Start with the train time, then add a cushion
A train will not wait for traffic. So the first thing we ask is the departure time on your ticket, and the second is how much luggage you have. From there we work backwards: allow roughly two and a half hours from Pattaya to Bang Sue in the north of Bangkok, add a cushion for an accident on the motorway or a heavy rush hour, then add time inside the station. Krung Thep Aphiwat is a very large building, and finding your platform with backpacks and a suitcase takes longer than people expect. Travelling around a public holiday, when much of Bangkok heads upcountry? Make the cushion bigger still.
That cushion feels like a waste right up until the day you need it. Arriving early means a coffee and a calm wait. Arriving late means a new ticket. With a group, it also means nobody is jogging across a concourse dragging two suitcases and a child.
Why it is Bang Sue now, not Hua Lamphong
Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal is Bangkok's main intercity rail hub. It took over most long-distance services from the old Hua Lamphong station, including the trains heading north towards Chiang Mai and northeast into Isaan, and the SRT Red Line commuter trains run from here too. Older guides, and some hotel staff, may still send you to Hua Lamphong, so check the station printed on your ticket before you book the car.
- Check which station your ticket names, and ask us in chat if you are unsure
- Tell us the departure time, not just the date
- On an overnight sleeper, pack snacks and water for the drive and the train
- Keep your phone on so the driver can reach you at pick-up
Room for rucksacks, suitcases and the whole group
A Van Pattaya to Krung Thep Aphiwat booking can be a sedan for a couple with two cases, an Innova or Fortuner for a small family, or the Toyota Commuter van for groups of up to nine with eight bags. For a solo traveller with one rucksack, the sedan is the obvious choice. Whatever the car, the price is for the whole vehicle with tolls and fuel included, and it is fixed in chat before the trip, so you know the cost before you leave Pattaya. Send us your pickup address, the number of people and your train time, and we confirm the van Pattaya to Krung Thep Aphiwat fare. There is no deposit; you pay the driver in cash when you reach the station.
Coming back to Bangkok by train later in your trip? Tell us the train and the date, and we can price a pick-up at Krung Thep Aphiwat for the ride back to Pattaya. Trains do sometimes run late, so keep your phone on and message the driver once you know your real arrival time.