Ekkamai Bus Station: Eastern Bus Terminal in Bangkok

Ekkamai Bus Station, also known as Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal, is a bus station, located on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok. Ekkamai Bus Terminal is serviced by buses and minivans running to destinations in Eastern Thailand such as Pattaya, Koh Chang, Koh Samet, Sriracha, Rayong, Chonburi, Trat, Chanthaburi, as well as Hua Hin.

Ekkamai Bus Station Facilities

Ekkamai Bus Station, located at Soi Sukhumvit 63 on Sukhumvit Road, has several small shops and convenience stores selling a variety of foods, snacks and magazines. Prices there are higher than normal so going to 7-Eleven convenience store just outside the bus terminal for food, snacks and beverages is a better idea.

Inside the terminal they also have paid public toilets (restrooms).

At the back of the station you can find a luggage storage run by private company. The left luggage office is open from 06:00 to 18:00.

Ekkamai Bus Terminal has a waiting area for passengers. The area is surrounded by ticket counters. There is a small television, which is turned on for most of the time.

Ekkamai Bus Terminal Tickets

Buses on the most popular routes leave every hour or two, usually all-day long, so booking Ekkamai Bus Terminal tickets in advance is not mandatory, unless you are interested in the specific bus departure time.

However, during holiday periods such as New Year and Songkran Festival in April or for the less frequent route, booking tickets in advance is necessary to avoid waiting for few hours with the crowd at the bus terminal for the next bus to depart.

If you are staying in the city, you can go to Ekkamai bus station a day or two before your trip and buy your ticket there. Actually, quite often you can just buy a ticket at the bus station 30 minutes before departure time. All Ekkamai bus terminal tickets are sold on a fare basis so there are normally no discounts, but if you buy a 2-way journey ticket, some companies might offer you a little discount for a return trip. 

Some of bus companies offer their own online-booking systems and let you book seats in advance. However, booking a ticket via online travel agent is more convenient as they offer more options for a trip and provide much better online booking experience with different payment options, high safety solutions. 

You can use this search form to book your Ekkamai bus terminal tickets online.

Buses and Minivans at Eastern Bus Terminal

Ekkamai Bus Terminal is not big. At the entrance of the terminal, you will find rows of ticket counters of both governmental bus company and many private bus companies. There are also minivans that travel directly from the bus station to the Eastern Thailand. You will often find both buses and minivans going to the same destination, so make sure that you choose the right type of transportation for your trip.

The route, schedule and ticket prices are normally presented on the ticket counter windows so you can easily check and compare conditions between different operators.

There are 2 bus types provided at Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal: 1st Class Air-Conditioned Buses offering direct service and 2nd Class Air-Conditioned Buses that generally have frequent stops to pick up passengers on the way so the journey on such a bus might take a bit longer.

Bus 999

Transport Company, known as Bus 999, also called “Bor.Kor.Sor.” in Thai, is operated by the government. Bus 999 operates on many domestic routes from Ekkamai Bus Station to destinations such as Chanthaburi, Trat, Koh Chang and others, as well as on international routes to the popular destinations such as Vientiane and Pak Se in Laos or Siem Reap and Phnom Penh in Cambodia.

Popular Routes from Ekkamai Bus Terminal

The most popular routes with bus and minivans departing from Ekkamai Bus Terminal to various destinations in Eastern Thailand and some other nearby areas of the country are listed below.

Ekkamai Bus Station to Pattaya

Buses from Ekkamai Bus Station to Pattaya are provided by Roong Reuang Coach. The bus company brings passengers to its own bus terminal on North Pattaya road in Pattaya.

Ekkamai Bus Station to Pattaya timetable

Buses of this company depart from Ekkamai Bus Station to Pattaya 14 times a day, from 06:00 to 21:00.

