Update On City And Other Buses To Airport-Suvannaphumi

[asanee]

This is the actual situation as from last week, 12/7/11, and is different from what websites (also by AoT-I have written a suggested and complaint when there) etc. tell. Confirmed by me at busterminal and by speaking to working staff. I hope the regular other responders will pick this up-like lakegeneva, GOPBI or billp or the justmecaptainbob and pass it on when needed.

To BKK-City:

-all airport express-routes withdrawn and not to come back. Signs to this effect are hung out.

CITYBuses nrs. 551 (to Vict.Monument) 552 (to Onnut-Klong Toey), 556 (see on) and 559 also withdrawn.

Route 550 is extended-ended at Bangkapi but now runs on via Lard prao to Chatuchak/Mochit BTS-but this is a jam-clogged route taking hours. ALL buses cost 33 bt (a little less to just outside airport). vans are mostly 40-50 bt-pay on board to driver.

Routes 551 and 552 STILL have minivans (551non stop to the Vict.Mon) and 552 to Onnut only -tesco parking, not onward, but run much less frequent as before-as Raillink has scooped many former passengers. I think that 552 may cease or change when BTS is extended-like to Bang na/BITEC or so.

There are still normal big buses on routes 549 (Minburi) 550 (see above) 553 (Pak nam via Sri nakarin), 554 (Don Muang and Rangsit) and 558 (Bangna-Thonburi side-Bangpakok and Keha RamII, all run as brigth yellow private AC-comp. is Premium management. Also still as BMTA-orange AC the 555-Don Muang (via expr.way)-Rangsit. NO route has any nighttime service left-there is the occasional van though at that time.

Route 556 is changed since 1/11/10 and now runs SaiTHai-Pinklao-along Ratchdamnern-Phetburi Rd and Pratunam and ends MAKKASAN station. Frequency is haphazard-some gaps of well over 1 hr. This is the recommended route to go Sai Thai-but takes MUCH longer as before as direct run. Also enormous jams along Asoke rd. and Pratunam means much extended times.

Recommended routes to main BUSterminals via public train and bus:

MOCHIT: to makkasan, then bus 136, right along the Asoke rd. OR; wait at Swampy BUSterminal for any bus to Mochit setting down people. OR ARL to Phiyathai, then bus 77-far side of road. If not too bothered with 1 more change and not overloaded; MRT or BTS to Mochit then bus (lots) or moto/taxi.

EKAMAI: completely unneeded, as all eastern towns have a direct bus to swampy. If stubborn ARL and BTS via Phiyathai.

SAI THAI NEW: 1st check if the multiple vans (notably also to HuaHin-Chaam and Pranburi and to Kanchanaburi) from along the Vict. Monument are not a better choice-short walk or ride from the Phiyathai stop.

IF Sai Thai is needed: my choice would be ARL to Ph-thai, 1 stop on BTS north to Vict. Monument, then bus 515, 538 or 539-just to the left from the No-We exit. Note: all these lines stop at Sai Thai and go furhter-the rec. 28 makes a detour and gets clogged up in traffic there due to extensive roadworks (pinklao)-avoid it.

Khao Sarn Road area=BanglamPHU: though ARL Makkasan then bus 556 would be OK when traffic is very, very light and you do not mind waiting-sometimes very long, hiring a taximeter from Ph-Thai is a better choice-but space for taxi's is very restrictive there and there is not even room for a new tuktuk mafia. Buses to KhaoSarn do NOT stop near Ph-thai-as they stand in the right lane to turn off, whatever the signs or leaflets may tell you. Other way is no prob though. ONLY route 59 does this-and also runs with long gaps.

COUNTRY BUSES: nrs. for these are unneeded. They ALL also pick up at the basement floor=taxi's at airterminal and there is a ticket office there.

Aranyaprathet-Cambodia border= Talad Rong Kleua: Mo-thurs only at 7.40 (7.30 from BUSterminal). On fri-sat-sun also a 2nd bus at 9.30/.40. Taks about 4 hrs and sets you down at borderpost.

