Check in for your flight at Makkasan City Air Terminal

January 5, 2011

Thought this might be handy for anyone who is in BKK and has to check out of their hotel at noon but has a late afternoon/early evening flight.

This service is currently only available for Thai Airways & Bangkok Airways passengers but will be opened up to other airlines eventually.

The Airport Link rapid-transit line from central Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi will launch its air check-in service today at Makkasan City Air Terminal, five months after the rail service started last August.

Initially, the check-in service will be available only for people flying with Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways.

"Passengers who want to check in and load their luggage can do this from three to 13 hours before departing," said Yuthana Thapcharoen, governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

There are two train services: the Express Line, a 15-minute non-stop ride from Makkasan terminal to the airport, and the City Line, a commuter train that stops at eight stations.

Tickets for the Express Line are Bt150 per trip, while fares on the City Line range from Bt15 to Bt45 per person, depending on the distance they travel.

The whole City Line journey takes about 27 minutes.

Both lines will run every day from 6am to midnight. Trains will depart every 15 minutes.

The Airport Link is connected to the Bangkok Metro Blue Line subway and BTS Skytrain.

Passengers can transfer from the Airport Link's Makkasan terminal and Phetchaburi station on the Bangkok Metro Blue Line, plus Phya Thai station, which has platforms for both the Airport Link and the Skytrain.

The airport rail line is 28.6 kilometres long and trains run at speeds of up 160kph from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Phya Thai. The stations en route are Lat Krabang, Ban Thap Chang, Hua Mak, Ramkhamhaeng, Makkasan (City Air Terminal), Ratchaprarop and Phya Thai.

Passengers can buy train tickets by using the Smart Pass card or coins. Vending machines offer tickets for up to five people at one time and total prices are calculated automatically. The Smart Pass can be topped up with cash. It can be used by both Thai and foreign passengers.

Previously, the Airport Link ran services with discount fares offered until the end of 2010. A promotional fare of Bt15 covered all journeys during the initial period.

The Airport Link is owned and will be operated by the SRT. The rail line will serve eight stations and cater for up to 50,000 passengers a day.

The baggage check-in system was developed by the SRT and Airports of Thailand (AOT).