Current Ekkamai to Pattaya bus timetable:

• 06:00
• 09:00
• 10:00
• 11:00
• 12:00
• 13:00
• 14:00
• 15:00
• 16:00
• 17:00
• 18:00
• 19:00
• 20:00
• 21:00

The journey on this Ekkamai to Pattaya bus normally takes about 2 hours 30 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.

Ekkamai Bus Station to Pattaya tickets

Tickets for the bus from Ekkamai Bus Station to Pattaya can be booked online here: Ekkamai to Pattaya Bus Tickets

Minivans from Ekkamai to Pattaya

There are also minivans covering the route from Ekkamai Bus Station to Pattaya, with more frequent departures than buses. Minivans to Pattaya leave roughly every 15-30 minutes from 04:30 to 21:00 and their tickets cost more than bus. However, in Pattaya minivans terminate at Bali Hai Pier or Jomtien Beach that are in much more convenient location for travelers.

While minivan tickets can be bought at the station on the day of traveling, tickets for some of minivans running from Ekkamai Bus Terminal to Pattaya can also be booked online here: Ekkamai to Pattaya Minivan Tickets

Ekkamai Bus Station to Hua Hin

While buses to Hua Hin depart only from the Southern Bus Terminal, there are several minivans a day departing from Ekkamai Bus Station to Hua Hin.

Ekkamai to Hua Hin Schedule

Mini bus from Ekkamai to Hua Hin departures are scheduled from 05:00 to 19:00 at the following times:

• 05:00
• 07:00
• 11:00
• 13:00
• 15:00
• 17:00
• 19:00

It takes about 4 hours to get to Hua Hin from Ekkamai. The minivans on this route also make stops in Phetchaburi and Cha-Am.

Ekkamai to Hua Hin Tickets

Tickets for minivans running from Ekkamai Bus Terminal to Hua Hin can be booked online here: Ekkamai to Hua Hin Minivan Tickets

Ekkamai Bus Station to Koh Chang

For getting from Ekkamai Bus Station to Koh Chang, you can take a bus directly to the pier, where you can board a ferry to Koh Chang, or take a more frequent bus to Trat City and then take a local transportation to the pier.

Bus 999 Bangkok - Koh Chang

The governmental Bus 999 Bangkok - Koh Chang goes from Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal directly to CenterPoint ferry pier in Laem Ngop for taking a ferry to Koh Chang.

Bus 999 Bangkok - Koh Chang timetable

Bus from Ekkamai Bus Station to Koh Chang pier departs every morning at 07:45.

The bus makes a stop for 20 mins long food and toilet break at about half way. The journey takes about 5-6 hours, depending on traffic.

Bus 999 returns to Ekkamai from Laem Ngop at 14:30.

Bus 999 Bangkok - Koh Chang tickets

Bus 999 tickets can be bought at the company's ticket office found at Ekkamai Bus Terminal.

The current fare of Bangkok - Koh Chang bus ticket is 292 THB per person.

Ekkamai Bus Station to Trat

Ever if Trat City might not be your final destination, you can take a bus from Ekkamai Bus Station to Trat Bus Terminal and transfer there if you are heading to Koh Chang, Koh Maak, Koh Kood or the Cambodian border crossing at Had Lek.

Bus Bangkok to Trat

If you miss the 999-government bus, there are buses of other companies departing from Ekkamai in Bangkok to Trat Bus Terminal roughly every hour throughout a day.

The journey by bus from Bangkok to Trat can take about 5.5-6 hours. Most of buses also make a stop in Chanthaburi on the way. From Trat Bus Terminal you can take a songthaew or motorbike taxi to the pier.

Tickets for the bus from Ekkamai Bus Station to Trat can be booked online here: Ekkamai to Trat Bus Tickets

Bus Trat to Bangkok

Buses from Trat to Bangkok Ekkamai Bus Station depart almost every hour from 04:30 to 18:30. For Trat - Bangkok bus departure schedule and tickets check here: Bus Trat to Bangkok

Ekkamai Bus Station to Koh Samet

Koh Samet is an island in Rayong province. Therefore, when taking a bus from Ekkamai Bus Station to Koh Samet, you need to travel to the pier on the mainland and take a ferry to Koh Samet from there. The pier used by ferries departing to Koh Samui is called Ban Phe Pier, so you should look for this name at the bus station in Bangkok.