To Isan via Khorat-Khon Khaen-Udorn-Nongh Khai: at 20.20 and 20.30 (I think these may be combined when demand is light) only and 1 ends at Udorn-1 on to Nongh Khai (may even set down at Lao Friendship Bridge if driver can be persuaded).

The Pattaya buses and vans have been reported on many times. There is now also an hourly minivan to SRI RACHA and 2 through buses/vans to Koh Chang island, first around 8.00/8.20 and latter around 13.00-13.30-, but these cost a whopping 6/700 THB, but save multiple changes at Trat and port and other side on island.

Finally : there are also ''shuttle vans'' nrd 555 from basement=taxi level direct to Don Muang, But I think these may take quite some time to fill up. When in hurry take taxi, or the other vans or buses from BUSterminal.

From 1/8 coming the existing domestic operations by NOK and Thai orient (former 1-2-crash) move from the old domestic terminal to the old nr 1 =former big international terminal (the one right beside the bridge to train station)

[ricklev]

Thanks for the information!

[SantiSuk]

Thanks for the information!

+1

Our condo completes in On Nut this month. Pity that the direct connections from the airport seem to be dwindling. Any idea how often the minivans are going these days Asanee? Trouble with them is I don't really like struggling onto them with cases and neither do the other passengers!

[Lakegeneve]

Thanks for the info asanee it is really useful for all.

I was aware that the 556 had been moved to terminate at Makkasan but ceasing the 551 makes little sense as it was quite popular (though the vans much more so). The ceasing of night services on the 554 & 555 seems also to make little sense given many workers used them (or the vans).

[lomatopo]

Thanks for the update.

A bit disconcerting that the 551 and 552 buses are no longer running.

[dddave]

I've used the #507 from Phra Khanong (via Rama-4) to New Sai Thai (southern bus station.

The #511, which travels Sukhumvit and then skirts KSR also stops at New Sai Thai.

I believe the #40 goes there as well.

Thanks for great info. Accurate bus info is never easy.

[bokningar]

Thanks for very useful information.

The ARL still doesn't start before 6 am or do they start earlier now?

How much is the ARL to Phaya Thai from the airport?

Buses started to run 4 am so you had a chance to get a 7 am bus from Southern Bus terminal.

Is there any chance to make that with public transportation now (don't mean taxi)?

If 6 am is the first ARL, would stop at Makkassan and 566 be better than to head on to Phaya Thai and get the 515 if I'm heading to the Southern Bus terminal? Considering time of day.

Would bee great if some can help out with this questions.

Cheers

[asanee]

As I stated before-plus that this is very long agio - I will not entertain all Qs- plus that any anwer will get disputed etc by those parrots who know nothing or falsely.

MINOR UPDATE: the 552 remaining VANS=MINIBUS TescoOnnut-Swampy DO still run- but only mildly frequent in the morning peak, when workers go to airport. They also moved place at the parking lot Onnut-so not easy to spot. By day barely ev hour-so that means a very long wait if you are anxious to catch that plane.

Drivers told me that they likely finish the all day service on THIS route per 1/1/12-only some peaks remaining.

Best alterntaive-if you are hellbent on going this way: stay on BTS till BANG NA, then get off, most south-west exit =not direction toward Samrong, but into town and the busstop is just below the stairs, wait for a 552A van=same route from the Bangna crossing toward swampy. These still go fairly frequent-ev 20/30 mins at least daytime till about 21.00.

On the 551=Victory Monument-Swampy -again- there are NO more big buses since last year-only a few vans, that go direct via motorway in just 20/25 mins, but also here servcie has dwindled a lot daytime.

Orange AC-BMTA bus 555 still runs Rangsit-via Don Muang- Centran lardprao-expressway- till Din Deang-then via Motorway

[siam2007]

great information and thanks for keeping us updated.

It may make sense for the remaining 552 Vans to depart from the corner of Bangna intersection in the future instead of On Nut, as the BTS is extended nowadays.

would be a pity if there is no more service at all, as public transport from this area doesn't exist otherwise