Bts To Suvarnabhumi

[justaphase]

How easy is the bts link to the airport..? Im arriving by van at Victory M about noon, and need to catch an Air asia flight at 2.15.. Is it just a case of get on the bts and get off at the airport?

How long does it take? And how much?

Any advice appreciated.

[tw25rw]

The BTS doesn't go to the airport, but from Victory monument go to Phayathai then change onto the City Line to he airport.

I would leave VM no later than about 11:00 and it's cheap.

[ExpatJ]

Using the Airport link only worthwhile if a) you want to save money its rush hour plus its raining and c) you just have carry on luggage- otherwise a taxi will get you there using the same amount of time (once you factor walking btw train/check in at airport, carrying your luggage from station to street/BTS also its less hassle taking all your luggage via taxi.

[whybother]

^ except with the BTS/Airport link you know you will be there in an hour. With a taxi, you are taking your chances, especially from VM.

[Lakegeneve]

You should check the forum first as there is already an Airport Line thread which has all the info and links you need and that it the best place to ask queries.

Cityline trains depart Phayathai station every 15 mins on the hour expect a 25 min journey for 45 baht. If you are arriving at noon at VM you just need to travel one station on the BTS (15 baht) and take the quick pedestrian link to the SRT station. If you time it right you could complete the whole journey in 35-40mins for 60 baht which still gives you 90mins before your flight.

Check this map to understand where the Airport Line connects: http://www.bts.co.th/en/map.asp

[justaphase]

^ except with the BTS/Airport link you know you will be there in an hour. With a taxi, you are taking your chances, especially from VM.

Exactly. Thats why its MUCH better IMHO.. Theres not much you can do if you miss a flight....

[lomatopo]

From VM you are very close to the entrance to the tollway and a straight-shot to SBIA, so a taxi seems like a much better option? Or even the 551 bus? (The mini-vans are not a viable option given the variable length wait-times and location south of the BTS station.) Given the OP's 12:00 Noon arrival at VM, a taxi will have you at the airport by 12:40 PM, while the journey via the BTS and SARL will take a lot longer given the long walks, ticket purchasing, train wait-times. FWIW both the Silom and Sukhumvit BTS lines have been experiencing long intervals over the past week, in some cases up to 20 minutes (the new signalling systems is really bad IMO, even when working, as the train control is crazy variable), leading to packed platforms and trains, so getting on a BTS train at VM with luggage may be challenging. Additionally, and not specific to the OP's inquiry, I have seen MRT (subway) security pulling aside travelers with luggage and having them open everything up, adding to a potential delay.

Edited January 20, 2011 by lomatopo

[Mario2008]

It depends on the your luggage. If you have to carry a lot, take a taxi. If only a bag pack or something like that, take the airport link.

[lomatopo]

Adding...AirAsia close check-in 45 min. prior to departure so the OP would need to arrive no later than 1:30 PM. Also if this is a domestic flight then maybe OK with the current timetable, but if it is an international flight I might consider alternative plans to get to the airport by 12:00 Noon.

Edited January 20, 2011 by lomatopo

[justaphase]

Thanks for the advice guys.. Im just gong to Penang for 2 days so no luggage. And i need to do things as cheap as poss so the train is the way to go.

[whybother]

From VM you are very close to the entrance to the tollway and a straight-shot to SBIA, so a taxi seems like a much better option? Or even the 551 bus? (The mini-vans are not a viable option given the variable length wait-times and location south of the BTS station.) Given the OP's 12:00 Noon arrival at VM, a taxi will have you at the airport by 12:40 PM, while the journey via the BTS and SARL will take a lot longer given the long walks, ticket purchasing, train wait-times. FWIW both the Silom and Sukhumvit BTS lines have been experiencing long intervals over the past week, in some cases up to 20 minutes (the new signalling systems is really bad IMO, even when working, as the train control is crazy variable), leading to packed platforms and trains, so getting on a BTS train at VM with luggage may be challenging.

I think the BTS delays have been on the Silom line only. I haven't seen any mention of the Sukhumvit delays.

Additionally, and not specific to the OP's inquiry, I have seen MRT (subway) security pulling aside travelers with luggage and having them open everything up, adding to a potential delay.

The MRT have metal detectors at all entrances (either just before going in, or after going down the first escalator). It would be a pain for anyone using the MRT to get to/from Makkasan.

