The airport is located 40 km south of the resort, 140 km from Bangkok. The airport is small, but nevertheless receives a dozen local and international flights every day. Runway dimensions: width - 60 m, length - 3,505 m.
- Official name: U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport.
- IATA code: UTP.
- ICAO code: VTBU.
- Phones: 038-245595, 038-245600.
- Official website, online arrival/departure board: www.utapao.com.
- Taxi:
The area of the passenger terminal is 26,100 sq.m. Infrastructure: Duty Free, travel agency, restaurant, hotel reservation desk, car rental, parking.
Utapao Airport on the map of Thailand
About the airport
Utapao Airport was built in the 60s of the last century and was purely military. During the Vietnam War, it served as a military base for American B-52 bombers, which regularly flew missions to bomb Vietnam.
By the way, perhaps thanks to him we now have a resort in Pattaya, because military personnel rested in this village in their free time from work. Currently, Utapao has partially become civilian. But it is still home to the First Air Wing of the Royal Thai Navy.
For many decades, only a few planes arrived here per day, but since 2015, routes have expanded, mainly thanks to Air Asia. There is an opportunity to fly to Udon Thani (the closest airport to the Laotian border), Koh Samui, Phuket and even Kuala Lumpur. Moreover, during the high season there are even direct charters from Russia.
The terminal is a one-story elongated building, divided into 2 zones: the arrivals area (smaller) and the departures area (larger). You definitely won’t get lost here: upon arrival you find yourself in a small hall with counters for renting cars, booking hotels, selling tickets for minibuses and taxis to the city. And immediately behind them there is an exit from the building, next to which there is a parking lot.
Airlines flying to Utapao Airport
You can save as much as possible on the road to Pattaya from the islands or (air tickets cost around 3,000 baht one way) by bus or if you fly to (airports and). Flights are much cheaper (from 1000 baht), plus bus fare from there to Pattaya is 117 baht. Travel time from Suvarnabhumi is 2 hours, and from Don Muang - 15 minutes to the Mochit bus station, and from there 2 hours. The only negative is that low-cost airlines fly from the mainland, from Surat Thani.
Low price calendar
How to get to Pattaya
There are no public buses to the resort, so you can only get from Utapao to Pattaya by minivans and taxis. Let's look at each option in detail.
1. Minivans (minibuses).
Upon arrival, in the terminal building, there is a counter selling tickets for minivans. There is only one carrier company and it is called “Utapao Airport Limousine”.
All minivans transport tourists to hotels, not only to Pattaya, but to Rayong and nearby settlements(a lot of Thais fly to the airport and are not at all interested in Pattaya). The good news is that there are different minibuses going to different cities and, accordingly, passengers are put on more than one minivan. But it’s disappointing that minibuses to Pattaya depart when they are full, i.e. It’s quite possible to wait half an hour or more until you leave (especially if you were delayed at the airport and were one of the last to buy a ticket).
The fare is fixed at 250 baht. It takes 40-50 minutes to get to the resort, but since everyone is taken to their hotels, you may not get there even in 2 hours. That’s what happened to us: we lived in Naklua and the minivan circled around Jomtien, Thappraya and Central Pattaya more than an hour, carrying all the tourists. Therefore, if you want to get there quickly, and also if there are several people, then it is better to take a taxi - after all, you pay for the whole car, and not per person, as in a minivan.
2. Taxi.
If there are three, or even more so four, people (for example, a family with children or a company), then for the same money you can actually take a taxi, which costs about 1,000 baht.
The travel time from Utapao Airport to Pattaya by taxi is 35-50 minutes and depends on the location of your hotel - in Jomtien or North Pattaya. Transport is all from the same company - “Utapao Airport Limousine”, there are no private owners here and there is no Taxi-Meter with a meter either.
The counter is located in the arrivals area - you pay money, you are given a ticket with a number, and then you have to wait outside for your car to arrive. Sometimes there is a line, so you may not leave right away.
