Train or taxi from Suvarnabhumi

[NanLaew]

If I had the wonga to afford a stay at the Shangri-La, I wouldn't be faffing with trains and meter taxis. I'd be using the AOT limo service's BMW 7-series.

[josephbloggs]

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

If I had the wonga to afford a stay at the Shangri-La, I wouldn't be faffing with trains and meter taxis. I'd be using the AOT limo service's BMW 7-series.

Read the post.

 

He already said he's not looking to save money, he just wants the quickest way there. And he also said he's staying near the Shangri-La.

[NanLaew]

33 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

42 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

If I had the wonga to afford a stay at the Shangri-La, I wouldn't be faffing with trains and meter taxis. I'd be using the AOT limo service's BMW 7-series.

Read the post.

 

He already said he's not looking to save money, he just wants the quickest way there. And he also said he's staying near the Shangri-La.

Thanks for the correction of my speed-reading induced oversight. Since it's not a money thing and considering it is rush-hour, I amend my post accordingly.

 

If I had the wonga to afford a stay at the was staying near the Shangri-La, I wouldn't be faffing with trains and meter taxis. I'd be using the AOT limo service's BMW 7-series.

[josephbloggs]

29 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Thanks for the correction of my speed-reading induced oversight. Since it's not a money thing and considering it is rush-hour, I amend my post accordingly.

 

If I had the wonga to afford a stay at the was staying near the Shangri-La, I wouldn't be faffing with trains and meter taxis. I'd be using the AOT limo service's BMW 7-series.

Ha ha, nice.

[Alidiver]

Train

Avoid the traffic.

[alex8912]

Take the Taxi. Especially if a long flight. You'll have to wait for a train at first. Then walk a bit in the heat through Paya Thai then wait for a sky train , then wait for another sky train at Siam, then walk to hotel from Saphan Tak station to hotel. Air condition Taxi door to door both about the same time. You can relax in Taxi and think about your next post!!  If your first girlfriend or BF here asks about money on the first date please don't give any and don't post about it.  That's all! 

[buick]

i'll add my name to those recommending the AOT car, although i stick with the camry, not the BMW 7 series.  at DMK it is 950 and BKK is 1,200.  the car desk is right as you exit arrivals/baggage claim.  and the car is right outside the door.  no hassle.  and the drivers seem to know where they are going and take the best route.  

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, Alidiver said:

Train

Avoid the traffic.

And take the same amount of time on the train, then changing rail-link to an over-crowded BTS, then walking from the station to hotel ???...... 

 

Take an AOT and avoid all the hassle...  its $35 !!!!... 

 

Added to which, by the time the Op has got to his destination the taxi is probably quicker than the train unless its an exceptionally heavy ’traffic day’.

 

 

I ONLY ever take an AOT from the airport.... never any hassle, never any major jams and always quicker than the Rail-Link would be (mainly because if traffic is poor on the route to my home in Bangkok, its also going to be worse from Makhassan from where I’d need to take the taxi).

 

 

IMO - this question is a no-brainer....  Rail link... I’d only consider if landing at 5pm on the Friday of the weekend before Songkran. 

 

 

[sleepwalker999]

You're going to be tired from a flight, just take the taxi

[Elkski]

Taxi driver in Jan told us to not wait in taxi ticket cue line just go up to the drop off area and find a taxi there but I vote for the train directions.   One other thing is google uses real time traffic info so the travel time can increase by 30-45 mins after your trip started.  

[richard_smith237]

4 hours ago, Elkski said:

Taxi driver in Jan told us to not wait in taxi ticket cue line just go up to the drop off area and find a taxi there but I vote for the train directions.   One other thing is google uses real time traffic info so the travel time can increase by 30-45 mins after your trip started.  

At rush hour, when transferring from the rail link to the MRT and BTS itself may be crowded and too busy... Op may find himself having to wait for a couple of trains.... 

