Airport Express bus

[a447]

Has anyone used the Airport Express bus AE1 to the Silom area recently? Can you recommend it over taking a taxi. And is the BTS up and running?

[atri1666]

I used AE1 many times when i stayed in Tawana or Tarntawan because of the stop directly in front of them. Good air condition and enough space to sit and cheaper than taxi. Only small difference in travel time.

I used AE1 many times when i stayed in Tawana or Tarntawan because of the stop directly in front of them. Good air condition and enough space to sit and cheaper than taxi. Only small difference in travel time.


Not a small difference to some!... :evil4:

[a447]

Thanks for those replies. Is the bus stop just outside the terminal on level 1?

[Two41]

Has anyone used the Airport Express bus AE1 to the Silom area recently? Can you recommend it over taking a taxi. And is the BTS up and running?

BTS up and running. Last stop Phaya Thai from Suvarnabhumi airport, one stop from Victory monument. Not so good if you have lots of luggage.

http://www.bts.co.th/en/map.asp

Edit: Corrected end station (should have rechecked the map myself!)

[Sen Yai]

BTS up and running. Last stop Mo Chit from Suvarnabhumi airport, one stop from Victory monument. Not so good if you have lots of luggage.

http://www.bts.co.th/en/map.asp

No - the ARL connects to the BTS at Phaya Thai. Mo Chit is 4 stops to the North of Victory Monument.

[atri1666]

You can reach very easy the most important hotels with all 4. >> http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/node/55 >>

[pong]

varies-once you sit in it and it does-finally-start running, time taken is nearly as long as a taxi (it however may, if driver thinks he can save some money by taking the old expressway via bangNa-be a big and timeeating detour), goes via WTC.
BUT; you never know when it finally goes and the wait to do so may take much longer as the total ride. They always seem to wait untill there are enough prospective pax to make it worthwhile. Thai have a big aversion to ''loose the money''
ALL buses and taximeters leave -for the time being (they change that every few monthes) from the lowest level-just open eyes and follow signs. Cost is 150 bt (more as the AC and better bus to pattaya-which is about 4 times the distance), so cost-saving is not very big. As above: the best combo is likely the ARL to MAKKASAN and then a taxi. (do not use express train-the normal for 35 bt is good enough-then taxi 60-80 bt). Thsi route should make a loop via Silom-coming back via Suriwong, but that also is not set in stone. If you want to try-do NOT pay for your ticket as soon as you come in, ask first and only buy when you actyally see that bus (there are 4 routes-the backpack-anxious line to Khaosarn is the most wanted and hence frequent)-walk over to taximeter if that seems like taking too long.

[Beachlover]

you never know when it finally goes and the wait to do so may take much longer as the total ride. They always seem to wait untill there are enough prospective pax to make it worthwhile.
True... Honestly, I don't know why ANYONE bothers with anything other than a taxi. It's only $7-$9 (250-300 baht) to central Bangkok, no waiting around and by far the quickest point to point. Taxis from the airport to Silom take barely 30 mins or 40 mins at most if there's traffic.

Why bother with trains or buses, unless you're a low-paid Thai who needs to commute to a job in the airport everyday?

Why bother with trains or buses, unless you're a low-paid Thai who needs to commute to a job in the airport everyday?

For the same reason that some people will walk 45 mins to get to an ATM that doesn't charge them 150B.

How do you think the financial giants who post on SGT got where they are today?

:dontknow:

[gaymandenmark]

True... Honestly, I don't know why ANYONE bothers with anything other than a taxi. It's only $7-$9 (250-300 baht) to central Bangkok, no waiting around and by far the quickest point to point. Taxis from the airport to Silom take barely 30 mins or 40 mins at most if there's traffic.

Why bother with trains or buses, unless you're a low-paid Thai who needs to commute to a job in the airport everyday?

Well I am considering taking the bus next time. You know why? Because 2 times the driver has been so t├нred that he fall asleep. :8(

[newalaan]

Well I am considering taking the bus next time. You know why? Because 2 times the driver has been so t├нred that he fall asleep.I'm assuming that this refers to the last two times you have taken a taxi? That is so unlucky, in 11 years of taxiing in Thailand that has never once happened to me. You do realise that bus drivers can fall asleep too?

