Ekkamai Bus Terminal, also known as Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal, is a bus station on Sukhumvit Road mainly serving buses and minivans running on intercity routes from Bangkok to various destinations in Eastern Thailand. Discover a detailed guide to Ekkamai Bus Terminal in Bangkok with bus routes, station facilities, and tips on how to get to Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal.
Ekkamai Bus Station Facilities
Ekkamai Bus Station, located at Soi Sukhumvit 63 on Sukhumvit Road, has several small shops and convenience stores selling foods, snacks, and magazines. Prices there are higher than normal, so going to the 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 luggage storage run by a private company.
Ekkamai Bus Terminal has a waiting area for passengers. There is a small television, which is turned on for most of the time. The area is surrounded by ticket counters.
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 the Songkran Festival in April, or for the less frequent route, booking tickets in advance is necessary to avoid waiting for a 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 bus companies offer their own online booking systems and let you book seats in advance. However, booking a ticket via an online travel agent is more convenient, as they offer more options for a trip and provide a much better online booking experience with different payment options and high safety solutions.
You can use this search form to book your Ekkamai bus terminal tickets online.
Popular Routes from Ekkamai Bus Terminal
The most popular routes with buses and minivans departing from Ekkamai Bus Terminal to various destinations in Eastern Thailand and some other nearby areas of the country:
Pattaya (the journey normally takes about 2 hours 30 minutes; bus schedules and tickets are available here: Ekkamai to Pattaya)
Hua Hin (it takes about 4 hours to get there; van schedules and tickets are available here: Ekkamai to Hua Hin)
Ban Phe Pier for Koh Samet (the journey takes about 3.5-4 hours; bus schedules and tickets are available here: Ekkamai to Ban Phe Pier)
Koh Chang (the journey to the pier takes about 5-6 hours; bus schedules and combined tickets all the way to your destination in Koh Chang are available here: Bus and Van to Koh Chang)
Trat for Koh Chang, Koh Maak, and Koh Kood (the journey takes about 5.5-6 hours; bus schedules and tickets are available here: Ekkamai to Trat)
Rayong (the journey takes about 3 hours; bus schedules and tickets are available here: Ekkamai to Rayong)
Bang Saen (the journey takes about 2 hours)
Sriracha for Koh Si Chang (the journey takes about 1.5-2 hours; bus schedules and tickets are available here: Bangkok to Sriracha)
Chanthaburi (the journey takes around 4 hours; bus schedules and tickets are available here: Bangkok to Chanthaburi)
Chonburi (it takes about 1.5 hours to get there)
Samut Songkhram for the Maeklong Railway Market (the journey takes about 2 hours)
Chachoengsao (it takes about 2 hours to get there by van)
Aranyaprathet for Cambodia (the journey takes about 5 hours)
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 the bus schedule and book tickets online by using this search form.
Hotels near Ekkamai Bus Terminal
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 within walking distance from the bus station.
Best hotels near Ekkamai Bus Terminal:
Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit
How to get to Ekkamai Bus Terminal?
While you can simply take a Bangkok taxi to Ekkamai, reaching the bus station by public transport is also very easy. To get there, you can choose from the SkyTrain and a number of public bus routes.
BTS SkyTrain to Ekkamai
The easiest way to get to Ekkamai Bus Station is to take the BTS Green Line to Ekkamai BTS Station (Exit 2) and walk about 50 meters to reach it.
Public Bus to Ekkamai
There are many routes of Bangkok buses running on Sukhumvit Road and passing Ekkamai:
- Bus No. 2 or 511 from Sanam Luang, Khao San Road, or Pratunam.
- Bus No. 48 from Siam Square and MBK.
For more options, check Bangkok bus routes.
Other Bangkok Bus Terminals
There are 3 main bus terminals in Bangkok, and you need to choose one depending on your desired destination. The other two bus terminals in Bangkok are Mochit Bus Terminal, mainly serving bus routes to Northern and Northeastern Thailand, and Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal, serving buses running to Southern Thailand destinations.