 

(not sure if that happens at Makhassan (Petchaburi MRT) - but its happened to me at Asoke BTS and Siam BTS at busy periods).

 

Also the ‘rail routing’ to the Shangri-la involves 1 transfer plus taxi, or 2 transfers.... 

The rail link and connections is just too much hassle to bother with after a flight.

There is no time saving whatsoever unless in very heavy ‘holiday traffic’ gridlock. 

 

Options:  

 

Rail Link / MRT / Taxi 

1) Rail Link Airport to Makhassan. 

Change / Walk to Petchaburi MRT

2) Petchaburi MRT to Hua Laphong MRT 

Take a Taxi (very busy area - grid-lock, can even get a taxi)

 

OR... 

 

Rail Link / MRT / BTS / Walk

1) Rail Link Airport to Makhassan. 

Change / Walk to Petchaburi MRT

2) Petchaburi MRT to Sukhmvit BTS

Walk to Asoke BST

3) Asoke BTS to Siam BST

Change trains. 

4) Siam BST to Saphan Taksin BTS

Walk to accommodation. 

 

OR.. 

 

Taxi

Taxi direct from the Airport, take expressway to the Silom Exit.... 

 

Taking a taxi is an utter no-brainer...  I don’t know why anyone would even consider the rail link in such a situation. 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by richard_smith237

[PJ71]

On 3/20/2023 at 6:11 AM, richard_smith237 said:

At rush hour, when transferring from the rail link to the MRT and BTS itself may be crowded and too busy... Op may find himself having to wait for a couple of trains.... 

 

(not sure if that happens at Makhassan (Petchaburi MRT) - but its happened to me at Asoke BTS and Siam BTS at busy periods).

 

Also the ‘rail routing’ to the Shangri-la involves 1 transfer plus taxi, or 2 transfers.... 

The rail link and connections is just too much hassle to bother with after a flight.

There is no time saving whatsoever unless in very heavy ‘holiday traffic’ gridlock. 

 

Options:  

 

Rail Link / MRT / Taxi 

1) Rail Link Airport to Makhassan. 

Change / Walk to Petchaburi MRT

2) Petchaburi MRT to Hua Laphong MRT 

Take a Taxi (very busy area - grid-lock, can even get a taxi)

 

OR... 

 

Rail Link / MRT / BTS / Walk

1) Rail Link Airport to Makhassan. 

Change / Walk to Petchaburi MRT

2) Petchaburi MRT to Sukhmvit BTS

Walk to Asoke BST

3) Asoke BTS to Siam BST

Change trains. 

4) Siam BST to Saphan Taksin BTS

Walk to accommodation. 

 

OR.. 

 

Taxi

Taxi direct from the Airport, take expressway to the Silom Exit.... 

 

Taking a taxi is an utter no-brainer...  I don’t know why anyone would even consider the rail link in such a situation. 

 

 

 

 

Richard, could you pls include price of BTS vs Taxi comparrison so we can further evaluate the options.

 

Thanks in advance.

[n00dle]

On 3/15/2023 at 10:55 AM, Liverpool Lou said:

"...which is why the problems with taxis continue and always will".

Regarding the airport taxis, the problems continue to exist because of passengers who accept rides from drivers who have already tried to scam them.  If they refused the taxi, reported it to the airport desk and took another, it may eventually dawn on the shysters. 

I have never been diddled by an airport taxi from the official queue. only time i have ever had a problem is when I tried to bea the queue by flagging a taxi that was dropping someone off on the deaprtures level.

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, n00dle said:

I have never been diddled by an airport taxi from the official queue.

Me neither.

[asf6]

On 3/14/2023 at 7:24 AM, Yamba said:

Only have a small bag, not worried about saving money just whether it's enough of a time saver to take the train. If it's only going to be 10-15 min quicker I'll save the hassle and take a taxi.

What did you take, Yamba, taxi or train? 

[Lemsta69]

On 3/20/2023 at 1:11 PM, richard_smith237 said:

I don’t know why anyone would even consider the rail link in such a situation. 