I agree with BL here, why anybody can be bothered with all that hassle on buses/trains just to save Bt150. Then unloading your luggage on a silom/suriwong pavement/sidewalk to drag it into a hotel, i'm not sure why anybody who has paid (a minimum) of ┬г500/Bt25,000 on a flight to get to Thailand with a journey of at least 10 hours would even consider anything other than an airport to door taxi ride Bt250-Bt300.

[Beachlover]

Well I am considering taking the bus next time. You know why? Because 2 times the driver has been so t├нred that he fall asleep. :8(
I must be very lucky or maybe it's because I look Chinese/Thai. I hear all these complaints about BKK taxi drivers doing bad things, going the wrong way, pretending not to know directions, broken seat belts etc... but I've NEVER had any of these problems with taxi drivers.

Only complaint I have is drivers going too fast on the longer journeys to Pattaya and Hua Hin but I kind of secretly don't mind that because I want to get there faster if possible. :blackeye: ... and I was very grateful to the driver who sped me from the Dusit Thani in Silom to the airport departures doorstep in under 22-23 minutes (I was both frightened and relieved to make my flight LOL).

I guess it's worth looking at other options if you have that much of a problem with the taxis though... aside from problematic taxi drivers a normal-speed train will never be viable for BKK when door to door taxis are so cheap and fast there.

[gaymandenmark]

BL and newalaan I have used taxis in Thailand and BKK for 15 years and I dont complain about the BKK taxi drivers, normally I get from A to B in a proper way and when in BKK I use taxi almost every day/evening/night.

I am just telling about two coinsidences where the taxi driver fall asleep and funny it was on the same place: When driving from the airport, where you are driving away from the toll-way and holding at the traffic lights, before entering Rama IV. When the traffic lights turned to green, nothing happened, I thought both times he was dead and had to wake him up.

[Beachlover]

Ah, fair enough... you just got unlucky then.

[quote="Beachlover"]
Why bother with trains or buses, unless you're a low-paid Thai who needs to commute to a job in the airport everyday?


I must be very lucky or maybe it's because I look Chinese/Thai. I hear all these complaints about BKK taxi drivers doing bad things, going the wrong way, pretending not to know directions, broken seat belts etc... but I've NEVER had any of these problems with taxi drivers.(quote)Beachlover



And the band played on. :occasion9:

Why bother with trains or buses, unless you're a low-paid Thai who needs to commute to a job in the airport everyday?


I must be very lucky or maybe it's because I look Chinese/Thai. I hear all these complaints about BKK taxi drivers doing bad things, going the wrong way, pretending not to know directions, broken seat belts etc... but I've NEVER had any of these problems with taxi drivers.(quote)Beachlover



And the band played on. :occasion9:


Beachy.

Handsome devil like you,they are lucky you get in their cab,they should tae you for free!.. :sunny:

[Beachlover]

A couple of years ago, I stepped out of the Ballys Studio Suites Hotel in Silom, grabbed the first cab I saw and negotiated a rate to take me down to Hua Hin. The inside of this cab was a bit different from the norm. It was blinged up with a special sound system, special racing steering wheel and some other mods.

Back then, my gaydar was so non-existent I wouldn't know a gay guy was hitting on me if he sat in my lap (how fast things have changed).

The driver was a Thai man in his 40s, barely spoke English and was acting a bit strange. He was smiling and giggling a lot and saying things in Thai and very broken English, which I couldn't understand. It was like he was trying to tell me something (while screaming down the highway at 160km/hr).

Eventually, I heard him utter the word, "han-sam" and put it all together... the continual giggling, the campness, the glances... he was gay! God, I was clueless back then!

I was clueless back then!(quote)Beachlover

I don't think anything has changed much!

[thonglor55]

I saw my Australian friend off at the airport yesterday morning; he is away for a few days. I decided to catch the airport train into Phya Thai as I had a lunch date in Silom. The elevator from arrivals/departures to the train level was out of service. As assiduous readers of the Bangkok Post will already be aware, the Express service to Makkasan hasn't been running this month as the second-hand rolling stock has run out of spare parts. There was a lengthy article the other day (http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easier-stuff/232428/no-love-for-the-airport-rail-link) about lack of spare parts and the general shambles that is Makkasan with its lack of connections to the MRT. The City Train - 45 baht, 25 or so minutes - was already full when we left the airport (10am). It then filled up more and more at each station; on leaving Ramkhangheng it was very crowded. Many passengers left at the Ratchaprarop (the second last station, in the Pratunam area) with everyone else leaving at the terminus.

