Bus service between Jomtien and downtown Bangkok

[WaveHunter]

Do buses run from Jomtien (the bus depot next to FoodTown on Thappraya Rd) into downtown Bangkok (the Ekkamai Eastern depot) or just the Suvarnabhumi Airport?

 

I need to get to MBK Center (Mall) from Jomtien and since the depot next to Foodtown is right around the corner from me, that would be best.

 

What's the best way to get to the MBK Center from Jomtien and return.  I've never ridden the buses here before so advice would be appreciated.

Edited November 20, 2022 by WaveHunter

[allane]

From the basement of Suwanaphum Airport, take the Airport Link train all the way to the other end of its route, Phayathai station. (Running time, 30 min.) Exit the station at its east end. Board a southbound bus for the 10 minute ride to MBK. Some of the routes that come to mind are 29, 34 and 36.  There are probably others.  You could also board a southbound BTS (skytrain) at Phayathai, ride 2 stations south to Siam,, change trains and board a westbound BTS train there and ride one station west to National Stadium, which is a 2 - 3 min. walk from MBK>

[marin]

Not hourly but buses do go Jomtien/Ekkamai. https://12go.asia/en/travel/ekkamai/jomtien-bus-station

 

From Ekkamai just get on the BTS that is right there and get off at National Stadium MBK, the end of the line.  

[scubascuba3]

i would do North Pattaya bus station, 129 baht to Ekkamai or Morchit, then BTS to MBK. Can leave motorbike at bus station over night, about 40 baht

[WaveHunter]

Thanks everybody for the quick, helpful replies. 

 

Is the Jomtien bus direct to Ekkamai, or do you have to transfer at the airport and use rail, and then BTS to get to MBK?  If the Jomtien bus only goes to the airport and I have to use rail plus BTS, that would take twice as long as getting from Ekkamai to MBK. 

 

Do I have that figured correctly?  If so, I guess scubascuba3's advice to leave from the North Pattaya depot makes more sense. Yes?

[blackcab]

35 minutes ago, marin said:

From Ekkamai just get on the BTS that is right there and get off at National Stadium MBK, the end of the line.

 

OP: Don't forget to change trains at Bts Siam.

[Olmate]

Def Nth Pattaya Station to Ekamai direct.Hourly on the hour.

[marin]

^ good point! Can be walked in 10 minutes but if its hot change for sure.

[scubascuba3]

20 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Thanks everybody for the quick, helpful replies. 

 

Is the Jomtien bus direct to Ekkamai, or do you have to transfer at the airport and use rail, and then BTS to get to MBK?  If the Jomtien bus only goes to the airport and I have to use rail plus BTS, that would take twice as long as getting from Ekkamai to MBK. 

 

Do I have that figured correctly?  If so, I guess scubascuba3's advice to leave from the North Pattaya depot makes more sense. Yes?

Looking at the BTS map it's 8 stops from Ekkamai and 10 from the airport. Not sure about time. Probably cheaper from North Pattaya but I've never done the airport route. BTW the motorbike parking is next door

Edited November 20, 2022 by scubascuba3

[WaveHunter]

Does anybody know if there is a bus from the Jomtien depot that goes directly to/from Ekkamai?  The Jomtien depot is literally a 5 minute walk from my house so that would be much more convenient than the North Pattaya Depot.  I just walked over to ask but nobody spoke English so I couldn't get an answer ????

 

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, WaveHunter said:

Do buses run from Jomtien (the bus depot next to FoodTown on Thappraya Rd) into downtown Bangkok (the Ekkamai Eastern depot) or just the Suvarnabhumi Airport?

 

I need to get to MBK Center (Mall) from Jomtien and since the depot next to Foodtown is right around the corner from me,

 

 

The best option is to go on the Ekamai bus, whichever station it leaves from, and get off at the first skytrain station ( the slow grind along Sukhumvit isn't worth the few baht savings to go all the way to Ekamai ). However, you can't get stowed luggage out if you do that, so carry on bag only.

Skytrain all the way to MBK with a change at Siam.

 

If time is important get to bus station early enough to get the bus you need, unless one can book ahead now.

