This guide is a bit dated as I wrote this back in 2015. However, I want to make references to it in my other reports so I wanted to put it here to make it linkable.

Having been to Bangkok so many times and made several reports of it, I’ve realised that nowhere have I described how I make my way from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport into Bangkok central itself.

When I go to Bangkok, I am usually travelling alone or with one other person,and in this case I find taking the Airport Rail Link into Bangkok is far cheaper and less hassle than taking a taxi. Of course if you are travelling with large amounts of luggage, you would be better off taking a taxi from the official taxi rank. I would also say that if you have 4 people in your group (and can fit all your luggage into the taxi) it’s probably cheaper to take the taxi.

So when is the best time to use the Bangkok Airport Rail Link? There are two answers to this

Rush hour
Raining
During both of the above scenarios the traffic builds up quickly. I usually arrive late on a Friday which means it’s rush hour and the roads are jammed solid. When it rains everyone slows down, and the taxis flood the roads. God forbid if it’s rush hour and it’s raining!

How to find the ARL?

The Airport Rail Link is at the basement of Suvarnabhumi Airport. You need to just keep going down the escalators until you can’t go any further. Then you need find your way to the centre of that level and you will find a downward slope towards the ticket office and gates.

This is also where you can change your money. There are several foreign exchange counters in this area, and although you can’t play one off the other, you can work out which one is offering the best rate and plump for that one. You probably won’t get such a concentration of foreign exchange dealers in one location anywhere else in Bangkok. Also something to bear in mind, these guys like big notes. If you are travelling with large denomination bills, you will see on the electronic boards that they offer better rates for those larger notes.

So a bit about the Airport Rail Link. It was originally scheduled to open in 2006, but due to various problems, didn’t start operating until late 2010.

You will read on some websites that there are two services, an Express or City (or commuter) line. The Express service would stop you at either Makkasan or Phaya Thai BTS stations. Unfortunately the lack of planning and associated problems, this service is no longer available – why do I tell you about this service if it’s no longer available? Well just in case it comes back of course!

The line that you currently have no choice but to take the the commuter line. This also stops at Makkasan and Phaya Thai BTS stations, but also every stop along the way. The service runs from 06.00 – 24.00

Suvarnabhumi (Airport)
Lardkrabang
Baan Tubchang
Hua Maak
Ramkhanhaeng
Makkasan
Rajaprarop
Phaya Thai

While I can’t give you the exact prices for all the stations, to get to Makkasan it costs THB 35, for Paya Thai it is THB 45 (about 60-80p in real money) for about a 30minute journey. As a point of reference, a taxi could cost around THB400 (£7) and might take longer if it’s rush hour or/and it’s raining.

You can either use the machine (which will be in English or Thai) or you can go to the counter. Very broadly, if your hotel is near an MRT station, you will need to go Makkasan, if your hotel is near a BTS station you will need Phaya Thai. My hotels are typically near BTS stations so I pay the THB45 to get to Phaya Thai.

In exchange for your THB45 you will receive a little token in the shape of a large coin — either yellow or red in colour if I remember correctly.

At the entry gate, you will need to press the coin against the reader — hold onto this coin, you will need it when you get out!!!

Once you have gone through the gates, you make your way down the escalators to the platform. Usually there are people already queuing up at the doors. This not the opportunity to show how clever you are, and try to sneak to the front. Thai people are generally non-confrontational so probably won’t say anything, but you will certainly get other visitors making comments to you such as “get to the back … buddy” or, if you’re really unlucky someone just punches you one… no no … I jest, but there is reason there is a queue, people got there before you! If you happen to have arrived just as a train has left, you will find yourself at the front of the queue. This does not mean stand right by the door. You will need to stand behind the line. If you don’t, you will soon hear a blast of a whistle when the security instruct you to retreat — bear this in mind, as it happens at all BTS stations. If you’re wondering why the whistle is blowing, it’s probably because of you!

When the train does finally arrive, don’t dash on before everyone has got off. Firstly, this is bad etiquette anywhere in the world (just because you left your home country doesn’t mean you left your manners behind) but secondly, yes you guessed it, it will lead to a blast on that famous whistle. The security guards will visually sweep the train to ensure that there was nothing left on the train, or that there is nothing suspicious (other than tourists). Once they give the all clear, you can go ahead and board.

Bear in mind that this is a commuter train so you will be sharing the carriage with many other people. Yes, when you first get on it is likely that there will be plenty of space. However, as you get to more and more stations there will be many people boarding — especially if it is rush hour and/or raining. Remember how you feel when it’s rush hour? Yeah, you get pee’d off when people take lots of space, so think about others. Keep your luggage close and don’t take up those extra spare seats for your hand bag.