Train Transfers To and From Bangkok Airport

Savarnabhumi Airport is located a mere 25 km/16 miles from the city of Bangkok. The airport is linked to the city via motorway no.7 as well as having easy access to the Eastern Seaboard, Thailand's industrialised heartland. Convenient trains take passengers in just a quarter of an hour to downtown Bangkok.

Savarnabhumi Airport has its own railway station, located below the vast terminal building and accessible via B1 Level, which is two floors below the arrivals hall. Passenger can catch trains from this station via two very different train lines, which link the airport with the city.

The non-stop Express Line trains from Bangkok Airport run between Makkasan and Savarnabhumi Airport at a speed of 160 km per hour, making it the fastest connection for passenger wishing to travel to Bangkok city destinations. The service takes just 15 minutes to reach downtown Bangkok.

City Line trains from Savarnabhumi Airport are really slow commuter trains, stopping at all stations between the airport and the city. The most important railway station on the way is Phaya Thai station, where the line connects with other services. Savarnabhumi Airport trains runs train daily between 6.00 am to midnight and the commuter service takes 27 minutes to reach Bangkok city.

The best way for passengers to reach different districts of Bangkok city is to travel via the City Line and getting off at Phaya Thai station, from where they can travel via the BTS Skytrain network to other city locations or switch to other commuter trains.

The Express trains from the airport are known informally as the Pink Line, while the Commuter trains are referred to as the Red Line. Both lines use Siemens built Desiro trains on the 28.6 km long stretch of railway.

At Makkasan Station the Pink Line connects with the Blue Line, which goes to Phetchaburi Station. The Commuter Service of Red Line travels to Lad Krabang, Thub Chang, Hua Mark, Ramkhamhaeng, Makkasan, Rathcaprarop to Phaya Thai, where it interchanges with the BTS Sukhumvit Line.

The Express trains leave approximately every 20 to 30 minutes and Thai Airways passengers even have the option to use the check-in facilities at Makkasan train station. The Commuter trains from Bangkok Airport leave every 15 minutes. While a single journey with the Express or Pink Line will cost around 90 baht per person, the much slower Commuter or Red Line costs just half that and with a more frequent service it could be argued that passengers reach downtown Bangkok just as quickly as they would with the far more expensive Express service.

Annoyingly, passengers must buy a new train ticket, if they wish to travel via the BTS Skytrains from Phaya Thai station. Trains from Hualamphong train station are renown for their exceedingly long travel time and many delays. The Eastern Line travels through this station and it is possible to reach the airport – eventually. These services will stop at Lat Krabang station after a 1 hour journey. Since they offer a 3rd class train service, the cost is just around 6 baht. The Lat Krabang train station is located immediately below Lat Krabang Airport link station, from where passengers need to buy another ticker for 15 baht to complete their journey to Bangkok Airport.

Bangkok city is huge and sprawling with more than 50 different districts. The most important ones as far as tourists are concerned are Siam Square, Sukhumvit, Silom, Khao San Road, Rattanakosin, Dusit, Yaowarat and Phahurat, Thonburi, Pratunam, Rathcadephisek, Ramkhamhaeng and Phahonytothin.