Hua Hin is one of my favorite cities in Thailand. I had experience traveling from Koh Kood to Hua Hin and Bangkok to Hua Hin. So, I will share it with you in this article. I will also share some of the best ways to explore the city and its surrounding areas.
Hua Hin is a popular beach destination located close to Bangkok. It is around 200 km away and easily reachable by train, buses, and taxi. The time to travel is from 2.5 hours to 4 hours depending on forms of transport and traffic conditions.
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How to get to Hua Hin from Koh Kood
I was in the group of 3 islands in the east coast of Thailand, which includes Koh Chang, Koh Mak, and Koh Kood. I wanted to travel from Koh Kood to Hua Hin.
From what I research, there is no direct connection between Koh Kood and Hua Hin; the best way to travel from Koh Kood to Hua Hin is to travel to Bangkok first then take another form of transport to get to Hua Hin.
My guest house in Koh Kood helped me to book the speed boat ticket and bus ticket to get to Bangkok. It was 1,100 baht and it will take around 10 hours to travel, including time waiting for the bus, then traffic congestion in Bangkok. The price included a pick up at a hotel in Koh Kood and drop off either somewhere near the Suvarnabhumi airport or Khao san road.
The company that runs this route is Boonsiri Ferry, you can book tickets online from their website. I tried but there were some errors on the website, so I asked my hotel to book it for me.
The driver picked me up around 8.30am to get to Ao Salat Pier, then I checked in at the pier around 9am. I arrived at Laem Sok Pier around 10.15am. There was a transfer from the pier to the bus station (10 minute drive) to get to the big bus to Bangkok.
I checked in the bus at the station again. Here they have a toilet, cafe, and you can buy some snacks while waiting for the next bus. They also give a free light meal which includes fried rice and a muffin.
The bus stopped at Trat Bus terminal station to pick up more people, then they stopped at Shell cafe at 1.30 pm for some food and toilet. I arrived at Khao San road around 7pm. I stayed the night in Bangkok, and caught the train the next day to Hua Hin.
How to get to Hua Hin from Bangkok
You can easily get from Bangkok to Hua Hin by trains, buses, and taxi. The distance is around 120 km and the travel time is between 2.5 to 4 hours.
Bangkok to Hua Hin by trains
You can get the trains from Bangkok to Hua Hin from one of the three train stations, including Thon Buri, Hua Lamphong Station, and Krung Thep Aphiwat station. Depending on your hotel’s location, you can choose the station closest to you to get to Hua Hin.
Express trains, special express, and rapid trains at Krung Thep Aphiwat can be booked advance online at 12go.asia or dticket.railway.co.th. Ordinary trains (cheaper, local trains) can only be booked at the train station.
The trains to Hua Hin at Thon Buri and Hua Lamphong Station are ordinary. Thon Buri Station has two trains to Hua Hin daily departing at 7.20 am and 1.10pm. Hua Lamphong has one train departing at 9.20 am.
I wanted to explore Bangkok sometime, so I decided to take the afternoon train at Thon Buri Station. From my hotel in Bangkok Old Town, I walked to Sam Yot MRT to take the MRT to Bang Khun Non Station, then walked to Jaran Sanitwong train station (located 1 station away from Thon Buri Station).
The train arrived at Jaran Sanitwong at 1.15 pm. I onboard and bought a ticket on the train. I arrived at Hua Hin Train Station at 5.30pm and walked to my hotel in Soi 94. You can easily use tuk tuk to get to your hotel.
Suvarnabhumi Airport to Hua Hin
There are frequent buses from 7.30am to 6.30 am from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Hua Hin. The bus is operated by Roong Reuang Coach. You can buy tickets online at 12go.asia as well as onsite at the airport. The journey is around 4 hours and it will terminate at RRC Bus Station in Hua Hin.
How to get to Hua Hin from Pattaya
Roong Reuang Coach has the bus running between Pattaya and Hua Hin. It is around 5.30 bus ride departing at Pattaya North Bus Station and terminating at RRC Bus Station Hua Hin. There is only one bus a day, at 3.30pm. You can buy tickets online here.
