Pattaya To Bangkok - Best Route?

[WingNut]

When I used to drive from Pattaya to Bangkok I would get onto the on-ramp (to what is called the Motorway) using the rising curved on-ramp close to the North Pattaya Road and then I would stay on that a short distance until it would have a turn off to the bypass road. Then I would switch to the bypass road (from what I can recall) before it actually reached the formal Motorway entrance (which is only for cars). Then I would stay on the bypass road until it reached the Bang Na Trad highway and take that the rest of the way to Bangkok. It would take me around 100 minutes (from what I remember) to reach the Bang Na Trad / Sukhumvit Road intersection. Usually I would start driving at sunrise to avoid as much city traffic as possible (once getting into Bangkok). 
 

This was at least 5-7 years ago though and I know the roads have changed a bit. So I am wondering if this route is still possible? And if it’s not, then what would be the best route to drive to Bangkok from Pattaya by bike please?

 

many thanks…

[WingNut]

From the limited information I was able to find, the following link seems to be the fastest possible route without tolls, although I’m not 100% sure if motorcycles will be permitted on this entire route.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/QST4WgNv42mV8iCJA

[soi3eddie]

5 minutes ago, WingNut said:

From the limited information I was able to find, the following link seems to be the fastest possible route without tolls, although I’m not 100% sure if motorcycles will be permitted on this entire route.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/QST4WgNv42mV8iCJA

By motorycycle, the best possible route from Pattaya to say; Sukhumvit, Bangkok is highway 3 then 34. Motorcycles are not permitted on 7 (tollway) nor on the elevated section above 34 (Bangna-Trad). The route under the elevated Bangna-Trad is potholed and has lots, and lots of truck traffic at times. Need your wits about you on that!

 

[WingNut]

1 hour ago, soi3eddie said:

By motorycycle, the best possible route from Pattaya to say; Sukhumvit, Bangkok is highway 3 then 34. Motorcycles are not permitted on 7 (tollway) nor on the elevated section above 34 (Bangna-Trad). The route under the elevated Bangna-Trad is potholed and has lots, and lots of truck traffic at times. Need your wits about you on that!

 

Thank you for that. The route I am suggesting on that link I posted above has you turn from the Sukhumvit Highway at Laem Chabang onto Route 7 for just a very short distance. But it looks like you then switch to 3702 before the toll booth. Route 3072 is the motorway frontage road which is fine for motorcycles it seems. It looks like it then turns into 1073 for a short distance, then into 361 for another short distance, then 34, and then finally the Bang Na Trad potholed ground level road that you mentioned. Although this route sounds like many different roads, it looks like more or less just a straight line on the map with a few quick interchanges. 

 

Otherwise, if you take 3 to 34, it looks like a lot of local roads and a longer distance that could add almost another hour to the travel time, depending on traffic lights and traffic. 

 

What I’m still trying to figure out is if the way I used to travel by motorcycle from Pattaya to Bangkok can still be done. It was very quick. All highway roads. 

 

The route I took was that I got onto 7 by North Pattaya, stayed on that for a while, and then turned off and onto the Chonburi bypass road right before the Motorway toll booth. Then the bypass road took you right to the Bang Na Trad road. 

 

What I fear is that they may have moved the toll both closer to Pattaya now, which would prevent you from being able to reach the Chonburi bypass road from 7. This would then render my old route impossible, but I can’t seem to figure out for sure if it’s still possible or not. If I could still take this old route then it could save at least 30 minutes. 

 

I actually see lots of motorcycles getting onto 7 by North Pattaya at present (despite there being a no motorcycles permitted sign there at the entrance), but they might only be traveling a very short distance and getting off before the toll booth and/or getting off before where the bypass road connects to 7. 

[digbeth]

The 'Motorway' 7 is closed paid area all the way to Pattaya now, I used to take the route all the way past Sri Racha and into the Chonburi bypass too, 

you can still use the frontage road 3701/3702 but you can only get on the 3702 (Bangkok bound) from Pattaya via the 36,

 

The frontage road do get packed with trucks during the day so no time saving unless you go really early 

 

the Motorway entrance between North and Central Pattaya will only let bikes up to the toll gates which takes you to Nong Yai or back to Na Klua 

[WingNut]

1 hour ago, digbeth said:

The 'Motorway' 7 is closed paid area all the way to Pattaya now, I used to take the route all the way past Sri Racha and into the Chonburi bypass too, 

you can still use the frontage road 3701/3702 but you can only get on the 3702 (Bangkok bound) from Pattaya via the 36,

 

The frontage road do get packed with trucks during the day so no time saving unless you go really early 

 

the Motorway entrance between North and Central Pattaya will only let bikes up to the toll gates which takes you to Nong Yai or back to Na Klua 

 

That is great information. Thank you very much. Yes, I plan to leave at sunrise to avoid as much traffic as possible.
 

So what you wrote confirms that I can no longer get onto the 7 Motorway at North Pattaya and then get to the bypass without hitting the toll first.

