Programs: AA 1M, Delta Platinum, SPG Gold, IHG Platinum Amb
Posts: 48
Transportation from airport to hotel
I'm staying at the Bangkok Intercontinental at 973 Ploenchit Road, arriving around 4PM on a Wednesday in October. What is the best way to get from the airport to the hotel?
The reason I ask is I traveled to Bangkok one other time, I believe with the same arrival time. I had a prearranged ride. Traffic went smoothly until we hit the Bangkok area. I recall at one point right near the city where we started to go left, we stopped, and we literally did not move an inch for 45 minutes. I'm not good in those situations. I don't know if it's claustrophobia or something similar, but I finally told the guy to take the right at the fork, which was the wrong direction but I didn't care. I just wanted to move. We went to a restaurant and finally got to the hotel late at night.
Anyway, I'm just trying to avoid a repeat where I sit in traffic and do not move for 45 minutes, an hour, 90 minutes (who knows how long it would have been?). Is it my best bet to take the train from the airport to the hotel, or was that type of traffic very unusual and should I try car transportation again?
With a plane arrival at 4 pm, by the time you clear customs, etc., you will be hitting the downtown traffic at just about the worst time. Traffic on lower Sukhemvit/Ploenchit can be pretty bad, and the situation you describe in your email is not unusual. The airport link would help, but if you are carrying a lot of luggage, it would be a pain as the transfer between the airport link and the BTS involves walking/steps, etc.
Take a look at this discussion thread. It should give you more info and help you decide which is the best way to go.
Traffic will be very bad by the time you get into the car.
If you can't just stand the traffic, yes, the airport train to Phaya Thai and connect to BTS to Chit Lom station.
InterContinental is about a minute walk from the station.
Getting a cab at Phaya Thai is not a good idea either.
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I'm reading FT on Friday night because I have 6AM flight on Saturday morning...
If you have some baggage you can take the airport rail to Makkassan station and get a taxi from there. if you don't have too much then go Phaya Thai.
I've been stuck in BKK traffic many times but I've never not moved for 45 minutes. I doubt it will happen again but do the same thing you did last time if it does.
If you have a lot of baggage, take a car or taxi and take your chances.
We just took the airport train a couple of weeks ago. It is fast, reliable and cheap. 45 or 90 baht depending on whether you take the express or local. We took the local and it was fine.
We had a bunch of luggage and expected to find cabs at the station. But, no cabs. Had to walk a block or so to get one on the main street. Cost was 70 baht to the Four Points Sheraton on Sukhumvit.
All and all, I'd do it again.
There is an escalator (and I believe) elevator down to the street from the station. Next time, might leave one person at the station with the luggage while the other gets a cab.
I did see something in the Bangkok papers about how the cab issue will soon be dealt with and they will be waiting at the station.
<snip>
Anyway, I'm just trying to avoid a repeat where I sit in traffic and do not move for 45 minutes, an hour, 90 minutes (who knows how long it would have been?). Is it my best bet to take the train from the airport to the hotel, or was that type of traffic very unusual and should I try car transportation again?
Thank you!
No it was actually very usual. And any car transportation whether humble taxi or exalted limo, will be subject to getting stuck in that same traffic. I am exactly like you, I go bananas at the phenomenon of not moving, and often tell drivers to head in the opposite direction or a longer route just to keep moving even if slowly. You are limited in alternate strategies if you want to stick with the Intercon, and all of them have downsides:
1) As already stated, switch to Airport Express Light Rail, which will at least get you closer to your goal of the Intercontinental on Ploenchit, so time spent stuck in traffic may be lessened somewhat. Still not fun if you are heavily laden with luggage.
2) Wait it out. Stick around the airport and have dinner somewhere, wait until around 19:00-19:30 to leave the airport and traffic should be improved. But this isn't a lot of fun if you are flying long haul and are tired.