If you want to be guaranteed to leave immediately upon leaving the arrivals area, it is better to book in advance. The driver with a sign meets you in the terminal building, helps you carry your luggage to the car, and after 40-50 minutes you are at the hotel.
3. Car rental
There are several car rental counters at the airport. If you don’t want to waste time on this upon arrival, then you can do it in advance, which will already be waiting when you leave the airport (when booking via the link, you need to select “Pattaya” in the “City” column, and “U-Airport” in the “Location” column). Tapao").
The King Power company did not ignore Pattaya as one of the largest tourist resorts in Thailand and opened a large Duty Free store or duty-free shopping center here. The second similar establishment is located in. When planning purchases in this store, you must meet several conditions in order to afford to purchase any product. In this article I talk in detail about all the features of work, organization and trade in a Duty Free store in Pattaya.
It's hard not to notice the building that houses a modern duty-free shop. A beautiful building lined with hundreds of glasses and a large King Power inscription has become popular tourist place in Pattaya. The best time to come here is last days of your vacation in order to adequately spend the remaining funds.
A special feature of the store is its highest service, which can be put on the same level as European service. Upon entering the store, visitors are greeted and greeted warmly, the doors are opened for them and the administrators offer their assistance. In almost every department you can find sales consultants who understand Russian well.
Not all items in the store can be taken away immediately after purchase. In the Duty Free store, goods are divided into 2 types: those with blue price tags and those with white price tags. Products with blue price tags can be taken home immediately. And you can receive goods with white price tags only at the Bangkok airport before flying home upon presentation of your passport and air ticket, as well as a purchase receipt. To do this, you need to find a King Power rack. Value added tax can be obtained in the amount of 7% when purchasing blue goods, but provided that the value of the purchased items is more than 2,000 baht.
The benefits of shopping at a duty free store include:
- There are no large crowds, you can calmly walk around and choose goods.
- Some world brands in limited collections you will not find in others shopping centers Thailand.
- Most goods are subject to VAT right in the store or at the Bangkok airport.
What can you buy?
The first floor is 80% occupied by traditional Thai delicacies, sweets and delicacies. This is where you can choose a gift for every taste, which will make it clear that you have visited Thailand.
On the first floor of Duty Free King Power you can purchase:
- wine and champagne;
- cognac and other strong alcoholic drinks;
- martini and liqueur;
- a lot of goodies that are made right in our own kitchen;
- dried fruits;
- tea and coffee;
- chocolate and candies.
Very often, the store runs profitable promotions that make the purchase several times cheaper. For example, the following promotion is most often carried out: if you purchase a certain number of items at a time, you will receive the next one for free or as a gift. Similar discounts are found on different counters with enviable frequency.
On the second floor, which can be reached by escalator, there are stores of world brands. A huge area of the floor is occupied by cosmetics and perfume stores, for example, the world-famous Givenchy. High-quality underwear, cosmetics and various decorations can be picked up at Victoria's Secret store.
Prices
The prices in the store are more than reasonable. So, within the 1st floor there is an Armani Jeans store, which offers unreal Duty Free discounts of up to 90% on items. Your local Armani sells only original products High Quality. Usually discounted items are displayed opposite the entrance to the store itself. The cost of genuine leather belts will cost a discount of 2,000 baht, and popular models of bags start from 7,000 baht.
In addition to Armani, the store has several other large departments of famous world brands, where you can save a lot on buying things. Sometimes the difference in price with a discount reaches up to 10,000 baht, but it all depends on the original price of the product. The Lacoste, Boss and Furla departments are presented on the ground floor.
You can also find prohibitively high prices in the store. Most often this concerns watches from famous world brands. So, on the second floor there is a huge department under glass, which you can observe while sitting under it. This department features Rado and Rolex watches, which cost more than 1,000,000 baht.
Working hours
The store is open every day without a break for lunch and holidays. Working hours trading floors starts from 09:00 and ends at 21:00. But the store does not close if the sellers see that customers have not had time to decide on the choice of goods.
