• Train Travel
  • Urban Rail Transit
  • Where To Stay

Nomadic Notes

Travel blog and weekly travel newsletter

  • Blog
  • Travel Newsletter

Bangkok to Pattaya by train

March 10, 2023 By James Clark 2 Comments

Bangkok to Pattaya by train

Pattaya is a seaside city on the east side of the Bay of Bangkok. Even though Pattaya is only 155 km from Bangkok by train, it’s not well served by rail transport.

Here is how to get from Bangkok to Pattaya by train.

Bangkok to Pattaya by train

There is one train a day in either direction and an extra train service on the weekend. Trains from Bangkok depart from the old Hua Lamphong Railway Station, and not the new Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal. The destination of both trains is Ban Plu Ta Luang.

Bangkok to Ban Plu Ta Luang


[Map of Bangkok to Pattaya by train.]

Ordinary Train

Bangkok to Ban Plu Ta Luang

There is one “Ordinary Train” a day from Bangkok to Ban Plu Ta Luang. These trains stop at every station, which makes them slower.

Train 283
Departs Bangkok: 6.55
Arrives Pattaya: 10.35
Travel Time: 3h 40m

Train 284
Departs Pataya: 14.21
Arrives Bangkok: 18.15
Travel Time: 3h 54m

This service is a single class, soft bench seats with fans and open windows for cooling. There are squat and seated toilets onboard, and no food or drinks are sold onboard. Vendors may walk through early on in the trip.

Ordinary train to Pattaya
[Ordinary train to Pattaya.]

Tickets are sold on the day of travel, and the ticket costs 31 baht.

Pattaya ticket

There is no assigned seating, but departing from Bangkok you will get a seat. The train fills up along the way as it acts as a commuter railway for the Greater Bangkok area.

Express Train

Express train to Ban Plu Ta Luang
[Express train to Ban Plu Ta Luang.]

There is an extra express train that runs on Saturday and Sunday. This train is all 2nd class with reclining seats in air-conditioned carriages.

Train 997
Departs Bangkok: 6.45
Arrives Pattaya: 9.14
Travel Time: 2h 29m

Train 998
Departs Pataya: 16.26
Arrives Bangkok: 18.55
Travel Time: 2h 29m

This train departs Bangkok 10 minutes before the ordinary train, so make sure you are on the correct train.

Trains to Ban Plu Ta Luang
[Ordinary (left) and Express (right) to Ban Plu Ta Luang at Hua Lamphong.]

Tickets can be booked in advance for this train, and it is advised to book before travel.

Book Bangkok to Pattaya train tickets.

How to get from Pattaya Station to the city

Pattaya Station

Pattaya Station is outside the city centre, so you will need transport from the station. There are songthaews (local minibus) at the station that go to points in the city centre. Show one of the drivers your hotel booking to find the right vehicle. A ride to Central Pattaya (the shopping mall in the central beach area) is 50 baht.

There is also a list showing how much a taxi costs to the main points in the city, so there is no need to worry about haggling.

Taxi prices from Pattaya Station

Is it worth getting the train to Pattaya?

As is often the case in Thailand, the train is slower than the bus. That said, it is a much more pleasant experience than getting a bus (and especially more pleasant than the minivans).

Passing the traffic at Ratchaprarop in Bangkok
[Passing the traffic at Ratchaprarop in Bangkok.]

The other problem with the train to Pattaya is that it’s only once a day (and twice on the weekend). There is no morning train from Pattaya to Bangkok, so you have to get the bus back for morning returns.

I got the bus from the North Pattaya Bus Station to Ekkamai Station in Bangkok. The big government bus cost 131 baht and took 2h 20m.

This will change in the future with the high-speed railway that will link it to Bangkok and three airports. There will be frequent trains throughout the day that will take you from Bangkok to Pattaya in under an hour.

Further reading

Here is my Pattaya trip report from 2019.

Search for hotels in Pattaya and the guide on where to stay in Pattaya.

This train travel article is part of the Southeast Asia train travel series.

Filed Under: Train Travel Tagged With: bangkok, pattaya, southeast asia rail

About James Clark

James Clark is the founder of Nomadic Notes. He has been a digital nomad since 2003, and Nomadic Notes features trip reports, train travel articles, and where to stay guides. He writes about transport and urban development at Future Southeast Asia. Subscribe to the weekly travel newsletter.

Comments

  1. Waymon says

    July 2, 2023 at 10:51 pm

    Is the train ride scenic? I’m considering it for the experience not the cost. Also what about baggage? How is that handled?

    Reply
    • James Clark says

      July 3, 2023 at 12:05 am

      It’s not particularly scenic, but it’s better than being crammed in a minivan. You bring your own baggage onboard and the luggage racks above the seats can handle large bags.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Weekly Travel Newsletter

Sign up for the weekly travel newsletter for the latest posts, and a roundup of best travel reads from around the web.
Subscribe For Free Here [No spam, unsubscribe anytime.]

About Nomadic Notes

James Clark from Nomadic Notes

Hi, I’m James Clark, and I've been travelling the world since 2003 while running a location independent travel business. Nomadic Notes is a travel blog featuring travel guides and notes from my travels.

More about me and Nomadic Notes.

Follow Nomadic Notes

Recent Posts

  • Sumatra Railways: A guide to every train line in Sumatra
  • Where to stay in Phan Thiet (Mui Ne): The best beach areas and hotels
  • Notes on Luang Prabang in the new era of the train
  • How to get from Medan to Lake Toba by train and bus
  • Kualanamu Airport Rail Link: The Medan airport train
  • Where to stay in Singapore: The best areas and notable hotels
  • Metro maps of India: High-resolution maps of every metro system in India
  • Where to stay in Bangkok: the best areas and hotels for visitors (2023)
  • Train 261: Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) to Hua Hin by Ordinary Train
  • Subway maps of Japan: High-resolution maps of every metro system in Japan

Where to stay in Southeast Asia

Malaysia
Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur

Singapore
Where to stay in Singapore

Thailand
Where to stay in Bangkok

Vietnam
Where to stay in Da Nang
Where to stay in Hanoi
Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City

Southeast Asia Rail Travel

Southeast Asia current and proposed railways

A complete guide to train travel in Southeast Asia

European Rail Travel

Eurail Pass Travel Guide

About Nomadic Notes

About
Advertise
Contact
Contribute
Press/Media Mentions
Where I've Been

Search Nomadic Notes

Travel Notes

Travel Notes

Travel Resources

Digital Nomad Resources
Long-term Travel
Travel Blog Directory
Travel Gear
Travel Insurance
Travel Sites

Where To Stay In…

Bangkok
Chiang Mai
Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh City
Hoi An
Hong Kong
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Macau
Penang
Singapore

Travel Newsletter

Sign up for the weekly travel newsletter for the latest posts and a roundup of best travel reads from around the web.

Copyright © 2023 Nomadic Notes · Site Map | Privacy · Log in