Closest BTS Bangkok when driving from Pattaya

[derble]

Hello,

Any recommendations for the closest BTS station with parking in Bangkok, if driving from Pattaya.

If possible, I wish to park the car and get into the Sukhumwit area by BTS, while avoiding getting into traffic jams.....advice most welcome and appreciated!

Edited July 6, 2015 by derble

[richard_smith237]

For easy access to Sukhumvit and BTS... Park at BITEC and use the Bang Na BTS.

That said: The Expressway traffic is not so terrible in the day time - Its feasible to exit at the Port, drive down Sukhumvit 26 and park up at Emporium.

Edit: Also, if you are completely new to driving in Thailand / Bangkok and wish to avoid any traffic at all another option is to park up at the Airport and take the Airport link into town.

Edited July 6, 2015 by richard_smith237

[krabi local]

BKK airport and Airport link would be my favoured suggestion as well.

[arthurwait]

Richard has pretty much covered it.

Bang Na and parking at Bitec if you are allowed. Not sure.

Ohn Nut has a tescos attached so I guess you could park there.

Again as Richard said park at the airport and get the airport link, still never used the airport link myself though.

And again like Richard says the expressways aren't as bad as they used to be and shopping mall car parks like Paragon are half empty before lunch and the amount of people in the likes of Paragon is only a small percentage of what it used to be and getting smaller as the economy gets worse. Bangkok isn't as busy as it used to be.

Or you can park at Mega Bang Na and get a bus or taxi (about 80-100 baht ) To Udom SUk or even get their free bus there if you fancy a game of rugby to get on it with all the balloon chasers who won't pay 7 baht on the normal bus.

[SantiSuk]

Tesco OnNut is right underneath BTS OnNut but is only free for 2 hours. Gets kinda expensive after that, but I can't remember exactly how much (talking like 100 baht an hour plus, not the more common 20-40 baht an hour of some of the shopping centres.

In the absence of anyone coming on here with a clear and priced recommendation for a car park within easy walking distance of a BTS station between Bangna and say Pra Kanong you would be better off to drive to a park within walking distance of your destination. Where are you going in Sukhumvit and what time of day - we might be able to be a little more specific on closeby options. If you were going to Nana Plaza for instance (for a business meeting of course ) the car park 100 metres south of Dynasty Inn in soi Nana on the other side of the road is only 20 baht an hour. Times Square on Sukhumvit close to Asoke BTS is only 40 baht an hour. Trendy Building in soi 13 on the north side of Sukhumvit half way between Nana and Asoke is also not expensive. Trouble with all such car parks is that you need a bit of directional guidance to navigate the one way lanes. The easy option as others say is to use the airport.

[derble]

Thanks for the advice so far....a bit surprised to read that expressway parking is not thatjammed up anymore. I had been told the exact opposite by someone else!

re. airport parking, if I am in Bangkok for 8 hours, then how much would the parking be?

Also interesting idea on Bitec, but how to know if parking is permitted there?

I thought I once read that there was parking near Bearing station, but I have no idea where it is!

Finally, a completely different idea, but is it possible to drive into town and park near the MRTA and take a train into asoke area!

I would like to try and maximize efficiency/minimize costs to the extent possible!

[ROBINPATTAYA]

I did the airport parking last week as I had to go to BTS Nanna for the Australian Visa Centre in Soi 13.....True story 555

The airport link to Markahran (SP?) was 75 baht, the change to MRT to Petchabauri for 1 station, 16 baht, then walked 10 mins to Soi 13.

I was at the airport for 4.5 hrs & the cost was 145 baht, from memory it is 250 baht for 24 hrs.

[brewsterbudgen]

Does your destination have parking? Once you're off the Bangna Expressway, and assuming you're not in the rush hour, it only takes about 20 minutes, even in traffic, to drive to Asok along Sukhumvit.

Otherwise just park at one of the BTS stations mentioned or at the airport.

Edited July 7, 2015 by brewsterbudgen

[pitchag]

Airport link is always my option fairly cheap parking there

[derble]

Airport link is always my option fairly cheap parking there

Is this the regular airport parking beside the terminal building, or is there specific parking for the rail link? Is there any advantage to parking at the first station Lat Krabang, which I see also has parking? Thanks!

[tolsti]

I did the airport parking last week as I had to go to BTS Nanna for the Australian Visa Centre in Soi 13.....True story 555

The airport link to Markahran (SP?) was 75 baht, the change to MRT to Petchabauri for 1 station, 16 baht, then walked 10 mins to Soi 13.

I was at the airport for 4.5 hrs & the cost was 145 baht, from memory it is 250 baht for 24 hrs.

