Getting from Bangkok to Hua Hin — Cheapest, Quickest and Easiest
-- Last Updated on March 21, 2023 by JonesyThe availability of Transport options to Hua Hin from Bangkok and frequency is very good and affordable. Bangkok is about 200 KM (125 miles) from Hua Hin.
Flights
At the moment there are no flights available from Bangkok or Chiang Mai to Hua Hin. Other destinations outside of Thailand operate; however, Hua Hin’s airport and scheduled flights (including BKK) have not always been stable and continued long-term operation.
You’ll need to check with flight booking sites before you need to go Hua Hin to see any new changes if a flight is required.
Trains to Hua Hin
Trains are a great way to travel to Hua Hin and many other places in Thailand, and they’re much safer than other modes of transport. Trains run daily from Bangkok and from the south of Thailand. This is the State Railways southern line.
The Bangkok to Hua train takes about 3.5 – 4 hours to travel the distance and costs around 400 THB for a 2nd class single ticket, and 3rd class tickets can be picked up for 54 THB from the station.
The Hua Hin from Bangkok train continues to Surat Thani and vice versa. Surat Thani is the main land stop-off for boats to the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Tao.
I have taken a train to Hua Hin on a number of occasions and it’s a very easy pleasurable journey. Hua Hin train station is conveniently located in the centre.
These services now leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok rather than the old Hua Lamphong Station.
| Train No | Depart | Arrive | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | 08.10 | 12:05 | Special Express |
| 261* | 09:20 | 14:15 | Ordinary |
| 171 | 13.10 | 17:29 | Rapid |
| 31 | 14:50 | 18.57 | Special Express |
| 37/45 | 15:35 | 19.56 | Special Express |
| 169 | 16.10 | 20:23 | Rapid |
| 83 | 17:30 | 21:42 | Express |
| 167 | 18:50 | 23:29 | Rapid |
| 85 | 20.10 | 00:42 | Express |
| 39/41 | 22:20 | 02:14 | Special Express |
— Book at Station: You may book a ticket at the train station and it will cost less. However, it may cost you in travel costs, and it takes up more of your precious time.
— Book Online (form below): Booking online enables you to receive a ticket via email which can be printed or shown on your mobile phone when required for ticket checking.
— See Bangkok To Hua Hin Train Guide and Times »
Buses – Coaches to Hua Hin
There are a number of options for getting a bus to Hua Hin from Bangkok and other southern Thailand destinations daily. You may need to book tickets in advance during busier Thai holiday times and high tourist season to avoid disappointment.
Here are the various bus options available, where they depart from and booking options.
A company named Sombat Tour operates two daily services from Bangkok to Hua Hin bus station. These have moved their pick-up spot from the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai), which was not near any MRT or BTS station and inconvenient for many people.
Sombat Tour operates two services daily:
- Departs 8.20am – arrives 12.20pm
- Departs 14.20pm – arrives 18.20pm
To get there you can get the BTS to MoChit station and then get a taxi for the 2.5km or the MRT to Chatchuchak Park MRT station which is also approximately 2.5km from the pick-up point.
— Costs approx – 400 THB per person
The Suvarnabhumi bus may be the best option for many as there are more buses available daily and the location is easy to get to via the Airport Rail Link. The Airport Rail Link links to MRT (Underground) and BTS (Skytrain) stations.
The company Roong Reung runs nine buses daily from 7.30am – 18.00pm and it takes about 4 hours to arrive at Hua Hin bus station.
These are what are known as VIP buses. It’s a good service I have used and many others without complaint.
— Costs approx – 425 THB per person
Minivans to Hua Hin
Minivans are one of the most common forms of transport to Hua Hin. It’s cheap and there are various places minivans depart from, including the convenience of being collected from your hotel (some services).
The downside of taking a minivan is they are not the safest option and may not be comfortable if they have many passengers, and we farang (foreigners) tend to be a bit larger than the average Thai person.
Minivans depart from Ekkamai and Mor Chit bus stations, Makkasan, and Khaosan Rd daily and cost around 220 – 400 THB per person. Most hotels will also be able to arrange a pick up for you from the hotel, which may cost a few baht extra.
The journey takes around 4 hours to Hua Hin, although traffic conditions may affect this.
You can just arrive at any of the minivan hub destinations without booking, book with a travel agent shop or book a ticket and seat online. Booking might be wise to prevent missing a minivan departure because its capacity is full.
— Costs approx – 220 – 400 THB per person
Taxis to Hua Hin
A taxi from Bangkok will cost approximately 2200 – 2600 THB. You can book online or with the ride hailing app Grab Taxi, or through your hotel.
Taxis will take anything from 3.5 hours or more, depending on road conditions to get you there and offer more comfort than buses or minivans. I have used taxis to Pattaya, Nakhon Nayok and Hua Hin and it has always been the quickest and most comfortable.
There are various car types options which includes hiring a minvan driver that caters for nine people, an SUV or even a Mercedes S Class if you require luxury.
Taxis can pick you up and drop you anywhere which is a great advantage over any other transport options to Hua Hin.
What’s The Best Option?
To save time and any changing over of transport options, and if money (2200 THB approx) is not an issue then a taxi is the best option.
If safety and comfort is No 1 then take the train. This is about the best all-round option and does not cost much more than buses and minivans.
The cheapest option is getting a minivan and they’re easy to take without booking in advance or they are easy enough to book online. There are various places to get a minivan, including hotel pick-ups. It’s the least safest option, though!
The other cheap option if the station or airport is convenient for you is taking the bus. This is the least convenient option for many people because of getting to the bus station or airport.
I’m Jonesy. The one responsible for whole lot of things including having this Thailand site up and running. I first arrived in Thailand in 2008 and being a web developer it made sense to create a website and write some stuff about my second home. Enjoy your travels!
