Don Mueang To Suvarnabhumi Airport Transit Time........be Careful.

[theblether]

We all know it's only a question of time before someone makes a complete ass of the timings and misses their connecting flight........made worse by the fact that we are approaching high season and many first time travellers to Thailand will have no idea as to the distance between the airports, and the minimum timings required to transit between the airports......so let's try to make it clear for everyone, especially those first time travellers.

How far is it by road from Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi Airport ?

When traffic is clear.........

How long will it take for a bus to transit between the airports?

How long will it take a taxi to transit between the airports?

At rush hour..............

How long will it take for a bus to transit between the airports?

How long will it take a taxi to transit between the airports?

A lot of members have transited between the airports many times, I have only done so once......so I will leave it to the experts to judge the timings as once isn't enough.

Maybe once we have agreement George can consider pinning the information as we know that these questions are going to come back, and back, and back again.

[Lakegeneve]

I posted a suggest guide in another thread a while back which may assist with some of your queries, http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/568384-transport-possibilities-between-the-two-bangkok-airports/#entry5491912.

The timings are open to conjecture but I wouldn't post them as a guide unless I had done the same trip dozens of times over the years and have some knowledge of traffic and transport conditions. Again, as with anywhere in the world, each and every trip is unique depending on conditions at that time.

One important means which has not been mentioned is the airport link.

You can board the train at Suvarnabhumi and go all the way to Phaya Thai BTS Station for THB40 (regular service) THB100 (Express train).

At Phaya Thai, you can get the BTS to Mor Chit, and then a short taxi ride (or airport bus) to Don Muang.

Lot of walking involved in that and if with suitcases then could be problematic, I would get the bus from the arrivals area to the Bus station at Swampy then the 555 bus to Don Muang train station, just cross the bridge and you are there.

But how long the bus takes will depend on traffic, whereas the train is more or less known?

I wouldn't catch the bus (555 or 554) during peak hour traffic times unless you really needed to save money and had a lot of time to kill - it could take up to 2+hrs full journey. Non peak it could be around an hour or under - the 555 runs 24 hrs.

The train is a better option to at get into the centre of BKK and then north to Mo Chit. Also, if you only have a small bag or day trolley one can also catch mini vans (same route numbers) that do the same route from the Transport Center. You have to wait until they fill up before departing but they are more comfortable and quicker.

The reality is that each journey is different and knowing a bit about traffic conditions, and the weather, can make a huge difference. If I was landing in the morning peak I would never take any land based transport from the airport given the Chonburi Motorway is full of traffic. However, get into the center on the airport line (and BTS) and you have an easy run up Vihavadi and no need to take the expressway. Afternoon peak gives you an ok run into town but a slow, slow run north and the need to take the expressway.

Here is a possible guide with various options and timings:

(for road base transport offpeak time first, peak time 2nd, eg. 10-30 =. 10 off peak 30 peak)

A) ARL, BTS combo

Option A: Train to PT (45 baht 30 mins) >BTS to MoChit (25 baht 10mins) >Taxi (100 baht> 10-30 mins)

Option Ai: Train to PT (45 baht 30 mins) >BTS to MoChit (25 baht 10mins) > Bus (16-18 baht> 15-40 mins)

Option Aii: Train to PT (45 baht 30 mins) >BTS to MoChit (25 baht 10mins) > Mini van (25-30 baht> 15-30 mins)

B ) Bus or van direct (doesn't include wait times)

Option B: Shuttle Bus Terminal to Transport Center (free 10-20mins) > Bus 554 or 555 (36 baht 45/60-90/120 mins)

Option Bi: Shuttle Bus Terminal to Transport Center (free 10-20mins) > Van 554 or 555 (40-50 baht 30-9 mins)

C) Train and taxi combo

Option C: Train to Ratchpraprop Station (40 baht 28 mins) > Taxi (150 baht 20-60mins)

Option Ci: Train to Ratchpraprop Station (40 baht 28 mins) > Taxi via toll road (150 baht + 80 baht 15-30mins)

Option Cii: Train to Makkasan (35 baht 25mins) > Taxi via Asoke on ramp (150baht + 120 baht tolls 15/25-30/45)

D) Taxi options

Option D: Taxi (300 baht + 145baht tolls plus 50 baht airport surcharge 20/30-60/90mins)

