Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Bangkok's 2 Airports - How to travel between? Which airlines?


green tunnel airport interior

Nine scheduled airlines now fly out of Bangkok's old Don Muang Airport while the others continue to use Suvarnabhumi Airport over 40 kilometers away. How to travel between them?


Updated 4 June  AirAsia, Orient Thai's 1-2-3-Go, Kan AirMalindo Air, Nok Air, Scoot, Lion Air (aka Thai Lion Air), and Thai Smile airlines now fly out of Don Mueang Airport. So do Tiger Airways flights to Taipei.

THAI Smile, Thai Airways' new budget airline, is still in the process of moving all its flights to Don Mueang. So far, that means some domestic flights such as Bangkok-Chiang Mai, Bangkok-Khon Kaen and Bangkok-Phuket are now based at Don Mueang (and flying from Terminal 2 there.)

However: most THAI Smile flights are still based out of Suvarnabhumi, including Bangkok-Chiang Rai and Bangkok-Samui. So are its international flights: flights between Mandalay and Bangkok and between Bangkok and Macau are using Suvarnabhumi. Check with THAI Smile's website or, better yet, a travel agent if you are considering the other THAI Smile routes. (No, it's not your computer; THAI Smile's website must be loaded with huge images. It could churn for hours.) THAI Smile primarily flies domestic routes but also has three international routes: Bangkok-Luang Phrabang, Bangkok-Macau and Bangkok-Mandalay.

In December 2015, a second terminal has opened at Don Mueang. It's the old domestic terminal, Terminal 2,  once again serving all domestic flights from Don Mueang. Taxi drivers will ask which you want,  the shuttle buses (from Suvarnabhumi or the BTS stations) will stop at both, so pay attention! Give yourself time if you're switching between domestic and international AirAsia flights. 

All international flights will continue flying out from Terminal 1. 

Known for decades as Don Muang Airport, Don Mueang was the sole Bangkok airport prior to Suvarnabhumi's opening in 2006. 



Before AirAsia's shift, the only scheduled airlines using Don Mueang were 1-2-3 Go and Thai Airways' affiliate Nok Air. The airport is also used by charter services like Solar Air, PC Air, R Airlines and MJets and small private planes and jets. However, charter carrier Jet Asia flies out of Suvarnabhumi.


Cebu Air, Jetstar Asia, Tiger Airways, T'way


If you book a flight arriving at or departing from Bangkok, your AirAsia ticket, itinerary and boarding pass may still list "BAK" as the airport in question. Unlikely but possible. Don't worry; it will fly into and out of Don Mueang. "BAK" is the code for the Suvaranbhumi Airport now. Don Mueang's code is "DMK" and AirAsia tickets should reflect that by now.

Cebu Air, Jetstar Asia, Tiger Airways (TigerAir) and 
Korea's T'way are continuing to use Suvarnabhumi--with the single exception of Tiger Airways' Taiwan flights. Since they are all low-cost or budget airlines and Suvarnabhumi is becoming crowded, the Thai government airport authorities want to move them all to Don Mueang, but these airlines haven't budged as of summer 2017.

Although it isn't a budget airline, regional Bangkok Airways might switch to Don Mueang someday but for now remains at the bigger airport.

The only way to make absolutely sure these airlines haven't switched yet is to call the airline yourself or check out their websites; emails to customer service are useless. I'm not sure I would trust the Suvarnabhumi airport site or a travel agent--not one in Thailand anyway.

Scroll down to see how to transfer between the two Bangkok airports.


India's Jet Airways, a premium Indian budget airline, and IndiGo, which is straight-out budget, also fly out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. (Kingfisher has suspended operations, by the way.) Compared to the aforementioned budget airlines, they are more long-haul, so that makes sense.


Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi Airport Codes


colorfully painted Bangkok Airways plane - image by Bangkok Airways
Travelers heading from Thailand to Cambodia by air would like to see Bangkok Airways shift to Don Mueang. 

If you're staying on Koh Samui and want to fly to Angkor, the standard way is to take one of the several daily Bangkok Airways flights to Bangkok and then connect with the daily Bangkok Airways flight to Siem Reap. Making the connection (or any connection) at Don Mueang Airport would be much, much easier than it is now at Suvarnabhumi because the old airport is so much smaller. From entrance to boarding gate doesn't seem to take more than 15 minutes.

Each of Bangkok's two international airports has its own code number on flight ticket and baggage claim. East of the city in Samut Prakan province, the main Suvarnabhumi Airport  (aka "Suwannabhum" which is closer to the pronunciation) has airport code BKK.  North of the city, Don Mueang (formerly spelled "Don Muang") has the code DMK

Shuttle and Taxi Between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang 

Yes, there is finally a free inter-airport shuttle bus running between the two airports! Good news: it runs, in both directions, from 5 am to midnight! Bad news: From 5 am to 10 am and then from 10 pm to midnight, there is only one bus an hour, leaving on the hour. In between, it runs about every 20 minutes.