If you're travelling light, why not? Good way to see parts of the joint you've never seen before. And please don't say that there's nothing worth seeing because it depends on the individual. Trash and treasure and all that.

[richard_smith237]

17 hours ago, Lemsta69 said:

On 3/20/2023 at 9:11 AM, richard_smith237 said:

I don’t know why anyone would even consider the rail link in such a situation. 

If you're travelling light, why not? Good way to see parts of the joint you've never seen before. And please don't say that there's nothing worth seeing because it depends on the individual. Trash and treasure and all that.

Because its not like KLIA Express or N’EX that offers a good time saving... 

 

On the journey the op is taking Airport express will not save any time at all.

 

The rail link only offers a time saving IF someone is heading to the Makhassan area anyway and can walk easily from the station. Otherwise they have to take a taxi from the centre of a congested area. 

 

 

It make make for an interesting journey being different from taking a taxi, it may offer some cost saving. But after a flight, is that worth it ?

 

Maybe some time saving can be had by using the rail link IF someone is travelling light, is staying close to Makhassan or the MRT line etc and the traffic situation is horrific gridlock....  If someone is living on a BTS route, that already involves changing trains twice. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

On 3/24/2023 at 9:56 AM, PJ71 said:

Richard, could you pls include price of BTS vs Taxi comparrison so we can further evaluate the options.

 

Thanks in advance.

Thank you for providing me with another justification of taking a taxi... 

 

While flying, the risk of potentially being sat next to and exposed to someone such as PJ71 is unavoidable. 

However, once on the ground a traveller has the choice to cut their risk of exposure to halfwits by taking a private taxi....   ????

 

 

[PJ71]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thank you for providing me with another justification of taking a taxi... 

 

While flying, the risk of potentially being sat next to and exposed to someone such as PJ71 is unavoidable. 

However, once on the ground a traveller has the choice to cut their risk of exposure to halfwits by taking a private taxi....   ????

 

 

So no prices or transit times at the BTS stations? 

 

Such a party pooper and i'm surprised at your lack of attention to detail, not like you at all...

 

Oh well...

[josephbloggs]

7 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

If someone is living on a BTS route, that already involves changing trains twice. 

Not true if you live on the Sukhumvit line - it is one change at Phaya Thai from ARL to BTS and it is a short connection.

Also need to consider the wait time for a taxi from Suvarnabhumi which can be bad.

[richard_smith237]

11 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

If someone is living on a BTS route, that already involves changing trains twice. 

Not true if you live on the Sukhumvit line - it is one change at Phaya Thai from ARL to BTS and it is a short connection.

Also need to consider the wait time for a taxi from Suvarnabhumi which can be bad.

Valid point on wait times for the taxi at the airport - what are the wait times for a taxi usually ?

 

 

The Ops journey would still take about 1 hr 15 mins using the rail link and is just more hassle than taking a taxi. 

 

 

Taxi is 30mins (Sunday) to approx 60mins (6pm weekday in busy traffic).

 

Most routes involve transfers etc... So unless living within close walking distance to Rail Link station itself - the rail link offers no time saving in all but the very worst of Bangkok Gridlock. 

 

 

 

 

Saphan Taksin... 32 mins

Walk to Shangrila... 

[soi3eddie]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Most routes involve transfers etc... So unless living within close walking distance to Rail Link station itself - the rail link offers no time saving in all but the very worst of Bangkok Gridlock. 

The thing that taking City Line and BTS offers is certainty of travel times. Arriviing and finding a 30 minute queue for taxi and then encountering gridlocked roads are just unpredictable. Certainly, early morning on a weekend there should not be any traffic but taxi queues are unpredictable. Trains on the orher hand are every 15 mins on city lines and 2-3 minutes on the BTS.

 

[Hugh Cow]

I tend to use the train to phaya thai and then the BTS. At least I know what time I will arrive. I'd rather spend the price difference on a few drinks at the bar when i arrive.