Bangkok's main bus stations and how to buy tickets

If we talk about transportation, Thailand is a country of buses. You can take them to almost anywhere in Thailand. This is especially true for those destinations where there are no trains or planes.

But even where you can fly to, the bus is often a comfortable and budget alternative to a plane. Bangkok's bus stations play an important role in Thailand's transportation system.

Bangkok's main bus terminals

Bangkok serves as Thailand's transportation hub. Just as in Russia all roads lead to Moscow, in Thailand all roads lead to Bangkok. If you are traveling from north to south or east to north, you are bound to either pass through Bangkok or make a connection there.

Conventionally, Thailand can be divided into three parts:

• north;
• Eastern;
• south.

Bangkok's bus stations are divided according to this principle. Despite the fact that from each station you can go to different sides of the country, their geographical location in the city is determined by the main destinations served:

• Mo Chit bus station sends and receives northern, northeastern, and some southern flights;
• Ekamay bus station serves passenger traffic going in the eastern direction;
• The Sai Tai Mai bus station is geared to southern destinations.

North bus station - Mo Chit

Most of Thailand goes inland, north of Bangkok. For this reason, northern Mo Chit is the largest bus station not only in the capital but also in the whole country. Its area is enormous.

For tourists from countries where long-distance travel tends to use rail and bus stations are geared to serve suburban destinations, such large bus hubs are unusual.

Table 1. Directions of flights from the Mo Chit bus station.

Mo Cheat is located on Kampaengphet 2 Rd.

• The subway to Chatuchak Park station;
• by Skytrain to Mo Chit station.

After leaving the subway, you need to take a bus number 138, which will take you directly to the bus station. Alternatively, you can take a cab.

It's not a long drive - about 10 minutes. Don't be tempted to walk, even if you're light: it's uncomfortable and long on foot.

Eastern bus station - Ekamay

Yekkamai, but many put it more simply - Yekkamai is a major bus station from which you can reach the eastern and southeastern parts of the country, including major tourist centers such as Pattaya, Rayong, Chang Island and on to the Cambodian border.

Table 2. Directions of flights from the bus station Ekamay.

The bus station is located on Sukhumvit Rd.

• The Ekkamai surface metro station is located 100 meters from the bus station.
• In terms of transport accessibility, Ekamai is the leader among all the metropolitan Thai bus stations.

South Bus Station - Sai Tai Mai

The main bus station serving the southern route is in the west of Bangkok. This is no coincidence: Highway 4 to the southern provinces leaves the capital heading west to circle the Gulf of Thailand and head south.

Alternatively, there are municipal bus routes connecting Bangkok's southern bus terminal with the central part of the city:

• From Bangkok railway station - № 159, 507;
• From Mo Chit - No. 159;
• From Suvarnabhumi Airport - take an airport shuttle to Phaya Thai, then take a light metro to the terminal station + cab, or to the Victory Monument, where you can take bus #28 or #158.

Table 3: Directions for flights from the Sai Tai Mai bus station.

Bangkok South Bus Station is located on Boromratchchonnani Rd. on the left bank of the Chao Phraya

• There are no subway stations near the southern bus station.
• The closest surface metro station, Bang Wa, is located about 10 km. south of the bus station. But it is closer than, for example, any station in the center or in the east of the city.
• You can get from the subway by cab.

Additional bus stations

In addition to the main official ones, there are at least 3 spontaneous bus stations in Bangkok:

• Don Muang Airport;
• at Suvarnabhumi Airport;
• near the Victory Monument.

There are always big buses and minibuses in these places, which can take you to popular tourist destinations: Pattaya, Hua Hin resort, Chang Island and some others.

How to buy bus tickets

Thailand's transportation system is highly integrated. Tickets for intercity bus routes are not purchased only at bus station ticket offices.

This can be done at the airport, at the ticket office of the train station.

For complex routes, the cashier will offer several travel options (e.g. train + bus, bus and ferry, etc.). In this case, tickets for different modes of transport can be purchased in one window.

Bangkok bus stations have no inscriptions in Russian, but the Thai boards are duplicated in English. Everything is clear enough. The staff speaks English.

Pay attention to the word "government" on the ticket booths - it means that the operator of transportation is a state-owned company. Travel on such buses is slightly cheaper. They do not have any other advantages. The tickets traditionally indicate the price, departure time and a fixed seat on the bus.