[lomatopo]

I think the BTS delays have been on the Silom line only. I haven't seen any mention of the Sukhumvit delays.

I wouldn't have included the Sukhumvit line unless I had personally experienced said delays, and listened to endless announcements on the platform this past week, apologizing for "technical difficulties resulting in trains running every 20 minutes on the Sukhumvit line." I am not sure what is causing the recent problems on the Sukhumvit line and only mention it as it could cause issues for the OP.

I agree that previous delays, associated with the introduction of the 4-car sets on the Silom line and the new signalling system, affected the Silom line only. (Although delays on the Silom line lead to delays on the Sukhumvit line as trains at Siam take longer to load.)

Edited January 20, 2011 by lomatopo

[sbk]

I have taken the MRT with a carry on bag and it takes me 30 seconds to stop, unzip the bag, he looks at it, i close it and go.

From touchdown to arrival at my destination it takes me an hour with the express train in rush hour.

[josephbloggs]

From VM you are very close to the entrance to the tollway and a straight-shot to SBIA, so a taxi seems like a much better option? Or even the 551 bus? (The mini-vans are not a viable option given the variable length wait-times and location south of the BTS station.) Given the OP's 12:00 Noon arrival at VM, a taxi will have you at the airport by 12:40 PM, while the journey via the BTS and SARL will take a lot longer given the long walks, ticket purchasing, train wait-times. FWIW both the Silom and Sukhumvit BTS lines have been experiencing long intervals over the past week, in some cases up to 20 minutes (the new signalling systems is really bad IMO, even when working, as the train control is crazy variable), leading to packed platforms and trains, so getting on a BTS train at VM with luggage may be challenging. Additionally, and not specific to the OP's inquiry, I have seen MRT (subway) security pulling aside travelers with luggage and having them open everything up, adding to a potential delay.

Long walks? It's about a minute from the BTS station to the ARL concourse.

Ticket purchasing? Maybe another minute. It's never taken me more than that.

Train wait times? This is a valid point but you know even if you were really unlucky it won't be longer than 15 minutes.

Personally if I need to know I'll be there by a certain time I'd take the train. The OP is pushing it as it is because Air Asia has some horrendous check-in queues. Why risk a taxi with all the variables that entails? By your reckoning (40 minues in a cab) you may save five or ten minutes if you were really unlucky on the train timings and the traffic was good, but you could lose so much more.

[ES1]

From VM you are very close to the entrance to the tollway and a straight-shot to SBIA, so a taxi seems like a much better option? Or even the 551 bus? (The mini-vans are not a viable option given the variable length wait-times and location south of the BTS station.) Given the OP's 12:00 Noon arrival at VM, a taxi will have you at the airport by 12:40 PM, while the journey via the BTS and SARL will take a lot longer given the long walks, ticket purchasing, train wait-times. FWIW both the Silom and Sukhumvit BTS lines have been experiencing long intervals over the past week, in some cases up to 20 minutes (the new signalling systems is really bad IMO, even when working, as the train control is crazy variable), leading to packed platforms and trains, so getting on a BTS train at VM with luggage may be challenging. Additionally, and not specific to the OP's inquiry, I have seen MRT (subway) security pulling aside travelers with luggage and having them open everything up, adding to a potential delay.

Long walks? It's about a minute from the BTS station to the ARL concourse.

Ticket purchasing? Maybe another minute. It's never taken me more than that.

Train wait times? This is a valid point but you know even if you were really unlucky it won't be longer than 15 minutes.

Personally if I need to know I'll be there by a certain time I'd take the train. The OP is pushing it as it is because Air Asia has some horrendous check-in queues. Why risk a taxi with all the variables that entails? By your reckoning (40 minues in a cab) you may save five or ten minutes if you were really unlucky on the train timings and the traffic was good, but you could lose so much more.

I now try to NEVER deal with BKK traffic. Only use MRT/BTS and if my destination is not close to a station or a short taxi ride away I won't go unless I have to. I am sick and tired of spending half my life sitting in Taxi's/busses in bkk gridlock. Going to/from Pattaya I now take the train to/from the airport and take a bus from there. No more sitting in bkk traffic on the Ekamai/Pattaya bus which sometimes adds an hour or more to the trip depending on how bad the gridlock. Busses between the airport/Pattaya are about 100baht +45baht for city link train so it's only 25baht more than Ekamai/Pattaya bus and no possibility of having to deal with bkk gridlock.

Edited February 25, 2011 by ES1