Bangkok Airport & Transportation info

[kaptainrob]

Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is the main International airport, situated east of Bangkok city and best accessed via SkyTrain, bus or taxi.




Don Muang (DMK) is the LCC (low cost carrier) International and Domestic terminal, north of the city and is NOT easily accessed by train (yet) despite being inside the city. Taxi or bus transport is best.



Amari Hotel is attached to DMK via lift, sky-walk and escalator and perfect for in-transit/overnight stops.

More info here:Don Muang Airport Transportation | Don Muang Airport Guide

... and here > To & From Bangkok Airport

[Greatdane]

Don Muang (DMK) is the LCC (low cost carrier) International and Domestic terminal, north of the city and is NOT easily accessed by train (yet) despite being inside the city. Taxi or bus transport is best.

Actually there is a train from Don Muang to Hua Lamphong, however it is advisable not to take it as it is very slow. I took it the last time and I had plenty of time to regret it, even though my destination was close to Hua Lamphong (Chinatown). A skylink is planned to open in 2016, so it will probably be there around 2018.

[kaptainrob]

^ I'd never heard of anyone using the old system. Tks GD, you confirmed what I though + I imagine you had fun crossing the road.... or did you use the Amari access?

Travelling to or from Suvarnabhumi (BKK) via ultra-modern elevated train link is a breeze, once you know how. It WILL NOT suit everyone. Taxi's are cheap and with multiple pax, especially family, still the easiest option.

Train travel is great for solo travelers and particularly during peak traffic as it is both frequent and very fast. Details of the 2 service options here > Bangkok Airport - Train Timetable Route & Prices - Suvarnabhumi Meaning the Golden Land or Land of Gold

Makkasan Station - a massive terminal, sadly under-utilised!

The Express service is ultra-comfortable and runs from Makkasan Terminal near Sukhimvit 21 and MRT Phetchaburi station. Arriving into Makka~ you could take a taxi to your final destination although it's worth checking if the MRT is easier. It's a 150m walk between the 2 stations (A to B) compared with ~ 2km by one-way system in a taxi, as per map:-



2 very handy (walking distance) budget hotels near Makka~ are Bangkok Boutique on Suk 21, or FX Makkasan on Phetchaburi Road.

The former is halfway between Phetchaburi MRT and Asoke stations and usually runs ~ 1200 Bt p/n incl b/fast. FX can be ~900 Bt on special - front rooms are very noisy!

[Greatdane]

^ I'd never heard of anyone using the old system. Tks GD, you confirmed what I though + I imagine you had fun crossing the road.... or did you use the Amari access?

There's a closed bridge (don't know what you call it in English - skywalk?) from the second floor of the terminal over the street to the trains. Not that easy to find though.

If you want to include parking options in your guide, take a look at this page: Suvarnabhumi Airport
Beware, that even though they include motorbikes for long term parking on that page, they do not allow them in reality. I learned that the hard way.

[kaptainrob]

^ Yes, Skywalk. Can take lift from Ground floor and come out alongside.

It's anecdotes like yours GD, which are invaluable to 1st time travelers.
First time I landed at DMK a few years back I went straight out and took a taxi to .... Amari! ... 555

[Greatdane]

First time I landed at DMK a few years back I went straight out and took a taxi to .... Amari! ... 555

Great! How much did you pay?

I didn't have much fun finding out that they do not allow bikes at the long term parking at Suvarnabhumi. Due to traffic jams, I was very late - 40 minutes before lift off! After having been pointed to other areas at the parking lot (no one spoke a word of English), I finally was told in sign language that they would not take my bike. I went to the terminal and parked in front of it - now only 30 minutes to lift off - rushed up to the check in, and then back down to park the bike at the short time parking. I hope it is still there when I return.

The people at the check in were fantastic. They helped me with the parking (they didn't speak any English at the short time parking either), and they guided me through immigration (VIP) and trough the terminal all the way to the gate. It all went so fast that I didn't have time to give them something for their effort

Only good thing is, that I now know that you do not need to be at the airport two hours before lift off for international destinations.

[PadMC]

Good thread. I haven't used the skytrain link yet, must do next time.

[dontpanic]

Skytrain looks great but I just don't like the idea of suitcases and train stations. To get to Nana would cost about 180bt and take around an hour. Taxi costs about 300bt and probably half the time?

[Geespot]

Skytrain looks great but I just don't like the idea of suitcases and train stations. To get to Nana would cost about 180bt and take around an hour. Taxi costs about 300bt and probably half the time?

Taxi is the least hassle way to go IMO unless you have literally no baggage

Believe me you would be soacked from head to toe in sweat dealing with transfers on the Airport Express to BTS and then to hotel. Unless you've got a light carry on it's really not a practical way to travel to downtown BKK. Furthermore at both Makkasan and Phaya Thai there is the issue with taxis if that's what you choose to do and at Phaya Thai if you want to travel on the BTS Sukhumvit line; it's like sardines in a tin, would be a total nightmare with a travel cases and carry on baggage. Once you arrive at say Nana then you will need to negotiate walking to your hotel or taking a taxi or tuk tuk

Tip about taxis if you're going to lower to mid Sukhumvit. It's usually best unless very very early in the morning (pre 6am) late at night (after 9.30pm) or on a Sunday DO NOT take the Sukhumvit turn off on the expressway. Exit before the Din Daeng intersection and take Rama 9 cut off and then onto Phetchaburi Road (taxi drivers know this), from there its a left turn onto Asoke Sukhumvit 21 or Sukhumvit Soi 3 depending on where you are going

If you take the Sukhumvit cut off on the toll way at busy times you can easily sit at the cut off down to Sukhumvit Road for over an hour

[dave01]

Skytrain looks great but I just don't like the idea of suitcases and train stations. To get to Nana would cost about 180bt and take around an hour. Taxi costs about 300bt and probably half the time?

