Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal, also known as Southern Bus Terminal Bangkok, is one of 3 main bus stations in Bangkok. Sai Tai Mai Bus Station is located on Borommaratchachonnani Rd, at the far western part of the Thai capital. The new Southern bus station is serviced by buses running to various destinations in Southern Thailand.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal Facilities
Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal building also houses a shopping center called SC Plaza. You can do some shopping for clothing, books, magazines, cosmetics, and other cheap goods while waiting for your bus.
The 7-Eleven convenience store is located on the "G" floor of the terminal building, so you can stock up on food, snacks, and beverages right at the station.
We've spotted at least 3 Café Amazon coffee shops in different parts of the terminal. There's also KFC and even a food court on the top floor of Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal. A number of local-style street restaurants can be found just outside the terminal building at the platform used by minibuses (vans).
There's also a left luggage service provided at Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal. The left luggage office is open from 05:00 to 21:00 and can be found on the 1st floor where the regular bus ticket booths are located. The left luggage service here charges 40 THB per day for a small bag, 50 THB per day for a middle bag, and 60 THB per day to store a large bag. Leaving your bag overnight will cost you 100 THB.
A luggage storage locker operating 24 hours can also be found at the terminal.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal's regular bus ticket booths with a small waiting area for passengers nearby can be found on the 1st floor of the terminal.
Van tickets are sold outside the terminal. You will find ticket selling desks at the platform used by minibuses, which is located on the east side of the terminal building.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal Tickets
Buses on the popular short-distance routes, such as Bangkok-Kanchanaburi depart every 20 minutes, so there’s no need to book bus tickets for such a route in advance.
However, if you are planning to take a long-distance bus to one of the popular tourist destinations, booking a ticket in advance is highly recommended. For the night buses during the high season and all buses during holiday periods such as New Year and Songkran Festival in April, booking a ticket in advance is almost mandatory, as buses on the most popular routes from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal quickly fill up.
Some bus companies offer their own online booking systems and let you book seats in advance. However, booking a ticket via an online agent is more convenient as they offer more options for your trip.
You can use this search form for booking your bus tickets online. Pay attention that the bus station on the system is called Southern Terminal Bangkok.
Buses
At Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal, you will find rows of regular bus ticket counters of both the governmental bus company and many private bus companies on the 1st floor of the terminal. The route, schedule, and ticket prices are normally presented on the windows of the ticket counter so you can easily check and compare conditions between different operators.
There are 3 types of buses operating at Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal: VIP air-conditioned buses with fewer seats (24 or 32 - the fewer seats on the bus, the more space you get), 1st-class air-conditioned buses offering direct service, and 2nd-class air-conditioned buses that generally have frequent stops to pick up passengers, so the journey on such a bus might take a bit longer.
Bus 999
Transport Company, known as Bus 999 and also called “Bor.Kor.Sor.” in Thai, is operated by the government. Bus 999 operates on many domestic routes such as Phuket, Surat Thani, Donsak Pier (ferries to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan), Songkhla, Hat Yai, Chumphon (ferry to Koh Tao), Ranong (ferry to Koh Phayam), Krabi (ferry to Koh Phi Phi), Trang, Nakhon Si Tammarat, and others.
If you are looking to travel by the bus of this company, you can book their tickets online here: Bus 999 tickets.
Ticket counters of the 999 bus company are open from 04:00 to 21:00.
Minivans
There are also minivans departing from the Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to the destinations in Southern Thailand and Central Thailand. You will find both buses and minivans going to the same destination. A number of popular destinations in Eastern Thailand, such as Pattaya and Rayong, can also be reached directly from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal. Minivan tickets are sold outside at the platform of minibuses.
Minivans in most cases are faster than regular buses, but their security records are really poor in Thailand, so it's better to avoid using them unless it's necessary.
Popular Routes from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal
The most popular routes with buses and minivans departing from the Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to various destinations in Southern Thailand, Central Thailand, and some other areas of the country are listed below.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Phuket
The governmental bus 999 is offering service from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Phuket at 16:30.
Several private companies offer more options on this route, with most of the buses from Bangkok to Phuket departing from 16:00 to 19:30, as taking an overnight bus is the most popular option for covering this route. The trip all the way from Bangkok to Phuket takes about 12-14 hours, depending on the company and traffic conditions.
Tickets for the bus from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Phuket can be booked online here: Bangkok to Phuket Bus Tickets.
Most of the buses going to Phuket also make a stop at Phang Nga. If you are looking to book a ticket from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to this destination in Southern Thailand, check the following link: Bangkok to Phang Nga Bus Tickets.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Krabi
Governmental Bus 999 from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Krabi departs at 17:30.
Several private companies offer more options on this route, with most of the buses from Bangkok to Krabi departing from 17:30 to 19:00, as taking an overnight bus is the most popular option for covering this route. The trip all the way to Krabi can take between 11-14 hours, depending on the company and traffic conditions.
