Getting into Bangkok from Suvarnabhumi airport.

It’s a shame that one of the very first things many people experience when they arrive in Thailand is a deluge of people at the airport trying to get you to use various kinds of transport into the city. A lot of these people will approach you as you walk out of the arrivals hall and ask you where you are going or what hotel you will be staying at. Most of these people work for private “limousine” companies and charge around 900 Baht for a ride into the city in a sedan.

That’s almost 30 USD!
Today we are going to talk about the various ways to get from Suvarnabhumi airport into downtown Bangkok for a lot less.

If you are only in transit in Bangkok and want to stay near the airport, you should check out these hotels near Suvarnabhumi airport. However if you are heading into the city, read on.
The cheapest and most convenient way to get into the city is by a public meter taxi. There are a number of taxi ranks just outside the arrivals hall, but the lines are always very long and you have to pay a 50 baht surcharge at the taxi desk. If you don’t mind waiting in line, one advantage of using the taxi rank is that the clerk at the desk will speak English and will tell the driver where you want to go as well as give you a slip of paper with the taxi’s registration number on it.
But that is what most people who are wise enough not to be fooled by the limousine scouts do. What you really want to do is bypass the arrivals lounge altogether and head upstairs to the departures floor (4th floor) to grab a taxi with zero waiting time and also save yourself 50 Baht. If one of the limousine hawkers won’t leave you alone even after your polite refusals, a pointed “mai aow” will quickly dispatch them. (Don’t worry, it’s not rude, it just means “I don’t need”).

Once you get to the 4th floor, head out onto the street and walk across the first four lanes to the large traffic island in the middle, (there will be shuttle buses and private limousines parked in the first 4 lanes that you cross, but not much traffic.) This traffic island is where taxis drop off passengers for departures and there is nobody waiting for a taxi up here, so you will find one immediately.

Just tell the driver where you want to go by putting the word “bai” in front of the hotel name. For example, if you were going to the JW Marriott, you would say “Bai JW Marriott”. Also be sure that the driver uses the meter by saying “bert meter” if he doesn’t automatically put it on. Some taxi drivers will try to negotiate a price without the meter, but rest assured that you will come out second best in any deal that you strike. Also, it is actually illegal in Thailand for a taxi driver to carry passengers without the meter.
A trip into Bangkok will cost you about 250 Baht on the meter, including the 40 Baht for the expressway if you decide to take it, and I recommend that you do. If you are traveling at peak hour, it might go up to 350 Baht, but it shouldn’t be higher.
Another method which is cheaper but possibly not as convenient is the Airport Express bus. These run on 4 set routes and cost 150 Baht per person. If you know that the bus passes by your hotel and if you are traveling alone, this option may appeal to you. However if you are with friends or family members, it would end up being a lot more convenient and almost certainly cheaper per person of you just took the public metered taxis.
The four Airport Express routes are as follows:

AE1 Suvarnabhumi – Silom Rd (by expressway)

AE2 Suvarnabhumi – Khao San Rd (by expressway)

AE3 Suvarnabhumi – Central World via Sukhumvit Rd.

AE4 Suvarnabhumi – Hua Lamphong Train Station via Victory Monument.
The final and cheapest method of getting into Bangkok from Suvarnabhumi airport that we will discuss today is the public buses, that while cheaper at only 35 Baht per person (about USD1), it is the least convenient method. To get to the public bus terminal you will need to catch a free shuttle bus from the arrivals floor. This will take you the short distance to the airport bus terminal. From there you can catch regular buses into Bangkok. Unless you are familiar with the routes, I would not recommend this option.

Below are the routes for the local buses:

549 Suvarnabhumi-Minburi-Bangkapi via Seri Thai Rd.

550 Suvarnabhumi-Happy Land

551 Suvarnabhumi-Victory Monument (by expressway)

552 Suvarnabhumi-Khlong Toei (Customs Dept.) via Onnut BTS station

552A Suvarnabhumi-Samut Prakarn (Praeksa Garage)

553 Suvarnabhumi-Samut Prakarn (Crocodile Farm Garage)

554 Suvarnabhumi-Rangsit via Don Mueang and Ram Indra Rd. (by expressway)

555 Suvarnabhumi-Rangsit via Don Mueang and Central Plaza LadPhrao (by expressway)

556 Suvarnabhumi-Bangkok Southern Bus Terminal via Democracy Monument and Khaosan Rd.(by expressway)

557 Suvarnabhumi-Wong Wian Yai (The Great Circle)

558 Suvarnabhumi-Central Plaza Rama II