Do not forget that this is a Duty Free store, which implies the possibility of making purchases only for those persons. who has a passport and a plane ticket home.
How to get there?
The most convenient way to get to the Duty Free store is by taxi, since it is located far from the center of Pattaya on Sukhumvit Road before turning onto Central Street. The exact address of the store in Pattaya to search using a navigator or map is as follows: 8 Moo 9 Tumbol Nongprue Amphur Banglamung - Chonburi 20150.
The store cooperates directly with most hotels in the Pattaya resort and organizes a free transfer from them, which can be used in the opposite direction. In addition, the store is easily accessible by rented bike, for which there is a large parking area.
Duty Free store on the map
On this map I have marked the exact location of the Duty Free store.
The store attracts not only its competitive pricing policy and a large assortment of quality goods, but also design. Inside the building you will find spacious and bright rooms, neatly laid out goods and friendly sales consultants who are always ready to help the buyer.
Pattaya is the most popular resort in Thailand, attracting thousands of tourists every year. Near it there is a strategically important air hub of the country, it is called U-Tapao (in honor of the nearby military town). This is where the country's military air equipment is located. The airport has everything necessary equipment to receive and repair air transport of all types. Has one runway. A major expansion of Pattaya Airport is planned for the near future. There are plans to build another runway, improve the existing terminal and build a new one.
The air port is located 140 km from Bangkok, in the eastern side of Rayong province, and 40 km from Pattaya, at the address:
-
Phla, Ban Chang,
21130 Rayong, Thailand
Online scoreboard
You can view the Pattaya Airport flight schedule on the online arrivals and departures board on the official website of the airport:
- International flights
- Domestic flights
How to get from Pattaya Airport to the city and back
You can get to Pattaya from the airport via the highway in several ways: minivan, taxi, transfer. The same methods apply to getting there in the opposite direction.
Upon arrival, you can easily find employees of the carrier company, who with colorful posters offer to take you to the hotel for 250 baht per person. These minibuses do not have a schedule; they depart as soon as they have a sufficient number of people. The journey will take about an hour. It is beneficial to use the services of minivans if 1-2 people arrive. For a group of 4 or more people, it is better to order a taxi.
There are many counters in the arrivals hall where you can order a taxi. Or you can find a private owner in the parking lot near the airport terminal. The cost starts from 800 baht for a regular car, and from 1500 baht for a vehicle for 6 people.
Utapao airport map
The airport has one terminal, which serves up to 400 passengers per day. The airport terminal layout is very simple; upon arrival, all areas of interest can be easily found. So that passengers can immediately find their way, there are special signs on the information board of the airport, with their help it is easy to move in the right direction.
Pattaya Airport passenger terminal diagram
Additional services
In a small building, everything is located very compactly. And although the airport was primarily built for the needs of the military, all necessary services are provided for passengers.
There are comfortable waiting rooms in both the arrivals and departures areas. You can dine in a cafe or in a cozy food court, where visitors are offered to try exquisite Thai cuisine.
There is a store jewelry and a shop with souvenirs. There is also a post office and first medical care. There is free Internet access throughout the airport. There is also a cozy internet cafe.
By going to the tourist counter, you can purchase a SIM card from a local operator cellular communication, book a hotel or take a free booklet with information about excursions for tourists. The nearest hotel is 3 km away from the airport. A little further, within a radius of 4-5 km, you can find hotels, both economy options and more comfortable ones. Detailed information Tourist service staff will provide information about the availability of hotel rooms.
The parking lot for cars and taxis is located right next to the exit from the building. It has a capacity of 100 seats.
Duty Free at Pattaya Airport
For those wishing to visit duty-free shops, there are two options. The first is a Duty Free store located directly at the Utopao airport terminal. Here you can buy alcohol and tobacco products. You can visit Duty Free at the airport before departure. To have more time for shopping and not worry about your flight, the new Royal Duty Free, which is located on Sukhumvit Street, is available to tourists. Tourist buses often take you to the store for free, or you can always take a taxi.
