How to get from Bangkok airport to the city

Most travellers come to Thailand through its international airport: Suvarnabhumi. This airport is relatively new, opened since 2006, and it follows worldwide standards, so you should not have any problem finding your way around.

Going to the city from Suvarnabhumi airport is not difficult. Actually, you have a lot of options. Here we summarise them all to help you decide which ones suits you better.

1. By taxi

Taxi is always a good option, but count with a 50 THB surcharge

Using a taxi to go to the city is always a good option, as it will deliver you exactly to the door of your hotel, and you don’t have to carry your baggage around.

The public taxi queue is located on the first floor of the airport, on the gates 4 and 7. The taxi here uses the meter, but you will need to pay a surcharge of 50 THB.

The total cost for the ride should be around 200 – 400 THB, depending on the traffic and the distance.

2. By ARL (+BTS or MRT)

There is no BTS line in the airport, but you can connect to it by ARL

ARL stands for Airport Rail Link, and it is an elevated train that connects Suvarnabhumi airport with the city. To be precise, with the subway at Petchaburi station and with the Skytrain at Phaya Thai. It also makes several stops along the way.

ARL used to offer two lines: Express line (non-stop) and City line, but the express line has been suspended for some time. It is a bit unlikely that you can go directly from the ARL station to your hotel, so you might need to transfer to another transportation like a taxi, BTS or subway. Airport Rail Link is located in Basement B floor.

The cost for a ride goes from 15 to 45 THB, depending on the stops.

3. By Airport Limousine

Airport limousines. Photo by AOT

If you don’t mind to pay a bit more, the airport offers a complete selection of cars, from luxury BMW and Mercedes to vans that can accommodate many passengers and their baggage.

The price depends on the distance and the car, being the Isuzu Mux the cheapest and the BMW the most expensive. There is a counter in the 2nd floor at Baggage claim and Arrival hall exits.

The cost for a ride to the city goes from 1100 to 3000 THB.

4. By bus

The bus is one of the cheapest ways to get to the city. You have five different routes with buses number 550, 553, 554, 555 and 558.

It can be a bit difficult for tourists to use the bus, so just make sure you take the right bus and the right exit. The counter is near gate 7.

If you are connecting to Don Muaeng airport, there is a free transfer bus between the two airports. Find it on the 2nd floor, gate 3.

The cost for a ride goes from 24 to 35 THB.

5. By van

Van is faster but also kind of scary

Another option, faster than the bus but somehow more dangerous is the public van. There are around 8 routes to take. You can ask for information at the counter at the platform of arrival, 1st floor, and gates 1 and 8.

The cost for a ride goes from 25 to 45 THB per passenger.

Click here if you want to read more about transportation in Thailand and Bangkok.