The Airport Rail Link (ARL) from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) is not only the fastest method of transportation to the heart of Bangkok but also the cheapest.
It takes 26 minutes to get into the city for 45 Baht (CA$1.78), a decent substitute for taxis and ride sharing.
The ARL operates from 5:30AM to midnight, 7 days a week
The Makkasan Station MRT Station and Phaya Thai BTS Skytrain in the heart of Bangkok are both accessible via the ARL making it simple for travelers to reach their destination.
This post will guide you step-by-step on how to take the ARL to Phaya Thai BTS Skytrain station.
When you arrive on a flight at Suvarnabhumi Airport, you will be on the 2nd floor after you clear customs and immigration.
The ARL station is situated on the basement level (B). Take any escalator or elevator two levels down to reach the B level.
Look for signage that shows “City Line”. This is the way to the ARL station.
Both English and Thai are available on the ticket machines. They’re simple to use. Tap the flag icon in the top right corner of the screen to choose English. The route map displayed on the screen. Tap Phaya Thai then choose the number of passengers.
The total fare will be calculated. The machine accepts 1, 5, and 10 Baht coins or 20, 50, 100, and 500 Baht bills. Insert coins and/or bills in the designated spaces.
A faregate token will drop into the tray below once the amount deposited equals the required fare with any necessary change.
There is also a full service ticket booth. You can pay your fare directly with an attendant once you tell them you’re going to Phaya Thai station. Once the fare is paid, the attendant will give you a faregate token.
Proceed to the faregates and tap your token on the reader to gain entry.
After the faregates, take the escalator or elevator down to the ARL platform. The train departs every 10 to 15 minutes.
The ARL is used by both commuters and airport staff, therefore rush hour can be congested. There won’t be any issues with seating for passengers boarding at the beginning of the metro route at the airport or at Phaya Thai station.
Between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Phaya Thai Station in the heart of Bangkok, there are eight stations altogether. Each is assigned an A1–A8 number.
Once you have reached Phaya Thai station, you can walk to Phaya Thai BTS Skytrain station.
From Phaya Thai BTS Skytrain station, you can take the BTS to many other BTS stations such as Siam BTS which connects to the large malls in central Bangkok such as Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery, CentralwOrld etc.
