Bus 999 from Ekamai to Koh Chang Pier: how to buy in advance?

[JackGats]

I'd like to secure seats in advance but I won't be in Bangkok. Will they sell me tickets at Pattaya bus station? I guess not, they will only sell tickets departing from Pattaya, not tickets departing from Bangkok. I hate death trap minivans, that's why I prefer to go to Bangkok first to board a big bus. Do you win time flying from Suvarnabumi to Trat compared to the bus ride?

[scubascuba3]

If you want the big bus from Ekamai to Pattaya Nth Pattaya road, then you can book in pattayabus.com

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

If you want the big bus from Ekamai to Pattaya Nth Pattaya road, then you can book in pattayabus.com

He doesn't.

[thaibeachlovers]

4 hours ago, JackGats said:

I'd like to secure seats in advance but I won't be in Bangkok. Will they sell me tickets at Pattaya bus station? I guess not, they will only sell tickets departing from Pattaya, not tickets departing from Bangkok. I hate death trap minivans, that's why I prefer to go to Bangkok first to board a big bus. Do you win time flying from Suvarnabumi to Trat compared to the bus ride?

Use the opportunity to hang out in Bkk a bit. It's a fascinating city and worth the time.

 

Have you been to the bus station on Sukhumvit where the buses to Jomtien stop to drop off passengers? There may be a service you can buy a ticket on from there, as there will be empty seats from Pattaya. Perhaps that bus stops there too.

[scubascuba3]

6 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

He doesn't.

but if you read his post he doesn't want a deathtrap minibus

[thaibeachlovers]

I think the white songtheaws on Sukhumvit go where you want. Not sure.

[steven100]

Buy a ticket at Ekkamai bus station to go to Koh Chang or you can go to the airport and get a flight to Trat,  Bangkok airways operates 1 hour flights to Trat. 

[Unamerican]

There seems to me absolutely no relevant information in these replies!  

Why is this? 

[bradiston]

35 Group run a good midi (a lot bigger than mini) bus service from Pattaya to KC. Used them many times to get to Koh Mak and back. They pick you up from your hotel in Pattaya and drop you at your hotel on KC. They're on 3rd Rd, near the junction of 3rd and Tai. You can book over the phone. Decent English spoken. 350 THB last time I went. No need to schlep up to Ekkamai, and there's only 2 "999" buses a day I think from there to KC.

 

They'll be extremely busy I'd say this time of year, and Russians use their service a lot. Also, getting on and off KC will probably take all day.

[scubascuba3]

56 minutes ago, Unamerican said:

There seems to me absolutely no relevant information in these replies!  

Why is this? 

You just don't understand the replies, there isn't a big bus from Ekamai to Koh Chang pier 

[RSD1]

My friend just went. He rented a car from Swampy and drove himself. And then took the car onto one of the ferries and over to the island. If you are going as a group of 3-4, and not on a tight budget, then that might make more sense. 

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

You just don't understand the replies, there isn't a big bus from Ekamai to Koh Chang pier 

There certainly used to be. Via BKK. They had their own ticket booth at Ekkamai.

[treetops]

Another medium sized bus leaving from Pattaya mentioned here:

 

[JackGats]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

You just don't understand the replies, there isn't a big bus from Ekamai to Koh Chang pier 

Well, yes there is! It's the famous 999 line, very popular and therefore at risk of being booked up. I read somewhere it was possible to catch a big bus (going only to Trat?) somewhere along the Sukhumvit in Pattaya but I don't want to risk being stranded with luggage along the Sukhumvit.

[SoCal1990]

Bolt Taxi from Bangkok to the Koh Chang boat pier during non-peak hours costs less than ฿3000. Split between three people, that seems like a good way to go. Sometimes spending a little bit more in Thailand can save an exponential amount of unnecessary aggravation.

[JackGats]

41 minutes ago, SoCal1990 said:

Bolt Taxi from Bangkok to the Koh Chang boat pier during non-peak hours costs less than ฿3000. Split between three people, that seems like a good way to go. Sometimes spending a little bit more in Thailand can save an exponential amount of unnecessary aggravation.

I'd have thought a taxi would cost more like 10k.

[SoCal1990]

40 minutes ago, JackGats said:

I'd have thought a taxi would cost more like 10k.

I just checked the app and it's showing me around ฿3500 right now for an "Economy" car, and this is peak time during Bangkok rush-hour.
 

When I checked the app earlier (when I made that post) it was showing around ฿2800 for the same type of car.
 

If you check the app in the morning at around sunrise, then it should be under ฿3000 I suspect. At that time you might even be able to find their higher tier cars in that same price range.
 

If you leave Bangkok at around 5AM or 6AM in a Bolt taxi, then I reckon you'll be there around 10AM or 11AM at the boat pier.