Before you make purchases, you need to register; for this you need to have your passport and return ticket with you (you can also show copies). Along with the buyer's card, they issue many discount coupons. Different departments are constantly holding promotions, and what a large amount made purchases in one department, the higher the discount. The huge two-story building offers goods for every taste: branded clothing, Leather Products, souvenirs, perfumes and cosmetics. Also huge selection elite alcohol, for which discounts often do not apply. Although the prices for it are already quite low.
It is important to remember that not all goods are immediately given to the buyer. Products with yellow price tags can only be obtained at the airport after going through passport control, in a special department. To do this, you will need to show your passport and receipts. Products with blue price tags can be taken with you immediately after payment. Shops are open daily from 10:00 to 21:00.
Tax Free at Utapao Airport in Pattaya
You can apply for a tax refund after checking in for your flight, but before checking in your luggage. There is a VAT Refund office in the departure hall where all purchases will be checked and receipts will be stamped. You can return 7% of the purchase amount.
Important! The amount in one check must exceed 2000 baht. And the total purchases must be more than 5,000 baht. Otherwise Tax Free will not be returned.
Official site
You can find out all the latest news and the latest information about flights on the official website of the airport:
If you notice an error, please let us know: select a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.
Thailand has several international airports; Utapao is located in the east of the country - in Rayong province (22 km west of its center). In the registers, this air hub has the following codes: according to IATA - utp, according to ICAO - VTBU.
Contacts
The administration suggests using the airport helpline number 038-245595 to obtain the necessary information about the operation of the hub and flights of interest.
general information
U-Tapao serves not only passenger aircraft - the Thai military air force is also based here. The civil focus is commercial air transportation within the country, international scheduled flights and charter flights between Thailand and other Asian countries. Tourists from Russia and the countries of the former USSR also fly to the famous resort of Pattaya.
The airport is located just 40 km from this resort area and 140 km in a southeast direction from Bangkok. You can see where the main and reserve airports of the country are located on a map of Thailand.
Historical reference
The airport was built in the 60s of the last century and is today a reserve transport hub in Thailand. In 2008, the hub had to briefly take on the role of the country's main airport - at that time Bangkok was under a blockade by the opposition.
The Utapao airport itself is small - the area of the only terminal is 2.5 thousand square meters. m and 1 asphalt runway with a length of 3.5 thousand m. But thanks to the popularization of the resorts of the Gulf of Thailand, the development of this hub is planned in the future. Construction of another passenger terminal and an additional runway is expected, as well as expansion of the airport infrastructure. In 2017, it is planned to serve up to 3 million passengers.
Online flight board
The status of flights and the time of departures or arrivals will be reported on an online display located in a prominent place in the terminal. In this way, U-Tapao Airport presents a schedule that will allow passengers and those greeting/seeing off to better navigate the real situation by studying data on the departure or arrival of aircraft. This is not difficult to do - just know the code of the desired flight.
You can also monitor such information about departures and arrivals on international flights and changes in schedules on the Internet while packing your suitcases at home or at a hotel. The online arrivals and departures board at Utapao Airport can be found at www.utapao.com/inter.
U-Tapao online is not only an opportunity to study flight schedules, departure and arrival times, but also to book a ticket for the desired plane by choosing the appropriate airline for departure from Pattaya. You can also find out the status here the desired aircraft flying to Pattaya.
How to get there
Those arriving in Utapao are interested in how to get from the airport to the nearest resort after arriving in the country. Having looked at the above map, you can understand that the distance between the airport and Pattaya is small. Everyone will decide which type of transport to choose for themselves after studying the information below.
