A month before MotoGP’s season opener, the whole grid comes to Chang International Circuit for two days of testing. The Buriram MotoGP test runs on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February 2027, a Grandstand seat costs 500 baht a day, and most of Buriram’s hotels charge their normal prices. If race weekend is too expensive, too crowded or simply the wrong date for your trip, this is the most accessible way to see MotoGP bikes on track in Thailand.
The Buriram test at a glance
- Dates: Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February 2027, Chang International Circuit.
- Tickets: Grandstand 500 baht a day or 900 baht for both days; VIP 5,000 baht a day.
- On sale: Monday 9 November 2026, 14:00 Thai time, at allticket.com and any 7-Eleven.
- Free with any race ticket for 5–7 March 2027 (VIP areas excluded).
- Hotels: most charge normal February prices; the two next to the circuit charge about double. Race weekend is far worse (see below).
Why the Buriram MotoGP Test Is Worth a Weekend
It costs a fraction of race weekend. The cheapest three-day race ticket for March 2027 is 2,000 baht and the main Grandstand is 5,000. A day at the test is 500 baht, or 900 for both days. The test price has not changed since at least 2025.
The hotels are the real saving. When we checked Agoda on 24 October 2026, race weekend (4–7 March 2027) showed rooms at just 12 hotels in Buriram, at a median of about 7,500 baht a night, and none at the hotels closest to the circuit. On test weekend, plenty of city hotels had rooms at their normal February prices, from about 450 to 700 baht a night. The two hotels right next to the circuit do charge more that weekend, about double their usual February rate, but at least they have rooms.
No race-weekend crowds. Race weekend fills Buriram with visitors, and the roads to the circuit, the restaurants and the flights fill with them. A test is a working weekend for the teams, not a festival, so getting in, finding a seat and getting home is far simpler.
It suits people who are already in Thailand. February is the end of the cool season, Buriram’s best time to visit, and plenty of people are in the country for a few weeks and cannot stretch the trip to March. Two flights a day from Bangkok Don Mueang make it an easy weekend away, and the test fits neatly around a temple day at Phanom Rung.
It is not on TV. MotoGP does not broadcast its tests live. Fans at home follow a paid live-timing feed and a highlights show in the evening. At the circuit you see and hear the bikes for real, which is the point of being there.
What Happens at a MotoGP Test
A test is not a race. There is no start, no qualifying and no podium. Instead each team spends the day running its riders on track for as many laps as it needs, trying parts and set-ups and timing every lap. Bikes come and go from the pit lane all day, often several on track at once, and the fastest laps can be close to race pace.
In 2026 the Buriram test ran from 10:00 to 18:00 on Saturday and 09:30 to 17:30 on Sunday, with a 20-minute lunch break, so you can come and go as you please. The 2027 timetable is usually published the week before; we will add it here.
2027 is a special year for this test. MotoGP switches to new 850cc engines, and the test moves a month earlier than usual, at the teams’ request, to give them more time to work on the new bikes before the season starts. It is one of the first chances anywhere to see the 2027 machines on track, and the last test before the season opener in Buriram on 5–7 March.
Pit lane walks, paddock access and autographs: nothing has been announced for the test. The rider Hero Walk, autograph sessions and paddock tours are race-weekend events, mostly sold as packages. If the organisers add fan activities for the test, we will update this page.
Buriram Test Tickets
Prices for the 2027 test, as announced by Chang Circuit Buriram in October 2026:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Grandstand, one day | 500 baht |
| Grandstand, both days | 900 baht |
| VIP, one day | 5,000 baht, with food and Chang drinks |
| Any race ticket for 5–7 March | Free entry on both days (not VIP) |
Tickets go on sale on Monday 9 November 2026 at 14:00 Thai time through All Ticket: online at allticket.com or at the Counter Service All Ticket counter in any 7-Eleven.
Going to the race as well? Any race ticket for 5–7 March 2027 bought in the Thai sale also gets you into both test days free (VIP areas excluded). Race tickets start at 2,000 baht for three days; our MotoGP Thailand guide has the full price list.
Getting to Chang Circuit
Thai AirAsia flies from Bangkok Don Mueang to Buriram twice a day, arriving at about 08:00 and 16:00 in the winter schedule (search AirAsia flights from Don Mueang to Buriram). The airport is about 32 km north of the city, a 30 to 40 minute drive. The circuit is about 5 km south-west of the city centre, 10 to 15 minutes by car. Our guide to getting to Buriram covers the train and bus options from Bangkok too.
A car makes the weekend much easier, especially if you want to add Phanom Rung. Compare car hire rates from Buriram Airport.
