How far is Laem Chabang from Bangkok? About 85 kilometers in a straight line. Measured between map coordinates, the Laem Chabang cruise terminal is 87 km from the Grand Palace in Bangkok's Old City and 85 km from Siam, the shopping district at the center of the rail network. The road distance is longer than that, and the drive time depends heavily on Bangkok traffic.
Laem Chabang is not part of Bangkok. It is a port city in Chonburi Province, on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand, and it is where most large cruise ships calling at "Bangkok" actually dock. This guide covers where it is, what the port is, and how to plan the trip into the city.
Distances from Laem Chabang
These are straight-line distances from the Laem Chabang cruise terminal, calculated from Google Maps coordinates. Road routes are longer.
| From the cruise terminal to | Straight-line distance |
|---|---|
| Grand Palace, Old City | 87 km |
| Siam, central Bangkok | 85 km |
| Mandarin Oriental, on the Chao Phraya River | 84 km |
| Suvarnabhumi Airport | 70 km |
| Don Mueang Airport | 99 km |
Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok's main international airport, is the closer of the two airports to the port, which matters if you are flying in on the day of embarkation or out on the day you disembark.
Where Laem Chabang is
Laem Chabang is a city municipality in the Si Racha and Bang Lamung districts of Chonburi Province, south-east of Bangkok, between the town of Si Racha and the resort city of Pattaya. It grew around the port as part of the Eastern Seaboard development program and became a city municipality in 2010. Because it lies outside the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, its hotels, restaurants and sights are outside the scope of BangkokVacay.
The port and its cruise terminal
The Port Authority of Thailand describes Laem Chabang as the country's main deep-sea port. It covers 2,572 acres and includes seven container terminals, a multipurpose terminal, a ro-ro terminal, a general cargo terminal, a shipyard and one passenger and ro-ro terminal. The government promoted it as the national main port to replace Bangkok Port in Khlong Toei, where container traffic has been capped since 1996.
For travelers, the key point is that larger cruise ships dock at Laem Chabang rather than in Bangkok itself. Cruise lines often describe the call, or the start of a voyage, as "Bangkok". When StarCruises began home-porting its ship Star Voyager in Thailand in 2025, for example, the company spoke of home-porting "in Bangkok" while the sailings departed from Laem Chabang, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The same announcement listed Laem Chabang among Thailand's busiest cruise ports.
Getting from Laem Chabang into Bangkok
There is no quick rail link from the cruise terminal to central Bangkok, so most passengers go by road. The usual choices are:
- The cruise line's own transfer or shore excursion. The simplest option on a port day, because the timing is planned around the ship's schedule.
- A private car booked in advance. Agree the price, pick-up point and return time before the day, and allow a generous buffer for the return.
- A hotel transfer. If you are staying in Bangkok before or after the cruise, ask your hotel whether it can arrange a car to or from the port.
Whichever you choose, build the day around your ship's all-aboard time, not around the sights. Bangkok's traffic is heaviest at rush hour, so leave more time for the return than you think you need.
Making the most of a port day
With a long road transfer each way, a port day works best with one area of the city rather than several. The Old City is the classic choice: the Grand Palace, Wat Pho immediately to its south, and Wat Arun across the river by a short ferry. The Grand Palace opens at 8:30 a.m. and stops selling tickets at 3:30 p.m., so check your arrival time against those hours. Temples and the palace enforce a dress code, so pack clothing that covers shoulders and knees.
If your cruise starts or ends in Thailand, a night or two in the city is the more relaxed option. Riverside hotels such as Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok and Chatrium Riverside Bangkok sit on the Chao Phraya, the river that runs past the Old City. See our full list of Bangkok hotels and Bangkok attractions to plan the rest.
Sources: Port Authority of Thailand, Laem Chabang Port (Port Authority of Thailand), Tourism Authority of Thailand Newsroom, Laem Chabang (Wikipedia), Laem Chabang (Wikivoyage), The Grand Palace. Distances calculated from Google Maps coordinates. Checked September 26, 2026.
About 85 km in a straight line. The Laem Chabang cruise terminal is 87 km from the Grand Palace and 85 km from Siam in central Bangkok, measured between map coordinates. The road distance is longer.
No. Laem Chabang is a port city in the Si Racha and Bang Lamung districts of Chonburi Province, south-east of Bangkok.
Yes, for most large ships. Larger cruise ships dock at Laem Chabang rather than in Bangkok, and cruise lines often label the call as Bangkok.
About 70 km in a straight line from the cruise terminal, which makes Suvarnabhumi the closer of Bangkok's two airports. Don Mueang is about 99 km away.
Often, yes, but plan around the road transfer. The Grand Palace opens daily at 8:30 a.m. and sells tickets until 3:30 p.m.; foreign visitors pay 500 baht. Check your ship's all-aboard time before committing.
There is no quick rail link from the cruise terminal to central Bangkok. Most passengers use the cruise line transfer, a pre-booked car or a hotel transfer.
