Hi,
How long will it take from the Don Muang airport to the hualamphong train station? I want to catch a train at 6:30pm there and want to figure out when I should land in Bangkok.
Also, what options are there to get to the train station?
Would it be quicker to fly into Suvarnabhumi?
Thanks.
I would allow at least 2 or 3 hours to get to the train station from the airport. Better too early than too late. You will be in rush hour traffic. Probably use a meter taxi direct. If you use the old city train outside Don Muang it is slow and you have to walk to the station and wait. You can play with some of the new buses that can take you close to Skytrain stations but that also may involve some waiting around.
Given a choice between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang - price being around the same - I would choose Suvarnabhumi. From Suvarnabhumi to Hualamphong you can use the Airport Rail Link Service and switch to the subway at Makkasan. Subway takes you direct to Hualamphong. You still have to allow a little time for waiting for trains and walking from Rail Link to subway entrance and time on trains. Minimum 2 hours. About 35 baht to use the City Line to Makkasan. Maybe another 25-35 baht to use the subway.
If you are flying long distance why not just spend the night in Bangkok? Then at your leisure the following day make your way to the train station. Unless you already purchased your train tickets.
http://www.urbanrail.net/as/bang/bangkok.htm
Are you going north or going south? Some trains stop at Don Muang. Some stop at Bang Sue. (I have never had any reason to go to Bang Sue myself.) Do some research. Maybe you do not have to go all the way to Hualamphong from Don Muang.
I've hopped on a train at Dong Muang Station in the past. If you are heading north to Chiang Mai or northeast to Nong Khai or Ubon, you can catch the train at Dong Muang Station.
It actually doesn't really matter that much if you arrive at BKK or DMK, however many of the train routes pass through Bang Sue which is an easy taxi ride from DMK, and if you are going north or north east, they stop right at DMK as hacky already mentioned. I still maintain that the ARL (airport rail link) isn't quicker than simply taking a cab from BKK and it certainly isn't as convenient. From BKK you can take the highway all the way to the Rama IV exit, which is not that far from Hualamphong.
From DmK to Bang Sue would be 15 minutes or so, to Hualamphong about half an hour. From BKK to Hualamphong would be 25 minutes give or take, all taxi times.
Easier from Don Muang airport,the train station is conected to it.
10 baht and one hour later you are in Hualamphong
What time do you arrive at the airport?
There are not too many trains in the afternoon going that way.
One is around 14.00 then nothing until 17.00 and that one is a bit tight catching another train at 18.30 as delays of 30min are rather frequent.
Taxi is the way to go from Don Muang if speed is important. Tell the driver to use the tollway.
If you got plenty of time and no train going into town you can take bus 29 direct to railway station, there are air con and regular ones. Bus stop outside along the main road, follow signs.
Plus bang sue options for train south or right at the airport for train north, as mentioned above.
Thanks for all the answers.
I haven't bought my plane ticket yet. Wanted to do this according to how much time I will need to get to the train station in BKK. I will be coming from Chiang Mai, going to koh phangan.
" I will be coming from Chiang Mai, going to koh phangan."
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If you are planning on using the sleeper car get the tickets ahead of time!
Train Inn and Baan Hualamphong are two cheap places to stay at near Hualamphong Train Station. Maybe take a shower, etc. before your long train ride.
http://www.thetraininn.com/
http://www.baanhualampong.com/
Edited by: CrazyAl
Timetable
Trains from Don Muang train station to Hualampong train station
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5335/8908588966_d5bb154fdb_o.png
The train timetable from Don Muang airport to Hua Lamphong train station is pretty useless, because the trains coming into Bangkok are usually running late because of track renewal or whatever.
But this does mean it's worth checking on the platform if there is going to be a train soon, as it's quite possible you may catch a late-running train that you would have missed if it had been on time. The train station is directly connected to the airport by a ramp and walkway over the eight lane highway, so it only takes a couple of minutes to reach the platform.
Trains take about 45/50 minutes to reach Hualamphong train station, which is about the same as a taxi would take in rush hour, and the fare is 5 baht. Also note that all the trains into Bangkok stop at Bang Sue, where there is a direct connection to the MRT subway line, which itself connects to the skytrain after two stops, at Chatuchak Park/Mo Chit.
And if you have to wait a few minutes there is a refreshment stall and other facilities on the station.
Going out to the airport, the timetable is fairly reliable, as the trains start their journey at Hua Lamphong train station and usually leave on time