MAK家BLOG: Bangkok Trip 23/24 (2) - Bangkok Tour begins (Experience of Thai Bahts Exchange and Transportation from Suvarnabhumi Airport to ASOK)

2025年2月19日星期三

Bangkok Trip 23/24 (2) - Bangkok Tour begins (Experience of Thai Bahts Exchange and Transportation from Suvarnabhumi Airport to ASOK)

The last time I went to Thailand was a long time ago. In addition, I haven’t been abroad for several years during the epidemic. Therefore, it was still a exciting and new experience for me to be there.

Nowaday there is an abundance of online information and it is free. KOLs, Xiaohongshu, YouTubers, Bloggers... The era of just following along with travel guide books is a bit "outdated". However, I still prefer buying a book with me - sound feeling secured.

The advantage of taking tour guide book - can read on the plane.

After many years........there are no more boarding pass checking before boarding the plane, and there is no need to fill out the entry form when entering Thailand. Time and time again, I suddenly realize that these all are too new for an outdated tourist like me.

The overall facilities in Suvarnabhumi International Airport, but I personally feel it is not user friendly enough. The arrival hall is on the third floor, but the main means of transportation, Skyline, is on B1. It is not very convenient to push your luggage down the four-story escalator or queue up to wait for the elevator.

In addition. The SuperRich with the best price for Thai baht exchange is also located on B1. Since Bangkok is famous for its traffic jams, it is a pretty good choice to exchange money and then take express directly. (You can also find exchange shops on the 3rd and 2nd floors, but the exchange rate is only 3.9 or 4.0 to HKD. When you go to SuperRich, it is close to 4.5. The price difference is very big, so don’t do stupid things in a hurry. Moreover, SuperRich is located in many big shopping malls in Bangkok, as many as convenience stores. You don’t have to worry about money.)

(Picture: SKYLINE - It takes about 30 minutes. Then It takes additional 20 minutes to walk to Phetchaburi via Makkasan and then transfer to Asok)

(Picture: Unlike Hong Kong, there are many passengers boarding the train at the midway stations that SKYLINE passes through. Therefore, the carriage is relatively crowded))

(Picture: From the airport to ASOK - Google proposes taking the Airport Express Line to Makkasan and then turning blue to Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit = Asok)

The only airport express is skyline, but from the airport to Asok, the fastest route suggested by Google Map is to get off at Makkasan, walk for a few minutes via the pedestrian bridge to Phetchaburi and transfer to MRT to Sukhumvit. Although taking the Makkasan overpass does lead to the entrance of Phetchabutri Station, you have to carry heavy luggage up 5-6 staircase step, and you need to queue up and down to buy tickets. It doesn't save a lot of time but it's a bit troublesome.)

(Picture: The pedestrian bridge to from Makkasan to Phetchaburi

So based on my own experience, it is easier to take skyline directly from the airport to Phaya Thai Station and then transfer to BTS to Asok. It is absolutely better if you stay in hotel located in Siam or Chit Lom area.)

(Picture: If you take the brown Airport Line to the end and turn to the light green line to go to ASOK, it will take about 10 minutes longer, but the route is easier.)

"Why can't I find Asok on the map of the ticket vending machine?" The Stupid Man started to be nervous again in front of the ticket vending machine. (On the blue line there is no ASOK, only Sukhumvit, but they are the same location.)

"I would like to go to Terminal 21." I asked the staff in customer services.

"Asok is BTS and Sukhumvit is MRT, same location."

Now the country boy understood that the two were in the same position.

After a bit difficulties, we arrived at the hotel we were going to stay at - Grand Central point Terminal 21.

Below is the LINK of this Bangkok railway table, which is very useful - Bangkok Railway Schedule

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Bkk_masstransit_2020_clear_version_english_wiki-01.png

Before we end this article. I would like to share our experience in 2024. Once again, we went to Asok from Airport.

This time we took Skyline from the airport, and we chose to transfer at the terminal Phays Thai to Asok. The journey time of this route is about 1 hour and 13 minutes, which is ten minutes longer than the transfer at Makkasan. But the advantage is that it is entirely indoors and it is easier to walk without having to carry luggage and go down the stairs.