ones with roadworks such as Rama II. 

 

 

 

[DaLa]

We have a place down in Cha Am and use Rama 2 at least once a month. I have to agree with the other opinions that it’s hit and miss regards to traffic congestion. Personally I believe it gets better every time we go as the overhead work progresses.

 

Wifey missed a junction (out of Nonthaburi) and rather than U turn she decided to head for Nakhon Pathom; only added about a day to the journey. The other alternative is taking the outbound Borommaratchachonnani Rd towards Phutthamonthon and then cutting into towards Amphawa floating market where Rama 2 quietens down considerably. That’s a slow road though.

 

It will all be better soon, so long as Thailand doesn’t run out of concrete.

[Hamus Yaigh]

18 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

says it all????

We had traveled about 950km on the day, and only Rama2 was a traffic jam.

[alien365]

On 10/31/2022 at 12:38 PM, Hamus Yaigh said:

So my question is whether the northern route via Nakhon Pathom is any less congested and whats it like getting into the Bangkok expressway system these days? Any experience please?

Nakhon Pathom will be less congested unless you catch the Friday and Sunday traffic. Borromoratchanonani (or however it's spelt) is usually pretty decent, but you will have slow moving traffic leaving Bangkok between where the elevated road comes down and Salaya. Access to the expressway is easier to go in than out. The elevated road gives access to the outer ring road, but you will get stuck in traffic once it joins the sirat expy at Chatchujak. Leaving BKK you will get stuck in traffic at Ratchadamnoen, and the elevated an be atrocious until you get past the Kanchanapisek exit at busier times due those trying to cut in at the front of the queue.

 

If you want to try a different route I'd say use Ratchapreuk, if you live near the Sathorn area anyway. Use Borromoratchanonani, then phet kasem and then 375 past Ban Phaeo. This road has two lanes and usually flows very quickly. It only has a couple of traffic lights on it and I've never had a speeding ticket from using it either. It will bring you out right between Samut Sakhorn and Samut Songkram. This road will avoid the Nakhon Pathom-Ratchaburi section which is always slow.  The route I mention will still be slower than only using Rama 2, but if you hate gridlocked traffic, I think that could be worth a try for you.

[jojothai]

I travel the route frequently and the biggest regular problem going into bangkok is the traffic at the junction for the ring road, not the roadworks.

For some reason the ring road no 9. slows traffic back for several km.

Generally due to drivers staying in the outer lane until the last minute and slowing everything behind.

The roadworks have some blips but are generally well managed.

The worst time to travel in that section after midday is rush hour about 4pm to 6pm. It normally adds about 1 hour. But can be more when there is bad weather

Luxury minibus i use from hua hin to suvarnabhumi is generally 3.5 hours if leaving hua hin 12.00 or 16.00.

Leaving at 14.00 takes 4.5 hours.

I dont travel into bkk in the morning, but guess the morning rush hour will be as bad as late afternoon.

 

[Fairynuff]

I do this route regularly too and I find that the return to BKK is always a bit slower than leaving. I leave BKK around 9.30-10.00 am and coming back around the same so I’m into the construction around 11am. It’s always busy but manageable. Last Tuesday however was the worst I’ve experienced in a long time.

I’ve tried all the other routes but never seen any real benefit.

[shdmn]

On 10/30/2022 at 11:55 PM, Tom H said:

Train:).

Only a couple fast trains per day and aircon cars almost always sold out a day or two ahead, so not that convenient.  I also find their website very clunky trying to buy tickets online.