Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [141]
AE-2 to Banglamphu (by expressway) Via Th Petchaburi Soi 30, Democracy Monument, Royal Hotel, Th Phra Athit, Th Phra Sumen and Th Khao San.
AE-3 to Sukhumvit Via Soi 52, Eastern bus terminal, Soi 34, 24, 20, 18, 10, 6, Central Chit Lom, Central World Plaza and Soi Nana.
AE-4 to Hualamphong train station Via Victory Monument, Phayathai Skytrain, Siam Square, MBK and Chulalongkorn University.
Local Transport
With more time and less money, you could take the Skytrain to On Nut (40B), then from near the market entrance opposite Tesco take the BTS minivan (25B, about 40 minutes; look for the yellow BTS 522 Suvarnabhumi on the window) to the airport.
Several other air-con local buses serve the airport’s public transport centre, a 3km ride on a free shuttle bus from Suvarnabhumi, charging a flat 35B fare. The most useful routes:
Bus 551 Siam Paragon Via Victory Monument.
Bus 552 Klong Toei Via Sukumvit 101 and On Nut Skytrain.
Buses 554 & 555 Don Muang Airport
Bus 556 Southern bus terminal Via Democracy Monument (for Th Khao San) and Thammasat University.
Intercity buses to destinations east including Pattaya, Rayong and Trat stop at the public transport centre, reached via a free shuttle from the airport.
Minivan
If you are heading to the airport from Banglamphu, the hotels and guesthouses can book you on air-con minivans. These pick up from hotels and guesthouses, and cost about 180B per person (you’re better off using the Airport Express bus).
Skytrain
From late 2009 a new Skytrain line will run from downstairs at the airport to a huge new City Air Terminal in central Bangkok, near Soi Asoke/21 and Th Petchaburi. There will be an express service (pink line) that will take 15 minutes, and a local service (red line) taking 27 minutes.
Taxi
As you exit the terminal, ignore the touts and all the yellow signs pointing you to ‘official airport taxis’ (which cost 700B flat). Instead, walk outside on the arrivals level and join the fast-moving queue for a public taxi. Cabs booked through this desk should always use their meter, but they often try their luck so insist by saying, ‘Meter, please’. You must also pay a 50B official airport surcharge and reimburse drivers for any toll charges (usually about 60B); drivers will always ask your permission to use the tollway. Depending on traffic, a taxi to Asoke should cost 200B to 250B, to Silom 300B to 350B and to Banglamphu 350B to 425B. Fares are per vehicle, not per person.
DON MUANG AIRPORT
There are no longer any express airport buses to/from Don Muang.
Bus
Slow, crowded public bus 59 stops on the highway in front of the airport and carries on to Banglamphu, passing Th Khao San and the Democracy Monument; luggage is not allowed. Air-con buses are faster, and you might actually get a seat. Useful air-con routes:
Bus 510 Victory Monument and Southern bus terminal.
Bus 513 Th Sukhumvit and Eastern bus terminal.
Bus 29 Northern bus terminal, Victory Monument, Siam Square and Hualamphong train station.
Taxi
As at Suvarnabhumi, public taxis leave from outside the arrivals hall and there is a 50B airport charge added to the meter fare. A trip to Banglamphu, including airport change and tollway fees, will set you back about 400B. The fare will be slightly less for a trip to Sukhumvit or Silom.
Train
The walkway that crosses from Terminal 1 to the Amari Airport Hotel also provides access to Don Muang train station, which has trains to Hualamphong train station every one to 1½ hours from 4am to 11.30am and then roughly every hour from 2pm to 9.30pm (3rd-class ordinary/express 5/10B, one hour).
Boat
Once the city’s dominant form of transport, public boats still survive along the mighty Mae Nam Chao Phraya and on a few interior klorng.
RIVER ROUTES
Chao Phraya Express (Map; 0 2623 6001; www.chaophrayaboat.co.th) provides one of the city’s most scenic (and efficient) transport options, running passenger boats along Mae Nam Chao Phraya to destinations both south and north of Bangkok. The central pier is known