BANGKOK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Bangkok Airport - Bangkok International Airport (BIA) serves the most air traffic in Thailand. It is located 16 miles north of the city. In 2006 another Airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport, will come on stream and it will be about the same distance from Bangkok centre - 16 miles but in the Bang Phli district.
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A range of shops is located in the third floor departures
hall. Bangkok International Airport offers
a variety of dining options, ranging from US style fast food
to traditional Thai food. There are three banks in the airport.
Banks offer ATMs and currency exchange counters There are
also currency exchange bureaux and currency vending machines
in the same areas. The exchange rates are good at the airport.
There are no facilities for small children.
When departing the airport on an international flight there
is a 500 baht per person airport departure tax, that must
be paid (in Thai baht only) before leaving. This is not included
in the price of a ticket out of Bangkok and
is paid at ticket machines. When leaving it is possible to
claim back VAT on certain goods you have bought in Thailand,
the forms can obtained from shops displaying "Vat Refund
for Tourists" signs. Take the forms, the goods and your
passport to the tax refund counter. You must have spent a
minimum of 5000B, and 2000B in each transaction, to qualify
for this.
The parking facilities at Bangkok International Airport
can accommodate over five thousand cars. Parking charges vary
according to which car park you use and how many wheels your
vehicle has. There are no dedicated arrangements for long-stay
parking. A range of cars can be hired from the airport. Vibhavadi
Rangsit Road is the main route linking BIA with downtown Bangkok.
Travelling by Train to Bangkok takes thirty
minutes. The railway station is opposite and linked to the
airport by walkway bridge. There are private taxis called
taxi and public taxis called taxi-meter, which are cheaper.
Tell the driver your destination and that you want transportation
"by meter". You will have to give the driver the
toll fee (40 Baht). If the traffic is very busy in Bangkok,
many drivers do not like to go "by meter" and you
must bargain for the price. You should not accept more than
70% of his first offer. Don’t take a taxi before fixing
the price. Avoid the expensive taxi counter in the airport
and touts offering taxi services. There is a taxi stand outside.
The ride to town is about 200-300 baht depending on destination
and assuming no traffic.
There is an airport bus to take Visitors into Bangkok.
It is fast, efficient and cheap, comfortable. There are three
different routes, which serve the main visitor areas of Bangkok
- Khao San Road, Silom Road, Patpong, Sukhumvit, Pratunam.
Buses depart every thirty minutes from 5 am to after past
midnight, depending on the route. You pay on boarding. The
Airport Bus stops at regular bus stops marked with the airport
bus sign and will also drop you off anywhere along the route.
Train Services
Don Muang train station is located 500 metres
from the airport. Signs show the way between the station and
the arrivals hall of Terminal 1. Trains run to Hua Lumpong
railway station in central Bangkok, which acts as a hub for
the rest of the country. Trains also run from Don Muang to
the north and north-east of the country.
Services operate to Hua Lumpong between
06:06 and 20:07. There are more services in the early morning
than there are during the rest of the day, when the wait between
one service and another can be as much as an hour.
You can also rent a car at Bangkok Airport
or if you have already reserved a rental car online you can
collect it here. Rather than use car hire, some people hire
a car with a driver which means you won’t have to hassle
with the traffic in Bangkok.
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