Suvarnabhumi to the train, step by step
Take the Airport Rail Link from level B up to Makkasan — 22 minutes, ฿35. Cross the covered footbridge to MRT Phetchaburi and ride the Blue Line about eleven stops north to Bang Sue. Bang Sue is Krung Thep Aphiwat, and every long-distance train in Thailand leaves from there. Budget about 50 minutes and ฿80 in total. Do not follow old advice to change at Phaya Thai if you are catching a train: Phaya Thai is the BTS interchange, and getting from there to the railway means changing twice more.
Take the Airport Rail Link from level B up to Makkasan — 22 minutes, ฿35. Cross the covered footbridge to MRT Phetchaburi and ride the Blue Line about eleven stops north to Bang Sue. Bang Sue is Krung Thep Aphiwat, and every long-distance train in Thailand leaves from there. Budget about 50 minutes and ฿80 in total. Do not follow old advice to change at Phaya Thai if you are catching a train: Phaya Thai is the BTS interchange, and getting from there to the railway means changing twice more.
Heading into the city rather than to a train? Stay on the Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai (27 min, ฿45) and change there to the BTS Sukhumvit line.
The route, one step at a time
Follow these steps from the arrivals hall to the platform. Each one is signed in English at the airport.
Follow the Airport Rail Link signs from arrivals. The station, ticket machines and gates are all on level B, directly below the terminal.
Every train is a stopping City Line service — the Express was withdrawn in 2014. Tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard at the gate, or buy a token.
Leave the ARL gates and cross the covered walkway, about 200 m. Separate system, separate ticket — Rabbit cards and ARL cards do not work on the MRT.
About eleven stops along the Blue Line. Bang Sue is Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal — all northern, north-eastern and southern trains leave from here.
Trains you can catch from here
Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal is the station these services use. Pick one to see schedules and fares.
Good to know before you land
The Airport Rail Link runs 05:30 to midnight, every 10 to 15 minutes. A train leaving the airport just before midnight reaches Makkasan after the last MRT connections have gone — if you land that late, take a taxi.
A metered taxi from the Level 1 rank to Krung Thep Aphiwat takes 40 to 70 minutes depending on traffic, about ฿400–575 including the ฿50 airport surcharge and expressway tolls. Worth it with two suitcases or a hotel nowhere near a station.
The main station appears as both Bang Sue and Krung Thep Aphiwat. They are the same building. Our search uses the SRT code BKK for it — note that BKK is also the airport code, which is why this page asks twice before it believes you.
Ready to book the train?
Pick a route from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal. We take the booking by hand and email your ticket — foreign cards are refused on the SRT site often enough to plan for it.