........Phra Arthit Road and hotel near Chao Phraya River. Flying in from Phuket and wondering if I shall fly Thai to Suvarnabhumi and take the rail link / BTS to Phaya Thai or Air Asia to Don Muang and taxi to Chao Phraya! I have not been into or travelling in Bangkok for years so probably in for some surprises. Anyway grateful for info from anyone knowing Bangkok and/or regularly commute there.

Thanks

Felt

Easiest just to take a taxi from airport to hotel

I always take taxi from Don Muang (rail link from Swampy) do downtown.

If you are hauling a suitcase, then just taxi it. Too much upstairs-downstairs making your rail connections.

You can take the subway from Hua Lumphong (Train Station) to Morchitt, the hop on a taxi from Morchitt to Don Muang. If to Swampy, Hua Lumphong to Makasan Station then transfer to City Line to Swampy. Cheapest way to the airports.

Easiest just to take a taxi from airport to hotel

I thought so initially until I heard it would take longer time than going with the airport link / BTS to Phaya Thai and then a taxi to the hotel! Then some tells me to fly to Don Muang because Don M. airport is nearer,and then just take a taxi from there to the hotel which is right on the river.

BTW, the hotel have a pick up service with "Limousine" 1600 Thb from Suvarnabhumi, okay the hotel shall make money, what will a taxi approximately cost ...half? The distance is around 34-35 Km on google maps!

Least hassle is a subject term.

DMK is a little closer to Phra Athit but the reality is that there really is not much difference as the last bit to Phra Athit will be usually a bit slow from either aiport.

Your main least hassle issue in terms of traffic conditions is your arrival time. If you arrive between 10am and before 2-3pm you will miss peak hour traffic. Good traffic means you could do this trip in 30mins max from either airport. Hit peak hour or heavy rain and it could be 1hr - 1.5hrs.

Cost obviously is not an issue for you but do note that the 1600 baht "limo taxi" is a rip off. A normal taxi from Swampy would be about 230-250 baht plus 45 bahts tolls. 300ish all up. Just catch one from departures, only get into a newer taxi and obviously make sure the driver uses the meter. Just take another taxi as there are plenty at departures waiting for a fare if you get any BS.

You could take the Airport Train just for the scenic view (nice if you have not been to BKK for years) and to save money but cost is seemingly not an issue for you. Then taxi from Phaya Thai on the northbound side as the taxi can turn immediately left into Si Ayutthaya rd which ends at The Wet just 1km north of Phra Arthit (of course that means take bags down 2 flights of stairs).

Probably only do this if you arrive at morning peak or if it is raining as it will get you into inner BKK quicker. (The disadvantage is that a taxi from the airport will exit the expressway at Lan Luang / Yommarat and end up being quicker)

From DMK definitely take a taxi from departures as some people wait a long time at the taxi stand. This will also be a quick trip assuming it is not the evening peak. Take the expressway and the taxi will exit at the same exit I mentioned above or Rama 6. Total cost will be around the same as Swampy as though the taxi will be slightly cheaper the tolls will be higher.

Agree with the previous poster, except I would recommend taking a taxi from arrivals. Ok you pay an additional 50 baht, but that is for a service this way, which prevents a lot of hassle, easily with it IMO and should be used in order to make sure this service stays in place.

You could take the Airport Train just for the scenic view and to save money but cost is seemingly not an issue for you. Then taxi from Phaya Thai on the northbound side as the taxi can turn immediately left into Si Ayutthaya rd which ends at The Wet just 1km north of Phra Arthit .

Last week, I arrived Don Meaung around 8 PM and was going to take a taxi to Krung Thonburi - but when I saw the taxi queue was around 150 people - I just hopped on the A! bus to Mo Chit and took the skytrain - about 1 hour total traveling time. I only had a small bag and not heavy. Not sure if a long taxi wait is a normal situation at this hour.

Least hassle is a subject term.

DMK is a little closer to Phra Athit but the reality is that there really is not much difference as the last bit to Phra Athit will be usually a bit slow from either aiport.

Your main least hassle issue in terms of traffic conditions is your arrival time. If you arrive between 10am and before 2-3pm you will miss peak hour traffic. Good traffic means you could do this trip in 30mins max from either airport. Hit peak hour or heavy rain and it could be 1hr - 1.5hrs.

Cost obviously is not an issue for you but do note that the 1600 baht "limo taxi" is a rip off. A normal taxi from Swampy would be about 230-250 baht plus 45 bahts tolls. 300ish all up. Just catch one from departures, only get into a newer taxi and obviously make sure the driver uses the meter. Just take another taxi as there are plenty at departures waiting for a fare if you get any BS.

You could take the Airport Train just for the scenic view (nice if you have not been to BKK for years) and to save money but cost is seemingly not an issue for you. Then taxi from Phaya Thai on the northbound side as the taxi can turn immediately left into Si Ayutthaya rd which ends at The Wet just 1km north of Phra Arthit (of course that means take bags down 2 flights of stairs).

Probably only do this if you arrive at morning peak or if it is raining as it will get you into inner BKK quicker. (The disadvantage is that a taxi from the airport will exit the expressway at Lan Luang / Yommarat and end up being quicker)

From DMK definitely take a taxi from departures as some people wait a long time at the taxi stand. This will also be a quick trip assuming it is not the evening peak. Take the expressway and the taxi will exit at the same exit I mentioned above or Rama 6. Total cost will be around the same as Swampy as though the taxi will be slightly cheaper the tolls will be higher.

Thanks for great info. Have decided to fly Thai to Suvarnabhumi and like mentioned earlier I have not been into Bangkok for long......and would like to try the airport rail link just for the experience. I`m scheduled to arrive 1130 am so should get away from the worst of traffic.

