The fastest way to get to downtown Bangkok is by metro, but transfers are required.

You can get to the tourist centres (Khao San, Silom, Siam) by several bus lines without changing buses, but with the risk of longer travel time due to traffic jams.

In the table below we offer a comparison of the different bus and metro lines.

Route	Destinations	Transfer to other metro lines	Price
Metro - Red Line	Bang Sue Railway Station	Dark Blue Line - Bang Sue station	33 thb
Bus A1	Mochit Bus Station Chatuchak Park	Light green line - Mo Chit station	30 thb
Bus A2	Victory monument	Light Green Line - Mo Chit station	30 thb
Bus A3	Lumphini Park, CentralWorld (Silom) Sala Daeng	Suvarnabhumi Airport Line - Ratchaprarop station	50 thb
Bus A4	Khaosan Road (historical centre)	-	50 thb

Bus to the centre

Even after the new elevated metro line is operational, the special airport buses A1, A2, A3 and A4 remain the most convenient for direct journeys to the city centre.

The stops are located on the arrivals level of the international terminal at gates 1 and 6. On the way to the airport, the bus stops at the departures floor, right between the terminals.

Find a cheap hotel in central Bangkok

The downside of buses is the fact that journey times can easily double due to heavy traffic, as well as the impossibility of finding out exact timetables in advance. There is no exact timetable available on the official BMTA website, on the airport website or at the bus stops.

The connection search works via Google.com/maps, but the times may not be 100% accurate.

The Viabus mobile app (available on: Google Play / App Store), which shows the current location of all buses. However, it is always necessary to find the relevant stop on the map, click on it and select the one you want from the selection of lines.

Tickets are always valid for one journey only and cost 30 thb or 50 thb by line. You always buy your ticket inside the bus from the conductor who walks through the car and collects the money. You can only pay in cash and they do not change notes over 100 baht.

Line A1

Runs from the airport to Mo Chit (light green BTS line) and Chatuchak Park (blue MRT line) metro stations, which are right next to each other.

Selected services that don't have a red plate behind the windscreen continue to Bangkok's central long-distance bus station, Mochit 2.

This service is particularly convenient if you want to change to the light green line or are heading directly to Mochit Bus Station.

• Travel time - 30 minutes
• Price - 30 thb
• Frequency - 10-40 minutes
• Last bus from the airport - 0:07
• First bus from Mo Chit - 6:00

Line A2

The A2 bus also runs to the Mo Chit/Chatuchak Park metro stations (light green BTS line + blue MRT line), but continues along the light green metro route to the Victory Monument, which is already the area where you'll find the first hotels within the wider city centre.

• Travel time Victory Monument – 45 to 60 minutes
• Price - 30 thb
• Frequency - 15-20 minutes
• Last bus from the airport - 23:52
• First bus from Victory Monument - 6:15

Line A3

Takes you through the modern downtown area to its southern edge to Lumphini Park (which it circles all the way around, stopping at the Silom Metro station). This service is convenient if you are staying in hotels in the Siam area, where it will get you there without having to change trains (if you were going purely by train/metro, you would have to change trains twice).

• Travel time Lumphini Park - 75 to 90 minutes
• Price - 50 thb
• Frequency - 30-40 minutes
• Last bus from the airport - 23:47
• First bus from Lumphini Park - 6:43

Line A4

This route is the most used as it goes to an area that you can't get to at all by metro, even with transfers. Line A4 takes you to the vibrant heart of old Bangkok on Khaosan Road and its immediate surroundings. The final station is called Sanam Luang.

• The journey time to Khaosan Road – 60 to 80 minutes
• Price - 50 thb
• Frequency - 15-30 minutes
• Last bus from airport - 23:47
• First bus from Sanam Luang (Khao San) - 6:40
• Hotel at the terminal station - Villa De Khaosan by Chillax ****

Other lines

While there are a number of other bus routes that run along the highway in front of the airport, the stops have been gradually moved further away from the airport and even with zero information, these services are completely unusable for travellers.

Metro Red Line

The Red Line Metro has been running to Don Mueang since 2021 and operates as an overground line. Indeed, even the signs at the airport pointing to the station inform about the train rather than the metro: SRT Red Line. These trains do not go directly to the city centre and you always have to change at the terminus at Bang Sue (also referred to as Krung Thep Aphiwat).

Bang Sue station serves as the main hub for long-distance trains. To get to the centre of Bangkok, use the Blue Line subway from Bang Sue for about 45 thb (travel time to the centre from Bang Sue is about 35 minutes).

The station at the airport is about a 5-7 minute walk from the national or 10-12 minute walk from the international terminal and clear signage will lead you to it.

Tickets for 33 thb can be purchased from the red ticket machines or from the ticket office. The price decreases with distance travelled and, for example, at Lak Si station with a transfer to the Pink Line, you'll only pay 18 thb.

In both cases, you can only pay with cash (the ticket office also accepts card payments, but only over 300 baht, which you won't spend even in a group). The machine takes bills up to 100 baht, but will happily change high value bills at the counter.

You get your ticket in the form of a black token, which you attach to the turnstile when you board and keep for the whole journey. On exit, you go through the turnstile again, where you have to throw the token.

You always need to purchase a new token when changing to other metro lines.

• Travel time Bang Sue – 17 minutes
• Price - 33 thb
• Frequency - 12-20 minutes
• First connection from Bang Sue - 5:30
• Last connection from the airport - 00:07
• Hotel at Bang Sue Station - Best Western Chatuchak ****
• Official Information: srtet.co.th/en

Public transport map

View a map of all subway and bus lines serving Bangkok Don Mueang Airport.

Taxi

Official yellow and green or pink metered taxis tend to be the most popular and by far the most convenient transport option. They are the only ones that can take you to both the modern and historic centre of Bangkok without having to change buses.

Given the distance from the airport, prices are not that high and if you choose a really official yellow and green or pink taxi, they tend to be hassle-free.

On your way out of the airport, follow the "Taxi" signs that will lead you to the official stand, where you'll have to stand in line and have the machine print out a ticket that will direct you to a specific taxi. Between 22:00 and 01:00 the queues for taxis can often be 30-40 minutes long.

On the way from the airport, the taxi driver almost always turns on the meter without saying anything.

When travelling to the airport from highly exposed areas such as Sukhumvit, Khaosan Road or Silom, even official taxi drivers try to arrange a ride without a meter. Strongly refuse and if necessary get out and choose another taxi.

As taxis are the most common form of transport for travelling around Bangkok, it won't be a problem to stumble across one within a minute at any time of the day or night.

Taxi prices are as follows:

• Sukhmuvit - approx. 280 thb
• Khaosan Road - approx. 300 thb
• Siam - approx. 240 thb

Taxis can only be paid in cash.

The Grab and Bolt apps, otherwise very popular in Asia, are generally not worth using in Bangkok. Official taxis are the cheapest option in 99% of cases.

The exception is using the Bolt app, which allows you to hail a normal taxi (and then pay in cash). This can come in handy in the early hours of the morning when travelling from your hotel outside of the most busy centres, where taxis may be scarce.

To Suvarnabhumi Airport

Transfer from Don Mueang Airport to Suvarnabhumi is provided by free shuttle buses. They run once an hour in the morning and every 20 minutes thereafter (timetable: airportpattayabus.com/shuttle-bus). The first service leaves at 5:00 am, the last at 12:00 am. Depending on traffic, the journey takes between 50 and 100 minutes.

Buses stop in front of the international terminal at exit 6. From the national terminal, clear signage leads you to the stop in about 5 minutes on foot. At Suvarnabhumi Airport, buses stop at gate 3 on the arrivals level.