Getting to Bangkok

Millions of visitors arrive in Bangkok every year, with the vast majority of them arriving by air.  Being at approximately the geographical centre of the country means that the city is also the main transport hub for Thai people traveling to live and work in other parts Thailand.

By air

In September 2006 the state of the art Suvarnabhumi International Airport was opened.  The airport had been in the planning and development stage for many years and has been widely acclaimed as one of the most modern and sophisticated airports anywhere in the world. 

Airlines from all over the globe offer routes to Bangkok and the airport services hundreds of domestic and international flight arrivals every day, although the old Don Muang airport still handles some domestic and the majority of freight arrivals.

Flight times range from around 10-12 hours from Europe to around 16 hours from North America and 8 hours from Australia.

Domestic flights are also available and many visitors connect at Bangkok on their way to Phuket, Koh Samui, Krabi, Chiang Mai or any of the other popular Thai destinations that are serviced by an airport.

Bangkok is also a great base for people wanting to explore the region with many budget Asian airlines offering daily flights to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and China.

The airport is approximately 40 minutes drive east of the main tourist and residential areas of Bangkok and the most convenient way to travel to and from there is to take a meter taxi – always ask the driver to keep the meter running and pay the inexpensive toll fees, to get in and out of the city much quicker. There are private taxi services also available for a fixed cost but these tend to be a bit more expensive.

Works to complete a BTS Skytrain line to the airport are currently ongoing and when completed will greatly reduce the ease of getting to and from Suvanabhumi.

Buses and trains to and from Bangkok

Depending where you are in Thailand it may be a good option to travel to Bangkok by bus or by train.  All major cities and tourist destinations offer a reliable bus service to the capital and fares are very inexpensive. You will normally have a choice of buses with the air conditioned VIP services normally offering the best degree of comfort and reliability. Depending on your journey time, you may also want to choose the overnight service, if this is available.

Trains are also an option and most of Thailand’s major cities have a train station offering daily services to Bangkok. This is a nice way to travel and much more comfortable than taking the bus, but you should be aware that your travel time maybe considerably longer. For example, the train from Bangkok to Hua Hin can take 4-5 hours compared with around a 2 hour journey time by road.

By car

The highway system in Thailand is excellent and you should be able to drive to Bangkok from almost any major town or city in the country - Thailand is a very large place however and journey times can be as long as 12-15 hours.

The roads are well sign posted in both Thai and English however and finding your way to Bangkok is not a daunting task if you plan appropriately

 

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