How To Use A Taxi At Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok Trip/Highway

I’m revisiting Bangkok after a long time. It was my first overseas trip, but I didn’t have enough information about the city and didn’t even try Pad Thai. This time, I want to explore more. This post will guide you on taking an airport taxi from Suvarnabhumi Airport to downtown Bangkok and provide information about the Makha Bucha Day holiday.

At Suvarnabhumi Airport, I withdrew cash from an ATM to pay for a taxi to my accommodation. I used an exk card that I obtained for low-fee ATM withdrawals. I withdrew 12,000 baht from a KBANK ATM with the lowest withdrawal fee.

I arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport in the afternoon and took a taxi to downtown Bangkok, as the subway does not run after 12:00. While many people prefer Bolt or Grab taxis due to the cost, I found taking a taxi from the airport to be a good option.

To take a taxi, go to the 1st floor from the arrivals level on the 2nd floor. There are three types of taxis available: short-distance, general, and large-capacity. You can assign a taxi at the vending machine at the end of the taxi line. But note that you will have to pay an additional 50 baht for an airport charge.

If you take a taxi, make sure the meter is turned on to avoid getting ripped off. The driver may ask if you want to use the highway, which incurs an additional cost of 75 baht for passing 2 highway tolls. Normally ask you to prepare cash in advance for the tolls. If the time difference between the toll road and the free road is small, it is recommended to use the free road instead of taking the highway.

(Depending on the highway course, there are cases where you do not pass through the two toll gates. When I took the Suvarnabhumi Bolt taxi from Asok Station, I paid only 25 baht for the highway toll fee. When passing through the toll gate, the billboard shows how much to pay, so please check carefully.)

The fare to ‘Movenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15 Bangkok’ near Asok Station, where I stayed, was less than 300 baht on the meter. And it cost me 350 baht including the airport charge since I did not pay the highway toll. If you are staying at Asok Station or Siam, you should expect to pay around 400-500 baht, considering the highway toll fee.

Actually I used the highway but did not pay the toll. It was “The Day of All Buddhas,” a holiday in Thailand. The driver at the toll booth returned the money I had given him because it was a holiday. Upon arriving at Movenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15 Bangkok, I discovered that alcohol sales were prohibited on Makha Bucha Day. This is a common practice in Thailand on certain holidays.

However, restaurants, department stores, night markets, and general stores are still open. As most bars are closed on Makha Bucha Day, I had to change my plans for Monday evening and instead went to the night market. When planning a trip to Thailand, make sure to check for holidays in your itinerary.