How to Get from Pattaya to Bangkok Airports (Suvarnabhumi & Don Mueang)

The fastest way from Pattaya to Bangkok's main airport, Suvarnabhumi (BKK), is by car: about 1.5–2 hours in normal traffic. The cheapest direct way is the airport coach from a Pattaya bus station, about 135 THB per seat and about 2 hours. For a door-to-door trip, a Smile Taxi Service car from your hotel costs a fixed 1,200 THB (sedan) to Suvarnabhumi or 1,500 THB (sedan) to Don Mueang (DMK), per vehicle, with expressway tolls included.

Distance and travel time overview

Bangkok has two airports, and they are not the same trip from Pattaya:

• Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is about 127 km from Pattaya by road, on the east side of Bangkok. By car it takes about 1.5–2 hours in normal traffic; a January 2026 guide suggests adding about 1 hour on Friday evenings. The airport coaches take about 2 hours.
• Don Mueang (DMK) is about 162 km from Pattaya, in the north of Bangkok, roughly 35 km farther than Suvarnabhumi. The direct bus takes about 2.5 hours. By car, allow more time than for Suvarnabhumi.
• U-Tapao (UTP) is the airport on the Pattaya side, 39.1 km from Pattaya. Some flights to and from the Pattaya area use U-Tapao instead of Bangkok.

By car, the route to Suvarnabhumi follows Motorway 7, where a car pays 105 THB in tolls between the Pattaya and Lat Krabang toll plazas (May 2026 table). Smile Taxi Service fares include these tolls.

Which airport is on your ticket?

Check the airport code on your booking before you plan the trip:

• Suvarnabhumi (BKK): Thai Airways International and most foreign full-service airlines, plus Bangkok Airways and Thai AirAsia.
• Don Mueang (DMK): Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, Bangkok Airways and regional low-cost airlines such as Batik Air Malaysia and Cebu Pacific. Terminal 1 is for international flights and Terminal 2 for domestic flights.
• Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways fly from both Bangkok airports, so the airline name alone does not tell you where to go.

Pattaya to Bangkok airports: all options compared

Third-party prices and timetables in this guide were checked in September 2026. Intercity bus fares in Thailand changed several times in 2026, so confirm them with the operator before you travel. Smile Taxi Service fares are fixed.

Private transfer with Smile Taxi Service

The driver picks you up at the door of your hotel or address in Pattaya, at the time you choose, and drives straight to your airport with only your own group in the car. Before the trip, the team sends you the driver's name, the car and its plate number.

Fixed fares (THB per vehicle, one way)

The price is per vehicle, the same for 1 passenger or a full car, and expressway tolls are included. There is no meter, and traffic does not change the price.

• Sedan (Toyota Camry or similar): up to 3 passengers and 2 bags.
• SUV (Toyota Fortuner or similar): up to 5 passengers and 4 bags.
• Van (Toyota Commuter or similar): up to 7 passengers and 5 bags.

Choose the car by your luggage as well as by the number of people: a couple with more than 2 bags needs an SUV.

What is included and what you can add

• Pickup at your door and drop-off at the airport terminal.
• Child seat: +100 THB, on request.
• Extra stops on the way: +250 THB per hour.
• An English-speaking driver can be requested when you book, subject to availability. Not every driver speaks English.
• Return trips: a discount is available. Ask by message when you book.
• For an airport pickup on your way back: 60 minutes of free waiting, a name sign on request (+100 THB) and a free eSIM on request (see the return section below).

Payment and cancellation

You pay the driver in cash (Thai baht) at the end of the trip. The website takes no online payment and no deposit. If you can only pay by card, for example because you have no baht left at the end of your holiday, message the team and they will send you a PayPal payment link; a 5% fee is added. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup.

Smile Taxi Service works 24/7 in 9 languages, has served more than 8,000 passengers with 54+ local drivers, and is rated Google 5.0 and Tripadvisor 5.0.

• Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi: book a sedan, an SUV or a van
• Pattaya to Don Mueang: book a sedan, an SUV or a van
• Pattaya to U-Tapao: book a sedan, an SUV or a van
• See all Smile Taxi Service fares

Pros: you leave when your flight needs you to, including before the first bus of the day; no bus station and no changes with luggage; the price is per vehicle, so it is the same for 1 passenger or a full car.

Cons: for one traveller on a daytime flight, the airport coach costs far less.

Airport coach to Suvarnabhumi (Roong Reuang Coach)

Roong Reuang Coach (RRC) runs the scheduled airport coaches between Pattaya and Suvarnabhumi. They leave from two bus stations, not from hotels:

• RRC Pattaya bus station, North Pattaya Road (near Sukhumvit Road): about 135 THB, about 7–10 departures a day between 07:00 and 21:00.
• Jomtien bus station, Jomtien Second Road (Jomtien Sai Song Road), near Jomtien Beach: about 158 THB, every hour from 06:00 to 22:00.

The trip takes about 2 hours, depending on traffic. The coaches run direct, with no stops on the way, and have a toilet on board. At Suvarnabhumi, the RRC counter and bus stop are on Level 1, Gate 8.