That's strange.... When I was there last Friday and again on Sunday the airport link was 45 bht all the way to PhayaThai and 45 bht from there back to the airport.

[craigt3365]

Tesco OnNut is quite easy. The traffic on Suk is a nightmare now with those new malls being open, especially later in the afternoon.

Why not just take the bus all the way?

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

Tesco OnNut is quite easy. The traffic on Suk is a nightmare now with those new malls being open, especially later in the afternoon.

Why not just take the bus all the way?

This^^^. Park beside the Pattaya Nua bus station (100 baht for 24h), get a bus ticket for 119 baht. A bus leaves every 10 to 15 minutes. Stops 4 times before reaching Ekamai bus terminal: Home Pro Village after the tollway exit, Central Bang Na, then turns onto Sukhmvit and stops at Udom Suk then On Nut. It's about 1 hour, 45 mins to Udom Suk BTS station. No worries.

Edited July 7, 2015 by Kaoboi Bebobp

[SantiSuk]

Tesco OnNut is quite easy. The traffic on Suk is a nightmare now with those new malls being open, especially later in the afternoon.

Why not just take the bus all the way?

This^^^. Park beside the Pattaya Nua bus station (100 baht for 24h), get a bus ticket for 119 baht. A bus leaves every 10 to 15 minutes. Stops 4 times before reaching Ekamai bus terminal: Home Pro Village after the tollway exit, Central Bang Na, then turns onto Sukhmvit and stops at Udom Suk then On Nut. It's about 1 hour, 45 mins to Udom Suk BTS station. No worries.

Good point. No-one is going to beat that for price. Add say about 34 baht for the BTS from UdomSuk to Asoke and you have about 250 baht in total. You might save some time by driving to BKK (particularly if you live west or north of Pattaya Nua and it would take some time to drive the first leg), but you would save money and have a good carbon footprint journey.

So OP, are you up for the public transport all the way option or are you one of the many that just has to drive. No excuses now (unless there is more than one of you or you are picking up heavy stuff) - that journey is not an overnight bus to Udon, Chiang Mai or Hat Yai, so not in the same league for danger

Edited July 7, 2015 by SantiSuk

[EvilDrSomkid]

Tesco OnNut is right underneath BTS OnNut but is only free for 2 hours. Gets kinda expensive after that, but I can't remember exactly how much (talking like 100 baht an hour plus, not the more common 20-40 baht an hour of some of the shopping centres.

3hrs free and 50 baht per hour. I park there every day.

[Bredbury Blue]

I live off bangna-trat and when I have to go in to bangkok I will usually park at Bitec...parking all day underneath at usual kind of prices or outside for free. I park inside..go up to the top floor in BITEC..along the newish link to BTS (it goes most the way but not all the way...). Takes about 10 minutes walk carpark to bts platform. This has the big advantage that there's no traffic jams all the way on bangna-trat until BITEC (jams start there going down sukhumvit road to bangkok).

If im not going for a long time I drive to Tesco onnuch and park there but that means I have to drive down sukhumvit to BITEC which is a pain.

[MTH]

Have done two of these trips just recently.

First trip, drove to Suvarnabhumi aiport and parked there, took the Airport Rail Link city line to Phya Tai.
Cost on top of driving, air link 45 Baht each way, parking 250 Baht (over 7 hours).
There’s also the cheaper long term parking lot but that takes a lot out of the convenience, as you then need to take a bus from that parking lot to the main terminal for the air link.

Here’s a link to parking fees.

Second trip took bike to Nua bus station. Was supposed to take the Ekkamai bus to Udom Suk for the skytrain, but got strapped for time and jumped off at Bang Na and took a taxi to the Bang Na sky train station, (that was 50 Baht extra). Cost: parking 30 Baht, bus ticket 119 Baht/each way. Skytrain to Nana 44 Baht, Nana to Ekkamai 28 Baht.

I’ve also heard that there is easy and cheap parking at Bearing, but haven’t tried it myself.

Additionally, if you’re going to do a lot of traveling with the skytrain during the Bangkok visit, I’d recommend the day pass for 140 Baht.

[HidyHo]

Times Square on Sukhumvit close to Asoke BTS is only 40 baht an hour. Trendy Building in soi 13 on the north side of Sukhumvit half way between Nana and Asoke is also not expensive.

Don't park at Trendy for any extended period (speaking from experience). I had a out of town friend park there overnight and it was 1500 baht bill as there is no "cap"!!! Most of my friends park at Time Square if they plan to hangout in lower Suk for any extended period of time.

