Getting Around Pattaya in 2026: Songthaew (Baht Bus) Fares, Grab and Private Cars

Pattaya's songthaew, the shared pick-up trucks that English-speaking visitors usually call the baht bus, run fixed loops along the main roads for 15 to 20 THB a ride, a fare that took effect on 10 April 2026. For places off those routes, Grab and Bolt show the price before you book, with short trips roughly in the 60 to 150 THB range. If you are travelling as a family, or plan to visit three or four places in one day, hiring a car by the hour removes the changes between rides. This guide covers getting around Pattaya once you have arrived; airport transfers are covered in our guide to getting from Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang to Pattaya.

Getting around Pattaya: fares at a glance

The figures below are a guide based on information we could confirm between June and September 2026. They change with the time of day, the weather and negotiation.

On your own, the songthaew and the apps are enough. The larger your group, the more a single shared car starts to make sense.

Pattaya songthaew fares: the April 2026 revision

From 10 April 2026, the songthaew fare in Pattaya went up from 10 THB to 15 to 20 THB. According to the announcement by the cooperative that operates the service, as reported in the Thai press, it was the first revision in more than 30 years and was put down to rising fuel and operating costs.

• Rides of 1 to 10 km are reported to cost 15 THB, with a maximum of 20 THB for riding to the end of a long route
• Many articles written for residents describe trips along Beach Road or Second Road as 15 THB, and longer trips such as Jomtien to North Pattaya as 20 THB
• Some sources say there is no clear official table of where 15 THB ends and 20 THB begins

The main baht bus routes

These are the routes as they are generally known. They can change.

The central loop runs south along Beach Road and back north along Second Road. Some reports say the route towards Jomtien changed after the direction of traffic on the roads was altered.

How to ride a songthaew, and why asking the fare can change the price

1. Stand at the roadside on the route and raise your hand as a songthaew approaches. Get in without saying where you are going
2. Climb into the back and take a seat
3. Shortly before the point where you want to get off, press the buzzer on the ceiling or the side wall
4. Get off, then hand the fare to the driver through the front window

Late at night and early in the morning there are few passengers, and the price is reported to drift towards a private-hire one in practice. Songthaews inside the North Pattaya bus terminal are reported to charge a flat rate of around 50 THB per person (a 2018 article, with complaints still appearing in 2025); walking out to the road in front and waiting for a route songthaew is one alternative.

Grab in Pattaya, and Bolt: how to use them and what they cost

Grab and Bolt show the fare before you ride, so there is no negotiating.

1. Install the app before you travel and register your phone number (verified by SMS)
2. Enter your pickup point and destination, then choose a vehicle type (motorbike, economy, a larger car and so on)
3. Check the fare and book. The number plate, model and colour of the car appear on screen
4. Check the plate before you get in. Grab can be paid with a registered card; Bolt is mostly cash

• On rainy days, late at night and early in the morning fares go up, and are reported to come close to doubling at times
• If no driver accepts a lower-priced vehicle class, switching to the next class up can get you a car sooner
• If you move away from the pickup point you may miss the driver. Wait somewhere easy to find

Motorbike taxis and metered taxis

Motorbike taxi drivers in matching vests wait at street corners and at the entrances to sois (side streets). There is often no fare list, so agree the destination and the price before you get on. The motorbike option in Grab or Bolt shows the fare in the app.

• Pillion passengers are required to wear a helmet, and the fine for not doing so is reported as up to 2,000 THB
• Large luggage will not fit. On rainy days and at night, a car is the safer choice

Metered taxis are few on Pattaya's streets, and agreeing a price beforehand is the usual practice. Check before you get in whether the driver will use the meter.

Hiring a private car: what to tell the company

A private car (charter) is hired by the hour. The price depends on the vehicle, the hours and the destinations; whether fuel and waiting time are included varies by company. It beats changing between rides in situations like these:

• Days out with small children or older family members
• Visiting three or four places some distance apart in a single day, such as the Sanctuary of Truth, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden and Khao Chi Chan
• Getting back from dinner at night, or rainy-season afternoons when squalls make ride-hailing hard to get

For a quote, give the date and start time, the places you want to visit, the number of people, the ages of any children and how much luggage you have. Under Thai law, children under 6 (or under 135 cm tall) are required to use a child seat.

Through our tour and restaurant transfer service, SIAM BAY PATTAYA arranges a private car with the vehicle and the order of stops planned around your group; airport runs are handled by our airport transfer service.

Frequently asked questions

What time do the songthaews run until?

Frequent during the day, fewer late at night and early in the morning. Some guides say the main routes run mainly from about 6 am to 8 pm; others say they run in the centre until around midnight. The sources differ, and at night the price tends towards a private-hire one.

Can I take a suitcase on a songthaew?

At quiet times, one suitcase is often said to be fine. With two or more large bags, or at busy times, a larger vehicle class in the apps or a booked transfer is the safer choice.

Should I install Grab or Bolt?

Both. Which one is cheaper changes with the time of day, and if you cannot find a driver on one you can try the other.

What is the easiest option with children?

A car from the apps, or a private car. The back of a songthaew is bumpy, and motorbike taxis are not suited to children. If you need a child seat, say so when you book.

Last checked

Information checked by our Pattaya team on 2026-09-28. The fare revision was confirmed through Thai press reports of the cooperative's announcement, as the official city and land transport pages could not be retrieved at the time. Fares change; confirm the current rates locally.