Don Mueang - Suvarnabhumi Free Airport Shuttle - Trip Report

[iancnx]

I was on another thread a couple of weeks ago where I got some excellent advice. Seems this is the place to report back. Hope it helps ..... First time I attempted this journey.

Arrived at Dom Muang (roadside arrivals) at 1155 hrs on a Sunday. Two buses waiting before the taxi rank. One for Mo Chit, the other to Suvarnabhumi. Cost zero just had to show onward flight eticket. Bus departs 1200 hrs. Duration 45 minutes. Perfect and hassle free.

On the way back I had only 2 hours from plane doors Suvarnabhumi to final minute check in at Dom Muang. This on a Monday afternoon. It took me 35 mins to clear immigration and customs, and 10 mins to find the rail link bottom floor. A further 5 mins wait for the next city line train through to Phaya Thai. Successfully changed to Mo Chit BTS. Arrived taxi rank (for Dom Muang) with 21 minutes to spare. Explained to taxi driver he would be paid very generously if he could get me to Nok Air Departures in 10 minutes, maximum 15. Dunno how, but I made check in with 2 mins 20 secs to spare. Very very stressful, and not recommended. I was simply not in the mood for 24 hrs overnight in BKK. Next time I will take the more relaxing option!

Mods please move this if there is a more pertinent thread. Thanks

[harada]

No luggage compartments unfortunately - whatever luggage you have is taken on board with you.

Bus has not been anywhere near full though for the trips I've done. I can't see you having a problem with taking your bike on board with you

Hope this helps

SVB

Sent from my ALCATEL_one_touch_918D using Thaivisa Connect App

You don't think that maybe there would be a few safety issues with a large bike box in the walk way to get around ?

Safety issues ? this is Thailand

[HansBlinkers]

Suvarnabhumi To Don Muang. Is the shuttle bus still running?

[Lakegeneve]

Suvarnabhumi To Don Muang. Is the shuttle bus still running?

Yes, 5am to midnight.

http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/th/122-transfer-bus-between-suvarnabhumi-don-muaeng

[daveAustin]

Boing!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I took the free AOT shuttle from Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi this morning... Well... at least I tried to.

First off, here's their current visuals at DM.

The white with blue stripe AOT "Shuttle Bus" stops on the ground floor of DM just outside Gate 5.

There are signs around telling passengers to check in at the AOT shuttle counter, without saying where that counter is. You might think it's somewhere inside the terminal, but it's not, and it's not quite a counter, but rather, an unmarked blue desk sitting against the wall just outside Gate 5. So that's where to go.

Schedule says 5 am to midnight. And their signage specifically talks about the shuttle only being for people with connecting flights at Swampy. In my case, I was heading back home after dropping my wife off at DM. So, I brought along with me an E-Ticket printout for an upcoming flight I have out of Swampy on a future day, having in advance highlighted in yellow marker the Swampy name and international airline reference on my E-Ticket. That worked for the AOT counter guy, he stamped my E-Ticket, and told me to get onboard.

Good parts were, onboard, the airports shuttle has a lot of space for luggage racks. In comparison, the older A1 Don Mueang to Mochit shuttle bus has NO luggage racks. And, the AOT bus even has designated space for wheelchair passengers, which the A1 also doesn't have, AFAIK.

So, why did I say I TRIED to take the airport shuttle today. Because, about halfway into the trip on the expressway headed for Swampy, the AOT bus broke down on the express way, and left myself and two other passengers stranded standing on the roadside, with no way to get down or away since there were no exits/offramps nearby.

The bus drive told us it would be about a 10 minute wait before someone would arrive from Suvarnabhumi. But we waited probably 20 minutes and no relief/assistance came. Finally, at that point, I was able to flag down a regular taxi speeding along the expressway with his fare light ON, so he took us the rest of the way to Swampy for 100 baht apiece (no meter, and we weren't in much of a position to negotiate on the point). Believe it or not, there aren't a lot of available taxis speeding along the expressway headed TOWARD Suvarnabhumi, unlike, perhaps, the situation heading away from the airport.

As our taxi sped away toward the airport, AOT bus driver guy was still standing there, waiting for someone to come for him and his broken down bus, which had a noticeably smoking/burning smell engine.

[raidermanca]

Reading your post 5 months later but thanks for the very detailed and pics...very helpful

[CNXBKKMAN]

I have have gone back and forth between DMK and BKK recently using this bus. You can only use it if you can show a printout of your ticket or your smartphone screen. So if you are at BKK and want to use the bus to DMK you have to show you have a flight out from DMK. If the flight is the following day thats still fine. The bus guy logs the flight number. No air ticket no travel. You cant pay to get on the bus either if you have no flight to show. I have tried. Showing any old flight details doesnt work either the guy is smart enough to check you are really flying out of DMK. This is the same the other way DMK to BKK.

If you cant get on this bus there is a 50 baht minibus shuttle between the airports. At DMK its not far from the free bus, in the area where the tour buses are are waiting. Minibus depart when full which doesnt take long. Very little luggage space so you may or may not have to buy another seat to pile your bags on. The minibus at BKK runs from the airport bus station which is about 1 mile from the terminal connected with frequent free of charge bus that drives continually between bus station and terminal. My minibus took 35 mins DMK to BKK in light traffic.

Plenty of luggage space on the free bus as many seats have been taken to creat a luggage area. Bicycle in box no problem, does it create a safety issue having a bike in a box on big bus?100% no. This is a bus not a roller coaster ride. Bus seems to run every 30 mins most of the day. Journey has always been less than 1 hour for me.

This really is an amazing free service. Is there a fast convenient free of charge connection between Heathrow and Gatwick? Between JFK and Newark? Narita and Hanada? No way get ready to spend some cash! A domestic flight anywhere in Thailand would be cheaper than the cost of getting between those other airports. Its little things like this that make Thailand the popular destination it is and why so many visitors are repeat visitors. Well done to Thai Airport Authorities for providing this service.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Apart from CNX's comments above, if the AOT is going to run a shuttle bus between the two airports, it seems kind of stupid to me to run a mostly empty bus much of the time -- because of their requirement for showing same day or next day connecting flight tickets -- when they could just as easily provide the free shuttle for those with connecting tickets and then, if they felt the need, charge a reasonable ticket fee for those wanting to take the that bus without ticket documentation.

And if seating space were an issue, which I've never seen it to be on that AOT bus, they could even seat all ticket document passengers first, and then offer fare trip seats for any remaining seats available on that particular trip.

There have also been times when I've gone with friends who were traveling between the two airports for connecting flights, but they were flying and I was not. I was just along as a companion. So under the current circumstance, they could take the AOT bus because they had the required flight ticket, but I could not, even to make the return trip back home after seeing them off at the airport.

Edited August 2, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK