Best route travelling from the south to Chantaburi, avoiding BKK

[thailoneus]

Hi,

I have to drive to Chantaburi from Phuket.

Would like advice on the best route to avoid BKK using highways.

Someone said I should go via Rachaburi/Nakhon Pathom across BKK. I guess Route 7.

But looking at the map I could also go via Samut Songkram/then Route 9/Route 3 towards Chonburi.

Thanks for suggestions.

[thailoneus]

Mods,

If you think this should have been posted in the Thailand Travel Forum, please move.

My bad.

[ozziepete]

Your second choice. That is the easiest but from experience you need to be going through the Samut Songkram and Samut Sakon around 10 am if possible then up on to the Bang Na /Chonburi expressway. This is to beat the traffic best as possible.

Stay well away from Nakon Pathom as this will be a bad route as I found out.

[lopburi3]

LINK

Google has been quite reliable for my trips and believe this is likely your best choice, your AH2/Ring Road (9)/Chon Buri Expressway

[Kan Win]

Hi as ozziepete, mentioned, go up Rama II (2) till the interjection to and follow that, take the Phrap Daeng, Bang Na, turning on your left over a fly over (U-turn) which will take you right to Route 9 and collect you Transit Pass Card till the end when you have to pay. Get into your correct lane pay your fee (40 baht btw) and just follow the sighs to Chon Buri Expressway.

Easy really and without a traffic light in sight.

A Map an just follow the dotted line

http://www.pbase.com/win13/image/95327060/original.jpg

Win

[thailoneus]

Thanks all. You have been so helpful.

I will may be address this to KW...

as I approach BKK /Samut Prakan, I always get confused with all the exits, slip lanes and centre lanes!!! and panic a bit.

Is there anything more you can give me as warning or direction signs to get on to 9...i.e. going in the correct direction on 9, (seeing that its a circle around BKK)?

[lopburi3]

Sorry if confused by Google map (was drawn for return to Phuket inadvertently).

This Link

Should show the intersection to route 9 clearly - you just keep left and flyover to join to East.

[Kan Win]

Thanks all. You have been so helpful.

I will may be address this to KW...

as I approach BKK /Samut Prakan, I always get confused with all the exits, slip lanes and centre lanes!!! and panic a bit.

Is there anything more you can give me as warning or direction signs to get on to 9...i.e. going in the correct direction on 9, (seeing that its a circle around BKK)?

Yes of course thailoneus,

That is the tricky part of going onto route 9. It is only a very small flyover (2 lanes) from Rama II road very easily missed. I did one time and had to do a U-turn after crossing over route 9, looking right I could see the toll booths on route 9.

After Samut Prakan on Rama II road stay in the middle lane until you see BLUE signs pointing you to go left to Bang Na, Phra Pap Daeng. There are only two of them, one a few kms before and then one just before you have to take the left turning, I did both before and then, third time, since there are too much traffic (lorries) had to do that U-turn mentioned above.

I would recommend once you see the first very large Dark BLUE sign, (Dark BLUE signs denote Routes/Motorways) yes I know it will be a slower way, but safer, get into the slip lane early, as there are only 2 entrances, after the first sign and then the second sign, then once you see the second Dark BLUE sign Route 9 in the slip lane/frontage road keep to your left in this 2 lane frontage road and left over the flyover from left to right, over the Route 9 from west to east, collect your "Transit Card" and at exit 19 pay 40 baht and join Route 7, about 8-9 kms further up this Motorway route 9, 120 kms speed limit by the way. Then once again keep to you left, go over the route 7 via the flyover eastwards, and then the rest should be history, passing the airport on your right.

So from about Petchaburi, using Rama II, as mentioned above, and onwards to say Pattaya, only the toll booths have traffic lights. Smooth as Silk, well not really, a few wrinkles, with the traffic and the roads as well. 250-350 kms approx. without a traffic light

I hope and wish you a very safe trip, and to others that take these roads from down south up to the east of Thailand.

Win

[thailoneus]

Lop3, I thought it was a return map. Thanks for the new link.

KW, Thanks for the detailed instructions. Now I hope I stay with your instructions and not have to do u-turns

Thanks to you both once again.

Leaving on Saturday.

[thailoneus]

Hi all,

Back from Chanthaburi. It was simply a super trip. The highlight was going up the Khitchakut mountain. Just an awesome place. Once you get to the top, I actually felt a spiritual presence in the air. It really is like going up to heaven. Thais must make this trip at least once in their lifetime. They can make ONE wish at the top of the mountain and .....it is supposed to come true.

I highly recommend it to others.

Its a long 4 wheel climb thru bush which was quite thrilling, and then the last km on foot.

Since I have trouble with my knees, there was no way I could climb more than 4 steps of the 1km uphill path. So I was carried by 4 guys!! 800b each way. Much to the envy of others old and feeble along the way. I did give them a healthy tip for carrying my wife and me. It looked like very hard work for 200b. And I am 82Kg.

We are now also very good at picking very acceptable 24 Hr "resorts". Don't have a choice coz our dog goes everywhere with us. The one in Chantaburi was 1000 per night. But very modern and new.

Followed all your directions.

KW, i didn't miss a single direction you gave me and it was perfect.

Lop3, just to clarify.... Coming (return) into Chonburi I saw a sign for a ramp that said 7/BKK. So I naturally took it. Very fast. But later looking at the map I might have traveled unnecessary kms using 7. Is 3 further down that road?

The sad thing was that we came upon 3 trucks which had gone completely off the road and into the centre ditch. Flipped on their sides! No other vehicles involved. The third was a bowser or petrol tanker between Tha Put and Phang Nga. This is a smooth recently redone road with a limit of 80Kms!! with hardly any traffic. How does a tanker go off the road so seriously and flip? They had the fire trucks and water trucks all standing by. Quite a mess.