Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal (Southern Bus Terminal) Bangkok: travel guide
The Southern Bus Terminal, known in Thai as Sai Tai Mai (New Southern) and officially Bangkok Bus Terminal (Borommaratchachonnani Road), is where buses to southern and western Thailand leave. That means Hua Hin, Chumphon, Surat Thani (for Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao), Krabi, Phuket, Trang, Hat Yai and the Malaysian border, plus Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi. It is far out on Bangkok's western edge with no metro station nearby, so allow extra time to reach it.
For the east use Ekkamai and for the north and northeast use Mo Chit 2. Travelfish advises that Sai Tai Mai does have some Pattaya, Rayong and Nakhon Ratchasima departures, but there are more frequent services from the other two terminals.
Location and how to get there
The terminal is on Borommaratchachonnani Road in Chim Phli subdistrict, Taling Chan District. It opened at this site on 1 November 2007. The older Southern terminal near Pinklao is about 5 km away and now only serves vans and minibuses, so make sure you are heading to the new one.
- Taxi or ride-hailing: Travelfish quotes 200 to 350 baht from Khao San Road, Silom or Sukhumvit. This is the easiest option with luggage.
- City bus: Wikipedia lists BMTA routes 28 (Victory Monument), 40 (Ekkamai), 79 (Ratchaprasong), 123 and 124 (Sanam Luang), 515 (Victory Monument) and 556 (Democracy Monument) serving the terminal. Travelfish warns that local buses get crowded at peak hours, so avoid them with big bags.
- Train and metro: There is no rail station at the terminal. The nearest is BTS Bang Wa, about 10 km away according to Travelfish, so most people still finish by taxi. The SRT Light Red Line runs from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal to Taling Chan, but you still need a taxi or bus from there.
- From Mo Chit 2: Travelfish reports a direct minibus every 20 minutes from 04:30 to 22:00 for 35 baht.
Operators and destinations
Transport Co (government-run, orange counters with the "999" logo) is the main operator, alongside many private coach and minibus companies. Only ticketed passengers can enter the boarding area, similar to an airport. The table shows what Travelfish recorded on the station signboards, so use it for a sense of frequency rather than exact times.
| Destination | Departures | Time | Fare (baht) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanchanaburi (bus) | Every 20 minutes, 04:00 to 20:00 | 3 hours | 110 |
| Hua Hin (bus) | 11:30, 14:00, 16:00 | 3 hours | 155 |
| Hua Hin (minibus) | Every 30 minutes, 05:00 to 22:00 | 3 hours | 180 |
| Chumphon | 09:00 to 14:00, then 20:00 to 21:40 | 7 hours | 320 to 510 |
| Surat Thani | A few 08:00 to 09:00, many 17:00 to 20:20 | 10 hours | 450 to 850 |
| Koh Samui (with ferry) | 07:00 to 07:30 and 19:00 to 20:30 | 14 hours | 700 to 900 |
| Krabi | 07:00 and 17:00 to 20:40 | 12 hours | 550 to 870 |
| Phuket | Morning and evening, VIP 17:30 to 20:30 | 13 hours | 540 to 1,050 |
| Trang | 07:00 and 16:30 to 19:30 | 13 hours | 680 to 1,060 |
| Nakhon Si Thammarat | Hourly, 17:00 to 20:50 | 13 hours | 450 to 550 |
| Hat Yai | 06:30 and 16:30 to 20:00 | 15 hours | 850 to 1,100 |
Transport Co's own timetable for the terminal shows higher fares on some routes, for example Phuket 715 baht (16:30), Krabi 700 baht (17:30) and Koh Samui 963 baht (18:35), so check the current price when you buy. Many southern buses leave in the evening and arrive the next morning.
Route guides: Bangkok to Hua Hin, Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, Bangkok to Chumphon, Bangkok to Surat Thani, Bangkok to Koh Samui, Bangkok to Koh Phangan, Bangkok to Koh Tao, Bangkok to Krabi, Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi, Bangkok to Koh Lanta, Bangkok to Phuket, Bangkok to Khao Lak, Bangkok to Trang, Bangkok to Hat Yai, Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat, Bangkok to Ranong, Bangkok to Koh Lipe, Bangkok to Narathiwat, Bangkok to Yala, Bangkok to Pattaya and Bangkok to Rayong.
Tickets and facilities
- Counters: The regular bus ticket booths are on an upper floor reached by escalator from the main entrance. Transport Co's counter has the orange front and "999" logo. Minibus tickets are sold outdoors on the east side of the main building.
- Online: Transport Co sells tickets at tcl99web.transport.co.th, and agents like 12Go sell some bus and ferry combinations to the islands.
- Building: The terminal doubles as the SC Plaza shopping centre, with banks, restaurants, convenience stores, a food court on the top floor, a clinic and a police office. The Saitai Center night market is next door.
- Left luggage: Travelfish reports a left luggage office near the ticket booths, open 05:00 to 21:00, at 60 baht per day for a large bag.
Tips
- For the islands near Surat Thani, Chumphon or Krabi, consider the train to Surat Thani or Chumphon from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal instead. Travelfish recommends the train over overnight buses where a train runs the route, and notes that theft is a bigger problem on buses that pick up from Khao San Road.
- Minibuses are faster over short distances but cramped. Travelfish recommends a full-size bus where possible.
- Leave extra time for evening departures, when roads to the west are congested.
- Transport ministry officials considered moving all three terminals to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in 2025. In May 2026 the ministry confirmed only that Mo Chit 2 will stay, and there is no confirmed plan to move Sai Tai Mai.
Sources and background
These sources support the topics listed below, not every statement or current price in this article.
- Bangkok Bus Terminal Southern (Sai Tai Mai): timetable, services and information (BusTicket.in.th (Transport Co., Ltd. ticketing))
Source checked:
- Sai Tai Mai (Southern) Bus Terminal (Travelfish)
Access
Source checked:
- New Southern Bus Terminal (Wikipedia)
History, Access
Source checked:
- Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Taling Chan), OpenStreetMap node 2822566466 (OpenStreetMap)
Source checked:
- Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (SRT Light Red Line to Taling Chan) (Thailand Trains)
Access
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- B3.5-billion makeover planned for Mo Chit 2 (Bangkok Post)
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- The Transport Co., Ltd. (official site and online booking) (The Transport Co., Ltd.)
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Frequently Asked Questions
It is on Borommaratchachonnani Road in Taling Chan District, on the western edge of Bangkok. It is commonly called Sai Tai Mai, and Transport Co lists it as Bangkok Bus Terminal (Borommaratchachonnani Road).
A taxi or ride-hailing car is easiest and costs roughly 200 to 350 baht from Khao San, Silom or Sukhumvit according to Travelfish. City buses such as 28, 40, 79 and 124 also serve the terminal, but there is no metro or BTS station at the terminal.
Buses to southern and western Thailand: Hua Hin, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Krabi, Phuket, Trang, Hat Yai, Kanchanaburi and more. Services to the islands often combine a bus and a ferry.
Sai Tai Mai (New Southern) is the current main terminal on Borommaratchachonnani Road. The old terminal near Pinklao is about 5 km away and now serves only vans and minibuses.
No. There is no railway or metro station at the terminal. The SRT Light Red Line reaches Taling Chan, and the nearest BTS station is Bang Wa, but you must still take a taxi or bus for the last stretch.
About 13 hours according to Travelfish, with most buses leaving in the evening from 15:30 to 20:30 plus a few in the morning.