Way To Bangkok

By plane

Bangkok now has two airports operating.  Allow at least three hours to connect between them.

Suvarnabhumi Airport

 

Departure tax

Bangkok used to have a departure tax (called the "Passenger Service Charge") of 700 baht for international flights. This was payable in cash after check-in; however, it is now included in your airline ticket.

Located 30 kilometres (19 miles) to the east of Bangkok, space-age Suvarnabhumi Airport (สุวรรณภูมิ, pronounced "soo-wanna-poom", (IATA: BKK) (ICAO: VTBS), [2] started operations in September 2006 and is now Bangkok's main airport, used by all international flights as well as all Bangkok Airways (PG), Air Asia (FD), SGA Airline (5E), PBair (9Q) and Thai Airways domestic flights with three-digit flight numbers (eg. TG123). There is only one terminal building, which covers both domestic and international flights, but it's huge (by some measures the world's largest) so allow time for getting around.

Suvarnabhumi offers all facilities expected of a major international airport (transit hotel, ATMs, money exchange). Please note that there is NO ATM machine beyond immigration checkpoint. The cheapest place to eat is the Magic food court on the 1st floor, while perhaps the most comfortable and relaxing of the airport's restaurants and cafes is the Sky Lounge on the 6th floor. Here you can have your latte while sitting in plush leather sofas and enjoying a panoramic view over the runways - prices are also quite reasonable with coffee around 70 baht a cup. The observation on 7th is not much to see since the steel structure of the roof block most of the airport view. There are a few stores in the check-in area including a convenience store and a post office; however, the real shopping experience awaits travelers on the other side of immigration in the departure lounge area where the number of shops and duty free outlets leaves you wondering if you are in a mall or an airport. Beware, though, that past security in the gate waiting area there is practically nothing except steel chairs.

Transportation

Limousine taxis (which charge by distance, e.g. around 800 baht to central Sukhumvit) can be reserved at the limousine hire counter on the 2nd floor (just outside Arrivals), and aggressive touts will try to entice you on board. If you allow yourself to be waylaid by one of the taxi touts they might quote you more than double the fare that an ordinary metered taxi would charge (900 baht instead of 400, for example). It's best to ignore the touts.

A better option are the ordinary metered taxis available on the 2nd floor: follow the "public taxi" signs, queue up and state your destination at the desk, and you'll get a slip with your destination written in Thai on it. There is a 50-baht surcharge on the meter, meaning that trips to the city will cost 300-400 baht (plus a 25-baht expressway toll) and take 40-60 minutes depending on traffic. (Beware of taxi drivers who claim that the-50 baht surcharge is applied to each passenger as opposed to per taxi.) If there is a huge taxi queue, consider taking a free shuttle bus to the Public Transport Center, which has more taxis. Go straight to the official "Taxi Stand" and wait there.

There is also a stop outside the 1st floor exit for Airport Express buses [3], which charge a flat 150 baht and operate hourly until midnight, covering four routes, each taking about 60 to 90 minutes:

AE1: Suvarnabhumi-Silom

AE2: Suvarnabhumi-Khao San Road

AE3: Suvarnabhumi-Sukhumvit

AE4: Suvarnahhumi-Victory Monument-Hua Lamphong (train station)

The BMTA public bus lines are:

549: Suvarnabhumi-Bangkapi

550: Suvarnabhumi-Happy Land

551: Suvarnabhumi-Victory Monument (BTS)

552: Suvarnabhumi-On Nut (BTS)-Klong Toei

552A: Suvarnabhumi - Sam Rong

553: Suvarnabhumi-Samut Phrakan

554: Suvarnabhumi-Don Muang Airport

555: Suvarnabhumi-Rangsit (Expressway)

556: Suvarnabhumi-Southern Bus Terminal (Expressway)

557: merged with 558

558: Suvarnabhumi-Central Rama II-Wong Wien Yai

559: Suvarnabhumi-Rangsit (Outer Ring Road)

To give an example, the fare between Suvarnabhumi and On Nut BTS station on the 552 is 32 baht, and the journey (On Nut to the airport) takes about 40 minutes in mid-afternoon traffic.

There are also privately-owned BMTA minivans to many parts of Bangkok, such as Don Muang Airport, Bang Kapi, Rangsit, Samut Prakarn, etc. They charge in flat rate 50 baht.

To take a minivan or a public bus, you must first take a free shuttle bus ride (from the outside 2nd floor) to the separate terminal (Public Transport Center). The minivans go directly to the destination, so they are faster than the public buses, which stop frequently along the way.

These services take about 1 hour to 2 hours depending on Bangkok traffic and frequency is usually every 20 mins during daytime and night time ranges from 20 mins to 1 hour depending on route. Long-distance 1st class bus services connect Suvarnabhumi directly with Chachoengsao, Hua Hin, Nong Khai, Pattaya, Rayong, and Trat.

An airport express train to the future City Air Terminal at Makkasan (connecting to MRT Phetchaburi) and onward to Phaya Thai (connecting to BTS Phaya Thai) is under construction, but is not expected to be ready before the end of 2008 at the earliest. Die-hard rail fans with lots of time to kill can take bus 517 to Hua Takhe station (15 baht), a few km from the airport, and continue on any 3rd class train to Asok or Hualamphong (7 baht).

Don Muang Airport

on Muang Airport (IATA: DMK) (ICAO: VTBD)(or Don Mueang), 20 km north of downtown, was Bangkok's main airport until 2006. The airport handles Nok Air, 1-2-Go domestic flights and Thai Airways domestic flights with four-digit flight numbers (eg. TG1234), but the former international terminal is now limited to charters and general aviation.

The public taxi stand is located on the sidewalk outside the arrivals area (don't be fooled by all the taxi service booths in the main hall), and is probably your best bet for getting into town — it's also your only option after 11 PM. Give your destination (English is understood) and you will receive a two-part ticket at the booth. The charge into town will be the meter + 50 baht + toll if you take the expressway (recommended, 30-70 baht), for a usual total of 200-300 baht. The small part is for your driver, the large part is for you. This ticket is for complaints and is how the system is enforced: hold on to it to help avoid arguments later. The trip into town takes 30 minutes and up depending on traffic conditions.

If the line at the taxi stand is long or you need a more spacious car, you may want to book a (so-called) limousine from the desks in the terminal. This will get you a slightly nicer car at about twice the price (500-600 baht). Ignore any touts outside and do not get into any car with white license plates, as these are not licensed to carry passengers.

Across a covered overpass from the airport is the train station. Tickets to Hualamphong station cost 5 baht at the ticket booth. While taking the train is the cheapest way to get from the airport to Bangkok, it is not for the faint-of-heart: schedules are erratic, the run-down passenger cars often have beggars roaming through them, and are relatively empty late at night.

There are also a number of public transport buses going by the airport. Just take a overpass to the real road bypassing the airport and stop the bus of your choice. For example the air-con bus 504 will take you to CentralWorld (a large department store formerly known as the World Trade Center), from where you'll have access to the Skytrain as well as many other buses, or Lumpini Park, from where you get access to the subway, for 22 baht. Note that large baggage is not allowed.

If you're flying Thai Airways, you can do a city check-in at Lad Phrao MRT station, from where free shuttle buses leave 1:50 before each Thai flight. The same buses also run in the reverse direction from the airport.