ARL + MRT · BTS
- Transfer route
- Adult fare
- Time on trains
Check the route from the station to your hotel. ARL, MRT and BTS have separate tickets and fares.
B1 · Airport Rail Link
Suvarnabhumi Airport · Getting to Bangkok
Compare the Airport Rail Link, public taxis, Grab, Bolt and pre-booked pickups using boarding locations, fares and transfer conditions.
How will you get to your hotel?
Choose your hotel’s area and enter the time you expect to leave the airport.
Compare boarding points, transfers and costs.
These are planning comparisons, not bookings or live vehicle availability. Rail fares are per adult; train times exclude waiting, walking between stations and travel to your hotel.
Public airport taxi
Go down to the Public Taxi area between Doors 4 and 7. For a larger vehicle, check its queue and ticket instructions, then ask whether your group and suitcases will fit before boarding.
For a public airport taxi, the meter is not the whole bill. A 50-baht airport surcharge applies to standard airport taxis, and passengers pay the tolls for expressway sections used.
For example, passing both a 25-baht and a 50-baht toll gate costs 75 baht in tolls. On that route, add the 50-baht airport surcharge and 75-baht tolls — 125 baht in total — to the meter. Tolls differ if you avoid expressways or take another route.
Carry baht in cash and small notes. If you pay tolls during the journey, check that they are not added again at the destination. With several large bags, ask about luggage charges before loading.
Taxi cost breakdown →Request a Grab
Grab’s pickup area is on the outer road by Door 4 on Level 1. Order in the app, then walk to the designated area. Compare the arriving car’s registration and driver details with the app before getting in.
Check the price and payment method for the service selected in the app. Do not automatically add the public-taxi meter fare or 50-baht surcharge to every app-booked vehicle.
Grab and Bolt pickup guidance →Vehicle fares and journey times are not calculated here. They depend on traffic, vehicle and destination. Even within one area, the best choice depends on the hotel’s location.
See the railway and city transfers on a geographical map
Red: ARL. Blue: MRT Blue Line. Green: BTS Sukhumvit Line. Choose a transfer to zoom to its stations.
Airport Rail LinkMRT Blue LineBTS Sukhumvit Line
Transfer and main stations (15)
Where to go after arrival: transport by floor
| Floor | Transport | Where to go | Using the service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basement B1 | Airport Rail Link | Follow Airport Rail Link signs to the airport station | Change to MRT at Makkasan or BTS at Phaya Thai |
| Level 1 | Standard or larger public taxi | Inner road between Doors 4–7 · Public Taxi ticket machines | Choose a vehicle for your group and luggage, then take a queue ticket |
| Level 1 | Grab | Outer road by Door 4 · Grab Pick-up Point | Order in the app and go to the designated pickup area |
| Level 2 arrivals | AOT Limousine or pre-booked pickup | AOT counter or the meeting point on your booking confirmation | For a reservation, check the provider’s floor, door and meeting instructions |
| Level 1 | Pattaya buses and charter vans | Counters near Door 8 | Distinguish Bangkok city journeys from travel to Pattaya |
| The app’s assigned location | Bolt | The floor and door shown in the booking screen | If assigned Level 4 departures, follow the Departures signs |
Airport Rail Link: station, fares and journey times
The Airport Rail Link reaches the city without road traffic. The train journey to the terminus at Phaya Thai takes about 26–30 minutes; buying a ticket and waiting for a train are extra. Add the transfer and walking time to your hotel.
Published operating hours are 05:30–24:00. After a late arrival, allow for immigration and baggage collection before deciding whether you can catch it. The last departure time can differ by station.
| Station from the airport | Reference fare per person | Time on the train | Onward journey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makkasan | 35 baht | About 22–25 minutes | Walk through the connecting passage to MRT Phetchaburi |
| Ratchaprarop | 40 baht | About 25 minutes | Pratunam area · continue to your hotel on foot or by vehicle |
| Phaya Thai | 45 baht | About 26–30 minutes | Change to the BTS Sukhumvit Line |
Choose a transfer station for your accommodation
For Asok or Silom, get off at Makkasan and follow the connecting passage to MRT Phetchaburi. For Siam, change to BTS at Phaya Thai. ARL, MRT and BTS use separate tickets and fares.
The MRT fares below use the BEM official calculator’s adult single-ticket and short-route basis. Journey times add the time on each train only; walking between stations, waiting and travel from the final station to your hotel are excluded.
| Destination | Transfer route | Adult fares by section | Total | Time on trains · excludes waiting and walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asok / Terminal 21 | ARL Makkasan → MRT Phetchaburi → Sukhumvit | ARL 35 + MRT 17 baht | 52 baht | ARL about 22–25 min + MRT about 2 min = about 24–27 min |
| Silom | ARL Makkasan → MRT Phetchaburi → Si Lom | ARL 35 + MRT 27 baht | 62 baht | ARL about 22–25 min + MRT about 10 min = about 32–35 min |
| Wat Pho / Grand Palace area | ARL Makkasan → MRT Phetchaburi → Sanam Chai | ARL 35 + MRT 39 baht | 74 baht | ARL about 22–25 min + MRT about 19 min = about 41–44 min |
| Siam | ARL Phaya Thai → BTS Sukhumvit Line towards Kheha → Siam | ARL 45 baht + separate BTS fare | Add the BTS ticket-machine or official-calculator fare | ARL about 26–30 min + 2 BTS stops |
| Khao San | Compare S1 with taxis or ride-hailing | Depends on the chosen service | Confirm the final price before boarding | No direct ARL station |
Taking a standard or larger taxi from Level 1
Go down to the Public Taxi area between Doors 4 and 7. For a larger vehicle, check its queue and ticket instructions, then ask whether your group and suitcases will fit before boarding.
