Thailand airport transfers: every major airport, every option

At Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang (DMK) you can take a public meter taxi (meter plus a 50 THB airport surcharge plus tolls), a train, a certified ride-hailing app or a pre-booked car. At regional airports the choice is the airport's taxi or shuttle, ride-hailing where it operates, or a pre-booked car waiting outside arrivals.

How do I get from Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to Bangkok or Pattaya?

Public taxi: open 24 hours; take a queue ticket from the kiosk, which assigns a lane (short trips within about 20 km have their own lanes). Taxis to or from BKK and DMK may add up to 20 THB per bag over 26 inches, up to 20 THB per piece beyond two, and up to 100 THB for items of 50 inches or more; the driver must tell you first.

Airport Rail Link: 15–45 THB by distance (35 THB to Makkasan for the MRT, 45 THB to Phaya Thai for the BTS); contactless Visa and Mastercard work at the gates. A new operator takes over after 31 January 2027.

Ride-hailing: the airport designates the Grab pickup at Level 1, Gate 4, 24 hours, and states that the Grab cars there are certified by the Department of Land Transport.

How do I get from Don Mueang Airport (DMK) into Bangkok?

Both taxi ranks are open 24 hours, and the luggage rules above apply. Red Line fares run from 12 to 42 THB by distance, and a 40 THB daily cap applies when you pay with a contactless bank card (from 1 December 2025 to 30 November 2026; the published rules do not say whether foreign cards qualify). Trains run from about 05:00 to midnight. The old 20 THB flat fare ended on 30 September 2025.

Don Mueang lies on the Ayutthaya side of Bangkok, so it is the closer airport for the old capital: about an hour by road with a pre-booked DMK to Ayutthaya car. It is about 3 hours to Korat, 2 to 2.5 hours to Pattaya and 5.5 to 6 hours to Khon Kaen.

How do I get from U-Tapao Airport (UTP) to Pattaya or Koh Samet?

We have not verified the current shuttle services at U-Tapao, so check at arrivals if you want a public option. Pre-booked cars meet you outside the arrivals exit of this small terminal: U-Tapao to Pattaya transfers run to any hotel in Pattaya, Jomtien, Naklua or Pratumnak, and there is a fixed U-Tapao to Ban Phe pier fare. Boat tickets are bought at the pier and are never part of a taxi fare.

How do I get from Phuket Airport (HKT) to Patong or Ao Nang?

Other typical road times from HKT, as published by the Phuket transfer operator: Karon and Kata about 50 km (50–60 minutes), Khao Lak about 90 km (1 hour 30), Krabi Town about 195 km (3 hours). Phuket Taxi Services publishes a fixed airport–Patong fare and quotes other beaches by message; Krabi Taxis publishes fixed fares between Phuket Airport and Ao Nang.

How far is Krabi Airport (KBV) from Ao Nang?

We have not verified the current public transport at KBV; ask at the arrivals hall. The network's Krabi operator prices Krabi Airport rides by message (its fixed fares are for Ao Nang to Phuket Airport and Patong). Railay has no road access: a long-tail boat takes about 15 minutes from the east end of Ao Nang beach or from Ao Nam Mao pier.

How do I get from Chiang Mai Airport (CNX) to the old city, Pai or Chiang Rai?

Chiang Mai Taxi charges the same for a CNX pickup as for a city pickup on its three fixed roads (Pai, Chiang Rai, and the long road to Suvarnabhumi) and recommends an SUV for Pai; rides between CNX and city hotels are quoted by message. Sukhothai is about 320 km from Chiang Mai, 4 to 5 hours via Route 1 through Lampang.

Should I fly to Sukhothai (THS) or Phitsanulok (PHS) for Sukhothai?

THS is a small airport in Sawankhalok district, north of both parts of Sukhothai; a shared airline minivan meets the flights and drops passengers at hotels in New and Old Sukhothai. A private car suits families, groups and heavy luggage. New Sukhothai and the Old City are about 12 km apart, and the network fare covers hotels in both: THS to Sukhothai or Phitsanulok Airport to Sukhothai. Si Satchanalai, about 55 km north, is quoted separately.

How far is Khon Kaen Airport (KKC) from the city?

We have not verified the walk-up options at this small terminal. The network's Khon Kaen airport transfer is a pre-booked, meet-at-arrivals service rather than a cheaper taxi: it suits families, late arrivals, heavy luggage and visitors to Khon Kaen University or Srinagarind Hospital. Onward, Udon Thani is 115–120 km (under 2 hours) and Korat about 190 km (2.5 to 3 hours), both on Highway 2 with no tolls.

How do I get from Udon Thani Airport (UTH) to Nong Khai and the Laos border?

UTH is about 5 km from Udon Thani city (about 10 minutes); for that short hop the walk-up airport taxi costs less than a pre-booked car, as the network's own UTH to Udon Thani page says. For Laos, book UTH to Nong Khai (Nong Khai town sits beside the bridge approach, so one fare covers both), clear Thai immigration, take the bridge shuttle bus across, then a Lao taxi or tuk-tuk into Vientiane, about 20 to 30 minutes. We have not checked Lao visa rules or shuttle fares.

How do I get from Ubon Ratchathani Airport (UBP) to Khong Chiam?

Meter taxis and Grab serve UBP and usually cost less for the short ride into town, as the network's own Ubon site says; its fixed fares (UBP to Khong Chiam, UBP to the city) are for travelers who want a car waiting. Pha Taem National Park, with prehistoric cliff paintings above the Mekong, is roughly 15–20 km beyond Khong Chiam (quoted by message). Drones are banned in Khong Chiam district.

How does a pre-booked airport pickup work?

1. Pick the vehicle. Sedan for up to 3 passengers and 2 bags, SUV for 5 and 4, van for 7 and 5. The price is per vehicle, one way, with expressway tolls included.
2. Give your flight number. A person checks your flight before the driver sets off, so a delay moves the pickup.
3. Add requests. Child seat on request, 100 THB per seat on the regional booking sites (the fee is shown when you book); name sign 100 THB; English-speaking driver subject to availability.
4. Meet the driver. The exact spot comes with your booking confirmation. Waiting beyond the free 60 minutes is quoted by message.
5. Pay at the end. Nothing is charged when you book. Pay the driver in cash (THB), or ask by WhatsApp or LINE for a PayPal card link (+5%). Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup.

All the transfer sites on this page are run by Smile Taxi Service, which is rated 5.0 on Google and Tripadvisor; Taxis Thailand lists its airport fares for BKK, DMK, UTP and HKT on one page, and the resources directory lists every transfer site by region. For longer road trips, see the drive-time table from Bangkok; for entry rules and the TDAC, see the Thailand Q&A.

Transparency: Smile Taxi Service and the regional transfer sites linked on this page are affiliated with Asia Travel Forum. Everything we say about them comes from the operator's published terms.