 

I am not familiar with 36 but, from looking at the map, 36 looks like a road that runs from Rayong and intersects with 3 (The Sukhumvit Highway) at about 2 kilometers north of North Pattaya and then ends there. I don’t see where 36 would connect with 3701/3702 on the map. 

 

From what it shows on the maps though is that if you get onto 7 at Laem Chabang that there is no toll booth before you reach 3702. So I am just curious why you feel taking 7 from Laem Chabang to 3702 won’t work? 

 

Also, as I zoom closer in on the map of that area, it shows a frontage road with route number 3611 also starting from Laem Chabang (and running adjacent to 7) which then leads into 3702 too. So if 7 from Laem Chabang isn’t possible by motorcycle then I think the 3611 frontage road next to 7 should be able to connect to 3702? 

 

 

 

[digbeth]

here 36 was the only way into Pattaya from the 7 before the extension to North/Central onramp was open 

also known as road by the international school / Department of land transport 

[WingNut]

Thanks. Understood. I think I can skip the 36 leg for my intended journey.
 

At this point (unless I find out that I can’t take either 7 or 3611 from Laem Chabang to 3702) I think I’m going to take 3 and enter either 7 or 3611 at Laem Chabang, then onto 3702 and then on from there back to Bangkok. 
 

At that time of the early morning it should take about 2 hours to reach the Bang Na Trad / Sukhumvit Road (Bangkok) intersection I’m hoping. 

[Pmbkk]

 

If you have time on your hands - via the Caribbean... ????

[spidermike007]

The best way is to leave by 4am, or after 10pm. Driving through Bangkok during the day can be a nightmare. 

[WingNut]

I believe I can get onto 7 (the Motorway) at Laem Chabang and stay on that for about 6.5 kilometers and then exit left at the sign in the attached screenshot (from Google Maps).
 

This exit is right before the Nongkham Interchange and that exit will put me onto the 3611 frontage road for a short distance and then it looks like I’ll be on 3702 after hooking to the left underneath the interchange. 

 

 

It seems the Motorway toll booth is about 1.5 to 2 kilometers from there if you were to stay on the Motorway. So as long as you get off 7 right there you will be fine. 
 

If anyone wants to plot this route using Google Maps you just need to tell Google Maps you are driving by car (not by motorcycle), but want a route with no tolls (you can set it to no tolls in the Google Maps app settings). Then it should plot this same route for you from any starting point in Pattaya and with any destination point in Bangkok. 

[WingNut]

I forgot to mention that Google Maps estimates that this route will take anywhere from around 1 hour and 45 minutes up to about 2 hours and 20 minutes, depending on traffic and the time of day.
 

I hope to be able to make it to the Bang Na Trad / Sukhumvit Road intersection in Bangkok in no more than 2 hours when leaving Pattaya at around sunrise. 

[NoshowJones]

On 11/15/2022 at 8:00 PM, WingNut said:

I forgot to mention that Google Maps estimates that this route will take anywhere from around 1 hour and 45 minutes up to about 2 hours and 20 minutes, depending on traffic and the time of day.
 

I hope to be able to make it to the Bang Na Trad / Sukhumvit Road intersection in Bangkok in no more than 2 hours when leaving Pattaya at around sunrise. 

From the centre of Bangkok, all the way down Sukhumvit, straight through Chonburi, then all the way into Pattaya.

[KannikaP]

17 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

From the centre of Bangkok, all the way down Sukhumvit, straight through Chonburi, then all the way into Pattaya.

Shame he's going the other way.  555

[NoshowJones]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

Shame he's going the other way.  555

It's the same for both ways, no one way streets that I can remember, ????

[Furioso]

On 11/15/2022 at 2:12 PM, WingNut said:

I believe I can get onto 7 (the Motorway) at Laem Chabang and stay on that for about 6.5 kilometers and then exit left at the sign in the attached screenshot (from Google Maps).
 

This exit is right before the Nongkham Interchange and that exit will put me onto the 3611 frontage road for a short distance and then it looks like I’ll be on 3702 after hooking to the left underneath the interchange. 

 

 

It seems the Motorway toll booth is about 1.5 to 2 kilometers from there if you were to stay on the Motorway. So as long as you get off 7 right there you will be fine. 
 

If anyone wants to plot this route using Google Maps you just need to tell Google Maps you are driving by car (not by motorcycle), but want a route with no tolls (you can set it to no tolls in the Google Maps app settings). Then it should plot this same route for you from any starting point in Pattaya and with any destination point in Bangkok. 

This is the route I'm going to try this Saturday. Thanks for all the tips, especially the Google Maps settings.

[liddelljohn]

if heading to North Bangkok or other central provinces  a good route is up 331 to Chacheonsao the head on 304 to Minburi for Bangkok or turn up toward Nakon Nayok and Saraburi it may look longer but its less traffic , more scenic and less stress

 

If heading to east Bangkok and over to Kanchinaburi  and south Thailand  take the 3 all the way to the Prapadeang ferry