Taxi vs Bus vs Train: Best Way to Travel from Bangkok to Pattaya
December 20, 2025
There are three ways to get from Bangkok to Pattaya: a taxi, a bus and a train. We compare them by time, comfort and what you really pay.
Taxi
A private taxi goes from your hotel, apartment or office to the door in Pattaya in about 2 hours (139 km), depending on traffic.
- Price: 1,399 THB for a Standard Sedan, per car.
- Comfort: private car with air conditioning, luggage included.
- Flexibility: you choose the time, and a short stop is possible on request.
It is the right choice for a family, a group, a traveller with luggage or a tight schedule. The return is the same, a taxi from Pattaya to Bangkok.
Bus
Buses run often and are the cheap option. Most leave from the Ekkamai or Mo Chit terminals and arrive at the Pattaya bus terminal or in Jomtien.
- Time: 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
- Price: lower than a taxi, depends on the operator.
- Comfort: shared seats, limited place for bags.
- Limits: a timetable and no hotel pickup.
You must first reach the terminal in Bangkok and then find a way from the terminal to the hotel in Pattaya, which adds time.
Train
The train is possible, but it is the least practical option for most visitors. Trains leave from Hua Lamphong station on a limited schedule.
- Time: 3.5 to 4 hours or more.
- Price: a low ticket.
- Comfort: basic seats, no air conditioning on some trains.
- Schedule: very few departures.
It suits a budget traveller with a free day, not someone in a hurry.
Which one to choose
For most people the taxi is the better option. The bus and the train cost less, but they add transfers and time. A taxi picks you up where you are and takes you where you go for a price known in advance.
With a family, luggage or a flight to catch, take the taxi. The cars are on the fleet page. To book: a taxi from Bangkok to Pattaya or, for the return, a taxi from Pattaya to Bangkok. You pay the driver in cash at the end of the trip. Prepayment is optional and cancellation is free.
