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Arriving in the new country can be overwhelming and challenging at the best of times. In this article, we are going to share a step-by-step guide to help you travel from the international Airport to Bangkok City Centre in 2025.
If you have just rolled off a long-haul flight and you are both exhausted and jet-lagged, the last thing you want to do is get lost trying to find your way to your accommodation. The airport is situated around 30km outside of the city, so it is important to have a solid plan for your arrival. Furthermore, Bangkok is a large city and it can be pretty confusing to navigate around, so please read this guide carefully to save you time, money, and stress when you arrive in Thailand.
Getting off to a good start is absolutely imperative, especially if you only have a few weeks in Bangkok. We have designed this guide to be as helpful and informative as possible. For this reason, we have included lots of different pictures to help you navigate through the airport and onto the Airport Rail Link.
We have also included some super helpful tips so you can pick up essentials like snacks, drinks, and even where you can buy a SIM card in the airport.
Don’t miss our EPIC guide to the best areas to stay in Bangkok
Very important before you read on
It is important to recognize that there are two major international airports in Bangkok. It is important to know which airport you are arriving in. In this article, we are going to focus on the main international airport, which is called Suvarnabhumi Airport. This airport is situated around 30 km to the east of Bangkok.
What is the best way to travel from Bangkok International Airport to Bangkok city centre?
The cheapest way to travel from the international airport to Bangkok city centre is to use the Airport Rail Link. Although this method is relatively cheap and reliable, it is less convenient than taking a taxi. You will probably need to change lines and carry your baggage between trains to reach your final destination. It is likely to take at least one or two hours to get from the airport to your accommodation using the Airport Rail Link.
This, of course, depends on exactly where your accommodation is and how efficiently you can navigate through the Bangkok transport system. If you are not traveling on a tight budget, you may prefer to take a taxi directly from the Bangkok International Airport all the way to your accommodation. Taxis in Bangkok are relatively cheap and convenient. The main disadvantage of taking a taxi is the traffic in Bangkok. Bangkok is a large city and becomes very congested, especially during rush hour times. A short journey across Bangkok can take several hours by taxi.
OPTION 1: Use the Airport Rail Link (ARL)
1 Get through immigration
When you arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport, you will need to navigate through the airport to the Airport Rail Link. However, before you do this, you will need to go to the immigration desk. You may need to fill out an arrivals card and present this to the immigration officer at the desk. The arrival card is a small card, and you will need to give your passport details, some personal information, and you will also need to state which hotel you will be staying at. We recommend putting the name of the first hotel you have booked in Bangkok. This can be a pretty slow and tiring process.
You will generally need to queue up and present your arrivals card and passport to the officer. They will also check any visas that you may have purchased in advance. When they stamp your passport, always check that the dates are correct. If there is a mistake on the dates, you will need to return to the same immigration desk for the mistake to be amended, and this can be extremely inconvenient and frustrating. Many countries are allowed a 30-day visa-free stay, which can be extended for a further 30 days by visiting an immigration office anywhere in Thailand. However, it is important to check the specific immigration requirements for your nationality and keep an eye out for changes.
2 Collect your bags and exit through customs
Once you have made it through immigration, you will need to go to baggage pickup. Watch out for your flight number, which should be listed on the carousel. Once you have picked up your bags, you can exit through customs. Customs officials may wish to scan and check your baggage before you exit.
3 Navigate through the airport to find the Airport Rail Link
Once you have exited customs, you will need to find the Airport Rail Link. There are plenty of signs around the airport to help direct you to the rail link. Signs are in English, so it is very easy to find the right place. After you have exited customs, watch out for signs. You will need to go down a level to find the entrance to the Bangkok Airport Rail Link.
4 Purchase your Airport Rail Link ticket
When you have found the entrance to the Bangkok Airport Rail Link (ARL line), you will notice a couple of small restaurants, and there is also a Seven-Eleven convenience store located just at the entrance to the rail link. This is a great place to buy drinks, snacks, or even a meal depending on your energy levels and hunger. In the rail link ticket hall, there are several ATM machines.
If you do not yet have any local currency and are struggling to use the self-service ticket machines (which have English language options). There is also an office where you can buy your rail ticket directly from a member of staff. It costs 35 baht per person for a Rail Link Ticket from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Makkasan station (Bangkok City Centre). This is roughly £0.70 or $1.00.
Once you have paid for your rail tickets, you’ll be given a small token, and you need to tap this token on the security gate to walk through to the platform. Keep this token in a safe place because you will need to use it to exit through the security gates at the end of your journey.
