When arriving at Don Muang or Suvarnabhumi airports, it’s necessary for you to find a means of transport to Bangkok city. There are a lot of available transportations that bring you to the city of Bangkok including bus, taxi, MRT, BTS, and Airport Rail Link. In this post, we will give more details about those means of transport so that you will get an idea of what is the best for you.
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1. How to get to Bangkok from Don Muang Airport?
Don Muang airport is now the main hub for budget and domestic flights so lots of travelers choose to take a flight to this airport to go to Bangkok. Today it’s easy to get to Bangkok from Don Muang airport by different vehicles. You should know how far from Don Muang Airport to Bangkok city to choose the most suitable means of transport to take. The distance between these two places is about 24km. Below are some transportations that you can choose to get to Bangkok city:
#1: Taxi
This is one of the easiest ways to travel to and from Don Muang airport. When you arrive at the airport, you can catch a taxi in front of the Arrival Halls International and Domestic Passenger Terminals (have to line up to get one). There are tons and tons of taxis which are very colorful, but they are actually the same. The taxi fare is from 250-350 bath depending on your destinations, sometimes you will have to pay 50 baht more for airport surcharge. Traveling by taxi can be both good and bad choice for you. When the weather and the traffic are both good, it takes only about 30 minutes to an hour to get to the city center, but when it’s rainy or during rush hours, you are in a very long wait.
The taxis here in Bangkok virtually work 24 hours a day so it’s convenient for everyone.
Some useful tips to take a taxi in Bangkok:
- To spot an available taxi, look for the ones with the glowing red vacant sign.
- You should line up to be assigned to a taxi at the airport as this can make sure you will get one with meter on and don’t have hard to deal with the language barrier (as the driver already knows your destination, you don’t have to say much).
- It’s not wise to travel by taxi in rush hours because you will have to pay more for traffic jams.
#2: Bus and Trains
Buses and trains are also available in almost every corner of Bangkok. Here are the directions to get to the road and the bus stop:
Take the pedestrian bridge that links the International Terminal 1 to the Don Muang Train Station and Amari Don Muang Hotel on Level 2 -> exit on the road through the staircase (first door on your right) -> walk for around 100 meters to reach the bus stop.
You can also take the shuttle bus A1 from Don Muang Airport to Mo Chit – the BTS sky train station. We will talk about this later.
Another option for those who want a bit more adventure is local trains. From the airport train station, take a train to Bangkok Terminal Train Station(Hualamphong). There are a great number of trains go between these two places from 3:14 am to 10:15 pm almost every day. Ticket price is only 5 to 20 baht each. But trains are not frequent, it takes about an hour for the next departure and quite slow(nearly an hour to get to Bangkok city). However, if you want to try new things and enjoy the nature outside, trains will help you.
#3: BTS (Skytrain)
This is one of the most common and convenient transportation in Bangkok. From Don Muang Airport, take the shuttle bus A1 to BTS Mo Chit Station with 30 baht. The Skytrain then takes you directly to Siam Area (Bangkok’s city center).
#4: MRT
This underground Mass Rapid Transit network serves 18 stations. To get to the Bangkok city, you have to catch a train from Don Muang airport station to Hua Lamphong and get on the MRT there. It won’t cost you a lot but it will take much time waiting for the train. But if you’re not in a hurry, this will be a good choice because the MRT runs fast and smoothly.
2. How to get to Bangkok city from Suvarnabhumi airport?
It is about 32km from Suvarnabhumi airport to Bangkok city. After arriving at this airport, travelers can choose among different kinds of vehicles to get to the city center such as taxi, bus, MRT, BTS or airport link.
#1: Taxi
Public taxis stands are located at Level 1 (one level down from the Arrivals level). There are both metered taxis and non-metered taxis. If you choose a metered taxi, the driver may ask you to pay for the toll fees en route, if you choose a non-metered taxis you must negotiate the price, otherwise, drivers may overcharge you. The average price ranges from 350 to 400 baht. It’s pretty cheap for a fast and convenient means of transport like this.
#2: Bus
A lot of buses available between the Suvarnabhumi airport and Bangkok city from 5:00 am to midnight. It costs about 150 baht and you have to spend from 40 mins to 50 mins sitting on the bus.
#3: Airport Rail Link
The airport rail link is another alternative for taxis and buses to the city of Bangkok. The first departure starts at 6:00 am and the last one starts at midnight. Actually, this is a great choice for its convenience, speed and reasonable price. The City Line leaves every 15 mins and takes about 25 mins for the whole distance, but there are 6 stops in between. You will have to pay from 15 to 45 baht per person depending on how far it is. The Airport Express is faster, only 15 minutes for the whole distance with about 100 baht each person. The Airport Express will take you directly to Makkansan Station and from there you will be able to change to MRT.
This kind of transports is perhaps the best way for solo travelers, but if you are traveling in groups of three or more, it’s better to take a taxi and share the fares.
Above are some of the most common ways for travelers to get to Bangkok city from Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi Airport. Of course, the way is not very difficult now as a variety of transportation is available 24/7. Taxis are a good choice for people traveling in groups because it will save you an amount of money. Buses and trains are more familiar with independent travelers as a way to save money. BTS and MRT network are suitable for all people for its convenience and reasonable price especially the ones who want to lessen the time of traveling. Anyway, should you have any questions or problems, it’s crucial to ask the agents at the airports.