Since I overruled her plan to park at Suvarnabhumi and take airport link/BTS into town, I paid the bill

Edited July 7, 2015 by HidyHo

[Dogbreath]

I have taken the airport bus from Jomtien to Suvarnabhumi and then the rail link into BKK central many, many times. About 1hr 40m for the bus and another 30min to Asoke (change trains twice) All routes are well defined and easy to figure out. I leave the car in Pattaya and for little more than 200 baht I am transported to Bangkok with minimal hassle. I like driving, but BKK is too difficult (unless you have a Garmin navigator) few road signs are bilingual, and exits have a habit of being the one you just passed.

You can also get any number of vans that run from Pattaya to Bangkok for around 250 baht. It's been a while, so the price could be off. Sometimes can be a very quick. I once rode in a van from Ekkamai bus terminal to Pattaya Nua in just over an hour. That was when I was new to town. Vans have a terrible safety record and I have experienced drivers with serious emotional issues toward other vehicles to the point of "playing chicken" with other vehicles. Who needs that?

Finally, If I'm feeling flush, I'll hire a car and a driver for the day (usually around 3,000 baht including tolls and a generous tip). I get dropped off where I need to go and the driver waits or goes off for a meal if I'm going to be more than an hour. When I'm ready to come back to Pattaya, I call him and he's there in 10-15 minutes to drive me home. I can read or catnap while he deals with the traffic. Sometimes he has waited 7 or 8 hours. No extra charge. Good deal.

I hope some of this is helpful. As I said before, I like driving quite a bit, but BKK is not my cuppa, and I am glad to have inexpensive alternatives.

[NoshowJones]

BKK airport and Airport link would be my favoured suggestion as well.

What about parking charges? Is it not very expensive?

[canarysun]

I find it quite hard to understand ( i know i am on a different planet than most of you...) but why would you want to drive from Pattaya to Bangkok???? you can take the bus for 119 baht or the train for 31 baht and just so much more relaxing and enjoyable.

F.J ( on another planet...)

[richard_smith237]

I find it quite hard to understand ( i know i am on a different planet than most of you...) but why would you want to drive from Pattaya to Bangkok???? you can take the bus for 119 baht or the train for 31 baht and just so much more relaxing and enjoyable.

F.J ( on another planet...)

I'm also on a different planet, another different planet... I would never take the bus if there is a better option.. we read each week (almost daily) of the bus accidents in Thailand, I simply don't trust the drivers and never have in numerous years here.

As a bus passenger you have no control of the driver, how fast he wishes to go or how much sleep he has had, whether or not he's on anything stronger than coffee... You are putting your safety in the hands of someone likely to have had very little education.

As disagreeable as this may seem to some, these are just my thoughts - each to their own - I would choose to drive myself, in my own comfortable car.

Additionally: by the time the Op has taken a taxi to the Bus station, waited for the bus to depart etc, I can't see any time saving.

If I were the Op, I'd be driving straight into Emporium and park there... There is not really a convenient Expressway exit for On Nut (if taking the Upper level expressway).

[MTH]

BKK airport and Airport link would be my favoured suggestion as well.

What about parking charges? Is it not very expensive?

You've got two options at the airport, here's a link I posted above:

I know, I don't read every post in a tread either...

Here’s a link to parking fees.

[misterphil]

Thanks for the advice so far....a bit surprised to read that expressway parking is not thatjammed up anymore. I had been told the exact opposite by someone else!

re. airport parking, if I am in Bangkok for 8 hours, then how much would the parking be?

Also interesting idea on Bitec, but how to know if parking is permitted there?

I thought I once read that there was parking near Bearing station, but I have no idea where it is!

Finally, a completely different idea, but is it possible to drive into town and park near the MRTA and take a train into asoke area!

I would like to try and maximize efficiency/minimize costs to the extent possible!

Airport parking is 250 for 24 hours so 8 hours will be about 100

[MTH]

Thanks for the advice so far....a bit surprised to read that expressway parking is not thatjammed up anymore. I had been told the exact opposite by someone else!

re. airport parking, if I am in Bangkok for 8 hours, then how much would the parking be?

Also interesting idea on Bitec, but how to know if parking is permitted there?

I thought I once read that there was parking near Bearing station, but I have no idea where it is!

Finally, a completely different idea, but is it possible to drive into town and park near the MRTA and take a train into asoke area!

I would like to try and maximize efficiency/minimize costs to the extent possible!

Airport parking is 250 for 24 hours so 8 hours will be about 100

Your guesstimate is way off, short term parking tops out at 250 Baht already at 7 hours, see link in the post above yours.

Edited July 7, 2015 by MTH

[craigt3365]

I find it quite hard to understand ( i know i am on a different planet than most of you...) but why would you want to drive from Pattaya to Bangkok???? you can take the bus for 119 baht or the train for 31 baht and just so much more relaxing and enjoyable.

