BTS to/from Don Muang

[Evil Penevil]

A couple of "walk-through" videos on YouTube.  The BTS link looks like a decent option if you only have light carry-on luggage, but I wonder how much time you save considering all the walking involved, especially from international arrivals at DMK.

The big problem I found with the AirLink from Swampy was buying the tokens at the Phaya Thai station to connect with the other BTS lines.  AirLink was popular with the Russian, Indian and Chinese groups, so there was a big crush of people (no real queues) at the machines which sold tokens.  Often the foreign tourists didn't know how the kiosks worked or didn't have coins, which made waiting times long- like 20 or 30 minutes- and caused considerable frustration among Thais in a hurry to get home.

Bottom line:  It's easier and usually faster to take a taxi or even the bus  from DMK, whether your ultimate destination is downtown Bangkok or Pattaya.

The first video is an optimistic "walk-through" of getting to DMK with the Asoke MRT station.  A lot of stairs involved.

Second vid covers ALL options for getting from DMK to various points in Bangkok.  The BTS option starts at 7.00.  DMK has definitely improved the taxi system since the days I took taxis from DMK.

Evil

[bgtp]

I'd give it a try once if going between DMK and lower Sukhumvit to see what I thought. I do travel light with carry-on only. I'd probably give it a pass with checked baggage, though. I used the Airport Rail Link a few times to/from Swampy and didn't have any issues. Going to lower Sukhumvit, taking the ARL to Makkasan and connecting to the MRT from Petchaburi to Sukhumvit seems like a more logical choice to me than taking the ARL to Phaya Thai to connect to the BTS, but to each their own. At least I miss the issues at Phaya Thai the OP mentions, but there is still a walk with stairs and a foot bridge to get from Makkasan to Petchaburi station, so I wouldn't recommend it for people with checked baggage.

I'm always happy to see new lines/extensions since I like going out and exploring different areas of Bangkok. I just wish there was a common ticketing system between all the different systems (ARL, BRT, BTS, MRT, SRT).

[Bonkabit]

I usually land at Suvarnabhumi from Australia; I have a mid-size wheeled suitcase, not just hand baggage.

To get quickly to my usual hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 11, turn left on leaving Immigration and Baggage. Signs - Lift or escalator to basement level. Train token 40 bahts from machine or at counter. Fast train every few minutes.

Get out at Makkasan. Follow signs for taxi rank, 70-80 bahts to hotel.

[jaynewcastle]

"  Fast train every few minutes. "

Have to admit I didn't realise they were that frequent, thats good to know

I thought there were only 4/5 trains a hour

[Bonkabit]

3 hours ago, jaynewcastle said:

"  Fast train every few minutes. "

Have to admit I didn't realise they were that frequent, thats good to know

I thought there were only 4/5 trains a hour

Well, 5 trains an hour is one every 12 minutes. The frequency varies a bit by time of day. 

Google says:

>The Airport Rail link operates 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  On weekdays the first train is at 05:00 and the last at 00:00 (midnight). 

>At weekends and public holidays trains operate between 05:29 and 00:08.  Trains run at 10 to 15 minutes intervals. 

City Line Train Timetables (bangkokairporttrain.com) is site for more info.

My plane from Melbourne usually lands about 8.30pm Thai time. I just go down to the station and get on the next train. I usually have two or three thousand bahts in my wallet to keep me going.