Option Di: Taxi from departure level (300 baht + 145baht tolls 20/30-60/90mins)

Option Dii: Taxi " " no toll road (300 - 400 baht 45-90/120mins)

E) Future Bus terminal door to door (AOT announced)

Option E: Bus direct to DMK from BKK terminal (150-200 baht?? 60-90mins)

F) The, I have 4 hours to kill and want to tour BKK via public transport, sightseeing option

Option E: Train to Phaya Thai (45 baht 30 mins) > BTS to Saphan Taksin (30 baht 15-20mins) > River Boat to Pakret pier* (40 baht 1hr10mins) > mini van along Chaeng Wattana to Vihavadi (15 baht 15-25mins) > taxi to airport (45 baht 3-10mins)

G) ARL direct from BKK to DMK (expect 2017-2018)

Option G: ARL Express train direct from BKK to DMK (6 stops Makkasan, PT, Ratchawethi, Bang Sue Terminal, Laksi and DMK) Cost unknown expected 30-35mins

[Lakegeneve]

The one general point that I will make is that in the Thailand news threads on this issue some have expressed outlandish fears of it taking 3-4hrs in a taxi. This is just plain nonsense!

You can do this trip in anything from 25-30 mins late at night on the expressway to 6075 mins, 90 mins max during peak. In the worst or worst case scenarios (ie. peak traffic with an accident, heavy rain and wandering elephants on the expressway) it should still NEVER take more than 2 hrs max.

People tend to express unfounded fears with change and of the unknown, experience will dictate otherwise. (Which doesn't exclude the fact some will inevitably spend 3 hrs in a taxi doing a transfer via Minburi and Rangsit!)

[tekmo]

i have a flight arriving in BKK at 10am - and a flight at DMK leaving at 4:15pm to UD

if i were to take a taxi from teh aiport, you think it's plenty of time?

[theblether]

i have a flight arriving in BKK at 10am - and a flight at DMK leaving at 4:15pm to UD

if i were to take a taxi from teh aiport, you think it's plenty of time?

Yes plenty

[lomatopo]

I am pretty certain the MCT is 220 minutes, so 3 hours and 30 minutes - not to say an MCT is necessarily relevant to FD, DD, OX. (This MCT is left over from the days when TG had some domestic flights ex-DMK.)

If using this as a guideline I would suggest that one use a metered taxi or equivalent (AoT Limo), rather than some of the other options, remembering that one needs to add in any arriving Immigration wait-times.

Since there is really no protection per se re: MX/WX, i.e. late arrival into SBIA (BKK) it might be advisable to fly ex-DMK the day after arriving SBIA, or maybe using an MCT closer to 8 hours. I do realize this cuts into one's potential holiday time.

Edited September 4, 2012 by lomatopo

[asanee]

Update-correction on the lakegeneva thread re all possibile routings:

F. Those boats to PakKred are ONLY peak hours (mo-fr) and VERy sparse.

Normal boats end at Nonthaburi.

Good news: from BOTH these ends-alongside the very large and busy markets, is an outer BKk BUS, nr 354, that runs direct-along Chaengwattana and Viphavadee along Don Muang (actually its a circle-there are also going to Sapan Mai first and returning via Don MUang. From Nonthburi this may well take 1-1,5 hrs!! fare just the usual 8/9 bt.

A-additional bus 29 (red normal-often free) or bright yellow AC runs from HuaLampong-stops at Phyathai-and Vict.Monument (from there joined with 510-orange AC- along the BTS till Mochit and then is the fastest link-all along Viphavadee-stops across from Don Muang. Old regulars will remember this from DMK-times-very much still the same. In slack times 20-25 mins from the MOchit

b-BUSfare is 32 bt-since at least 3 yrs now. 555 tends to be quikcer (more motorway), but 554 tends to run more often-via jammed Bangkapi, then along Ram Indira-SOME 554s in the peaks now run via sapan Mai (staff living area)-so ASK if unsure. (most www-users nowadays seem to be unable to fathom that simple old-style way to find buses).

ONLY 555 has some night-tme trips left-ev 90/120 mins at best, but starts to run very early-before 4.00 for full daytime service.

[henryalleman]

The problem is that Taxi drivers have no clue about the shortest way.