F.J ( on another planet...)

I'm also on a different planet, another different planet... I would never take the bus if there is a better option.. we read each week (almost daily) of the bus accidents in Thailand, I simply don't trust the drivers and never have in numerous years here.

As a bus passenger you have no control of the driver, how fast he wishes to go or how much sleep he has had, whether or not he's on anything stronger than coffee... You are putting your safety in the hands of someone likely to have had very little education.

As disagreeable as this may seem to some, these are just my thoughts - each to their own - I would choose to drive myself, in my own comfortable car.

Additionally: by the time the Op has taken a taxi to the Bus station, waited for the bus to depart etc, I can't see any time saving.

If I were the Op, I'd be driving straight into Emporium and park there... There is not really a convenient Expressway exit for On Nut (if taking the Upper level expressway).

100% agree on some points. I go to Bangkok quite often. Mostly drive as I live a bit out of town and normally go for 3 or 4 days with my wife. But if going solo, and just for a day, I'll take the bus.

As far as safety, I think a daytime bus is fine (nighttime buses are a no go). I've seen lots of car accidents. As you know, it's not how good you drive! LOL

As for time, I've been stuck on Suk for long periods of time in various places. Bitting my nails as cabs, buses and scooters cut in front of me. On a bus, no worries at all. Read the newspaper on the way out, get off at Ekamai and grab the BTS from there!

Though I do like the freedom of a car!

[misterphil]

Thanks for the advice so far....a bit surprised to read that expressway parking is not thatjammed up anymore. I had been told the exact opposite by someone else!

re. airport parking, if I am in Bangkok for 8 hours, then how much would the parking be?

Also interesting idea on Bitec, but how to know if parking is permitted there?

I thought I once read that there was parking near Bearing station, but I have no idea where it is!

Finally, a completely different idea, but is it possible to drive into town and park near the MRTA and take a train into asoke area!

I would like to try and maximize efficiency/minimize costs to the extent possible!

Airport parking is 250 for 24 hours so 8 hours will be about 100

Your guesstimate is way off, short term parking tops out at 250 Baht already at 7 hours, see link in the post above yours.

I dont think so. I just left my car at the airport for 4 days while I went to Chiang Mai and was charged 1250. So 4 nights and 5 days cost me 1250 so about 100 for 8 hours is pretty f-/:(&g close I'd say.

[MTH]

Thanks for the advice so far....a bit surprised to read that expressway parking is not thatjammed up anymore. I had been told the exact opposite by someone else!

re. airport parking, if I am in Bangkok for 8 hours, then how much would the parking be?

Also interesting idea on Bitec, but how to know if parking is permitted there?

I thought I once read that there was parking near Bearing station, but I have no idea where it is!

Finally, a completely different idea, but is it possible to drive into town and park near the MRTA and take a train into asoke area!

I would like to try and maximize efficiency/minimize costs to the extent possible!

Airport parking is 250 for 24 hours so 8 hours will be about 100

Your guesstimate is way off, short term parking tops out at 250 Baht already at 7 hours, see link in the post above yours.

I dont think so. I just left my car at the airport for 4 days while I went to Chiang Mai and was charged 1250. So 4 nights and 5 days cost me 1250 so about 100 for 8 hours is pretty f-/:(&g close I'd say.

Wow, argumentative arent we Just look at the link will you, actually, I will add it here again for your convenience. Link

And why would I know that the prices listed on the official site is correct? Because I parked there two weeks ago for about 7 hours and 30 minutes, was charged the full daily amount of 250.

When you parked there for 1250, you were there for at least 4 full days and 7 hours more, hence the 1250 charge.

So nope, youre pretty f-/:(&g NOT close

Edited July 7, 2015 by MTH

[elgenon]

Thanks for the advice so far....a bit surprised to read that expressway parking is not thatjammed up anymore. I had been told the exact opposite by someone else!

re. airport parking, if I am in Bangkok for 8 hours, then how much would the parking be?

Also interesting idea on Bitec, but how to know if parking is permitted there?

I thought I once read that there was parking near Bearing station, but I have no idea where it is!

Finally, a completely different idea, but is it possible to drive into town and park near the MRTA and take a train into asoke area!

I would like to try and maximize efficiency/minimize costs to the extent possible!

I just took a taxi from Pattaya to Suk soi 4. Left at noon and made it in 1 1/2 hours with pitstop. Great driver!

Previous poster said where to park on Soi 4.

[jaywalker]

...and exits have a habit of being the one you just passed.

Yep... and then when (if) you try to turn around, you go into the 4th dimension and pop out somewhere across town about an hour & a half later.