The fastest way to get to downtown Bangkok is by metro, but transfers are required.

You can reach the tourist centres (Khao San, Silom, Siam) by several bus lines without changing buses, but with the risk of longer travel time due to traffic jams.

In the table below we offer a comparison of the different bus and metro lines.

Route	Destinations	Metro line transfer	Price
Metro - red line	Bang Sue Railway Station	Dark Blue Line	33 thb
Bus A1	Mochit Bus Station Chatuchak Park	Light green line	30 thb
Bus A2	Victory monument	Light Green Line	30 thb
Bus A3	Lumphini Park, CentralWorld (Silom) Sala Daeng	Suvarnabhumi Airport Line	50 thb
Bus A4	Khaosan Road (historical centre)	-	50 thb

Discover our tips for visiting Bangkok and all of Thailand:

What would we choose?

We have used Don Mueang Airport several times and would recommend this one.

🧳 Do you have big suitcases or are you travelling with more?

A taxi is definitely the most convenient and still relatively affordable option. At least compared to other major metropolises.

🏦 Are you going to Khaosan Road or the historic centre?

The A4 bus goes non-transferable and cheap directly to Sanam Luang just off Khaosan Road.

🌃 Going to the modern centre?

If you want to go cheap to the Sukhumvit or Silom areas, the Red Line train with a transfer to the MRT Blue Line is a good option.

🌙 Depart early in the morning, arrive late in the evening?

Taxi/Grab/Bolt is the only option. Or choose a hotel right by the airport.

Hotels near DMK airport

Airport buses A1-A4: cheap but slow

Even after the new overground metro line comes into operation, the special air-conditioned airport buses A1, A2, A3 and A4 remain the most convenient for direct journeys into the city centre.

The stops are located on the arrivals level of the international terminal at gates 1 and 6.

Price:

• Lines A1, A2 - 30 thb
• Lines A3, A4 - 50 thb

You can always buy a ticket inside the bus from the conductor who walks through the car and collects the money. You can only pay in cash and they do not change notes over 100 baht.

✅ Benefits:

• Cheap direct connections to several destinations in Bangkok
• stop directly at the terminal (unlike the train)

❌ Disadvantages:

• Travel time can double due to traffic jams
• it is not possible to find out the exact timetable

Connection search works via Google.com/maps, but times may not be 100% accurate.

Find a cheap hotel in central Bangkok

Line A1

Runs from the airport to Mo Chit (light green BTS line) and Chatuchak Park (blue MRT line) metro stations, which are right next to each other.

Selected services that do not have a red sign behind the windscreen continue to Bangkok's central long-distance bus station, Mochit 2.

This service is particularly convenient if you want to change to the light green line or are heading directly to Mochit Bus Station.

• Travel time - 30 minutes
• Price - 30 thb
• Frequency - 10-40 minutes
• Last bus from the airport - 0:07
• First bus from Mo Chit - 6:00

Line A2

The A2 bus also runs to the Mo Chit/Chatuchak Park metro stations (light green BTS line + blue MRT line), but continues along the light green metro route to the Victory Monument, which is already the area where you'll find the first hotels within the wider city centre.

• Travel time Victory Monument – 45 to 60 minutes
• Price - 30 thb
• Frequency - 15-20 minutes
• Last bus from airport - 23:52
• First bus from Victory Monument - 6:15
• Tip for a cheap hotel near the bus stop - VIX Bangkok at Victory Monument ***

Line A3

Takes you through the modern centre to the southern edge of the city to Lumphini Park (which it goes all the way around and stops at Silom metro station). This service is suitable if you are staying in hotels in the Siam area, where it will take you without the need to change trains (if you were travelling purely by train/metro you would have to change trains twice).

• Travel time Lumphini Park - 75 to 90 minutes
• Price - 50 thb
• Frequency - 30-40 minutes
• Last bus from the airport - 23:47
• First bus from Lumphini Park - 6:43
• Tip for top hotel near Lumphini Park - Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park *****

Line A4

This route is the most used as it goes to an area that you can't get to at all by subway, even with transfers. Line A4 takes you to the vibrant heart of old Bangkok on Khaosan Road and its immediate surroundings. The final station is called Sanam Luang.

• The journey time to Khaosan Road – 60 to 80 minutes
• Price - 50 thb
• Frequency - 15-30 minutes
• Last bus from airport - 23:47
• First bus from Sanam Luang (Khao San) - 6:40
• Hotel at the terminal station - Villa De Khaosan by Chillax ****

Other lines

Although there are many other bus lines passing along the highway in front of the airport, the stops have been gradually moved further away from the airport and even with zero information, these services are completely unusable for travellers.