Travel is carried out exclusively on the highway; passengers are offered several types of transport:
- There is a stop near the airport for minibuses that run to Pattaya; The bus covers the distance to the resort in 45 minutes. (including stops), the journey costs 450 rubles, but the whole difficulty lies in the fact that the bus does not depart from the airport according to a schedule, but only when the cabin is full;
- A faster option (in just half an hour) to leave U-Tapao airport is by taxi, which is on duty at the terminal (at the exit from the arrivals area), but such a trip to Pattaya costs more than by bus - 1,799 rubles. behind a car for 3 people and 2699 rub. – for a minivan;
- It is proposed to rent a car at the airport, which will cost 1053 rubles per day, but will help you quickly cover the distance to Pattaya.
There is also a transfer option, but this type of transport is provided by travel agencies and hotels where the room is booked. For this reason, the cost of the order will vary (from 500 rubles), but maximum convenience is provided.
After studying the map below, you can go from the airport to other resorts in the Gulf of Thailand, using the transfer service for traveling around Thailand or renting a car at the airport.
Parking
In front of the entrance to the airport there is a free parking lot with 100 spaces for those who decide to travel to Utapao by personal vehicle.
Airport map
There is a map on the information stand in the terminal indicating all the zones. The airport layout is quite concise and makes it easy to navigate the place. Therefore, it will not be difficult for those meeting you to find the area where the flight is expected to arrive, and those departing will easily understand where the plane will take off from.
Services
Although Utapao Airport in Pattaya has recently become quite popular among tourists, the infrastructure of the hub is kept to a minimum - waiting rooms in the arrivals and departures areas, a small cafe and a cozy restaurant, souvenir and jewelry shops, a currency exchange office and medical care.
There is a post office at the airport, and there is also a representative office of a travel agency, through which you can book a cozy hotel or order a transfer from the airport (or from the city to the hub when the plane arrives).
WiFi
There is free wireless throughout the entire airport. wi-fi network. To use it with maximum comfort, you can visit the Internet cafe operating in the terminal.
Hotels near the airport
There are no hotels in the arrivals transit area - You will have to get to the nearest ones by transport (you can order a transfer):
- 3 km from the hub there is a 3-star hotel Green Apple Villa;
- 6 km from Utapao located Guest house Kanta Gardens and several hotels with different levels comfort.
Note! Towards the resort there are other economy class hotels, suites, 3-5 star hotels. Each of them has a well-developed infrastructure that allows you to relax in comfort.
To better navigate the area, it is recommended to study maps of Pattaya in advance, one of which is given below.
Which airlines fly
The main passenger flow in this transport hub comes from internal travel around the country. These flights are operated by Bangkok Airways and Thai AirAsia (which also operates international flights).
- Regular flights of international importance involve the Cambodian Tonlesap Airlines and the Russian S7 Airlines (flying from Irkutsk and Novosibirsk);
- The remaining routes operated at this airport are charter, They are carried out in Thailand by the following airlines:
- Chinese “China Southern Airlines” and “China Airlines”, Hong Kong “Dragonair”, Korean “Korean Air”, Japanese “Japan Airlines”;
- from Russian companies the airport is used by Ikar Airlines (flights from St. Petersburg, Kemerovo, Bratsk), Royal Flight (from Kazan), Nordwind Airlines (launching at the airports of Novosibirsk, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk, Ufa, Perm, Kemerovo);
- SCAT Airlines planes fly from Kazakhstan to Thailand.
Despite small sizes of this transport hub providing air communications, its secondary importance and incompletely developed infrastructure, Pattaya airport(as Utapao is increasingly called) is becoming more popular every year due to the democratic nature of the resorts in the Gulf of Thailand.
Video
During the war with Vietnam, the Americans built a runway for planes to take off and land - U-Tapao Airport in Pattaya. After the end of the war, the base lost its military significance, and the town had to be closed. But the soldiers told their friends about this place, and they passed on the information to their acquaintances. Shops, souvenir shops, food outlets, and hotels of various categories for visiting people began to appear in the city. Pattaya has not lost its popularity since the mid-twentieth century and is still developing its tourism infrastructure.