| Step | What to do | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Choose a vehicle | Check the standard/larger-vehicle information | Tell staff your passenger and suitcase numbers and whether children are travelling |
| 2 · Take a queue ticket | Collect a ticket from the machine | Go to the lane printed on your ticket |
| 3 · Give the destination | Show your hotel address and map | Clarify whether you mean Bangkok city or a longer journey such as Pattaya |
| 4 · Check costs before departure | Confirm the meter, expressway use and extras | Ask about expressways, the airport surcharge and luggage charges |
| 5 · Pay on arrival | Settle the metered fare and separate charges | Have cash and small notes; do not pay tolls twice if already paid en route |
How is a taxi fare calculated?
For a public airport taxi, the meter is not the whole bill. A 50-baht airport surcharge applies to standard airport taxis, and passengers pay the tolls for expressway sections used.
For example, passing both a 25-baht and a 50-baht toll gate costs 75 baht in tolls. On that route, add the 50-baht airport surcharge and 75-baht tolls — 125 baht in total — to the meter. Tolls differ if you avoid expressways or take another route.
Carry baht in cash and small notes. If you pay tolls during the journey, check that they are not added again at the destination. With several large bags, ask about luggage charges before loading.
| Cost item | Amount or basis | Payment and checks |
|---|---|---|
| Metered fare | Based on vehicle type, distance and traffic | Check that the meter is switched on at departure |
| Airport surcharge | 50 baht | Pay the public-airport-taxi driver · separate from tolls |
| Tolls | Actual sections used · the 25 + 50 route totals 75 baht | Passenger pays · carry cash and note any tolls already paid |
| Luggage charge | May apply under size/quantity rules | Ask the amount before loading several large bags |
Are expressway tolls waived during Songkran?
A toll waiver applies only when the road and dates match the announcement. The 2026 government notice specified 10–16 April for major routes including M7, and 13–15 April for some central Bangkok expressways.
Not every road is free for the whole Songkran period. Check the announcement for your travel year and the actual road used. The 50-baht airport-taxi surcharge is separate from road tolls.
Level 2 pickups, limousines and journeys to Pattaya
AOT Limousine counters are on Level 2 in the domestic and international arrivals areas. Give your destination, group size and luggage requirements to compare vehicle options and quotes.
If you booked a hotel pickup or transfer company, check the meeting point and name sign on the confirmation. Also check waiting time and contact arrangements for a delayed flight, whether tolls are included, and child-seat or luggage conditions.
For a direct trip to Pattaya, make clear that it is a longer-distance destination, rather than central Bangkok, and agree on the total and toll inclusion. Pattaya bus and charter-vehicle counters are also near Door 8 on Level 1.
Where do you board Grab or Bolt?
Grab’s pickup area is on the outer road by Door 4 on Level 1. Order in the app, then walk to the designated area. Compare the arriving car’s registration and driver details with the app before getting in.
For Bolt, check the pickup floor and door on the booking screen and the driver’s instructions. If Level 4 departures is assigned, follow Departures signs up from Level 2 arrivals. Level 4 is not a universal pickup rule: follow the current app and airport instructions.
Check the price and payment method for the service selected in the app. Do not automatically add the public-taxi meter fare or 50-baht surcharge to every app-booked vehicle.
If your next flight leaves from Don Mueang
BKK and DMK are different airports. If your next flight is from DMK, use the inter-airport transfer guide rather than the Bangkok city-transfer instructions.
Questions before using Suvarnabhumi Airport to central Bangkok
Which floor has the Airport Rail Link?
Take it from basement Level B1 of Suvarnabhumi’s main terminal. You can change to MRT at Makkasan or BTS at Phaya Thai.
Are the 50-baht taxi surcharge and 75-baht tolls the same charge?
They are separate. The 50 baht is the public-airport-taxi surcharge; 75 baht is a route example using both the 25- and 50-baht toll sections.
How do I change from Makkasan to MRT?
Leave the ARL and walk through the connecting passage to MRT Phetchaburi. MRT tickets and fares are separate.
Does Bolt always pick up on Level 4?
Check the pickup floor and door in the app. If Level 4 departures is assigned, go there and follow the airport’s pickup instructions.
View official sources · 8
- AOT transport floors and shuttle information
- AOT public-taxi surcharge and tolls
- AOT designated Grab pickup point
- Tourism Authority of Thailand: ARL hours, transfers and taxis
- SRT public transport guide: ARL fare table
- BEM official expressway tolls by section
- Thai government: 2026 Songkran toll-waiver notice
- BEM official calculator: adult fares/short routes BL21→BL22, BL26, BL31