Transport Options

What are the transport options from Don Mueang Airport to Pattaya?

I asked this question to Air Asia since Air Asia is now landing international passengers at Don Mueang. Their reply was "You must find your own transport." Very helpful.

Unfortunately there is no Airport bus direct to Pattaya from Don Mueang Airport. I am told that this will change in the future. Sign up for the Pattaya News Letter and receive the news when it happens.

Pattaya is approximately 150 KM from Bangkok. Some people like to stay over a night or two in Bangkok before starting their Pattaya adventure. Pattaya Bar Girls e-book has some interesting advice and comments about a night in Bangkok. Remember the song?

Click on this link to read how to get to Bangkok city from the airport.

A taxi direct from the airport at Don Meuang to Pattaya will cost around 1,500 baht to 1,800 baht fixed fare. Listed below are five travel options from Don Meuang Airport to Pattaya.

Don Mueang Airport to Pattaya Option 1

If you don’t have a lot of luggage (preferably a back pack) then you could:

1. Take the airport shuttle bus to Mo Chit BTS station. (Bangkok Transit System – Electric sky train) While riding on the sky train you will have good views of the city.
2. Purchase a ticket (about 60 baht) to ride the BTS to Ekkamai Station, Frequency, about every 10 minutes.
3. Ekkamai BTS station is next to Ekkamai bus station. When you get off the train at Ekkamai BTS station go down the exit that will be on your right when facing the direction the train was traveling.

Note:
While traveling in the sky train a recorded message is played to announce each station and the next station along the route. Ekkamai is the 14 th station from Mo Chit. There is no dedicated space for baggage on BTS.

Hotels close to BTS Ekkamai

4. At Ekkamai bus station, purchase a ticket to Pattaya for 124 baht. The ticket booth for Pattaya is at the front of the bus terminal to your right as you approach it from the footpath.

Buses run every 30 minutes or so to Pattaya. They usually leave on time. When I travel singularly from Pattaya to Bangkok I always take that bus.

Bangkok has two main bus terminals to service Pattaya. You can take a taxi or the Sky Train to either one of these bus terminals listed below.

Don Mueang Airport to Pattaya Option 2

1. From Don Mueang take the airport shuttle bus to Morchit BTS (Bangkok Transit System).
2. Next, from Morchit BTS take a metered taxi to Morchit Mai bus station. The metered taxis have a sign on the roof of the vehicle reading "TAXI METER".
3. Purchase a bus ticket to Pattaya. Buses to Pattaya run about every hour.

The Northern/Northeast Bus Terminal details

[Phaholyothin Rd., tel. (02) 272-0296]

The locals call it Morchit. (Pronounced More chit) Did I hear a chuckle? The Morchit terminal serves Chiang Mai and the north of Thailand. You can also get an air conditioned bus to Pattaya from Morchit. The Bus schedule is simple. Buses to Pattaya depart from 6.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.

Don Mueang Airport to Pattaya Option 3

Could I just get a cab from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi, the other airport then take the usual Bell airport bus service to Pattaya?

Yes. If you take a meter taxi from Don Muang airport to Suvarnabhumi it will cost you about 300-400 bath including expressway fees. The duration of the taxi ride should be

45min to 1.5 hour depending on the time of day you travel. The distance is approximately 45 KM.

The first Bell bus departs Suvarnabhumi at 8.00am and then every two hours until the last bus at 6.00pm. The fare is 200 baht and the trip to Pattaya takes around 90 minutes.

If your arrival time is out of the range for the Bell bus service to Pattaya then another option is to go to level one gate eight at Suvarnabhumi and catch the Roong Reuang Coach. The service operates from 07:00 to 22:00 and buses leave every hour. The fare to Pattaya is 134 baht.

The Roong Reuang Coach stops at five locations in Pattaya.

1. North Pattaya Junction (Sukhumvit)
2. Central Pattaya Junction (Sukhumvit)
3. South Pattaya Junction (Sukhumvit)
4. Thep Prasit Junction (Sukhumvit)
5. Thapphraya Office JomTien

Airport Tel:086 324 2391 Pattaya Tel: 086 234 2389

Here is a map showing the drop off points.

Don Mueang Airport to Pattaya Option 4

Take a taxi. A taxi direct from the airport at Don Meuang to Pattaya will cost around 1,500 to 1,800 fixed fare. Note that some operators will want to drive from the airport to a depot several kilometers away where you will be transfered to another vehicle (taxi). That vehicle will continue to Pattaya.

You might meet someone on your flight who is traveling to Pattaya. You could offer to share a taxi from Don Muang to Pattaya.

What ever taxi you take make sure you are satisfied that the driver knows exactly where you want to go before you get into the taxi.

Don Mueang Airport to Pattaya Option 5 TAXI METER

This is similar to option 4 above. When you have collected your luggage from the conveyer belt you will need to walk to the opposite end of the terminal and find exit gate 8. The TAXI METER ticket desk is located inside the terminal in front of the gate 8 exit.

At the TAXI METER desk you can book your taxi. You will receive a ticket which you must show, not give, to the taxi driver. Usually the drivers are queued at the desk waiting to escort their customer to their taxi which will be parked just outside the gate 8 doors.

You will be required to pay a 50 (fifty) baht surcharge to the driver on arrival at your destination in Pattaya. You will also have to pay any road toll fees. The toll fees to Pattaya total around 185 baht (one hundred and eighty-five baht). And of course the amount shown on the meter.

I chose to stay at the Bella Express Hotel Pattaya Klang because it had the following attributes:

1. A moderate room rate guest friendly hotel with clean rooms and friendly staff.
2. Swimming pool and free WI-FI in all rooms.
3. Plenty of restaurants within a short walk.
4. Short 4 minute walk to nightlife entertainment like Second Road and Soi 8.
5. Located in a quiet cul-de-sac.
6. Short walk to Memorial Hospital, eyeware shops and a few good Dentists.