Ekkamai to Ban Phe bus

Buses from Ekkamai to Ban Phe depart approximately every half hour in the morning and every two hours later in the day with departures scheduled from 07:00 to 16:00. The journey from Bangkok to Ban Phe by bus takes about 3.5-4 hours, depending on the traffic.

Tickets for the bus from Ekkamai Bus Station to Ban Phe can be booked online here: Ekkamai to Ban Phe Pier Bus Tickets

Ekkamai Bus Station to Rayong

Buses from Ekkamai to Rayong depart approximately every half hour to one hours with departures scheduled from 06:00 to 20:30. The journey from Bangkok to Rayong by bus takes about 3 hours.

Tickets for the bus from Ekkamai Bus Station to Rayong can be booked online here: Ekkamai to Rayong Bus Tickets

Bangkok to Bang Saen

There are buses and minivans departing from Ekkamai Bus Terminal to Bang Saen every hour from 05:00 to 20:00. The journey from Bangkok to Bang Saen takes about 2 hours.

Bangkok to Sriracha

There are buses and minivans departing every hour from Ekkamai Bus Station to Sriracha from 05:00 to 21:00. The journey from Bangkok to Sriracha by bus or minivan takes about 1.5-2 hours.

Tickets for the bus or minivan from Ekkamai Bus Station to Sriracha can be booked online here: Bangkok to Sriracha Bus Tickets

Bangkok to Koh Si Chang

When traveling from Bangkok to Koh Si Chang island, after reaching Sriracha by bus, take a tuk tuk (50-60 THB) or motorcycle taxi (20-30 THB) to Koh Loi Pier to catch a ferry to Koh Si Chang.

Bangkok to Chanthaburi

Buses and minivans depart from Eastern Bus Terminal in Bangkok to Chanthaburi with several departures scheduled from 09:30 to 18:30. The journey from Bangkok to Chanthaburi by bus takes around 4 hours.

For Bangkok - Chanthaburi bus departure schedule and tickets check here: Bangkok to Chanthaburi Bus Tickets

Most of the buses going to Trat also stop at Chanthaburi.

Bangkok to Chonburi

Buses and minivans depart from Ekkamai Bus Station in Bangkok to Chonburi every 30-40 mins from 05:30 to 21:00. The journey from Bangkok to Chonburi takes about 1.5 hour.

Bangkok to Samut Songkhram

There are minivans departing Ekkamai Bus Station to Samut Songkhram every 40 minutes from 06:00 to 20:00. The journey from Bangkok to Samut Songkhram, which is famous for its Maeklong Railway Market, takes about 2 hours.

The minivans also make a stop at Maha Chai in Samut Sakhon. Maha Chai Market is one of the largest seafood markets in Thailand. At Samut Songkhram you can transfer to Amphawa Floating Market.

Bangkok to Chachoengsao

There are minivans departing from Ekkamai to Chachoengsao every hour from 05:00 to 20:00. It normally takes about 2 hours to get from Bangkok to Chachoengsao by minivan.

Bangkok to Aranyaprathet (Thai-Cambodia Border)

Buses from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet also depart from Ekkamai Bus Terminal. Buses depart roughly every couple of hours between 06:30 and 16:30. The journey takes about 5 hours but delays are not uncommon.

Most of the buses stop at Aranyaprathet bus station before continuing to Thai-Cambodia border crossing at Rong Khlua Market.

There are also minivans departing every hour from 05:00 to 17:00.

Tickets

If you have a specific time of departure in your mind, booking a ticket in advance is recommended as buses for the most popular routes quite often fill up, especially during holidays. You can check bus schedule and book tickets online on 12go.asia.