• Tickets: book on the RRC booking site. According to the RRC FAQ, tickets usually sell out at least 1 hour before departure, and the confirmation on your phone is accepted. Tickets cannot be cancelled or refunded; if you are late, staff can move you to the next bus with free seats for 50 THB.
• Luggage: one bag up to 20 kg plus one handbag free; 21–30 kg costs 50 THB, 31–50 kg 100 THB.
• Children: under 2 free on a lap; from 2 years old a ticket is needed.
• Timing: be at the boarding point at least 15 minutes before departure (the FAQ asks for check-in 30 minutes before). The first coach leaves Jomtien at 06:00 and reaches the airport at about 08:00.

Pros: low price, direct trip, free 20 kg bag.

Cons: fixed times, no refunds, nothing early enough for early-morning flights, and you need to reach the bus station first; a Pattaya songthaew (baht bus) costs 15–20 THB per ride.

Shared transfer with hotel pickup (Bell Travel Service)

Bell Travel Service, RRC's sister service, sells a shared transfer from Pattaya hotels to Suvarnabhumi in a 23-seat coach. You choose your hotel when you book, and the form asks for your flight number and time.

• Pickup times: 06:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 and 19:00.
• Price: about 210 THB per person, plus an online service charge of 25 THB per person.

Book on the Bell Travel Service booking site. When we checked in September 2026, it showed no trips to Don Mueang. Check the travel time when you book, and leave a margin before your flight.

Pros: hotel pickup at a bus price; the 06:00 pickup is one of the earliest public options.

Cons: fixed times, and no trips to Don Mueang when we checked.

Transport Co. direct buses to Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang

Since March 2025, the government bus company Transport Co. (บขส., or "999") has run direct first-class, air-conditioned buses from Pattaya to both Bangkok airports. Its direct bus is the simple budget way to Don Mueang.

The bus boards on Sukhumvit Road, on the side of the road for traffic going towards Bangkok, between North and Central Pattaya; a June 2026 guide places the stop near Soi Sukhumvit Pattaya 45. The booking system calls it "Pattaya (Klang)".

The bus to Don Mueang takes about 2.5 hours and stops at the Service Hall building next to Terminal 1 (international), on the north side. At Suvarnabhumi it uses Level 1, Gate 8.

Buy tickets on the Transport Co. booking site, in the BKS E-Ticket app, at the pink BKS counters or through LINE @BKS99. Card, mobile banking or QR payment has no fee; 7-Eleven or Counter Service costs 15 THB. A booking must be paid within 30 minutes. The timetable has changed since the service began, so older articles show wrong times.

Pros: the simplest budget way to Don Mueang, and extra departures to Suvarnabhumi.

Cons: four to six departures a day, the last at 17:30 (Suvarnabhumi) or 17:00 (Don Mueang).

Train and Airport Rail Link to Suvarnabhumi

No train goes to the airport itself, but one daily train makes the lowest-cost trip. Ordinary train 284 leaves Pattaya at 14:21 and reaches Lat Krabang at 17:14, for 27 THB; it is third class, with fans and a toilet. Tickets are sold only at the station, up to about two hours before departure; there is no advance booking. At Lat Krabang, change to the Airport Rail Link: Suvarnabhumi is the next station. Airport Rail Link fares are 15–45 THB by distance, and this one-stop ride is at the low end. As of September 2026, travel guides report trains about every 9–13 minutes and payment by contactless bank card; check with the Airport Rail Link before you travel. The airport station is on the basement level (Floor B).

On Saturdays and Sundays, the weekend air-conditioned train leaves Pattaya at 16:26 and reaches Lat Krabang at 18:11. A rail guide says its train number may change after 30 September 2026, so look for it by departure time in the State Railway of Thailand timetable.

The train suits travellers with light bags and an evening flight.

Via Mo Chit 2 bus terminal to Don Mueang

If the direct bus times do not fit, take an RRC coach from the North Pattaya Road station to Bangkok's Mo Chit 2 (Northern) bus terminal: about 155 THB, at 05:00, 07:30, then every hour from 09:00 to 18:00. From Mo Chit 2, city bus A1 goes to Don Mueang for 30 THB, about every 15 minutes between 05:45 and 24:00, and stops at the Service Hall building and Terminal 1, Floor 1, Gate 6. We found no reliable total time for this trip, so leave a wide margin.

Grab and local taxis

GrabCar works in Pattaya; an April 2026 guide reports waits of about 10–20 minutes. Guides from 2026 report roughly 1,000–2,000 THB between Pattaya and Bangkok or Suvarnabhumi; the app shows the fare before you book. We found no reliable figure for Don Mueang. The same guide says on-demand rides can be paid in cash or by card; check the payment options in the app. A Grab advance booking is card-only, can be made from 90 days to 75 minutes before pickup, and is free to cancel only until 1 hour before pickup; the driver waits up to 15 minutes.

A January 2026 guide puts a taxi between Pattaya and Suvarnabhumi at about 1,500–2,000 THB, including 100–200 THB of tolls. With a local taxi, agree the price and whether tolls are included before you leave.

