Tearfully closed after nearly ninety years as Bangkok’s air facility, Don Muang airport in Bangok’s northern reaches was given a new lease on life just six months after it was upstaged by the shiny new Suvarnabhumi airport. With the latter plagued by problems and already nearing capacity, a decision was made to reopen the partly renovated domestic terminal of Don Muang for local flights.
All domestic flights on Nok Air, some from Orient Thai’s One2go budget airline, selected THAI local services and a number of charter flights now depart from this much quieter and more manageable airport. Although of no use for immediate transfers when landing at Suvarnabhumi, this airport is a recommended alternative when flying to the rest of the country after a stay in Bangkok. It’s a bit quicker to get to and not nearly as bu sy, yet still has suitable services, such as food, refreshments and limited convenience shops.
Several fast food outlets, ATMs and convenience stores are located adjacent to the first floor check in area, as well as on the lower level, although services on the air side of security are very limited, so eat and stock before (they do let you pass back through security).
This airport is particularly useful if you are coming from Ayuthaya or Kanchanaburi but is further away from Pattaya and the East.
Transportation at Bangkok Don Muang Airport (BIA)
The simplest way is to hop into one of the many taxis that wait just outside the airport. You will have to pay a 50 baht levy for the taxi queue (which can be a 15 minute wait at times), but the price is still very cheap by western standards and costs about US$5 to get into the city. Many of the larger hotels offer a limousine service. Car hire is also available if you are brave enough to tackle Bangkok’s traffic, but this is an ideal choice if you plan on making your own way out of the capital. For the best rates and to avoid disappointment, we recommend carrentals.co.uk as an efficient online booking agent with access to all the main hire companies.
For the traveller on a smaller budget, there is a reliable and cheap bus-service that runs from the airport to most of the popular tourist destinations in the city. You will see a small booth outside the arrivals area. Staff are on hand to tell you when and where the bus leaves from and how much it costs. Generally, a price of around 100 baht is standard. The train service, although having a station across the highway from the airport car parking lot, isn’t very practical.
As for those who wish to find a hotel near the airport; there are still several hotels in the Don Muang area. The Amari Airport Hotel is extremely well-positioned and offers good rooms at decent prices.
[source:www.1stopbangkok.com]
