A Day Trip From Pattaya

[Jun]

I decided to visit Nong Nooch Gardens by train.

OK, I could simply book a cheap trip or use Bolt. But I like trains and besides, I wanted to see what local public transport is like for other trips.

The SRT website shows 2 southbound and 2 northbound trips per day. The SRT website fails to explain that it's 1 per day on weekdays and 2 on weekends only. I suspected something, after an aborted trip a few years ago. So I checked their train tracker the day before. That's the one which shows live status information for the entire network.

Once at the station, the timetable on the wall verifies the one train on weekdays and 2 on weekends.

Bolt taxi from hotel to train station 78 baht, plus modest tip.
Train fare to Nong Nooch 4 baht and approx 30 minutes duration. Very pleasant.
Walk from station to gardens, approx 15 minutes
Entry 500 baht

Most people seem to just get bussed around the parts with concrete dinosaurs and other animals. I walked, so I could explore whatever I wanted. Some of the parts which actually resemble a proper tropical garden were very pleasant and virtually deserted. I quite enjoyed it.

Having gone on a weekday, I was aware that the last train back was early afternoon. So at about 4:30 pm, I strolled off to Sukhumvit and got a white baht bus back to Pattaya. 20 baht. So that's another public transport option for local trips.

One day, I shall try going to Bangkok on the train. The slow train is approximately 4 hours, but the weekend fast train is nearer 2.5 hours and worth considering, where evening arrival is acceptable.

[Gaybutton]

The slow train is approximately 4 hours

Even so, and especially during holidays, the traffic jams on the expressway trying to go by bus or car to Bangkok, and then even more traffic jams once you're in Bangkok, the train may actually be a time saver.