Bangkok-Pattaya Motorway- a mess in the making?

[chicowoodduck]

I have been using the motorway from Bangkok to Pattaya and back since it was just a two way road.....that use to take some 4+ hours to get from one spot to the other.....now it is a four lanes, sometimes five lane path.....so one would think that travel time would improve?  I never travel on the weekends thinking that travel Tuesday to Thursday would be the safe bet?  This past week i made the adventure on Wednesday afternoon and it took me over 4 hours to get to Ekamai and on the return trip on Thursday mid day just under 5 Hours to make it back to my hotel on Pattaya Klang.  Of course it did not help that the bus made a refueling stop just outside of Pattaya.....which seems to be the norm these days for some reason. As far as I can see, the problem will not be getting any better in the future once they add the new toll booths to the equation.....pretty much dreading my monthly trips back and forth to Bangkok these days.....pretty much torture.....sad to say....????

[beachproperty]

I live in Rayong and my travel time is 1:45 to 2 hours to Pravet (just outside of the Airport). Sorry to here of your travel problems but that's what you get when you take the public bus.

[tgeezer]

I have to agree, the bus is the problem. I think that four hours on a weekday would have been quick when the bus used to use Sukumwit all the way, two lanes changing to four with hard shoulder and squeezing when approaching any of the numerous two lane bridges! When the motorway opened I thought that it would be good but decided that it was too dangerous. When the elevated road from Chonburi opened that became the way to go, I live in Chatuchak so avoid the town. I imagine that your problems are not over when you get to the outskirts of Bangkok.


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[Kerryd]

I used to use Bell Bus from the airport to North Pattaya (or the other way) and it was pretty much 90 minute trips each way. Private taxis about the same to/from my house (soi Khao Noi) depending if we make a pit stop along the way.

[catinthehat]

3 hours ago, beachproperty said:

I live in Rayong and my travel time is 1:45 to 2 hours to Pravet (just outside of the Airport). Sorry to here of your travel problems but that's what you get when you take the public bus.

I actually thought through reading your first 3 lengthy sentences that "you" were actually the driver. Nothing new with bus travel. You are a their mercy. If you do not like the travel time, buy a car. But then sometimes parking becomes the enemy.

Just saying.

 

Next

[topt]

1 hour ago, Kerryd said:

I used to use Bell Bus from the airport to North Pattaya (or the other way) and it was pretty much 90 minute trips each way. Private taxis about the same to/from my house (soi Khao Noi) depending if we make a pit stop along the way.

I am sure you are aware that there is a huge difference in travelling time going from Pattaya to the airport and Pattaya to anywhere inside Bangkok proper

[abab]

1h10 minutes by car, but of course not in day time, at 4am. Never late !

[berybert]

Take the train, then you will be in Bangkok, em about 4 hours after you leave Pattaya.

[jacko45k]

I made it there in a fraction over 2.5 hours from North Rd to Ekamai, Tuesday and coming back slightly less despite a detour to drop someone off just south of Laem Chabang.  The driver used the motorway only as far as Sri Racha and then cut round Chonburt bypass to Rt 3, then Chonburi-Bangkok Expressway. Some delays at Surasak for the motorway with construction. All depends on time of day. Slow and painful into Bangkok but isn't it always... I think there was a fire somewhere.

[Pdaz]

Yep. I travel to Swampy regularly. Average is 55 minutes from Nong Palai. 

[cooked]

3 hours ago, berybert said:

Take the train, then you will be in Bangkok, em about 4 hours after you leave Pattaya.

Two trains a day I believe.?

 

[steve187]

14 hours ago, abab said:

1h10 minutes by car, but of course not in day time, at 4am. Never late !

from where to where

[wump]

Absolutely possible with a driver high on yaba and leaving from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi at night time.

[elgenon]

Did you take an express bus or a local bus? Sounds like a local.

[chicowoodduck]

2 hours ago, elgenon said:

Did you take an express bus or a local bus? Sounds like a local.

Sad to say in both directions was on the 108 Baht special.....no such thing as an express bus as far as ai know....please point me in the right direction if you know something news.??

[elgenon]

23 hours ago, chicowoodduck said:

Sad to say in both directions was on the 108 Baht special.....no such thing as an express bus as far as ai know....please point me in the right direction if you know something news.??

 

23 hours ago, chicowoodduck said:

Sad to say in both directions was on the 108 Baht special.....no such thing as an express bus as far as ai know....please point me in the right direction if you know something news.??

Sorry I messed up and copied you twice. Between Eckamai and Pattaya you have the choice between an express bus (direct) and a local bus (many stops). Especially at Eckamai you have to make sure you are in the right line. Last time I was there it was just inside on the right. The fare will be somewhere in the low to mid 100s. And don't listen to people who want to bring you to a line. In Pattaya make sure you specify an express bus. 108 baht is definitely the wrong type of bus.

[chicowoodduck]

1 hour ago, elgenon said:

 

Sorry I messed up and copied you twice. Between Eckamai and Pattaya you have the choice between an express bus (direct) and a local bus (many stops). Especially at Eckamai you have to make sure you are in the right line. Last time I was there it was just inside on the right. The fare will be somewhere in the low to mid 100s. And don't listen to people who want to bring you to a line. In Pattaya make sure you specify an express bus. 108 baht is definitely the wrong type of bus.

 

[chicowoodduck]

Been making the trip from Pattaya to  Ekamai to Pattaya for the past 10+ years and never seen or heard of an express bus going either way?  You must have a secret source?  

[sandyf]

The best bet these days from Pattaya into Bangkok is to go to the airport and take the train into the centre. You have 2 choices, Bell Transport at around 300 baht or the express airport bus from Jomtien at 120 baht. The bus station is on the Jomtien road not far past the turning down to Pattaya Park. When you get to the airport just go in through door No 8 and the escalator down to the railway station is just in front. about half an hour into the centre, if you want the metro get off at Makasan.

If you do go on the Ekamai bus then you should jump off at Udon Suk BTS, the driver will pull up under the BTS station, unfortunately you cannot get off if you have luggage in the hold.

[sandyf]

On 3/4/2017 at 7:18 AM, cooked said:

Two trains a day I believe.?

 

Just the one, 14.21 from Pattaya due into Bangkok railway station at 18.15 but often late. It is free for Thais and 31 baht for foreigners. It is a third class service and not very comfortable, last time I did it none of the fans in the carriage were working. Hope a bit better when I go next week.