A variation of this is to leave the airport asap by taxi but go only part of the way before you get to the gridlocked area, for relaxation and refueling, like Bangkok Natural Spa in Suanluang. Spend 2-3 hours having a massage and a snack, then taxi the rest of the way in after traffic has eased off.
3) Book the first night at/near the airport or somewhere less painful to reach. Then early the next morning, about 06:30-07:00 am before inbound traffic gets too heavy, move to the Intercontinental. Seems a bit extreme, but it is a strategy to avoid traffic.
Programs: AA 1M, Delta Platinum, SPG Gold, IHG Platinum Amb
Posts: 48
Quote:
Originally Posted by jiejie
No it was actually very usual. And any car transportation whether humble taxi or exalted limo, will be subject to getting stuck in that same traffic. I am exactly like you, I go bananas at the phenomenon of not moving, and often tell drivers to head in the opposite direction or a longer route just to keep moving even if slowly. You are limited in alternate strategies if you want to stick with the Intercon, and all of them have downsides:
1) As already stated, switch to Airport Express Light Rail, which will at least get you closer to your goal of the Intercontinental on Ploenchit, so time spent stuck in traffic may be lessened somewhat. Still not fun if you are heavily laden with luggage.
2) Wait it out. Stick around the airport and have dinner somewhere, wait until around 19:00-19:30 to leave the airport and traffic should be improved. But this isn't a lot of fun if you are flying long haul and are tired.
A variation of this is to leave the airport asap by taxi but go only part of the way before you get to the gridlocked area, for relaxation and refueling, like Bangkok Natural Spa in Suanluang. Spend 2-3 hours having a massage and a snack, then taxi the rest of the way in after traffic has eased off.
3) Book the first night at/near the airport or somewhere less painful to reach. Then early the next morning, about 06:30-07:00 am before inbound traffic gets too heavy, move to the Intercontinental. Seems a bit extreme, but it is a strategy to avoid traffic.
Thanks for the tips...much appreciated. Unfortunately, I'm traveling with my boss, and he is perfectly fine sitting in traffic forever. And he think I'm exaggerating about how bad it was for me the last time. He has a hotel car scheduled to pick us up from the airport. At this point, I think I will just look like a lunatic and refuse to take the car and ask him to cancel. But then he has to go through the inconvenience of hauling luggage through the train system with me. I don't expect either of us to have more than one large bag though. Isn't it so much easier just to travel by yourself?! There would be no issue.
Programs: AA 1M, Delta Platinum, SPG Gold, IHG Platinum Amb
Posts: 48
Quote:
Originally Posted by jiejie
I am exactly like you, I go bananas at the phenomenon of not moving, and often tell drivers to head in the opposite direction or a longer route just to keep moving even if slowly.
Last time when I was going nuts in that traffic, I pulled out my iPhone and started using it to try to get my mind off the traffic. I did the same thing for the remainder of the trip. Then I got my bill and it was $2,100!!! I don't have any type of international plan Plus, it didn't even help my sanity.
Maybe I can just work on becoming a little more stable over the next month before the trip!
Traveling with the boss, ugh. No way out, unless you want to take the extreme measure of missing the flight to Bangkok and having to rebook on a different inbound, leaving boss to fend for himself on arrival.
Otherwise, take something to keep your mind off the traffic, like a book of Sudokus or something.
Last time when I was going nuts in that traffic, I pulled out my iPhone and started using it to try to get my mind off the traffic. I did the same thing for the remainder of the trip. Then I got my bill and it was $2,100!!! I don't have any type of international plan Plus, it didn't even help my sanity.
Maybe I can just work on becoming a little more stable over the next month before the trip!
Best to grab a SIM card at the airport... I buy 100 hours a month for just over $12.
Programs: AA 1M, Delta Platinum, SPG Gold, IHG Platinum Amb
Posts: 48
Turns out I was worried about nothing. We got from the airport to the hotel in no time, we barely even slowed down on the highway. That was a load off my mind. The light traffic might have been flood-related, but someone else can probably confirm that.
Plus, it didn't even help my sanity. 
