Bkk - Pattaya

[JSixpack]

What with all the new roads, you'd think the intercity bus from the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekamai to Pattaya would be faster.

But the last few trips I've taken, maybe 3 in the course of a couple of months, have still lasted 2 1/2 hours or more. They stop at the mini-terminal in Bangna. Later they get off the highway and wind around in a sidestreet to get to Sriricha. Or they get onto Sukhumvit before Chonburi--to let off passengers in Chonburi--and spend a lot of time in traffic all the way to Pattaya.

I wonder if there's an express bus at certain times that goes straight through, highway all the way. Anybody happen to know?

They seem to be making more stops than ever before.

[tonititan]

I've only taken it a couple times, but it was always very quick - maybe 1.5 hours or less. I always ask for "express bus," though, whether that actually exists or not. I just make sure to NEVER take the unofficial bus that parks at Ekamai and tries to lure passengers with a cheaper fare. My poor friends have fallen for it before, and it took them FIVE hours to get to Pattaya b/c of all the stops on the way.

[Sunbelt Asia]

Pattaya TO Bangkok is definitely quicker, as it doesn't make any stops until the outskirts of Bangkok. The vast majority of time the trip from the Pattaya station to On Nut -- where I'll generally get off rather than sit in traffic all the way to Ekamai -- is 1 hr. 50 minutes. Very good if you ask me.

The usual time on the way back is about 2:10-2:20. Again, this varies greatly on the day, the hour, the traffic and how many people want to get off at the three stops in/near Pattaya (Laem Chabang, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and one other).

Still, even 2.5 hours is decent time from Ekamai. And for 113 baht a few minutes are hardly worth complaining about.

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[tropo]

I've only taken it a couple times, but it was always very quick - maybe 1.5 hours or less. I always ask for "express bus," though, whether that actually exists or not. I just make sure to NEVER take the unofficial bus that parks at Ekamai and tries to lure passengers with a cheaper fare. My poor friends have fallen for it before, and it took them FIVE hours to get to Pattaya b/c of all the stops on the way.

When you buy tickets at the Roong Reuang ticket counter on your right when you walk through the main entrance of the Ekkamai Bus Terminal it seems to be a crap shoot. Today I got home in 2 hours and the bus went past a lake then through Sri-racha. The tiime before it went through Chonburi and took 2.45 hours. On both days the trip up to Bangkok was only 1.5 hours. The frustrating part was that I didn't see any passengers get off the whole way from Chonburi to Pattaya.

I don't think there is an express option. If there is I'd like to know more about it.

[billaaa777]

I have taken the bus 3 times in the last 3 weeks and finally figured out what goes on. The bus from Pattaya to the On Nut BTS Station is now down from 2 hours to 1:45 with the addition of the new highway. If they ever open the 3 new BTS stations the trip will drop to 1:30, but that is a big if, even if they are already built.

As for the bus from Bangkok to Pattaya I saw what happens on my last trip. On Monday I got on the bus as soon as they opened the doors due to the heat and I also had a seat in the second row, because of this I was able to see how this works; which I had never seen before.

After the bus is almost loaded a staff member comes on the bus and takes drop off request from the travelers that do not desire to go all the way to Pattaya bus station. He then makes a list and it is placed on the dashboard next to the driver.

We had one person dropped off on a side street that took 25 minutes of driving on single lane roads so small that when a car passed the bus it had to pull into the grass. In essence, the more request and the further they are off the main highway the longer your trip is going to take.

My last 3 trips have taken from 2:30 to 3 hours. As for the small bus station they stop at on the way out of Bangkok, it is a total waste of time and money. On 2 of my trips nobody got on and on the 3rd trip 1 person got on.

By the way, the tickets issued for the bus has to be connected by computer so they do not over book the bus and are able to assign everybody a seat number. The bus company therefore knows there are not any customers to pick up but they still stop there anyway. I guess they are hoping that if the bus is not filled up somebody will buy a ticket in the time between the bus leaves Ekamai and the small bus station.

[wonder6281]

Everytime I have used the service I am impressed by the time taken to get to BKK. But the return trip is a killer. I have also seen the lady who takes requests. Mine would be no stops thank you!!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I typically only take buses from the Airport (which is hyper fast), but when in downtown Bangkok then consider taking the bus from Mo Chit, specifically the Motorway bus. Also run by Roong Ruang, with departures also every 20-30 minutes.

You got to wonder why Ekamai continues to live on, even though it's clearly past it's expiry date and in a very congested area. Unless I'm basically next door to it I pick Mo Chit.

Edited May 12, 2010 by WinnieTheKhwai

[wonder6281]

In Feb of this year did the trip to Mo Chit and was impressed at how quick it got there compared to Ekamai. Problem is I have no idea where I am, thank god I have a guide!