Sutthisan to Don Mueang - time?

[jimrothstein]

8:35 am, Thursday, Air Asia international flight (DMK to KUL)

-no luggage, have boarding pass, BUT

-1 day overstay (~ 8 hours) on Tourist Visa, US passport

Curious what you think of my travel options: (both leaving hotel at Sutthisan at 5:45 am)

Option #1 (~ 17 THB) - MRT/bus

-Leave hotel 5:45 am, take first MRT (6:00 am), then #510 or #29 Bus

-Estimate Arrival: 7:15 am (departure - 1:20 hours)

Option #2 (~150 THB) - Taxi

-Leave hotel 5:45 am, take taxi

-Estimate Arrival: 6:30 am (departure - 2:00 hours)

I did do a trial run of MRT/bus, but not at 6:00 am (this will be first flight from DMK).

Thanks for any thoughts.

[Lakegeneve]

My thought is that we need 1 thread for travel time to airport queries given how many that there are....

It sort of depends where your exactly hotel is, near Vihavadi (the one on the corner there) or near Ratchada? I am guessing Ratchada rd as you mention the MRT. Option 1 cost is incorrect as you are neglecting to add either the MRT or bus fare. As a guess, it would be about double what you state in total as Suttisan station to Chatujak station would be 22 baht before you get a bus.

Just take a taxi, at 5:45am it would take you all of 12-15mins north along Ratchada then onto Vihavadi - Your option 2 time is way off, perhaps 45mins in peak. If your hotel is near Vihavadi then even less. Why the hassle of PT when it is not peak?

Assuming your flight is at 8:30am, I'd personally have a leisurely breaky, leave the hotel at 6:45am, arriving at DMK just after 7ish with plenty of time for early morn peak check in, the day late stamp and time to read a newspaper.

[jimrothstein]

Thanks Lakegeneve:

Apologies - I am 7 min walk to MRT/Sutthisan/Ratchada and you are correct: option 1 price should be ~39 THB (22 + 17), but I have MRT month pass.

Still not sure if option 1 ( MRT/bus) is too tight, but will do option 2 (taxi) and post times later as data point.

Yeah, a separate thread on airport travel times/options would be very nice.

[jimrothstein]

72 minutes (1:12 hours), 160 THB - hotel front door Sutthisan/MRT/Ratchada to AirAsia gate at DMK (Thursday, August 1, leave ~ 5 am, at gate 6:12 am)

Rough Breakout:

13 min - taxi, 160 THB (speeding, multiple lane crossings; light but not zero traffic)

0:06 seconds - walk: taxi to AirAsia checkin area, international terminal, DMK

10 min (wasted - playing with Air Asia check-in kiosk, until realized this is mobile phone checkin - I had printed my Boarding Pass)

1 min - walk past Air Asia luggage/check-in (long lines!)

35 min - immigration (long lines, including several Chinese tour groups)

6 min - pay overstay (6 hours!), 500 THB

2 min - security -walk through - no line at all

5 min - walk to departure gate

Comments;

-hotel arranged taxi (fixed, no meter) and thought early arrival better

-For next time, just walk directly to Immigration - didn't need any AirAsia stamp on Boarding Pass

-since so early, at gate tried to talk my way on to earlier AirAsia flight; of course this failed.

Edited August 3, 2013 by jimrothstein