5 Find the platform and jump on the next train
Once you have got your ticket, follow the signs to the platform. When you reach the platform, you will just need to wait for a train because this is a terminating station; you don’t need to worry about which platform you use. The train journey from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok city centre takes around 30 minutes.
Most people will want to go to Makkasan station where you can connect to Petchaburi station (on the MRT blue Loop Line). This is 5 stops. There is plenty of space on the train for large bags, and there are also seats on the train.
6 Connecting to other destinations around Bangkok
Once you have reached Bangkok city centre, you may need to find a connection to another destination. If you’re planning to use a different line, you will need to purchase a new ticket to your next destination. Alternatively, once you have reached Bangkok city centre, you could take a taxi or tuk-tuk to your hotel. Tuk-tuks are more expensive but they are iconic and fun.
TOP TIP: If you have come this far on public transport, we recommend using public transport all the way to your hotel. If you want to take a taxi, we recommend taking one at the airport so you make the most of the convenience of a taxi. Mixing a taxi and rail link is neither cheap nor convenient.
OPTION 2: Use a taxi
If the Airport Rail Link sounds too complicated or difficult, then we strongly recommend taking a taxi to your accommodation. Taxis are relatively cheap and efficient in Bangkok. The main advantage of taking a taxi is that you can throw your bags in the boot of the taxi, sit back, and relax, letting your driver take you to your accommodation.
Before you take a taxi, it is important to make sure your driver knows exactly where you’re going and that they are happy with the price. There are several ways to take a taxi at the airport. You can either find a driver and make a deal directly with them, or you can use the official Airport taxi service. You will need to go to the taxi desk and buy a ticket. The prices are determined based on the location. You will then need to queue up and wait for a taxi. Most taxi rides from the airport to Bangkok City Centre cost 300 baht – 600 baht (£6 – £12 or $8 – $15) depending on the exact location and the taxi.
If you get a taxi during a quiet period, it may be possible to travel from the airport to your accommodation in around 45 minutes; however, during rush hour, it can take several hours to travel across Bangkok, especially if you need to get across the city centre in a taxi.
Can you withdraw money at the Bangkok airport?
Yes, there are plenty of ATM machines situated in the Bangkok International Airport. However, we do recommend arriving with some local currency, especially if you are unfamiliar with Bangkok. If you have any problems withdrawing local currency, this can be very stressful, so it is always helpful to have a little bit of money to get started with.
When you are ready to take your train to Bangkok city centre, you will need to go to the self-service ticket machines to buy your ticket. If you do not have the local currency, there are several ATMs situated in the area, so you can withdraw some Thai Baht. The ATM machines in the airport charge a standard fee of 220 baht (around £5 or $6) to withdraw money. This is the same for all ATM machines around Thailand. We often withdraw larger sums of cash to minimize the number of times we withdraw and, therefore, reduce the overall bank fees. However, be aware that traveling around with large sums of cash is more risky.
When you are using foreign cards, the ATM machine will also offer you the option of “Converting to Thai Baht” or “Skipping the conversion.” We recommend selecting “skip conversion,” especially if you have a good international bank account. The Thai banks tend to charge a very bad exchange rate. Whichever option you pick, the ATM will dispense the money in Baht. BUT if you selected “skip conversion,” your own bank will calculate the exchange rate (and this is likely to be a better rate than the Thai Bank).
Can you buy a local SIM card in the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport?
Yes, you can buy a local SIM card in the airport. This is a very convenient way of getting connected immediately. However, it is much more expensive to buy your SIM card in the airport. If you do purchase a SIM card in the airport, you can use taxi-hailing apps like Grab and Bolt to book your taxi to Bangkok city centre.
If you are very keen to get a SIM card in the airport, there are several desks selling SIM cards in the baggage collection area of the airport. This is a great place to get a SIM card if you want to be set up with mobile data straight away. However, if you are willing to wait, you can get some excellent 30-day SIM card deals directly from the offices outside the airport. For example, you can find AIS.
- 30-day 5G AIS unlimited data plan in the airport costs 1,000 baht (around £20 or $25).
- 30-day 5G “The One Sim” deal in an AIS office costs 250 baht (£5 or $6). You can register in any AIS shop (often in malls). Bring your passport to register.
Can you buy food at the Bangkok International Airport?
If you are familiar with Thai culture, the answer to this question may be obvious. Yes, not only can you buy food at the international airport, but there is a delightful variety of affordable, tasty, delicious, and fresh food options in the airport. So if you have just rolled off a flight and you have not been fed for a few hours, don’t worry; there are plenty of places to buy food in the airport. In fact, you don’t even need to go out of your way to find food. If you are using the Airport Rail Link, there are several restaurants and the Seven-Eleven convenience store just outside the entrance of the Rail Link.