Yep, 30 mins with good traffic, but it can be painful the last couple of K's

[Lightemup]

I'll take a taxi anyday over a train or bus.
No hassle, comfy seats, aircon wins for me every time.

[K2]

It's a 150m walk between the 2 stations (A to B) ...

I beggers belief that in the 21st century what idiot got away with absurd situation ... non-existant planning and as I reported when I tried going by rail - they wanted to search my bags at 'security' entering the station ... never again!!

[dontpanic]

Yeh probably only worth considering if you've light baggage, don't fancy wheeling my suitcase from Nana BTS station to the hotel.

[Geespot]

Yeh probably only worth considering if you've light baggage, don't fancy wheeling my suitcase from Nana BTS station to the hotel.

Well considering there is no pavement to walk on 55555555555555555 that's the domain of food stalls, street vendors and late night bars, you literally need to walk on the road these days

[Geespot]

I'll take a taxi anyday over a train or bus.
No hassle, comfy seats, aircon wins for me every time.

Ye only scary thing is the driving skills, I'm literally doing the braking for them, even had quite a few fall asleep at the wheel etc I wont even start on the ones on Yabba 5555555555

[marc26]

Ye only scary thing is the driving skills, I'm literally doing the braking for them, even had quite a few fall asleep at the wheel etc I wont even start on the ones on Yabba 5555555555

i am not there much but that is why i book a BMW with the limo place
the drivers are always extremely professional
i hate not knowing what type of taxi i will get with the regular ones

and i think it is only 45usd or something

[Robaht]

I usually grab a taxi from the departures level, but that may be about to change as they have installed turnstile gates and "No Climbing" signs!! Oh dear!! but they are leaving the gates open for now it seems.... by the way, if you go to departures to grab your taxi, in general, the rule is the green ones are better quality, newer, etc. as they are the ones that usually arrive if you call for a radio taxi... also if you need a seatbelt, in general the green ones have them in the back seats, otherwise you have to sit in front for a seatbelt. Sorry if you all knew that already, but I seem to have 2 or 3 flights a month nowadays and also forget sometimes in a rush!! (like asking the guy if he has enough gas so he doesn't need to stop, or taking my eyes off the road and the taxi goes some asinine route....! Last 2 taxi trips the drivers have paid for at least one toll booth since they screwed up and were embarrassed! lol

[Robaht]

i am not there much but that is why i book a BMW with the limo place
the drivers are always extremely professional
i hate not knowing what type of taxi i will get with the regular ones

and i think it is only 45usd or something

I saw your post so I decided to try the BMW ride into town, rather than grabbing a taxi from departures like I normally do. First it is easy and seamless. You book at the counter near the baggage carousels, get a receipt and hand it to an AOT desk right outside customs, some dude grabs your cart and wheels it to a BMW parked right outside the door. The BMW 7-series has a nice big seat that reclines - seriously business class. It looked to have a DVD player with screens and headphone jacks for each backseat passenger. You can just sit there and relax and they pay the tolls, take whatever route they want since it is a fixed price but that also means they have incentive to go the fastest route. I found it very relaxing and a smooth transition from my Dubai-Bangkok flight (biz lounge, biz class, fast track visa, first bag off the carousel, BMW, it's such a pleasure to fly!), and nice since I had an early morning arrival on a weekday, so the morning rush hour was in full force. But is cost 2,200 baht. I couldn't swing a discount, even if I booked a return. The Mercedes was offered at 1,600 and i think a normal Toyota was 900 (not sure, way too lo-so LOL). I didn't try going to a different AOT desk in search of a better deal, she just said fixed price, fixed price, when I offered 2,000 so I'll have to try again next flight to see if I can get a discount. I guess many will be like, whoa, that is way too expensive, and it probably is, maybe it is even too out of whack to put on the business expense report, but if it were 1,200 baht I wouldn't even think twice about taking it every time.

[Steve@thaib]

I usually grab a taxi from the departures level, but that may be about to change as they have installed turnstile gates and "No Climbing" signs!! Oh dear!! but they are leaving the gates open for now it seems.... by the way, if you go to departures to grab your taxi, in general, the rule is the green ones are better quality, newer, etc. as they are the ones that usually arrive if you call for a radio taxi... also if you need a seatbelt, in general the green ones have them in the back seats, otherwise you have to sit in front for a seatbelt. Sorry if you all knew that already, but I seem to have 2 or 3 flights a month nowadays and also forget sometimes in a rush!! (like asking the guy if he has enough gas so he doesn't need to stop, or taking my eyes off the road and the taxi goes some asinine route....! Last 2 taxi trips the drivers have paid for at least one toll booth since they screwed up and were embarrassed! lol

Ah gee, why would they do that? Going upstairs to avoid the scrum for taxis was a teeny tiny bonus for those who were in the know. Looks like more pain on arrival now.

[junkhouse]

Too many in the know I guess..