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Cha-Am: general information
How to go to Cha-Am
Assuming you're travelling from Bangkok, you can go to Cha-Am by train, by bus, by mini-bus or by car. We will go over these options in details, so that you can choose the one you like best.
Quick links on this page:
Information about trains
Information about minibuses
Information about buses
Driving from Bangkok to Cha-Am and back (with pictures of roadsigns)
By train
Trains leave from Hualamphong station in Bangkok ten times daily between 8:05 am and 10:50 pm. Whereas most trains stop to Hua Hin, only two trains (9:20 and 15:35 - please check official schedule for confirmation) stop at Cha-Am (respectively at 12:39 and 19:43). But if you want to go by train at a more convenient time, you can always get off at Hua Hin and go back to Cha-Am by bus.
Arriving in Cha-Am
When you arrive in Cha-Am, you will find moto-taxis who can take you to your hotel or to the beachfront. It's quite a long walk to the beach (2 kilometers), but if you're up to it, walk straight in the direction of the sign that says "Welcome to Cha-Am". You will pass the police station and post office on your left, then you will arrive at the main intersection of Cha-Am. Cross the road at the traffic lights and keep on walking straight to the beach.
For more information on means of transportation available in Cha-Am, see our page: Getting around
From Cha-Am to Bangkok
The train to Bangkok, according to the official schedule, stops at Cha-Am at 14:28 and arrives in Bangkok at 18.45. Most likely, the train will stop at Cha-Am at about 3pm, and you will arrive in Bangkok at 7.30pm! So it's quite a long journey: 4.5 hours, while it takes only a bit more than 2 hours by road. This is because the train stops often, and takes a longer road northwards (through Ratchaburi and Nakhon Pathom). You can't beat the price though, as it is only 40 baht (3rd class).
You can also catch a train in the middle of the night, at 03:23, and arrive in Bangkok at 8:05. Please check the official schedule for confirmation, and don't forget that the trains in Thailand are often late.
Cha-Am train station. |
BAN CHA-AM is the exact name of the station. |
Train #262 from Cha-Am to Bangkok. |
In the train (class 3). |
Pros and cons
Pros: the train is safe, cheap, and you can enjoy the scenery. The station in Bangkok can be reached easily.
Cons: only two trains a day stop in Cha-Am, the trains are not always on time and it's not the fastest way to travel.
By bus
Buses leave from the new Sai Tai (Southern Terminal) station, in Talling Chan, outside of Bangkok. So first you have to go to the bus station, either by taxi, or by bus if you are on a budget. If you live or stay in downtown Bangkok (that is to say the old town, Banglamphu, Khao San Road or Chinatown), then the station can be reached rather quickly, but if you are on Silom or Sukhumvit, depending on the time of the day you can lose quite some time in the traffic.
The new bus station is very nice and offers a whole range of restaurants, shops and facilities (much more, actually, than the disastrous new airport). The buses themselves are quite comfortable (air-conditioned), but the normal buses hardly ever leave on time, as they leave only when they are full or almost full, so you can easily lose an hour waiting at the station. If you want to make sure the bus leaves on time, you have to book a seat in a VIP bus.
Reservations can be made in advance at the station or through a travel agency, but it is usually not necessary. In theory, the buses depart every 30 minutes, from 4:00 am to 10:20 pm.
The new Southern Bus Station opened at the end of year 2007, so if you want to locate it on a map, please be aware that some maps still show the old location (which is a few kilometers away, closer from Bangkok).
Click here to locate the new Southern Bus Station with Google Maps
In Cha-Am there are two bus stations, the first one at the main traffic lights junction (this is the junction between Phetkasem Road and Narathip Road), and another one on the beachfront, at soi Cha-Am South 1.
The ticket office in Cha-Am. |
The time schedule to Bangkok. |
Pros and cons
Pros: buses depart frequently, they are quite comfortable and fast.
Cons: the Southern bus station may not be convenient to reach, depending on where you stay in Bangkok. Some buses have a TV on board and it can be annoying (karaoke clips at full volume).