Edited November 20, 2022 by thaibeachlovers

[thaibeachlovers]

9 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Does anybody know if there is a bus from the Jomtien depot that goes directly to/from Ekkamai?  The Jomtien depot is literally a 5 minute walk from my house so that would be much more convenient than the North Pattaya Depot.  I just walked over to ask but nobody spoke English so I couldn't get an answer ????

 

IMO you are overthinking it. Whether you go to airport or Ekamai it's still involving using airport train and/ or skytrain.

From Ekamai it's only one change and from the airport 2 changes. Not that big a deal.

[Olmate]

17 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Does anybody know if there is a bus from the Jomtien depot that goes directly to/from Ekkamai?  The Jomtien depot is literally a 5 minute walk from my house so that would be much more convenient than the North Pattaya Depot.  I just walked over to ask but nobody spoke English so I couldn't get an answer ????

 

No is what they meant.! 

[thaibeachlovers]

21 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

I just walked over to ask but nobody spoke English so I couldn't get an answer

Perhaps you could get a friendly Thai to write it down for you to show the staff at the bus station OR you could say "Phom ow by Ekamai Kraaap" ( I want to go to Ekamai ). If they say "Mai by" it doesn't.

 

My Thai is a bit rusty so if that's wrong would someone please say so.

 

The signs in north Pattaya bus station have English names on them. Do the ones in Jomptien not have?

Edited November 20, 2022 by thaibeachlovers

[Olmate]

Just now, Olmate said:

No is what they meant.! 

GF went weekly Pratumnak to.Ekamai... Route Baht bus to Nth Pattaya, paid 50bht extra to Nth Bus Station

[WaveHunter]

My apologies if I am confusing the situation.  My concern is simply time.  I'm going to be very short on time, and may just need to use a taxi.

 

According to Google Maps, if I must transfer at the airport, the trip from airport to MBK Center  is 1h 19 min.  However from Ekkamai, it is only 32 minutes. So I think Ekkamai is much quicker. 

 

Since it's only a 5 minute walk to the Jomtien Depot from my house, I'd rather use that  than the North Pattaya depot. 

 

So, my only question really is if there is a direct bus from the Jomtien Depot to Ekkamai or if I must transfer at the airport no matter how I travel to the MTB Center.

Edited November 20, 2022 by WaveHunter

[OneZero]

1 hour ago, marin said:

Not hourly but buses do go Jomtien/Ekkamai. https://12go.asia/en/travel/ekkamai/jomtien-bus-station

 

From Ekkamai just get on the BTS that is right there and get off at National Stadium MBK, the end of the line.  

Unless I'm reading it wrong, it sure looks to me like there are some buses between the Jomtien Foodland station & Ekamai.  If so, that makes me happy as well.  I'm copying marin's link for emphasis:

Ekkamai to Jomtien Bus station by flight, bus, taxi, train, van from THB 164 ✅ (12go.asia)

 

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, Olmate said:

GF went weekly Pratumnak to.Ekamai... Route Baht bus to Nth Pattaya, paid 50bht extra to Nth Bus Station

If taking baht bus to Dolphin roundabout make sure the Baht bus isn't turning left at Central road to go back on Beach. I got caught out by that.

One can take the baht bus from Dolphin to the Nth bus station, but they wait till the bus fills up and that can take a long time.

If in a hurry need to pay whatever to charter a baht bus.

Simplest way is to charter a baht bus from where the baht bus from Jomtien stops. Probably not cheap OR take a m'bike taxi.

[scubascuba3]

1 minute ago, OneZero said:

Unless I'm reading it wrong, it sure looks to me like there are some buses between the Jomtien Foodland station & Ekamai.  If so, that makes me happy as well.  I'm copying marin's link for emphasis:

Ekkamai to Jomtien Bus station by flight, bus, taxi, train, van from THB 164 ✅ (12go.asia)

 

That link doesn't show it stopping at Jomtien, that's the North Pattaya Bus  to\from Ekkamai 

[OneZero]

2 minutes ago, OneZero said:

Unless I'm reading it wrong, it sure looks to me like there are some buses between the Jomtien Foodland station & Ekamai.  If so, that makes me happy as well.  I'm copying marin's link for emphasis:

Ekkamai to Jomtien Bus station by flight, bus, taxi, train, van from THB 164 ✅ (12go.asia)

 

Oh oh, I just realized I was reading Ekamai to Jomtien, not Jomtien to Ekamai.  Apologize.