Metro Red Line

There is a red line SRT train to Don Mueang.

These trains do not go directly to the centre and you always need to change trains at the Bang Sue terminus (also referred to as Krung Thep Aphiwat).

To get to downtown Bangkok from Bang Sue, use the Blue Line subway for about 45 thb (travel time to downtown from Bang Sue is about 35 minutes).

• 👉 How to travel by metro in Bangkok?

The station at the airport is about a 5-7 minute walk from the domestic terminal, or a 10-12 minute walk from the international terminal, and clear signage will lead you to it.

• Travel time Bang Sue – 17 minutes
• Price - 33 thb
• Frequency - 12-20 minutes
• First connection from Bang Sue - 5:30
• Last connection from the airport - 00:07
• Hotel at Bang Sue Station - Best Western Chatuchak ****
• Official Information: srtet.co.th/en

Fares can only be paid with cash (credit card payments are accepted at the ticket counter, but only over 300 baht, which you won't spend even in a group). The machine takes bills up to 100 baht, but will happily change high value bills at the counter.

You get your ticket in the form of a black token, which you attach to the turnstile when you board and keep for the whole journey. On exit, you go through the turnstile again, where you have to throw the token.

You always need to purchase a new token when changing to other metro lines.

✅ Benefits:

• cheap direct connections to long-distance train stations around Thailand
• trains are not affected by traffic jams

❌ Disadvantages:

• Need to change to another metro line to get to the city centre
• overall long journey times

Public transport map

View a map of all metro and bus lines serving Bangkok Don Mueang Airport.

Taxi / Grab / Bolt

Official yellow and green or pink taxis with a meter are the most convenient option. They are the only ones that will take you to the modern and historic centre of Bangkok without having to change buses.

Given the distance from the airport, prices are not that high and if you choose a really official yellow-green or pink taxi, they tend to be hassle-free.

On your way out of the airport, follow the "Taxi" signs that will lead you to the official stand, where you'll have to stand in line and have the machine print out a ticket that will direct you to a specific taxi.

Between 22:00 and 01:00 the queues for taxis can often be 30-40 minutes long.

On the way from the airport, the taxi driver will almost always turn on the meter without saying anything.

When travelling to the airport from highly exposed areas such as Sukhumvit, Khaosan Road or Silom, even official taxi drivers try to arrange a ride without a meter. Strongly refuse and if necessary get out and choose another taxi.

As taxis are the most common form of transport for travelling around Bangkok, it won't be a problem to stumble across one within a minute at any time of the day or night.

Taxi prices are as follows:

• Sukhmuvit - approx. 280 thb
• Khaosan Road - approx. 300 thb
• Siam - approx. 240 thb

Taxis can only be paid in cash.

Using the otherwise very popular Grab and Bolt apps in Asia is generally not financially worthwhile in Bangkok. However, you can use these apps if you want to pay for your taxi by card.

Personally, I've driven to DMK airport mostly just via Bolt. While the price was about 10% higher than taxis, I conveniently paid with my Revolut card stored in the app.

Get Revolut with bonus

Transfer between DMK and BKK airports

Transfer from Don Mueang Airport to Suvarnabhumi is provided by free shuttle buses.

They run once an hour in the morning and every 20 minutes thereafter (timetable: airportpattayabus.com/shuttle-bus).

The first service leaves at 5:00, the last at 0:00. Depending on traffic, the journey takes between 50 and 100 minutes.

Buses stop in front of the International Terminal at exit 6.

At Suvarnabhumi Airport, buses stop at gate 3 on the arrivals level.

Continuing on around Thailand?

Don Mueang often serves as a launching point for onward travel around the country.

Pattaya

There are direct buses from the airport about 4-5 times a day.

• 170 thb
• 3.5 hours

Alternatively, buses with Bang Sue or Mo Chit are more frequent.

Ayutthaya

The fastest local train is from Don Mueang station, which can be reached in about 10 minutes on foot from the terminal (trains run at street level, while the Red Line metro runs over the bridge).

Direct trains run about 5 times a day.

• 100 thb
• 50 minutes

If you plan to continue by train or bus, it's worth booking your train in advance online.

Find a train or bus around Thailand

Chiang Mai / Krabi / Phuket

Often the most convenient domestic flight is with AirAsia, Nok Air or Thai Lion Air.

All airlines fly to major Thai airports several times a day and fares start from 750 thb.

Book your flight at airasia.com