When you come into the narrow arrivals hall on the ground floor of Don Mueang, you will see prominent signs for "Suvannabhumi shuttle bus" and "bus"; the latter refers to the BTS bus to the subway (MRT) and and Skytrain stations. The Suvarnabhumi/Suvannabhumi shuttle departure point is on the ground floor (2F). While the shuttle is free, you must show the conductor an onward ticket for a flight from the airport you're heading to. The flight doesn't need to depart the same day.

Unfortunately, something like 75 percent of the long-haul flights landing at Suvarnabhumi arrive between 11 pm and the small hours of the morning, so if you want to settle in near Don Mueang (DMK) for an early morning flight departing from there, the shuttle bus won't be an option.

The distance between Don Mueang (DMK) and Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is daunting. Depending on the route, it runs from 40 to 46 kilometers (25 to 29 miles). Go to Google maps and plug in one airport as your destination. Or press the location link at the bottom of this page, which will bring you to the Don Mueang map. In the directions box, plug in the name of Suvarnabhumi as your destination. You will see three suggested routes with the optimistic suggestion that traveling by any of these routes, two of which involve tolls, should take less than an hour. The shuttle bus does take the tollways so sometimes indeed the trip takes less than an hour.

Considering that the vast majority of visitors coming in on long-haul overseas flights arrive and depart between 11 pm and the wee hours of the morning, the suggested timing will be reasonable for many travelers. However, most people familiar with Bangkok would say that estimate is absurd. I'd recommend a 90-minute buffer. If the travel time is between 7 am and 9 am or between 5 pm and 8 pm, allow for at least two hours.

If taking a taxi, choose the tollways unless it's very late at night or early in the morning. The taxi passenger pays these tolls, which will be 125 baht if you take all the options. Expect to pay another 300-400 baht for the trip, plus a 50 baht surcharge just because it's an airport taxi. (Yes, Bangkok and Phuket have Uber and Grab and you can use theses apps to go to one of these airports, but using an app to depart from the airport? No. It's a long story.) 


Mini-Vans & Regular Bus Between Two Bangkok Airports


Nok Air, long operating out of  Don Mueang, had a free shuttle bus running between the two airports but it could only be used by those fluttering a Nok Air ticket. With the aforementioned free shuttle now open to all passengers, I don't think it's still running. 


For now, I will include the information about the inter-airport van service I described here before the shuttle existed.  With the free shuttle, this information probably will not interest those unfamiliar with Bangkok.  But vans tend to be quicker than big buses and are better suited for those with bulky luggage. They also run more often than the shuttle in the early  morning and late evening.


The mini-van service running between the two airports supposedly departs from the same general areas as the taxis and airport buses at both airports (ground floor at Don Mueang; 2F at Suvarnabhumi) but I can't tell you much more than that: specifically, do you buy a ticket from a counter in the arrivals hall or out in front at the pick-up area? Do you need to spot the van on your own? (FWIW, these vans are usually white). I see another report that the mini-vans leave from Suvarnabhumi arrivals at 1F, which is below ground level or at least garage-like. I think catching this van would be challenging for a jet-lagged newcomer to figure out.

A regular bus, geared for locals' travel, also runs between the two airports from 4 am or 5 am to almost midnight. It is number 555 and has a few stops along the way. I used to have directions here but, since I wouldn't attempt it and now there is the easy shuttle, I have left out that information. In the case of Don Mueang, this bus stops across the street, near the pedestrian overpass and the Airport Hotel.

As for those set-route "airport buses" with a few stops along set routes: Before Suvarnabhumi opened in 2006, Don Muang also had three set-route buses into the city. With enough demand, maybe they will be launched once again.  There are three set-route buses that depart from Suvarnabhumi, running into the city until about 11 pm. One of the set routes has a stop at Victory Monument. From there, you could take a taxi or BTS bus  (see below) 
to Don Mueang. The fare is 130 baht last I checked, and the bus has wide doors and space for bulky luggage.


Don Mueang to BTS Stations: The Other Shuttle Buses


However, there is a cheap shuttle bus service from Don Mueang that partially makes up for the lack of the old airport buses: this is the air-conditioned orange city "BTS bus"  running between Don Mueang and the  Chatuchak subway/ Morchit (or Mor Chit) Skytrain stations 30 baht, or the equivalent of US$1. This bus then continues on to the inter-city Morchit bus station where long-distance buses run to the North and Northeast.   

Update! Make that four BTS (Bangkok Transit System) shuttle bus services:  


A same-priced shuttle, the A2 route, runs from Don Mueang to Morchit/Chatuchak and then on to Victory Monument. (See the Taxi-Skytrain-Airport Solution below for a few more details.). The new A3 route, costing 50 baht, runs to Lumpini Park, thus close to Lumpini MRT. The A4 route runs to Khao San Road and also costs 50 baht.

