Getting Thru Bkk To Go South

[Pdaz]

I'm off down South to Nakhon Sri Thammarat next week.. Anybody know the best route to follow to clear thru BKK the easiest.. In the past I've only ridded down on my bike.. This time I'm driving so can use the expressway/Motorway/Tollway etc..

I'll be leaving Pattaya around 04:30..

So far its a choice between..

Sukhumwit to Chonburi then onto the Skyway (elevated toll road) that runs above highway 3.. Then turn off onto the 31 at Klong Toei onto the 35 then finally on highway 4 to head South..

or

Jump on the BKK-Pattaya motorway (7) all the way into BKK and then join the 31 just before Din Daeng.

The sukhumwit route is a lot more direct on paper and there shouldn't be much traffic in the early hours.. But I'm still not convinced it would be quicker than using the motorway.

Anybody got any thoughts/experiences. ?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I think I'd just do this, making sure to not hit Bangkok during rush hour:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source....471924&z=9

Or if you prefer the Motorway, then this: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source...ie=UTF8&z=9

Doesn't make much difference at that hour I should think.

Edited April 8, 2009 by WinnieTheKhwai

[South]

Easy ....

Up through Chonburi to the Bangna/Bang Pa-in intersection. Take a left towards Bangna across the new the Rama 2 bridge and it brings you out in the south side of the city missing out Dao Khanong etc.

From there continue on all the way down going through either Surat, Chaweng or ThungSong into Nakhon. I did it last week and was surprised at the time saved.

[jayjayjayjay]

I'm off down South to Nakhon Sri Thammarat next week.. Anybody know the best route to follow to clear thru BKK the easiest.. In the past I've only ridded down on my bike.. This time I'm driving so can use the expressway/Motorway/Tollway etc..

I'll be leaving Pattaya around 04:30..

So far its a choice between..

Sukhumwit to Chonburi then onto the Skyway (elevated toll road) that runs above highway 3.. Then turn off onto the 31 at Klong Toei onto the 35 then finally on highway 4 to head South..

or

Jump on the BKK-Pattaya motorway (7) all the way into BKK and then join the 31 just before Din Daeng.

The sukhumwit route is a lot more direct on paper and there shouldn't be much traffic in the early hours.. But I'm still not convinced it would be quicker than using the motorway.

Anybody got any thoughts/experiences. ?

Neither of these are the best route. What you need to do is come up the Chonburi elevated toll road, when you get past the airport take the "9" to the left out over Samut Prakarn, this means turning off the Chonburi elevated toll road before you get to BangNa. This does not show up on the Google map, so your going to have to wing it. The turnoff should be about 4 km past Swampy airport stuff. The 9 now does a full circle of Bangkok. It will join up with "9" in Samut Sakorn side, you will jump off on to the "35" to head south. This road is really nice from near the airport to Samut Sakorn side. The "9" extension will take you past the big elephants statue near Imperial department store. Once you get onto 35 you are much further south than following the old Klongteoy expressway (is 31), Good luck and enjoy.

JJJJ

[mdechgan]

Take the chonburi toll way all the way to the airport. Or the motorway if you like, at the bangna-bang pa in intersection, take the new toll road (kanchanaphisek) all the way to the rama 2. You bypass bkk altogether through phra padaeng and samrong. From rama 2 its free flowing to samut songkram, petchaburi, etc.

[AceCafe]

Yep, the Kanchanaphisek ring road all the way to the Samut Sakhon exit....... here's a little snippet I wrote for a bike trip report a few months ago...... have no idea if the toll booths are now in place.......

"Now originally I was gonna head for the Phra Pra Daeng ferry, but the night before I was told the new Kanchanaphisek road was finished but toll booths not in place, so ok for a motorcycle to use. So, just a few klicks after the new airport, there were the signs..... "Kanchanaphisek Road: Outer Ring Road 1 KM".... very well signposted and very easy to find. So off I flew, and I have to tell you I have never enjoyed a ride through/over/past Bangkok quite so much..... I was knocking out up to 150kmph-ish, sun shining, blatting past everything else on the road, the magnificent new Rama IX bridge and the whole Bangkok skyline off on my right, and very very soon came upon signs for Rama II road, Samut Sakhon exit..... so I did.

From there it is a very painless trip through to Samut Songkhram, Petchaburi, Cha Am and Hua Hin...... all in all 320kms (from Jomtien) in just about 3 hours."

[mhatami]

I think I'd just do this, making sure to not hit Bangkok during rush hour:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source....471924&z=9

Or if you prefer the Motorway, then this: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source...ie=UTF8&z=9

Doesn't make much difference at that hour I should think.

Check out this map. We went to Phuket last couple month ago and we left around 5 am and went down highway 4. Good luck

http://www.clickthai.de/Map/

[Pdaz]

Thanks for all the advice.. I didn't know the ring road South (9) was open so guess that's the best way to try.... Hopefully at 5am all the red shirt mob will be sleeping...