Panoramic view of the terminal building of Utapao Airport in Pattaya
Utapao is the longest take-off runway in Thailand (3.5 km). The former military base was reconstructed first into a domestic and now an international air terminal.
The terminal is located approximately 40 km from Pattaya. Utapao is an international airport but serves mainly domestic traffic. Charters are also carried out from the Far Eastern region of Russia and Kazakhstan.
The territory houses a technical base for servicing the country's largest airline - Thai Airways. The bulk of passenger traffic is domestic flights. The peak flow of tourists occurs during the season in winter time. The airport can also serve as Thailand's alternate air gate. 
Regular flights to Samui, Phuket, Hau Hin, Bangkok are served by airlines of the Kingdom (Bangkok Airways, Thai Airways, Nok Air). Charter flights: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Astana, Almaty, Novosibirsk, Guangzhou and other Far Eastern cities are served by international airlines.
Historical facts
The aircraft harbor was built in the 60s of the twentieth century as a refueling station and a base for American soldiers. Later the functionality expanded and strategic bombers were transferred here.
Read also
Taxi in Pattaya
Utapao is still listed among the main strategic sites. Main function air terminal - transportation of military cargo. There are often queues of people arriving on vacation in the halls.
War with Vietnam
IN war time the terminal served as a base for the US Army and US Air Force bombers.
Utapao Airport Terminals
The airport was one of the military's front-line sites, constantly flying over North Vietnam and other countries close to the Kingdom's neighbors, carrying approximately one hundred bombs per operation.
In the 60s, Bob Hope (an American comedian) flew to the base almost every year with a Christmas show - the USO Christmas show. In addition to their leave for the city, these performances were an outlet for the soldiers. It is believed that the construction of a military facility gave impetus to the development of prostitution in Pattaya.
2008 protests
Due to protests and riots in Bangkok (2008), the airport became the country's main terminal. The opposition closed the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang air terminals, leaving tourists in a difficult situation.
Asian and European carriers set up flights from Utapao for passengers who were unable to fly from elsewhere in Thailand.
A pedestal with the name of the airport at the entrance to its territory
Due to the large number of passenger traffic, the Pattaya terminal could not provide adequate control and safety of people departing from the country; some US flights were redirected to Japan for additional screening of passengers. But in general, the organization of flights for tourists was poor. high level.
Arrival and departure
Upon landing at the airport, travelers proceed to the baggage claim area and go through passport control. Lost and found items racks are located nearby, in case the traveler's luggage does not reach its destination. 
In the event of force majeure, there is no need to panic: you need to contact the service employees and fill out a receipt. The staff act promptly, and the lost suitcase is returned to the owner within a day or two.
Read also
Transfer Bangkok – Pattaya
The registration hall is equipped with metal detectors. The electronic board in the hall of Utapao Airport shows arrival and departure flights, and indicates the number of the counter where you can go through passport control.
A value added tax refund point has been equipped (VAT Refund sign). Luggage is packed and weighed next to the counter.
Road from the airport to Pattaya
There are several ways to get to the city from Utapao: the easiest and most inexpensive is a trip by minibus. Travel time is 40 minutes. The price is about 300 baht. You can choose three carriers. The bus will take you almost to the hotel. Tickets do not need to be booked in advance.
You can order a taxi at the counter to the left of the baggage claim area. In this case, a transfer to the city will cost approximately 850 baht. Transportation is organized travel companies or hotels, so transfer problems are usually absent.
If tourists travel independently, they can call a taxi in the terminal building. Tuk-tuk services are also offered and costs range from 50 to 300 baht depending on the tuk-tuk bargaining. It is better to discuss the price in advance before the trip. The airport terminal is located near the town of Sattahip. If you are on a very limited budget, you can travel to Pattaya by train. Travel time is an hour, but the ticket price is about 10 baht.
Road from Utapao Airport to Pattaya
But the Sattahip-Pattaya train departs only once a day (13.30). On weekends the route “rests”.