Don Mueang now offers yet another option to Khao San: a 150 baht limo bus. If you've got a load of bulky luggage, take this. The A1, A2 and A3 buses are just those regular orange city commuter buses. Perfectly modern but, really, there's no place to put much more than a carry-on roll suitcase.

Note that, even now, the airport buses running on set routes from Suvarnabhumi into the city, costing around 130 baht, only operate until 11 pm or midnight. And the final Airport Link train from Suvarnabhumi (and in the opposite direction, from Phayathai Station) departs at 0:15: that's 15 minutes after midnight. To catch the last Skytrain train, you had better be on a platform by midnight. In short: there is a good chance you will end up taking a taxi.



The Taxi-Skytrain-Airport Link Train Solution Between Airports


interior direction signs at airport
So you have arrived at Don Mueang at 5 pm or 6 pm after a flight delay. You need to reach Suvarnabhumi by 9 pm to begin the long thread through the enormous airport. With the possible exception of Sunday and holidays, the traffic is already near gridlock. Taking the free shuttle bus seems risky.

If you don't have too much luggage--just a backpack, perhaps--I'd suggest the following route. Of course, if you're arriving at Suvarnabhumi, you can do it in reverse. Bear in mind that the Airport Link train only runs from about 6 am to 0:15 am.

1) Take either the "BTS bus" or a taxi from Don Mueang to the Mor Chit (or Morchit) Skytrain station, which is adjacent to Chatuchak Park and the famous Weekend Market.  

This is the aforementioned regular cheap bus that runs from Don Mueang to the Mor Chit Skytrain and Chatuchak subway stations. And this is the A1 route. By regular bus, here I mean  the same type of orange public bus with narrow aisles that runs local routes around Bangkok, not the old so-called "airport buses" with a wide door and luggage hold. 


Still, almost all the passengers are in your situation with cumbersome luggage, so it's not too embarrassing to take this bus. The fare is  30 baht--about $1. Just walk right outdoors to the curb--it's not a large area--and ask or look around for the "BTS bus." You pay on the bus. I have never had to wait for one. There has always been one sitting there, although supposedly there are only 14 round trips a day, starting roughly at 5 am and winding up at midnight.

There is also a cheapie orange "BTS bus" (30 baht) running between Don Mueang and Victory Monument, also from 5 am to midnight. This is the A2 route. Victory Monument is only one Skytrain station north of the Phayathai Skytrain station, which intersects with the terminus of the Airport Link. For walkers with wheeled suitcases, I'd estimate the distance as between two and three city blocks. From around 5 pm to 7:30 pm the Skytrain cars can be packed, so this bus can be a good way to avoid the Skytrain altogether. 


So: Back to the Don Mueang airport, where you're attempting to reach the Airport Link: If you're in a hurry, take a taxi. The taxi queue is clearly marked; at a booth, a clerk will ask your destination and give you a slip of paper to hand to the driver. The fare to Mor Chit shouldn't be more than 200 baht even if traffic is thick. You also have to pay an additional 50 baht directly to the driver and, if you opt for the tollway, another 60 baht. I always opt for the tollway.


You're heading for the Skytrain's Mor Chit station--not the MRT subway, which also has a nearby station (called Chatuchak). Because this is the beginning of the Skytrain line, you should be able to get a seat and avoid annoying people with your baggage. 


2) Once on the Skytrain concourse, buy a Skytrain ticket to Phayathai station (maybe 25 baht) and stock up on change. Get off at Phayathai station and follow directions to  transfer to the Airport Link.  The Skytrain platform is connected to the Airport Link platform. Give yourself 10-15 minutes to slog from one platform to another, going up an elevator or escalator, etc.

3) Buy an Airport Link ticket for a Cityline train.  (You already have change handy for the machine, right?)

You are offered a choice between the every-station Cityline or the Express line. The latter only stops at a few stations and is the fastest way to the airport. Nonetheless, choose the Cityline: it runs more often. The Cityline trip is about 40 baht now but fares do change fairly often. If it's a weekday, either train can get crowded because residents use them for commuting.

A note on the reverse route: once you get on the Skytrain at Phayathai for a journey to Mor Chit, the train will be crowded. It's unlikely you will get a seat and baggage will be cumbersome. 

Coming from Suvannabhumi, you will arrive at Mor Chit station and perhaps be looking for the orange BTS bus that runs back and forth to Don Mueang Airport. You allegedly catch it on the east side of the road and it loops back northward. You probably shouldn't depend on that; take a taxi. I have never seen the BTS bus heading to the airport and suspect it's something like the phantom bus that shuttles between the Mor Chit Skytrain/Chatuchak stop to the Morchit bus station ("Mor Chit 2"; no, the station is not close and no, no one but a taxi driver will understand that you want to go there). I can locate the buses going from bus station to the BTS stations but have never spotted a bus going in the reverse direction.


Copyright +Susan Cunningham. No republication without permission. Contact SoutheastAsiaTraveler @ gmail.com



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