I do Dom Mueang - Swampy in about 40 minutes in both directions and traffic jams has almost no influence

Take eastern ring 9, till Minburi, Ram Inthra, follow Ram Inthra till Laksi, On Ram Inthra its important to know where the U-turns are to avoid be blocked. Than you take Whiphawadi and take the U-turn bridge en go straight to Dom Muaeng about 5K.

45 Minutes tops.

[songhklasid]

We are all overlooking the other option, book with thai domestic, (there still flying from swampy) It may be by time you take into account taxi /toll fees, STRESS, chance of missing flight, thai domestic may be an option, if you book early or they have deals happening, they can be reasonable, if you arrive international with thai, you can get free onward domestic,I think you have to go direct, no stopovers.

any comments welcome

regards songhklasid

[tirconnell]

Slightly off the subject, but surely as Air-Asia moves to Don Mueang (presumably also more domestic and cut price airlines) the authorities must consider a direct link between the two BKK airports? Expensive solutions I know, but moving between the two airports is nothing but hassle.

[chantsurfer]

THAI Begins Flights From Don Muang To Suvarnabhumi

New service aimed at foreigners who went to wrong airport by mistake

BANGKOK – Thai Airways today announced the launch of service between Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Beginning April 30, passengers can fly six times daily from one side of Bangkok to the other in under an hour.

“Last year alone we had over 10,000 passengers who went to the wrong airport by mistake, only to discover that they were in danger of missing their flight,” said a THAI spokesperson. “Now they can simply fly to the correct one and make an easy connecting flight through the transit lounge.”

By checking into the intra-airport flights, passengers will have their baggage checked all the way through to their final destination, as well as have their place on their connecting flight secured.

Using small, propeller-driven ATR-72 planes, the intra-city flights will take off once every two hours from 6am to 6pm, and make the return trip one hour later. The actual flying time is about four minutes and 30 seconds.

The low-flying planes will also offer passengers exquisite but brief views of Bangkok’s most famous sights.

The introductory fare for a one-way trip is Bt499. However, with taxes and fuel surcharges, the actual price will be Bt7,980.

Source here....

Edited September 7, 2012 by chantsurfer

[bino]

The problem is that Taxi drivers have no clue about the shortest way.

I do Dom Mueang - Swampy in about 40 minutes in both directions and traffic jams has almost no influence

Take eastern ring 9, till Minburi, Ram Inthra, follow Ram Inthra till Laksi, On Ram Inthra its important to know where the U-turns are to avoid be blocked. Than you take Whiphawadi and take the U-turn bridge en go straight to Dom Muaeng about 5K.

45 Minutes tops.

Right - I was on Ram Indra road a while ago heading to immigration at Chaeng Wattana, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it is a lot better and faster now. There are two new flyovers opened, particularly at the "Democracy Monument Roundabout" where Ram Indra crosses Pahonyothin, which was always a nightmare. The whole trip between airports in a taxi, using the expressways to the end of Ram Indra expressway and Ram Indra Road to Vibhavadi can actually be done without encountering a traffic light.

Edited September 7, 2012 by bino

[canopus1969]

THAI Begins Flights From Don Muang To Suvarnabhumi

New service aimed at foreigners who went to wrong airport by mistake

BANGKOK – Thai Airways today announced the launch of service between Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport and Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Beginning April 30, passengers can fly six times daily from one side of Bangkok to the other in under an hour.

“Last year alone we had over 10,000 passengers who went to the wrong airport by mistake, only to discover that they were in danger of missing their flight,” said a THAI spokesperson. “Now they can simply fly to the correct one and make an easy connecting flight through the transit lounge.”

By checking into the intra-airport flights, passengers will have their baggage checked all the way through to their final destination, as well as have their place on their connecting flight secured.

Using small, propeller-driven ATR-72 planes, the intra-city flights will take off once every two hours from 6am to 6pm, and make the return trip one hour later. The actual flying time is about four minutes and 30 seconds.

The low-flying planes will also offer passengers exquisite but brief views of Bangkok’s most famous sights.

The introductory fare for a one-way trip is Bt499. However, with taxes and fuel surcharges, the actual price will be Bt7,980.

Source here....

the actual price will be Bt7,980.

I only want to use it for 4mins 30 secs - not buy the bloody thing !