I have memories of a 2 hour drive but I could be completely wrong... How long does it take to get from Pattaya Northern Bus Terminal to Ekamai in Bangkok?

from memories - a little over 2h. check the timetable

I go quite often but never timed it. Seems quicker than 2 hours though, more like an hour and a half.

Also, the return journey seems forever - very slow.

PS. I always get off at On Nut and get the Skytrain to where I want to go, maybe it is that last leg of the journey that is slow due to the heavy traffic in Bangkok.

Just over 2 hours, dependant on traffic. Never more than 10 minutes early or late in my experience.

I really think it depends on the time of day and the traffic. We were told it would be 2 hours from BKK --> Pattaya the first time we went (on a Saturday morning), and we were pleasantly surprised to arrive in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. It felt even shorter than that. The way back did take longer.

to Bkk is normally around 1 1/2 hours but to Pattaya would take slightly longer as the bus would divert to some small stops along the way before reaching Pattaya.

Explorer

The trip back to Pattaya is always longer, because so many people get off along the way. By the time you finally arrive in Pattaya the bus is half empty. Also, sometimes they go through Chonburi city and make it a much longer route. I bought a portable DVD player to play a 90 minute movie. Perfect for blocking out the noise of noisy cellphones, talkative farangs, etc. and makes the trip go much easier.

On my last Bus trip back to Pattaya from Bangkok, the Driver stopped the bus, got up and walked to the back of the Bus to ask this foreign Person to stop talking as people were trying to relax.

The Driver looked very angry, and then we proceeded on our journey in silence.

A few years ago I did the trip in the pouring rain (thankfully it's not rainy season now!), there were roadworks on the outsjirts of Bangkok and I think it took something over 4 hours by the time we finally arrived at Ekamai. It was my early days here and I hadn't, at that stage, learned the little gem of getting off at On Nut and taking the Skytrain which would have trimmed about an hour and a half off the journey!!

It generally takes about two hours. I get off at On Nutt & take a sky-train to where I want to go. Coming back from Ekamai takes longer, usually 2.5 hours. It helps to have a wazz before you depart.

It is also annoying that sometimes you have to wait upto 1 hour in the Pattaya North bus station for a bus.

I always dread that bus journey. It might be less stressful to take one of the TOPS Supermarket mini-bus services on Pattaya Klang.

115 mins North Pattaya -> Bangkok Ekamai

125 mins Bangkok Ekamai -> North Pattaya

Yeah the long drive sucks!

I once made the mistake of taking a private bus service from Pattaya to Bangkok. NEVER again. They came around in a van and picked people up from various places. The van was packed and people were sitting on other people's laps. It was also VERY hot. The van eventually pulled into a large parking lot and we all transferred to a bus. With picking up people and dropping off people it was about a four hour trip. I usually take a taxi to Bangkok for 800 baht and take the Ekamai air con bus back.

You don't have to always use the Bus Station buses.

The Bell Travel office located at the bus terminal also have coaches that run to Bangkok aswell as the Airport.

Better service with nicer coaches.