Fast And Cheap (really!) Way To/from The Airport

[worldquester]

MY MULTIPLE-EXPERIENCES WITH FAST AND CHEAP TRANSPORT TO OR FROM THE AIRPORT:

A fast and cheap way I've discovered to get to or from the airport is the shared-passenger NGV (natural gas vehicle) minivans that run between the airport and various parts of the city.

They are clean (most are new), cheap, convenient, hassle-free, and fast by going to the airport directly via tollroads. There are various ones throughout the city, but I know the one to/from Victory Monument and, thus, the BTS Skytrain.

My route from BTS/Victory Monument to the airport: Take BTS Skytrain to Victory Monument, walk the Skywalk to the right (counterclockwise) and walk down the stairs to the 7-Eleven and Dunkin' Donuts stands. Usually very near there to the right of these stands, in the city bus queue is one of these vans (some or all have NGV written on them) waiting for it to fill up, which they do pretty quickly. Cost...something like 45 baht, drive-time to airport in weekday (or weekend) rush hour...about 25 minutes. Seriously. Confirm with the driver that they are going to Suvarnabhumi, they will throw your luggage in the back, pay him, and you're done thinking about it. They'll drop you off at the terminal. There may be just one hiccup, and that is, if the minivan isn't in the roundabout queue, you can wait for one to arrive there, or do a little exploring. There's a little side soi that sort-of tucks under an expressway...there are about a hundred shared-passenger minivans under there waiting to go to different parts of the city (the Thais' transportation secret gem) and just ask around for the one to Suvarnabhumi. Or, like I said, you can wait near the roundabout for the next one to show.

My route from airport to Victory Monument (and BTS): Leave the terminal door with your luggage (I choose the Arrivals level for less or no transportation touts/taxis) and take the Shuttle Bus for a 5+ minute ride to the airport's public transportation center (where city buses and taxis park). Once you get out of the shuttle bus, you look for minivans that are at the end of the long row of the big city buses. There will be a big lot of these. I saw them at night, so I believe they are cream-colored or white, and they have the letters NGV on them and destinations in Thai and English. There will be several tables with people sitting and calling out. This is where you buy a ticket for the minivan. Just find the right ticket seller (for me, it's Victory Monument), pay your 45 baht or so, and get in the right minivan. When it fills (again, I waited less than five minutes), you'll be on your way thru tollways and to Victory Monument roundabout. Walk up to Skywalk to BTS and go!

My alternative transport, the city bus, takes at least twice as long in either direction to Sukhumvit area or Victory Monument. These minivans are so much better!

Note: I don't know how early or late these vans run. Maybe others have something to share about that.

[pete_r]

Good to know, thanks.

These mini-vans (rot-too = car-cupboard) link different locations around Bangkok. Most are not as new as the ones to Suvarnabhumi, but cheap and convenient they are.

[worldquester]

Good to know, thanks.

These mini-vans (rot-too = car-cupboard) link different locations around Bangkok. Most are not as new as the ones to Suvarnabhumi, but cheap and convenient they are.

Oops...I wrote one thing wrong about the FROM airport TO Victory Monument run. I catch the Shuttle Bus to the Transportation Center on the DEPARTURES level, not the Arrivals level. This avoids all touts and taxis. Exit the terminal on Departures level, catch shuttle bus, etc....

[coconutty]

Good to know, thanks.

These mini-vans (rot-too = car-cupboard) link different locations around Bangkok. Most are not as new as the ones to Suvarnabhumi, but cheap and convenient they are.

any information on where they run? some website or something? is there one to the airport from thonburi or silom area?

[lomatopo]

Since the service seems to be not so well known, although others have mentioned these mini-vans here before, who have you seen using the service? Is it other travelers? Workers at the airport?

A related story...http://www.bangkokpost.com/170707_News/17Jul2007_news02.php

[worldquester]

Since the service seems to be not so well known, although others have mentioned these mini-vans here before, who have you seen using the service? Is it other travelers? Workers at the airport?

A related story...http://www.bangkokpost.com/170707_News/17Jul2007_news02.php

Ah, I read thru the Post story. I've seen some of the tourist, hotel, and other vans they refer to. But, the service I use must have legit-status because they sell tickets for it at the Airport Transportation center that the airport shuttle bus takes you to from the terminal. At the end of the city buses, they have a bank of tables with people selling tickets to various parts of the city.

So far, I've only seen Thais taking it other than me and my friends/housemates. They appear to be middle-class travelers and also airport workers. I'm usually one of the only ones who gets out at the International terminal when riding to the airport.

[worldquester]

I'm glad that someone posted today because it reminded me to add some wrong information that I had posted.

I used the Victory Monument-to-airport van again a couple of weeks ago on an international trip.

