Bangkok to Ban Phe Distance and Travel Time
Ban Phe is 210 km from Bangkok by road, and the drive takes about 2 h 30 min in normal traffic. The route leaves the city on the eastern motorways, runs down the coast through Chon Buri and Rayong and ends at the piers. The first 30 km are the slow part.
Out of the city
From a central hotel the car joins an expressway and then the eastern motorway, which has the toll booths and the airport turn-offs. The ring of the city is where time is lost: a pick-up at 06:30 reaches the open road in 20 minutes, while the same pick-up at 08:30 may need an hour.
A hotel in the east of the city, near Bang Na or Ramkhamhaeng, is on the road already.
Chon Buri to Rayong
Beyond the city the motorway runs straight across flat country with industrial estates on both sides. This is the stretch where trucks are most numerous. The car passes Chon Buri, continues to the Rayong bypass and turns south to the coast. It is 210 km all the way, and the driver pays the tolls from the fare.
Fuel stations with shops and restaurants are spaced along the way, and a stop of ten minutes costs nothing.
The last 25 minutes
Near Rayong city the road narrows to a town road with traffic lights, then follows the coast to Ban Phe, where the piers stand within a kilometre of each other. Fishing boats and seafood stalls line the road. The driver stops at the pier you chose in the form.
Rayong province is a fruit area, and from April the roadside stalls sell durian, mangosteen and rambutan.
When to leave
The best departure from Bangkok is between 05:30 and 07:00, or after 09:30. Friday afternoon is the heaviest time out of the city, and the Sunday evening return is the heaviest time in. The ferry timetable ends at 18:00, so a late start on a Friday can cost you the last boat.
The fare is fixed, so the driver's choice of road is not your concern. See the price page for the figures.
Questions and answers
How far is Ban Phe from Bangkok?
210 km by road to the piers.
How long is the drive?
About 2 h 30 min in normal traffic. The first stretch out of the city can add to it.
Which highway is the route?
The eastern motorways towards Chon Buri, then the road to Rayong and the coast road to Ban Phe.
Can I stop on the way?
Yes. Ask the driver for a short stop at a fuel station.
Is it faster to go at night?
Yes, but the ferries do not run at night. The last departure is at 18:00.
Book Bangkok city to Ban Phe (pier to Koh Samet)
Free cancellation. Pay the driver in cash, or by Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, transfer by QR code or bank transfer to a Thai account if you prefer.