Tickets for the bus from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Krabi can be booked online here: Bangkok to Krabi Bus Tickets.
Buses from Bangkok arrive at Krabi Bus Terminal, which is located north of Krabi Town. From there you can go to the town or Ao Nang by songthaew. In addition to being interesting destinations by themselves, Krabi Town and Ao Nang are the locations for taking a ferry to Koh Phi Phi or a long-tail boat to Railay Beach.
Koh Lanta can also be reached directly from Krabi Bus Terminal, as there are minivans serving this route. Some of the offers also include Koh Lanta hotel transfer. Minivan tickets can be booked online here: Krabi to Koh Lanta Van Tickets.
Bangkok to Surat Thani
Most of the buses going to the southern part of Thailand pass Surat Thani, so there are plenty of bus options to choose from. However, Surat Thani is rarely the final destination for foreign travelers, as in most cases it is just used as a gateway to Koh Samui and Koh Phangan islands.
The ferry pier is quite far from the city of Surat Thani, so taking a bus from Surat Thani Bus Terminal to Donsak Pier and then getting on a ferry to the islands is needed.
Bus 999 offers 3 daily buses from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Surat Thani between 16:30 and 18:35.
Several other companies offer bus service from Bangkok to Surat Thani. There is an early bus departing from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal at 07:30, but most of the buses from Bangkok to Surat Thani depart from 16:30 to 19:50. The trip to Surat Thani takes about 10-11 hours. Add 3-4 hours for reaching Koh Samui and 4-5 hours for getting to Koh Phangan from Surat Thani.
Tickets for the bus from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Surat Thani can be booked online here: Bangkok to Surat Thani Bus Tickets.
For getting from Surat Thani to Koh Samui or from Surat Thani to Koh Phangan, you can buy combined tickets here:
Surat Thani to Koh Samui Tickets
Surat Thani to Koh Phangan Tickets
Bangkok to Chumphon
Buses running from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Chumphon, where you can catch a ferry to Koh Tao, depart at 09:00, 12:00, and 19:00. The trip from Bangkok to Chumphon takes about 7 hours.
Tickets for the bus from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Chumphon can be booked online here: Bangkok to Chumphon Bus Tickets.
Getting from Chumphon to Koh Tao by bus or van and ferry can take about 3-4 hours more.
For getting from Chumphon to Koh Tao, you can buy combined tickets here: Chumphon to Koh Tao Tickets.
Southern Bus Terminal Bangkok to Hua Hin
Buses from the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok to Hua Hin depart from 09:00 to 17:00. The journey from Bangkok to Hua Hin takes about 3.5 hours.
Tickets for the bus from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Hua Hin can be booked online here: Bangkok to Hua Hin Bus Tickets.
Minivans to Hua Hin are more frequent as they depart roughly every 30 minutes from 05:00 to 22:00.
Buses and minivans on this route normally make a stop at Cha-Am on the way.
Bangkok to Ranong
Several daily buses run from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Ranong. Most of the buses depart between 19:00 and 21:00. The journey by bus all the way from Bangkok to Ranong takes about 9-10 hours.
Tickets for the bus from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Ranong can be booked online here: Bangkok to Ranong Bus Tickets.
From Ranong you can take a ferry to Koh Phayam.
For getting from Ranong to Koh Phayam, you can buy ferry tickets here: Ranong to Koh Phayam Tickets.
Bangkok to Kanchanaburi
Regular buses from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Kanchanaburi depart every hour from 05:00 to 20:00. The journey from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, the famous city on the River Kwai, takes about 3 hours.
Tickets for the bus from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Kanchanaburi can be booked online here: Bangkok to Kanchanaburi Bus Tickets.
Buses going from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi normally make a stop in Nakhon Pathom.
Vans to Kanchanaburi depart every hour from 05:00 to 21:00 and also make a stop in Nakhon Pathom.
Bangkok to Trang
The bus from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Trang departs at 17:45. Taking an overnight bus is the most popular option for covering this route. The trip all the way to Trang takes about 12-13 hours.
Tickets for the bus from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Trang can be booked online here: Bangkok to Trang Bus Tickets.
From Trang you can go to the pier and take a ferry to the islands of Koh Muk, Koh Kradan, and Koh Ngai.
For getting from Trang to Koh Muk, from Trang to Koh Kradan, and from Trang to Koh Ngai, you can buy combined tickets here:
Bangkok to Satun
Buses from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Satun depart at 17:30 and 17:45, as taking an overnight bus is the most popular option for covering this route. The trip all the way from Bangkok to Satun by bus takes about 15-16 hours.
Tickets for the bus from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Satun can be booked online here: Bangkok to Satun Bus Tickets.