Flying from U-Tapao

U-Tapao (UTP) is 39.1 km from Pattaya. Airlines listed by the airport include AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Thai Lion Air and charter airlines. The Suvarnabhumi Burapha minibus picks up at Pattaya hotels daily at 09:30, 12:00 and 15:00; tell the staff at least 1 day before (LINE @SWBBUS). Outside those times, a Smile car costs 800 THB (sedan), 1,000 THB (SUV) or 1,500 THB (van).

Practical tips for this route

• Early flights need a car. The first public departures reach Suvarnabhumi at about 08:00, so for a flight before late morning, book a private car.
• Leave extra time at busy periods. Friday evenings and the end of long holiday weekends are the slowest times towards Bangkok. Airlines set their own check-in deadlines, so check yours and add a margin.
• Pick the bus stop by where you stay. Jomtien bus station is closer if you stay in Jomtien; the North Pattaya Road station and the Transport Co. stop are in the north and centre of Pattaya.
• Children: Thai law requires children under 6 to ride in a child seat in a car; buses and public vans are outside this rule. Ask for a Smile child seat when you book (+100 THB).
• Staying in Bangkok before your flight? A Smile car from Pattaya to a Bangkok address costs 1,500 THB (sedan), 1,700 THB (SUV) or 2,000 THB (van), with +100–200 THB for the Thonburi side, west of the Chao Phraya River. Book a sedan from Pattaya to Bangkok.

The return journey: from the airports to Pattaya

A Smile car from the airport to Pattaya costs the same as the trip out, except the van from U-Tapao:

Airport pickups include 60 minutes of free waiting, counted from the actual landing time; a member of the team checks your flight. At Suvarnabhumi the driver meets you on Level 4 (Departures), near Gate 4, where the car stops in the pickup lane. At Don Mueang the meeting point is on Level 3 (Departures), and the exact door comes with the driver's details, because the airport has two terminals. At U-Tapao the driver waits outside the arrivals exit. At Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, message the team on WhatsApp or LINE once you have your bags; the car arrives in about 5–10 minutes. A name sign at the arrivals gate costs +100 THB, and a free 500 MB Thailand eSIM is available; ask for either when you book.

• Book a sedan from Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya
• Book a sedan from Don Mueang to Pattaya
• Book a sedan from U-Tapao to Pattaya

In September 2026, U-Tapao airport reminded arriving foreign travellers to complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before they fly.

Public options in this direction:

• Transport Co.: Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya at 07:30, 11:30, 13:30 and 17:30 (about 135 THB); Don Mueang to Pattaya at 06:30, 07:30, 10:30, 12:00, 13:30 and 17:30 (about 165 THB).
• Bell shared transfer: Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya hotels at 08:30, 10:30, 12:30, 14:30, 16:30 and 18:00; check in at Level 1, Gate 8.
• RRC airport coach: from the RRC counter on Level 1, Gate 8 at Suvarnabhumi to Pattaya and Jomtien, about 2 hours; see the RRC booking site for times.
• Train: train 283 leaves Lat Krabang daily at 08:06 and reaches Pattaya at 10:34 (27 THB). On Saturdays and Sundays, the weekend air-conditioned train leaves Lat Krabang at 07:28 and reaches Pattaya at 09:13.
• U-Tapao minibus: to Big C South Pattaya at 12:30, 14:00 and 17:00, 150 THB per person.
• Public taxi at Suvarnabhumi: the counter is on Floor 1, between Gates 4 and 7; a 50 THB airport surcharge applies, and passengers pay the tolls.

For more detail, see our guide How to Get from Bangkok to Pattaya.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi? The airport coach: about 135 THB from North Pattaya (RRC) or Sukhumvit Road (Transport Co.), or about 158 THB from Jomtien. The daily train to Lat Krabang (27 THB) plus the Airport Rail Link costs less, but it is slow and there is only one train on weekdays.

What time is the first bus from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi? The RRC coach from Jomtien and the Bell hotel pickup both start at 06:00. From North Pattaya, RRC starts at 07:00 and Transport Co. at 08:00.

Is there a direct bus from Pattaya to Don Mueang? Yes. Transport Co. runs six buses a day between 07:00 and 17:00, for about 165 THB; the trip takes about 2.5 hours.

How much is a taxi from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi? A Smile Taxi Service car costs a fixed 1,200 THB (sedan), 1,500 THB (SUV) or 1,800 THB (van) per vehicle, tolls included, paid in cash to the driver. To Don Mueang it costs 1,500, 1,700 or 2,300 THB.

Can I use Grab from Pattaya to the airport? Yes, GrabCar works in Pattaya. Guides from 2026 report roughly 1,000–2,000 THB, and advance bookings must be paid by card.

Does the airport bus pick up from my hotel? The RRC and Transport Co. buses leave from fixed stops. Bell Travel Service's shared transfer picks up at Pattaya hotels 7 times a day, for about 210 THB plus a 25 THB online fee.

To book your car to Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang or U-Tapao, choose it on the booking page or message us on WhatsApp or LINE.