Where to Stay for the Test
On race weekend the two hotels next to the circuit sell out first, months ahead. On test weekend both had rooms when we checked, which makes this the one weekend of the season when you can realistically walk to the track. They know it, though: both were charging well above their usual February weekend rate.
Amari Buriram United is about 1 km from the circuit, inside the stadium complex. It has only 60 rooms, built around the football club, and it can arrange an airport transfer if you ask in advance. Its rate for 5–7 February 2027 was about 4,500 baht a night, against about 3,400 on other February weekends.
- Walk to the circuit and back
- Can arrange an airport transfer if asked in advance
- About a third dearer than other February weekends
- Only 60 rooms
Modena by Fraser Buriram is 1.1 km from the circuit, with the same walk to the track. Its 152 rooms are apartments from 28 to 67 m², with kitchenettes in the larger units, a pool, a 24-hour gym and a steam room. Its rate for the test weekend was about 5,000 baht a night, double its usual February weekend rate of about 2,500.
- Same walk to the circuit as the Amari
- Apartments of 28–67 m², kitchenettes in larger units
- Pool, 24-hour gym and steam room
- Double its usual February weekend rate
Cheaper Options Near the Circuit
Two cheaper hotels are close to the circuit, but neither had February rooms on Agoda when we checked on 24 October 2026. That may change nearer the time, so they are worth checking again, or contacting directly.
Sky View Resort Buriram is about 1 km from the circuit, near Chang Arena. Its usual rate on Agoda for November and December 2026 was about 570 to 700 baht a night, but its February rooms were not yet on sale.
- Close to the circuit, near Chang Arena
- Usually about 570–700 baht a night
- No February rooms on Agoda yet when we checked
Diamond Hotel is about 1.5 km from the circuit and has a pool. It usually costs about 725 to 950 baht a night, but Agoda showed no rooms at all from 1 February to mid-March 2027, the weeks of both the test and the race.
- Close to the circuit, with a pool
- Usually about 725–950 baht a night
- No rooms on Agoda from 1 February to mid-March 2027 when we checked
Want a sure thing on a budget? Buriram city has plenty of simple hotels at a few hundred baht a night, 10 to 15 minutes from the circuit by car, and on test weekend they were charging their normal prices. Check hotel availability in Buriram, or read our guide to where to stay in Buriram.
Make a Weekend of It
The test leaves your mornings and evenings free, and Buriram has plenty to fill them. Phanom Rung, the province’s great Khmer temple, opens at 6:00, so an early visit on the Saturday or Sunday still gets you to the circuit by late morning. Our 3 days in Buriram itinerary has more ideas, and the Chang Circuit guide covers the rest of the complex, including Chang Arena, home of Buriram United.
Before You Go
February afternoons in Buriram average about 33°C, so bring sun protection, a hat and water, and expect the Grandstand to get hot. Ear plugs are worth having: MotoGP bikes are loud, even in testing. Bring cash for food and drink at the circuit.
Sort your cover before you travel. Get a travel insurance quote for Thailand.
Buriram MotoGP Test FAQ
Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February 2027, at Chang International Circuit, a month before the Thai Grand Prix on 5–7 March. In 2026 the sessions ran from about 10:00 to 18:00 on the Saturday and 09:30 to 17:30 on the Sunday.
A Grandstand ticket costs 500 baht a day or 900 baht for both days, and VIP costs 5,000 baht a day with food and Chang drinks (prices announced by Chang Circuit Buriram, October 2026). Any race ticket for 5–7 March 2027 bought in the Thai sale includes free entry to both test days, VIP areas excluded.
Tickets go on sale on Monday 9 November 2026 at 14:00 Thai time through All Ticket, online at allticket.com or at the Counter Service All Ticket counter in any 7-Eleven in Thailand.
Yes. With a ticket you can watch from the Grandstand on both days. The test is not shown live on TV, so the circuit is the only place to see it live.
None had been announced for the 2027 test as of October 2026. Pit lane walks, paddock tours and rider autograph sessions are race-weekend events, mostly sold as packages.
Much cheaper. On 24 October 2026 Agoda showed rooms at only 12 Buriram hotels for race weekend, at a median of about 7,500 baht a night. On test weekend most city hotels charged their normal February prices, from about 450 baht a night, while the two hotels next to the circuit charged about double their usual rate.
Last updated: 24 October 2026. Ticket prices from Chang Circuit Buriram; hotel availability from Agoda, checked 24 October 2026.
Inline image: Box Repsol / Jaime Olivares, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
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