Transportation
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ARRIVAL BY AIR
Thailand Tourist Board (TCEB) has provided visitors with several helpful guides.
1. Airport Arrival Instructions, Gate 6, Meeting Point
2. International Arrival Procedures
3. Bangkok Airport Terminal Map
Air - Taxi - Shuttle
Directions to the Hotel
The Westin Grande Sukhumvit has a helpful guide on using the Skytrain to the hotel. Check out the Direction section.
The Westin Grande Sukhumvit Hotel located at Sukhumvit 19, just step away from BTS Skytrain and MRT Subway Stations .
AIRPORT RAIL LINK
The Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link (SARL or ARL for short) provides speedy rail service from the airport to central Bangkok. City Line commuter trains stop at eight stations.
The ARL City Line makes eight stops (Suvarnabhumi to Phaya Thai) and takes a total of 26 minutes. Trains depart the airport every 12 to 15 minutes (according to the time of day), starting at 05:56 and with the last 2 services (non stop only) at 00:15 & 00:30 weekdays. On weekends and holidays, trains run every 15 minutes starting at 06:02. The last 2 services (non stop only) depart at 00:15 & 00:30. Timetable here.
Fares range between 15 and 45 baht one-way, depending on the distance travelled. Many stations are handy to areas where travelers tend to stay, for instance Ratchaprarop is near Pratunam, Makkasan is not far by taxi from Lower Sukhumvit and Ramkhamhaeng is a 10 minute (60 baht) taxi ride from Thonglor and Ekamai. At Makkasan you can change to the MRT (subway - underground) via a 200m walkway. At Phaya Thai a 70m ramp leads to the BTS Skytrain, giving you access to a large part of the city by mass transit.
Although the City Line is a commuter train, it is used heavily by both locals and tourists, with all their luggage, to get to and from the airport.
To take the ARL train from Suvarnabhumi Airport, head down by elevator or escalator to the lowest level. You can purchase a token in a machine or at the ticket booth. The machines give change.
Here is a MAP showing the airport rail link togther with the MRT and BTS. There's more info at the ARL website.
If you are an iPhone user, you can also download the "Airport Link Bangkok" app which provides convenient access to the timetables of each of the Airport Link stations.
TAXIS
Public taxis are the most popular way to get into town, and the most convenient in terms of door-to-door service.
Ignore all touts in the airport terminal offering taxi services. Outside the arrival building on the first floor (one floor down from arrivals) you’ll see a “Public Taxi” desk.
Most taxis are relatively new vehicles, although there are some older cars no longer in prime condition (officially these are not supposed to be permitted at the airport). There are also some van-type or "maxi" taxis ideal for 3-4 people with lots of bags. All taxis run on natural gas and most of the boot (trunk) in the ordinary sedans is taken up with a large tank. Some luggage will still fit there, but quite often suitcases must be stacked on the passenger seat beside the driver.
Tell the dispatcher your destination. He will give you a slip of white paper. Hold onto it, do not give it to the driver, because it has instructions on what to do in the unlikely event of any problem. The dispatcher will give another part of the form to the driver, and should ensure that the driver knows how to get to your destination (but you may wish to confirm this).
When you get into the taxi, make sure the meter is on and showing 35 baht. On arrival at your hotel, you’ll have to pay the fare on the meter, plus an airport surcharge of 50 baht that is not shown on the meter. In addition there may be optional expressway tolls of 75 baht which you should pay directly at the two toll stations. Typical cost: 250 to 400 baht in total (including metered fare, surcharge and tolls) depending on distance and traffic conditions. The average seems to be around 300-350 baht to most inner city destinations. Average Time : About 30 to 45 minutes.
After midnight and in the very early morning it is not necessary to use the toll expressway, so you can tell the driver "no highway" and save 75 baht. The taxi will use the ground-level road underneath the elevated expressway, which is just as fast as the expressway late at night.
Taxi drivers are not normally tipped, although rounding of odd amounts (e.g. 97 baht to 100 baht, or even sometimes of 101 baht down to 100 baht!) is commonly practiced.
PUBLIC BUS SERVICE
Local bus fare varies between 12 and 36 baht.
Public Bus Service to Bangkok and area.
Bus Number 553 - Suvarnabhumi Airport - Samut Prakan
Bus Number 554 - Suvarnabhumi Airport - Don Muang Airport (Expressway)
Bus Number 555 - Suvarnabhumi - Don Muang Airport - Rangsit (Expressway) (24 hrs a day except 2-4am)
Bus Number 556 - Makkasan City ARL station - Southern Bus Terminal
Bus Number 558 - Suvarnabhumi - Central Rama 2