From Satun you can go to the pier and take a ferry to the islands of Koh Lipe and Koh Tarutao.
For getting from Satun to Koh Lipe and from Satun to Koh Tarutao, you can buy combined tickets here:
Bangkok to Hat Yai
Buses of the governmental Bus 999 company depart from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Hat Yai 2 times a day with departures scheduled at 15:00 and 16:30.
Several private bus companies offer more buses departing from Bangkok to Hat Yai from 15:30 to 18:40. The trip all the way to Hat Yai takes about 14-16 hours, depending on the company and traffic conditions.
Tickets for the bus from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Hat Yai can be booked online here: Bangkok to Hat Yai Bus Tickets.
Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat
While there are quite a few buses running from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Nakhon Si Thammarat province, most of them are only making a stop in Thung Song, which is still far from the main city. However, there are a couple of buses departing from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat around 16:00 that arrive at Nakhon Si Thammarat Bus Terminal. The trip all the way to Nakhon Si Thammarat takes about 10-11 hours.
Tickets for the bus from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Nakhon Si Thammarat can be booked online here: Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat Bus Tickets.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Samut Songkhram
There are minivans departing from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Samut Songkhram every hour from 05:00 to 19:00. The journey to the city of the famous Maeklong Railway Market takes about 2 hours.
The minibuses also make a stop at Maha Chai in Samut Sakhon. Maha Chai Market is one of the largest seafood markets in Thailand.
At Samut Songkhram you can transfer to Amphawa Floating Market.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Amphawa and Damnoen Saduak
You can take a direct minibus from Sai Tai Mai to Amphawa Floating Market or Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Vans depart every hour from 06:00 to 18:00. Normally, the trip takes about 2 hours.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Pattaya
There are also minivans to Pattaya departing every hour from 05:00 to 18:00.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Rayong
There are also minivans departing from Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal to Rayong every hour from 06:00 to 18:00. The journey can take 4 hours.
From Rayong you can easily go to Ban Phe and catch a ferry going to Koh Samet.
Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Sri Racha
There are minivans departing every hour from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Sri Racha from 06:00 to 20:00. The journey takes about 3 hours.
From Sri Racha, take a tuk-tuk or motorcycle taxi to Koh Loi Pier to catch the ferry to Koh Si Chang.
Tickets
If you have a specific time of bus departure in your mind, booking a ticket in advance is recommended, as buses for the most popular routes quite often fill up, especially during holidays. During the high season and public holidays, it is recommended to book a ticket online in advance due to the high demand for departures from Bangkok to various regions of Thailand.
You can check the bus schedule and book tickets online by using this search form.
How to get to Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal
There are several ways to get to Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal from different areas of Bangkok.
SRT Red Line & Taxi
Take the SRT Red Line train to Taling Chan Station and then take a taxi to Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal (should cost around 60-80 THB).
SRT Red Line is connected with MRT Metro at Bang Sue Station, so you can transfer there when traveling to the bus station from the city center.
BTS SkyTrain & Taxi
You can take the BTS SkyTrain to Bang Wa Station and then take a taxi for about 10 km (should cost about 90-110 THB).
Public Bus
There are plenty of Bangkok bus routes passing by Sai Tai Mai Bus Station. You can take the following buses:
- From Sanam Luang, Khao San Road, and the Democracy Monument, take a bus No. 79, 4-51 (124), 3-13 (507), 511, 516, or 556.
- From Victory Monument, take a bus No. 4-38 (28) or 4-61 (515).
- From Siam Square and MBK, take bus No. 4-39 (40), 79, or 511.
- From Hua Lamphong Railway Station, take a bus No. 4-39 (40) or 3-13 (507).
Taxi
Bangkok taxi can be the fastest way to get to the Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal, but it’s the most expensive way as well. A trip from central Bangkok to Sai Tai Mai should cost about 250-450 THB, depending on traffic conditions and the starting point.
Other Bangkok Bus Terminals
There are 3 bus terminals in Bangkok, and you need to choose one depending on your desired destination. The other two bus terminals in Bangkok are:
Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit)
Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit) is the largest bus station in Bangkok.
Buses and minivans from Mo Chit Bus Station depart to destinations in Northern Thailand (Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Chiang Rai), Northeast Thailand, and a few other central and eastern destinations such as Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Chonburi (including Pattaya), Trat (including Koh Chang), etc.
Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai)
Bangkok Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) is a very well-connected bus station in the eastern part of the city.
Buses and minivans from Ekkamai Bus Station mainly depart to destinations in Eastern Thailand (Pattaya, Koh Chang, Koh Samet) and a few other destinations such as Hua Hin and Samut Songkhram (Maeklong).
Tips
Visiting the nearby Sai Tai Mai Center Night Market is a must-do for anyone taking a night bus from Sai Tai Mai Bus Station, as you won’t find a better place to fill up your stomach before a long trip down south.
