Are there any daily express buses between Pattaya and Koh Chang? If not, any recommendations for mini vans? Thanks

The Minivan service(s) to Ko Chang (Ao Thammachart ferry) are OK but if you are the first on the van it can be a pain as you spend 30 mins driving around town picking up other passengers.

Coming back however the same service can be a nightmare if the van is not full as you can drive around Trat for hours before leaving until the van is full.

If I ever do the trip in these days (which is about once or twice a year) I now tend to DIY.

I take a songtaew into Trat, then the share taxi to Chanthaburi, then a share taxi to Rayong and then the bus or a taxi from there to Pattaya.

While this sounds like a lot of pissing about it isn't really as each leg of the trip stops right next to the ongoing transportation and seldom takes more than 3 - 4 hours.

The last time I took the minivan from Chang to Pattaya it took 7 hours!!

Just hire a car for a few days....not far and you will have your own transport on the island.

Aircon buses from Pattaya to Chanthaburi every hour in daytime, change bus there to Laem Ngop/Trat and the ferry to Koh Chang.

Aircon buses from Pattaya to Chanthaburi every hour in daytime,

That bus is a nightmare. It stops at every lampost especially if its around school or college kicking out time.

Far better just to get a minivan when going from Patts > Chang.

If you're hell bent on taking public transport then hop off that bus in Rayong and do the rest of the run to Trat by share taxi.

Get a taxi!

Just hire a car for a few days....not far and you will have your own transport on the island.

Smartest answer of the lot.....just make sure the clutch/brakes in the car you hire is ok...

Thanks for your input. Contacted Mr. T. and for 3,500 each way private minibus for four of us. Can stay as long as we want and then he pick us up for return. I think renting a car not a good idea on those roads on the island especially this time of year. Can rent songtow for day trips.