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Bangkok during layover (6-10 hours): is it worth leaving the airport?
Do you have a few hours between flights in Bangkok and wondering if it makes sense to head into the city?
First things first: Bangkok has two international airports - Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). In most cases, it's not a dramatic difference. But if you're transferring between them or have a short time, it can make your decision-making quite a bit different.
A layover in Bangkok can be an opportunity to get to know the city, at least for a while. What to do during the few hours between flights? Here's our realistic take based on the length of time and type of airport.
Going to Bangkok for several days? Check out our other articles too:
Which airport are you at?
Before you start planning anything, look at the flight code.
Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is a major international airport. It has a direct Airport Rail Link train connection to the city centre and logistically makes sense for longer transfers.
Don Mueang (DMK) is an older airport mainly used by low-cost airlines. You can get downtown, but it's usually slower and more sensitive to rush hour traffic.
One more thing that a lot of people underestimate: do you arrive and depart from the same airport? If not, it can take you 1-1.5 hours to transfer between them. Or conversely, you can use the transfer between them for a short visit to downtown Bangkok.
Can I leave the airport at all?
The short answer is yes.
Thailand has visa-free travel with most countries in the world. You fill out an online arrival card (after you arrive), go through immigration and you're done.
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after you leave Thailand.
There are no visa fees or "departure taxes".
If you have enough time, you can easily leave Bangkok airport during the transfer.
If you want to deal with Grab/Bolt or map traffic during a short layover, it's hard to do without data.
Transfer 4 hours or less
The answer here is simple. Stay at the airport.
With a 4-hour transfer between flights, you realistically have a maximum of 1.5 hours net time for sightseeing. And in that time, you'll barely make it to downtown and back.
In this case, a quiet restaurant, shopping or lounge makes more sense.
Transfer 6 hours
Here it depends on the airport and experience. However, we always assume that you should be back at the airport at least 2 hours before departure.
Honestly? A layover around 6-7 hours just means a quick peek into the city. You definitely won't catch the main sights.
BKK Airport
From Suvarnabhumi BKK you can get to the modern city centre by train in about 35 minutes. If you don't have checked luggage and immigration goes quickly, you can realistically have 2.5-3.5 hours clear time.
What can you realistically do around the airport train stations?
- Shopping in the huge modern malls of the Siam district
- from the airport, get to Phaya Thai station and transfer to the green metro line
- the vibrant Sukhumvitdistrict
- from the airport, drive to Makkasan station and change to the blue metro line
When does it make sense to take a taxi?
Taking a taxi can be faster than taking the metro, especially if you're going to the historic centre (but you'll never be able to catch a 6-hour transfer anyway) or the Silom district.
I would only use a taxi during off-peak hours, i.e. early in the morning (until about 7:30) or around noon (between 10:30 and 13:00).
You can find practical information about getting around the city here 👉 Transportation, tuk-tuks and subways in Bangkok.
DMK Airport
From Don Mueang, the situation is more complicated. It takes more than 50 minutes to get from the metro to the city centre, and taxis often get stuck in traffic jams, even outside the morning and evening rush hours.
What can you realistically do?
- Chatuchak market, which is relatively close and is reached by a direct train from the airport
- but it's only open on Saturdays and Sundays
And that's basically all that makes sense to do from DMK airport without stress.
Transfer at 8-10 hours
This is where it starts to make sense.
Realistically, you can manage one major stop - for example, a temple by the river, a short stop in Chinatown, or a viewpoint on one of the skyscrapers.
Bangkok is not a compact city where you can run through the centre in half an hour. Time passes quickly here.
But count on this:
- it takes at least an hour to get to the historic centre, another hour to get back.
- you should be at the airport at least 2 hours before departure
At 8+ hours the difference between BKK and DMK is not that dramatic, just calculate that you will have about 30-45 minutes less net time from DMK.
What makes sense?
- Akara Sky Hanuman (viewpoint) + short walk around Sukhumvit district
- shopping in the Siam district
- Grand Palace or Wat Pho (you're unlikely to see both at the same time)
If you think of the change in Bangkok as the start of a longer trip around Thailand, you can also take a train or bus further afield - perhaps to Ayutthaya or the sea.
Book train, bus, ferry tickets - 12go.asia
Overnight transfer
Bangkok is alive at night - but only in certain neighborhoods.
You'll find nightlife mainly in Sukhumvit and Silom. Bars, rooftop restaurants, massages, busy streets.
If you don't mind staying awake at night, a night transfer can be an interesting experience.
Otherwise, it's better to go to sleep.
Where to sleep in the hotel?
If you're not up for a night out on the town, stay in a hotel.
Which hotel to choose?
Overnight transfer before 12 pm
If you're arriving in the evening and leaving early in the morning, I personally wouldn't worry about transport to the city and choose a hotel near the airport.
While the prices are higher than city hotels, the convenience is incomparable.
- Hotels near BKK airport
- Hyatt Regency Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport **** - great hotel right across from the terminal
- Boxtel @ Suvarnabhumi Airport - capsule hotel by the metro station (it doesn't have its own showers, which is a huge drawback!)
- The Park Nine Hotel Suvarnabhumi - great value for money, 3 km from the airport, free private shuttle to the terminal
- Hotels near DMK airport
- Amari Don Mueang Airport Bangkok **** - the largest and only truly classic modern hotel directly opposite the airport
- Donmueang Place Hotel **** - small modern hotel with nice rooms, located in a seemingly dirty area, but the 15-minute walk to the terminal is safe even during the night
Overnight transfer for more than 12 hours
This can already be used and combined to briefly explore the wild nightlife of Bangkok and stay at a hotel in the centre.
Personally, I would only choose this option if the departure from Bangkok is after 9:00am so I don't have to get up before 5:00am.
Since the morning taxi ride tends to be congestion-free, I wouldn't stick to choosing a hotel near the train/metro station to the airport, but would choose purely based on what you want to see at night in Bangkok.
Find a hotel in Bangkok by location
So: is it worth leaving the airport in Bangkok?
- 4 hours? No.
- 6 hours? Maybe, if you know what you're doing and are changing planes at BKK airport.
- 8 or more? Yes, but with a realistic plan (maximum 1 major location)
Bangkok when connecting can be a quick taster. But it's no substitute for actually visiting.
Honestly? If the city beckons, give it at least two or three days. The layover is just a teaser.
Find flights with a stopover in Bangkok
A stopover in Bangkok is often just a gateway to the whole of Southeast Asia.
- 👉 Phuket - the best beaches
- 👉 Koh Samui - our personal itinerary
- 👉 When to go to Thailand - weather and season
Any questions left?
If you have any questions or comments about the article...