 

[WaveHunter]

47 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Def Nth Pattaya Station to Ekamai direct.Hourly on the hour.

So, North Station is direct (no transfers at airport)?

[internationalism]

from jomtien 5/jomtien rd to ekamai minibus 140b, I think hourly 

 

[WaveHunter]

16 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

That link doesn't show it stopping at Jomtien, that's the North Pattaya Bus  to\from Ekkamai 

Yeah, that Rome2Rio site is sort of confusing since it says Jomtien - Ekkamai but I think it really means Jomtien-Ekkamai by way of the Rail connection at the airport, not direct.

 

If anyone can clear that up, that would be great, and if anyone can confirm that buses from North Pattaya station do in fact go direct to Ekkamai, that would also be appreciated.

Edited November 20, 2022 by WaveHunter

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

My concern is time.  I'm going to be very short on time, and may just need to use a taxi.. 

 

According to Google Maps, if I must transfer at the airport, the trip from airport to MBK Center (Mall) is 1h 19 min.  However from Ekkamai, it is only 32 minutes. So I think Ekkamai is much quicker. 

 

Since it's only a 5 minute walk to the Jomtien Depot from my house, I'd rather use that  than the North Pattaya depot. 

 

So, my only question really is if there is a direct bus from the Jomtien Depot to Ekkamai or if I must transfer at the airport no matter how I travel to the MTB Center.

Sounds like you really need to ask at the Jomtien bus station or look at the signs if they have English on them. Take a friendly Thai if needed.

 

There used to be vans from Pattaya. Perhaps there still are. They may be more what you need. I never used them myself.

If Bell bus still runs ( to the airport ) they had a pick up service door to bus station, and could book in advance on them.

 

My concern is time.  I'm going to be very short on time, and may just need to use a taxi.. 

OR you could get a very early bus. However if there are a lot of people wanting the bus you might have to wait a while for the next bus. So if you are able to pay the price, a taxi may be your best bet. Take the bus back from Ekamai when time isn't important.

 

If I HAD to be in Bkk at an early time in the day, I'd go to Bkk the day before and have a night out in Bkk. I'd stay at a cheap hotel.

[OneZero]

4 minutes ago, internationalism said:

from jomtien 5/jomtien rd to ekamai minibus 140b, I think hourly 

 

If this is true (Jomtien Soi 5?) that is new info to me too. 

Anybody have further explicit details about this?

[scubascuba3]

1 minute ago, OneZero said:

If this is true (Jomtien Soi 5?) that is new info to me too. 

Anybody have further explicit details about this?

Extra details are those small mini buses are coffins on wheels, good luck

[WaveHunter]

2 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Extra details are those small mini buses are coffins on wheels, good luck

I was on one of those once for a visa run, and yeah they really are rolling coffins driven by maniac drivers!

[WaveHunter]

15 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

...If I HAD to be in Bkk at an early time in the day, I'd go to Bkk the day before and have a night out in Bkk. I'd stay at a cheap hotel.

I don't really need to be there early; I just need as much time as possible while there.  Your suggestion of staying overnight is not a bad one.  I might just do that!  It would be fun since I rarely get into Bangkok, and a hotel room would still be cheaper than a car service or taxi.

Thanks for the thought ????

 

PS: Just checked hotel availability for a nice but cheap place.  Ihad no idea prices were so low.  Here's what you get for 800 THB.  I think I'll do it!

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by WaveHunter

[scubascuba3]

3 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

I was on one of those once for a visa run, and yeah they really are rolling coffins driven by maniac drivers!

Yep, probably instant death if it crashes.

 

A bolt taxi to bus station will be about 80 baht or 50 baht for motorbike

[thaibeachlovers]

19 minutes ago, OneZero said:

Oh oh, I just realized I was reading Ekamai to Jomtien, not Jomtien to Ekamai.  Apologize.

 

To be fair if the bus goes from Ekamai to Jomtien the bus should return from Jomtien  to Ekamai.

The link is about Ekamai to Jomtien though. Perhaps there is a different site going the other way.

However, the site does say bookable vans are available, which would be the OP's best bet short of paying for a taxi.