Correction about where to find the van at Victory Monument:

From BTS Skytrain stop at Victory Monument, walk on the Skywalk around the big circle to the right and then take the third "exit" on the right. The first "exit" is a walkdown next to an escalator that goes down to where Phayathai and the circle join, skip that. Next "exit" is a path to a shopping center called "Center One" that's got the usual: Watson's, KFC, Pizza Company, Black Canyon etc. (forget that, too, unless you're hungry).

The third "exit" is right after that 2nd one and the Skywalk parallels the one that leads to Center One. After exiting the main Skywalk, walk down the stairs. This puts you at a corner of Ratchawithi and the Victory Monument circle (I think there's yet another Dunkin' Donuts there). Walk straight off the stairs past one or two bus benches, and this is where I saw the airport bus waiting, but it didn't have a sign in English. I just asked "Suvarnabhumi?" Threw the bag in back, paid 45 baht, waited about 5 more minutes for three more people to load in and then we were off. Dropped me off upon request at the right area of the International terminal.

Got to airport from Victory Monument in 23 minutes on a Tuesday at 6pm.

Hope this helps.

[torrenova]

OK great but what is the real cost saving ? Also price in inconvenience, getting sweaty dragging your luggage about etc. Changing buses, walking miles etc. Why not just call a cab from where you live and get to the sirport refreshed.

What is the cost saved over a door to door cab versus the total public transport cost, not just the Bt45 van.

[worldquester]

OK great but what is the real cost saving ? Also price in inconvenience, getting sweaty dragging your luggage about etc. Changing buses, walking miles etc. Why not just call a cab from where you live and get to the sirport refreshed.

What is the cost saved over a door to door cab versus the total public transport cost, not just the Bt45 van.

Last question first: for me, total door-to-door cost is 65 baht because I live about 30 seconds walk from the Skytrain, and I have a 30-trip pass. My luggage is wheeled (so no sweat), and I feel fine when I arrive at the airport. The longest walk for me is about a 1-2 minute one to/from BTS at Victory Monument along the Skywalk. Besides being cheaper, the road travel is also less than 25 minutes in rush-hour traffic.

If it doesn't work for you or others--that's fine--a cab is a great idea and is, generally, the de facto option. It's obviously the easiest one with little wear-and-tear or adventure. I've only suggested another option that I thought I would throw out to the world for consideration rather than keep to myself. I've noticed other posts from those who suggest alternative options to taxi travel with replies from others that pooh-pooh their suggestions. Why is that? It's simply providing an idea to the community.

I think it's the thought of saving money that somehow offends people, even if it is just a couple hundred baht. But, for me, I choose to save money to use for other things, small or extravagant. Also, I don't mind walking the less-traveled path.

PS, here's a bonus money-saving tip that may be elsewhere on the forum: there's a cheap food-court on the ground floor of the airport, mostly used by airline and airport employees. Food tastes great for the same food-court prices as in Bangkok shopping centers. There's also a full-service convenience store with regular prices that's bigger than the Family Mart (which is also a good deal) on the ticket counter level. The only problem with that is the liquid-ban at security, so no taking drinks past security, but good for snacks, etc.

Edited July 18, 2007 by worldquester

[oeyya1]

OK great but what is the real cost saving ? Also price in inconvenience, getting sweaty dragging your luggage about etc. Changing buses, walking miles etc. Why not just call a cab from where you live and get to the sirport refreshed.

What is the cost saved over a door to door cab versus the total public transport cost, not just the Bt45 van.

Last question first: for me, total door-to-door cost is 65 baht because I live about 30 seconds walk from the Skytrain, and I have a 30-trip pass. My luggage is wheeled (so no sweat), and I feel fine when I arrive at the airport. The longest walk for me is about a 1-2 minute one to/from BTS at Victory Monument along the Skywalk. Besides being cheaper, the road travel is also less than 25 minutes in rush-hour traffic.

If it doesn't work for you or others--that's fine--a cab is a great idea and is, generally, the de facto option. It's obviously the easiest one with little wear-and-tear or adventure. I've only suggested another option that I thought I would throw out to the world for consideration rather than keep to myself. I've noticed other posts from those who suggest alternative options to taxi travel with replies from others that pooh-pooh their suggestions. Why is that? It's simply providing an idea to the community.

I think it's the thought of saving money that somehow offends people, even if it is just a couple hundred baht. But, for me, I choose to save money to use for other things, small or extravagant. Also, I don't mind walking the less-traveled path.

PS, here's a bonus money-saving tip that may be elsewhere on the forum: there's a cheap food-court on the ground floor of the airport, mostly used by airline and airport employees. Food tastes great for the same food-court prices as in Bangkok shopping centers. There's also a full-service convenience store with regular prices that's bigger than the Family Mart (which is also a good deal) on the ticket counter level. The only problem with that is the liquid-ban at security, so no taking drinks past security, but good for snacks, etc.