Hotels near Ekkamai Bus Station

If you are planning to take an early bus from Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal, staying overnight in a hotel near Ekkamai Bus Station would be a good choice as it will save you lots of time in the morning. There are plenty of places to stay in a walkable distance from the bus station. 

Best hotels near Ekkamai Bus Station:

Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit

Somerset Ekamai Bangkok

Bourbon St. Boutique Hotel

Civic Horizon Hotel & Residence

Our recommendations for choosing the right area to stay in Bangkok can be found here: Where to Stay in Bangkok.

How to get to Ekkamai Bus Station

BTS SkyTrain

The easiest way for getting to Ekkamai Bus Station is taking BTS SkyTrain to Ekkamai BTS Station (Exit 2) and walking about 50 metres to reach it.

Public Bus

There are many Bangkok bus routes running on Sukhumvit Road and passing Ekkamai. You can use bus No. 2, 23, 25, 38, 40, 48, 71, 72, 149, 154, 501, 508, 511 or 513.

• From Sanam Luang, Khaosan Road, Democracy Monument, take a bus No. 2 or 511
• From Siam Square and MBK, take a bus No. 25 or 48
• From Hua Lamphong Train Station, take a bus No. 25, 40 or 501
• From Pratunam, take a bus No. 2

From Suvarnabhumi Airport to Ekkamai

If you are planning to take a bus or van from Ekkamai Bus Terminal right after arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport, you can use one of the following ways for getting from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Ekkamai.

Airport Rail Link & BTS SkyTrain

The best way for getting to Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal is taking Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Phaya Thai station (~30 mins) and then taking BTS SkyTrain from Phaya Thai station to Ekkamai Station (~16 mins).

Airport Rail Link & MRT & BTS SkyTrain

1. Take Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Makkasan station (~22 mins).

2. Change to MRT at Phetchaburi Station (check how to transfer between ARL Makkasan - MRT Phetchaburi) and take MRT Metro to Sukhumvit Station (~2 mins).

3. Then, change from MRT to BTS and take BTS SkyTrain from Asok Station to Ekkamai Station (~5 mins).

This way would be more direct but we wouldn’t recommend it if you have a big luggage because you need to transfer few times and situation at these centrally located stations can be chaotic during the peak time of the day.

Public Van & BTS

From Suvarnabhumi Airport Arrivals you can get to the 1^st floor and wait for a public van at the gates 1 and 8. Public van No. 552 Suvarnabhumi Airport - On Nut (~45 mins) will bring you to BTS On Nut Station. Then you need to take BTS SkyTrain to Ekkamai Station (~4 mins).

In case the van is full of passengers, there will be no pick up on the 1^st Floor of Arrivals. That’s why this option is not recommended even if it’s the cheapest way for getting to Ekkamai from the airport. It can be the most time consuming option as you might need to take free shuttle bus to the public transportation center of Suvarnabhumi first and then take the public van No. 552 from there.

Taxi

Bangkok Taxi can be the fastest option but also it’s the most expensive one. The taxi from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Ekkamai should cost about 350-450 THB. Always remember to ask the driver to turn the meter on.

Other Bangkok Bus Terminals

There are 3 bus terminals in Bangkok and you need to choose one depending on your desired destination. Other two Bangkok’s Bus Terminals are:

Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit)

Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) is the largest bus station in Bangkok.

Buses and minivans from Mo Chit Bus Station depart to the destinations in Northern Thailand (Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Chiang Rai), Northeast Thailand and few other central and eastern destinations such as Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Chonburi (including Pattaya), Trat (including Koh Chang), etc. 

Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai)

Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) is actually located in the western part of the city.

Buses and minivans from Sai Tai Mai Bus Station depart to the destinations in Southern Thailand (Phuket, Krabi, Hua Hin, Surat Thani) and Central Thailand (Kanchanaburi, Samut Songkhram).