Best Way to Rayong from Hua Hin by public transport?

[Noz]

The mother-in-law will shortly be on her way home to Surin (hurray!) but wants to go via Rayong to visit a relative. What's the best way to get there from Hua Hin by public transport?

My first guess was to take the direct minivan to Pattaya and change there for Rayong but reading some posts on here would indicate that splitting the trip in Bangkok at Victory Monument would be a much better idea.

I'm presuming big bus to the Southern Bus Terminal is a long way for a short cut.

Any tips? Thanks.

[PeteC]

If you take a mini to Pattaya you can stop at North Pattaya Road and Sukhumvit and the bus terminal is right there 25 meters up North Pattaya Road from the intersection. Aircon buses leaving about every hour or less for Rayong, some local and some express.

Alternative is to get to the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai Station) in Bangkok between soi 40-42 on Sukhumvit, right across from Ekkamai Road (soi 63). Again aircon buses either local or express leaving hourly.

There is a large, new bus terminal in Rayong and I believe buses leaving on a regular basis for all points in the northeast so you should be able to get one there straight to Surin. If not, it's back to Pattaya again and the northeast bus terminal is on the east side of Sukhumvit between North and Central Pattaya Road. Buses leaving from there to everywhere in the northest and north, but only a few times a day. Pete

[Dr Mike]

How long does it take te mini to get to Pattaya??

[Noz]

Thanks Pete. That's a great help. Reading the Pattaya >< Hua Hin thread leads me to believe that the minivan service to Pattaya from HH isn't that great so I'm tempted to advise against it.

So it looks like minivan to BKK then on to Rayong from Victory Monument or big bus from Ekamai. She's done the trip from Rayong to Surin before, so that should present no problems. Cheers for the info.