By minibus
Minibuses (or minivans) start from Victory Monument. You can go to Victory Monument by BTS (Skytrain), make sure you take exit #2 and you will find the minibuses down the station. Typically they can accommodate up to 14 people including the driver. The cost is 180 baht, and it takes a bit more than two hours to reach Cha-Am. The first minibus leaves at 5:00 am and the last one at 8:00 pm. Minibuses leave only when they are full or almost full, so depending on the moment of the day, you may have to wait a little. The space available for luggage is quite small, so if you have big suitcases it's not convenient (you can also be charged - 100 baht per piece of luggage).
Go to Victory Monument with the BTS. |
Exit #2. |
You can see the minibuses from above the station. |
The "ticket office". |
From Cha-Am to Bangkok, you can buy a ticket for a minivan at the office on Narathip Road, near the junction with Phetkasem road (on your left if you come from the beach, between the two photo shops). The last minibus departs at 6:00 pm. A new service also opened in August 2009, they operate from Phetkasem road, just next to the bus ticket office. Read our trip report in our blog for more information.
The ticket counter on Narathip road. |
Phone number of the Narathip road service. |
The ticket counter of the new service. |
The schedule of the new service. |
Pros and cons
Pros: not expensive, fast and convenient, as Victory Monument can be reached easily by the Skytrain.
Cons: little space available for luggage.
By taxi
A taxi from Bangkok to Cha-Am will cost you a minimum of 2,000 baht. There is no reason to choose this option, unless you need to go to Cha-Am directly after you have landed at Bangkok airport.
Pros and cons
Pros: you can go to Cha-Am directly from Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok airport).
Cons: expensive.
By car with a private driver
You can hire a car and a private driver through any travel agency in Bangkok or elsewhere. If you are travelling in a small group, it is a very nice and handy option, as the car can stop whenever and wherever you want, and you can use it at any moment during your stay in Cha-Am. You don't have to worry about directions, driving, getting stopped by the police, etc.
Pros and cons
Pros: no hassle, great confort.
Cons: not the cheapest solution, of course.
By car, driving a rental car
If you consider renting a car, please be aware that driving in Thailand may be a lot different than driving in your own country. You will have to deal with reckless drivers, confusing roadsigns, people or animals crossing the highway, trucks overtaking each others, unpredictable [sic] policemen... You need to have a good knowledge and experience of this country, and also a good deal of patience and "chay yen yen", in order to be able to drive without risking a heart attack every five kilometers.
Please also be aware that the laws in Thailand are getting very tough against drunk driving and phoning while driving.
Click here to see the route in details (indications and pictures of roadsigns)
Pros and cons
Pros: you obviously enjoy more freedom, and you are in control of the driving (or at least you think you are).
Cons: you shouldn't consider driving yourself in Thailand unless you have a good knowledge of this country.
By car, driving your own car
If you already drive your personal car in Thailand, we assume that you have been here for a long time and you don't need our advice conerning driving in Thailand. So we will rather focus on directions, which you may find more useful.
The road from Bangkok to Cha-Am is not particularly nice, but it's not particularly unpleasant either. You can get out of Bangkok by Rama IX bridge, then follow Rama II road for about an hour, until you reach road #4 (Phetkasem) which goes down south. You drive about another hour and you are in Cha-Am.
Click here to see the route in details (indications and pictures of roadsigns)
Pros and cons
Pros: you have the confort and privacy of your own car.
Cons: not that we can think of, provided you like driving and you drive carefully and responsibly.
Bottom line: what is the best solution?
We do like the train a lot. Not only it is cheap and safe, but you can also move freely and enjoy the scenery (landscape, people's houses, small train stations...). You really travel, you're not just moving from point A to point B. But of course it has drawbacks, as it is slow and you can't choose the time.
The most flexible solution is the minibuses from Victory Monument. They depart frequently and they get you to Cha-Am in about 2 hours, for a reasonable price. They are not very comfortable, especially if you have to sit in the middle, but it's a short journey. The buses are more comfortable, but they are convenient only if you stay in or near Banglamphu area, as the Southern bus station is quite a long way out.
If you are still hesitating, why not combine, like going by train and going back by minibus?