You can also easily travel back to Bangkok by train, bus, minivan, or taxi; then from Bangkok, get a train, bus, or minivan to get to Hua Hin.
Best Ways to get around Hua Hin
You can get around in Hua Hin by walking, using Uber Like apps, Tuk tuk, or renting a motorbike. There are also many tours that can take you to popular places in the city and its surroundings.
Getting around Hua Hin on foot
Walking is a great option to explore the city center of Hua Hin. If you stay near the train station in the downtown area, you can easily walk to Hua Hin night market and Hua Hin beach.
The distance from the night market to the lively Soi 94 is around 30 minutes. You can walk or just take a short bike ride.
If you stay in a guest house in Soi 94 you can easily explore the area on foot. Lots of bars, restaurants, massage shops within walking distance. The Market Village Shopping Center is also in this area.
Getting around Hua Hin on Grab, Bolt, InDrive Apps
Grab, Bolt, and InDrive apps are Uber-like apps in western countries. You can use these apps to explore attractions that are located a bit further away from your accommodation.
You can use this to visit places like Bluport shopping center, Cicada Market, Tamarind Market, or Khao Hin Lek Fai Viewpoint. You can use all apps to check prices and choose the best one. I didn’t use Bolt and Indrive in Hua Hin but they have better prices compared to Grab.
Sometimes tuk tuk is also a more convenient option as you don’t have to wait for the app’s driver to come. You need to bargain the price with a tuk tuk driver.
Explore Hua Hin on a guided tour
Taking guided tours is the best option for those who don’t plan to hire a private car or ride a motorbike. You can book on websites such as klook, get your guide, or viator.
Popular tours such as Hua Hin Highlights & Monsoon Valley Vineyards Tour, Pa-La-U Waterfall Tour, or Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park tour.
How to get around Hua Hin on motorbike
I visited Hua Hin a few times, and I rented a motorbike from the recent visit. I think renting a motorbike is one of the best ways to explore Hua Hin. I had a lovely stay at Captain Joe Cafe & Hostel and the owner helped me to rent a motorbike.
The motorbike was brand new with a very good helmet and phone holder. I was able to explore the most famous places in the region within a few days. It was very convenient to explore the night markets, temples, beaches, and nightlife areas of Hua Hin.
Additionally, I had a very nice ride along the beach road to Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park and Phraya Nakhon Cave.
I also ride my motorbike to Pa-La-U Waterfall, Suan Son Beach, Khao Tao Beach, Khao Kalok, PranBuri Forest Park, and Khao Nang Phanthurat Forest Park.
Public songthaews
Public songthaews are local buses in Hua Hin. If you are familiar with songthaews transport around Thailand, you can consider using public songthaews to get around and to save money.
Songthaews is pick-up trucks that have two rows in the back for passengers to sit. You can catch the bus by checking the route, waiting for the driver on the side of the road, and flag them down when they approach your destination. You pay directly to the driver and press the buzzer to get off.
There are several Songthaews routes around Hua Hin. The green line runs along Highway 4 from the airport to Khao Takiab. You can use this route to get to Hua Hin Beach, Wat Khao Takiab, Market Village, Bluport, Tamarin/Cicada market. The price for one ride is 15 baht.
You can check the red line, which runs around the city center from Soi 94 to Soi 41. The orange line runs along the canal road.
The blue line from the train station to Wat Huay Mongkol. You can use the blue line to visit Wat Huay Mongkol, Hua Hin Floating Market, Market Village, and Blue Port.
See more:
- Where to Stay in Hua Hin
- How to Spend 4-5 Days In Hua Hin Itinerary
- 26 Exciting Things to Do in Hua Hin
I wouldn’t have enough time to explore these wonderful places if I didn’t rent a motorbike. It is also much cheaper than taking guided tours or hiring a private driver.
These are some of the best ways to get to Hua Hin from Bangkok, Pattaya, and Koh Kood. The city is easily reachable by trains, buses, and by air. I also recommend how to get around Hua Hin on foot, motorbike, or by public transportation. I hope you have found some good things from my guide.