For those with suitcases there is a single elevator located (when arriving from the airport) near the rear of the train. Most people don't realise that and follow everyone else who head towards what some clearly believe will be a down escalator. It isn't - it's stairs. Through the ticket barriers there is a single further elevator down to the next level. Most people don't even know it's there, and again carry their suitcases down a set of stairs. Good luck with the walk across the connecting bridge to the BTS station if it's raining.

Most passengers then lined up for BTS tickets, so it takes about 10 minutes for everyone get to the BTS level and get on a train - which are already crowded by that point. I hung back, being in no hurry, and let a couple of trains pass me by as passengers, mostly with suitcases, tried to force their way on. One young guy showed his frustration being unable to get on two consecutive trains. "Relax", I thought. "This is Thailand. Nothing works properly here. This is the best introduction you'll have. Lower your expectations". He and I both made it on to the next train. There would be, at best, a 10-minute break until the next train arrived from the airport and a new bunch of passengers - that no-one in BTS management had planned for - started to feed onto the BTS system.

[kittyboy]

True... Honestly, I don't know why ANYONE bothers with anything other than a taxi. It's only $7-$9 (250-300 baht) to central Bangkok, no waiting around and by far the quickest point to point. Taxis from the airport to Silom take barely 30 mins or 40 mins at most if there's traffic.

Why bother with trains or buses, unless you're a low-paid Thai who needs to commute to a job in the airport everyday?

BL everyone makes choices based on their values and beliefs. If someone wants to take a bus to save a few baht..or as scottishguy mentioned walk 45 minutes to save the ATM fee then in the end it is up to them....

Why second guess someone unless you are directly (affected, effected--fuck fuck which one is it??? - ok use different word) impacted by their decision? Just a thought...but hey this is a public forum...all part of the fun.

[thonglor55]

BL everyone makes choices based on their values and beliefs. If someone wants to take a bus to save a few baht..or as scottishguy mentioned walk 45 minutes to save the ATM fee then in the end it is up to them....

Why second guess someone unless you are directly (affected, effected--fuck fuck which one is it??? - ok use different word) impacted by their decision? Just a thought...but hey this is a public forum...all part of the fun.You have effected a good point there kittyboy by pointing out that it is up to those who are most affected.

[Beachlover]

(affected, effected--fuck fuck which one is it??? - ok use different word)
Well, Professor... :blackeye: It's "affected". "Affect" is the verb. "Effect" is the noun. :happy7:


Why second guess someone... but hey this is a public forum...all part of the fun.
I think you've addressed your own point. Other members and I are just expressing a view here. No one's saying anyone can or can't do as they see best.

[thonglor55]

It's "affected". "Affect" is the verb. "Effect" is the noun.What a total ignoramus. Both are nouns and verbs. Affect (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/affect). Effect (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/effect)
To affect something is to have an effect on it: Smoking can affect your health. To effect something is to make it happen: The doctor's treatment effected an immediate improvement in the patient's health. Affect is often used instead of effect, so take care when you are writing.

[kittyboy]

BL everyone makes choices based on their values and beliefs. If someone wants to take a bus to save a few baht..or as scottishguy mentioned walk 45 minutes to save the ATM fee then in the end it is up to them....

Why second guess someone unless you are directly (affected, effected--fuck fuck which one is it??? - ok use different word) impacted by their decision? Just a thought...but hey this is a public forum...all part of the fun.You have effected a good point there kittyboy by pointing out that it is up to those who are most affected.

Shit..it that what I did...Damn..I am better than I thought...Thanks.

[kittyboy]

(affected, effected--fuck fuck which one is it??? - ok use different word)
Well, Professor... :blackeye: It's "affected". "Affect" is the verb. "Effect" is the noun. :happy7:


Why second guess someone... but hey this is a public forum...all part of the fun.
I think you've addressed your own point. Other members and I are just expressing a view here. No one's saying anyone can or can't do as they see best.

Ah....Yes...well my phd is not in English...Maybe you should stick to second guessing other people's economic choices...Apparently, critiquing grammar is not your strong suit...not your forte (hmmm...any other pointless cliches come to mind quick....No? alright then.).