Train to Pattaya

[bushemail]

Anyone taken the train from BKK to Pattaya? How does it work, do I need to get a taxi to the train station then go to the train station? It seems like the train would be a much more cost-effective way of travelling (from my Footprint guide it is ~5 on the train to Pattaya vs. $50 with a hired car). Does it have restrictive hours? Any help would be appreciated.

[Lok Jit]

Anyone taken the train from BKK to Pattaya? How does it work, do I need to get a taxi to the train station then go to the train station? It seems like the train would be a much more cost-effective way of travelling (from my Footprint guide it is ~5 on the train to Pattaya vs. $50 with a hired car). Does it have restrictive hours? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Forget the train here..Takes far too long..One train a day comes here carrying cargo..Slow and stops at every crack in the track..A full day miserable event..

[Steve Zodiac]

I posted a guide to getting the train here:

 

http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/Bangk...taya-t2976.html

Edited September 30, 2007 by Steve Zodiac

[bolton69]

done it once 4 a joke, dont even think about it, it took about 5 hours,

[pattayadog]

Anyone taken the train from BKK to Pattaya? How does it work, do I need to get a taxi to the train station then go to the train station? It seems like the train would be a much more cost-effective way of travelling (from my Footprint guide it is ~5 on the train to Pattaya vs. $50 with a hired car). Does it have restrictive hours? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Just one train per day, so not that much of a choice. Here is the timetable: http://www.railway.co.th/English/Time_HTML.asp

 

Another perk of train travel is that you can get off at many stations in bkk like asoke and piya thai. The central train station and asoke station are easily reachable from or directly connected with the MRT subway line in BKK.

 

If you like some local flavor and you are not in a rush; like watching the fields and maybe reading a book, the train is ideal. I like it as it is an alternative to the less than pleasant 1st class service from Pattaya Nua. I was once in a bus crash on Sukumvit when they did not use the skyway for bkk bound buses. The bus first drifted to the left then turned to the right and hit the concrete in the middle. In the end it spinned around and landed in the ditch. We were lucky that no trucks were closeby.

Aside from such mishaps, I hate the attitude of the bus company's personnel.

[yamabthere]

Anyone know the prices of taxi, motorbike, song thew from the train station to Pattaya?

 

The train takes too long for my liking but given that not many tourists use it I feel you would be at the mercy of overpriced taxis once you did reach Pattaya?

[Steve Zodiac]

Train is 30 baht, song-tow to hotel 100 baht

[yamabthere]

Ah I thought so. So taking the bus 100 baht and song thew 20 baht would be the cheaper and quicker option.

 

I see the point of the train as an experience that some will want to try.

[JASONTHAI]

Wow some of you are the cheapest of cheap charlies

[Langchai]

If the objective is to get to Pattaya rather than taking a train journey, don't bother with the train.

 

I got a minivan that I shared with 2 others for a total of 1200B inclusive of tolls. That makes it 400B each. It was a clean, new van too. Got to Patts in 2 hours fresh and ready to hit the bars immediately.

 

I got the number from the carpark between Sukhumvit Soi 9 & 11. Pity I don't have it anymore. I've recommended it to many travellers going to Patts from BKK and they were always pleased.

[bushemail]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses guys, guess I won't be taking the train.

 

It seems like the bus is a decent deal. What is the best way to get onto the bus? I wouldn't be opposed to paying 400 Baht for a shared minibus, but how does one find such a group when you arrive at the airport after 20 hours of flying?

[jackpot]

Do a search on the forum for Bell Transport, they leave the terminal every 2 hours. 150Bt dropped off at your hotel.

[pattayadog]

Train is 30 baht, song-tow to hotel 100 baht

 

If you dont travel with luggage, say coming back from a BKK trip you would not hire a songtaew right? This way we would still qualif for the cheap charly league. Once you arrive with luggage and need a sangtaew in pattaya you positively f..ked big time.