Take the rail link to Phaya Thai then grab taxi from there to hotel

Take the rail link to Phaya Thai then grab taxi from there to hotel

Taxi from Phaya Thai to Th Prha Ahtit about 80Bht

Least hassle is a subject term.

DMK is a little closer to Phra Athit but the reality is that there really is not much difference as the last bit to Phra Athit will be usually a bit slow from either aiport.

Your main least hassle issue in terms of traffic conditions is your arrival time. If you arrive between 10am and before 2-3pm you will miss peak hour traffic. Good traffic means you could do this trip in 30mins max from either airport. Hit peak hour or heavy rain and it could be 1hr - 1.5hrs.

Cost obviously is not an issue for you but do note that the 1600 baht "limo taxi" is a rip off. A normal taxi from Swampy would be about 230-250 baht plus 45 bahts tolls. 300ish all up. Just catch one from departures, only get into a newer taxi and obviously make sure the driver uses the meter. Just take another taxi as there are plenty at departures waiting for a fare if you get any BS.

You could take the Airport Train just for the scenic view (nice if you have not been to BKK for years) and to save money but cost is seemingly not an issue for you. Then taxi from Phaya Thai on the northbound side as the taxi can turn immediately left into Si Ayutthaya rd which ends at The Wet just 1km north of Phra Arthit (of course that means take bags down 2 flights of stairs).

Probably only do this if you arrive at morning peak or if it is raining as it will get you into inner BKK quicker. (The disadvantage is that a taxi from the airport will exit the expressway at Lan Luang / Yommarat and end up being quicker)

From DMK definitely take a taxi from departures as some people wait a long time at the taxi stand. This will also be a quick trip assuming it is not the evening peak. Take the expressway and the taxi will exit at the same exit I mentioned above or Rama 6. Total cost will be around the same as Swampy as though the taxi will be slightly cheaper the tolls will be higher.

Thanks for great info. Have decided to fly Thai to Suvarnabhumi and like mentioned earlier I have not been into Bangkok for long......and would like to try the airport rail link just for the experience. I`m scheduled to arrive 1130 am so should get away from the worst of traffic.

A few things,

Airport station is in the basement of the airport so you need to go down two levels from arrivals. Take the Cityline train (Blue) 45baht. Trains dep every 20 mins at that time of the day, 12, 32 & 52 mins past the hour. You'll enjoy the view into the inner city even with all the ugly new condos!

When you arrive at Phaya Thai there is a link direct to the BTS station. Ideally, you want to walk over to BTS exit 3 and take a taxi west into Si Ayuthaya rd. However, exiting anywhere on the west side (ie. far side from the ARL station or north bound traffic) of Phaya Thai rd will be fine as well as a taxi can turn directly left into Si Ayuthaya.

Here is a map of the station, http://www.bts.co.th/customer/en/images/area-map/N2_update.gif

System map for ref, http://www.bts.co.th/customer/en/02-route-current.aspx

ARL site if needed,http://srtet.co.th/en/index.html

Least hassle is a subject term.

DMK is a little closer to Phra Athit but the reality is that there really is not much difference as the last bit to Phra Athit will be usually a bit slow from either aiport.

Your main least hassle issue in terms of traffic conditions is your arrival time. If you arrive between 10am and before 2-3pm you will miss peak hour traffic. Good traffic means you could do this trip in 30mins max from either airport. Hit peak hour or heavy rain and it could be 1hr - 1.5hrs.

Cost obviously is not an issue for you but do note that the 1600 baht "limo taxi" is a rip off. A normal taxi from Swampy would be about 230-250 baht plus 45 bahts tolls. 300ish all up. Just catch one from departures, only get into a newer taxi and obviously make sure the driver uses the meter. Just take another taxi as there are plenty at departures waiting for a fare if you get any BS.

You could take the Airport Train just for the scenic view (nice if you have not been to BKK for years) and to save money but cost is seemingly not an issue for you. Then taxi from Phaya Thai on the northbound side as the taxi can turn immediately left into Si Ayutthaya rd which ends at The Wet just 1km north of Phra Arthit (of course that means take bags down 2 flights of stairs).

Probably only do this if you arrive at morning peak or if it is raining as it will get you into inner BKK quicker. (The disadvantage is that a taxi from the airport will exit the expressway at Lan Luang / Yommarat and end up being quicker)

From DMK definitely take a taxi from departures as some people wait a long time at the taxi stand. This will also be a quick trip assuming it is not the evening peak. Take the expressway and the taxi will exit at the same exit I mentioned above or Rama 6. Total cost will be around the same as Swampy as though the taxi will be slightly cheaper the tolls will be higher.

Thanks for great info. Have decided to fly Thai to Suvarnabhumi and like mentioned earlier I have not been into Bangkok for long......and would like to try the airport rail link just for the experience. I`m scheduled to arrive 1130 am so should get away from the worst of traffic.

A few things,

Airport station is in the basement of the airport so you need to go down two levels from arrivals. Take the Cityline train (Blue) 45baht. Trains dep every 20 mins at that time of the day, 12, 32 & 52 mins past the hour. You'll enjoy the view into the inner city even with all the ugly new condos!

When you arrive at Phaya Thai there is a link direct to the BTS station. Ideally, you want to walk over to BTS exit 3 and take a taxi west into Si Ayuthaya rd. However, exiting anywhere on the west side (ie. far side from the ARL station or north bound traffic) of Phaya Thai rd will be fine as well as a taxi can turn directly left into Si Ayuthaya.

Here is a map of the station, http://www.bts.co.th/customer/en/images/area-map/N2_update.gif

System map for ref, http://www.bts.co.th/customer/en/02-route-current.aspx

ARL site if needed,http://srtet.co.th/en/index.html

Thanks again, with this great explanation I hardly have any excuses to get lost