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Don Muang Airport Train: Getting the train from DMK to Central Bangkok

March 23, 2023 By James Clark 18 Comments

Commuter Train at Don Muang

Don Muang was the original airport of Bangkok until it was replaced by Suvarnabhumi. After closing down briefly, it reopened as a hub for low-cost airlines serving flights from the Asia-Pacific region.

The airport was served by infrequent long-distance trains at Don Muang Station across the road. If you arrived at the wrong hour you could wait hours for the next train, so it was not a reliable means of travel.

In 2021 the SRT Commuter Rail opened (Dark Red Line), providing frequent services from Don Muang to the new central station of Bangkok at Bang Sue.

This guide shows how the get the train from Dong Muang to central Bangkok, and what are the alternatives if the train isn’t suitable.

Don Muang Airport Train Map


[Map of Don Muang Airport Train.]

Getting from Don Muang Airport to Don Muang Station

Don Muang Station is an elevated station opposite the airport. This replaces the old Don Muang Station which ran at ground level. The new station includes platforms for long-distance trains to the north and northeast, and platforms for the commuter railway. The commuter railway goes to the main train station of Bangkok at Bang Sue.

To get to the station, follow the signs to SRT Red Line. It is not referred to as “Airport Train” on the signs.

To SRT Red Line

There is a step-free walkway that connects the airport to the station on the other side of a massive highway.

Walkway from Don Muang Airport to Don Muang Station

At the station, you are presented with two options; Long Distance and Commuter. For trains to Bangkok, you need the commuter.

Don Muang Commuter and Long Distance

Commuter Line (Dark Red Line)

This is where it starts getting confusing for newcomers to Bangkok. Next to the ticket machine is a map of all of the urban transit lines in Bangkok.

Network map at Don Muang

The rail network is operated by three different companies with three different ticketing systems. If your final destination requires three different trains, then you will need to buy a ticket for each train.

You are here at Don Muang

The Commuter Line is operated by the State Railways of Thailand. Tickets are in the form of a token.

Commuter ticket machine at Don Muang

Trains run every 15-20 minutes and it is 7 stops to Bang Sue.

Commuter Train at Don Muang

Bang Sue Grand Station (Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal)

To add some extra confusion to your travels, Bang Sue Grand Station was renamed Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal when it was officially opened in 2023. Unfortunately, they didn’t think this through, so the Commuter and MRT stations still have signage as Bang Sue Grand Station.

Sign at Bang Sue MRT to Bang Sue Grand Station
[Sign at Bang Sue MRT to Bang Sue Grand Station.]

Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal to Bang Sue MRT

Once you arrive at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, there are signs at the Commuter Line exits that direct you to the MRT Blue Line under the station. This is the only metro line that connects to the station, so there is no chance of getting confused.

The most confusing thing at Bang Sue is the signs for the Airport Rail Link. This is not the same as the Commuter Line that goes to Don Muang. In the future there will be an Airport Rail Link that connects Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi via Bang Sue, so they have made these signs in preparation.

To Airport Rail Link

The only airport train is the Dark Red Line to Rangsit. This is clearly marked around the station, so look for the signs for the Commuter Rail to Rangsit if you are going to Don Muang.

Commuter Line directions at Bang Sue

The MRT has its own ticketing system, so once again you need another ticket. Tickets are either token (like the commuter line), or you can use a visa card to pay at the gate. There is also a stored value card you can buy at the ticket office, which is useful if you intend to use the MRT frequently.

MRT to BTS

The MRT crosses paths with the BTS (Skytrain) at four places, so check your map to see where is the best place to transfer. There are no integrated transfers between the MRT and BTS, so you have to leave the station, go outside, and enter the other station.

Mo Chit BTS to Chatuchak Park MRT
[“Interchange” from Mo Chit BTS to Chatuchak Park MRT.]

Ticket costs

Getting the train to and from Don Muang is a cheap way to travel. I took the train from Phrom Phong on Sukhumvit Road to Don Muang in March 2023, and this was the cost breakdown:

BTS Phrom Phong to Mo Chit: 47 THB
MRT Mo Chit to Bang Sue: 19 THB
SRT Bang Sue to Don Muang: 33 THB
TOTAL: 99 THB

Here are the tickets I used. Bangkok is still waiting for a unified ticketed system that can be used on all trains.

Bangkok SRT MRT and BTS tickets
[Three separate tickets to get the train from Don Muang to Sukhumvit Road.]

A bus or taxi from Don Muang

Depending on where you are going, a bus or taxi might be a better option. I know this is a sacrilegious thing for a train nerd to say, but that is the current reality of urban rail transit in Bangkok.

If you are going to Khao San Road, then there is no way you can get the train. There is an airport bus that goes direct to Khao San Road for 50 THB.

Airport Bus

There are 4 different routes for the airport bus.

There is also the LimoBus that goes to Khao San Road, Phayathai (BTS) and Silom (MRT and BTS). On the one hand, you might get stuck in traffic, but on the other hand, there is no transferring between stations with baggage.

LimoBus

Taxi

There is an official taxi area at the airport where you get a voucher to book a taxi. The last time I took a taxi from the airport to Sukhumvit Road, it cost about 500 THB (including tollway fees).

Read more about urban rail transit systems.

Filed Under: Urban Rail Transit Tagged With: airport train, bangkok, dmk airport, thailand

About James Clark

James Clark is the founder of Nomadic Notes. He has been a digital nomad since 2003, and Nomadic Notes features trip reports, train travel articles, and where to stay guides. He writes about transport and urban development at Future Southeast Asia. Subscribe to the weekly travel newsletter.

Comments

  1. Steve Terrey says

    March 23, 2023 at 4:22 pm

    Thanks for clear explanation of the different train systems.

    Reply
  2. ryan says

    June 8, 2023 at 4:12 pm

    well done mate, thank you so much for the effort~!~!~!

    Reply
  3. no glasses no life says

    July 12, 2023 at 9:24 am

    Thank you so so much, it was very helpful

    Reply
  4. Lisa says

    August 2, 2023 at 7:41 pm

    Thanks for this great info.! Can you describe what the “official” taxi looks like? Thanks!

    Reply
    • James Clark says

      August 3, 2023 at 1:03 pm

      The taxis in Bangkok don’t have branded logo as such, they are just bright coloured (bright pink, yellow, green). The main thing is to go to the taxi stand where you will be given a receipt and assigned a taxi. So no need ot be distracted by someone coming up to you offering a taxi, which is most likely not.

      Reply
      • Lisa says

        August 22, 2023 at 5:43 pm

        Thank you, James!

        Reply
      • Lisa says

        August 22, 2023 at 6:05 pm

        Thanks, James! We will only be using DMK to fly out of Bangkok… if you’ve flown out of DMK, is it a fairly easy process to use the train from Bang Sue to Don Muang stop, and after getting off at the Don Muang stop, is the signage pretty easy to follow to get us into the terminal?

        Reply
  5. Daniel Boey says

    April 23, 2024 at 3:55 am

    Are pre-booked Grab “taxis” allowed to pick up passengers at Don Mueang?

    Reply
    • James Clark says

      April 23, 2024 at 8:40 am

      Yes you can use Grab, their website lists which gates to use
      https://www.grab.com/global/airport-rides/don-mueang-international-airport/

      Reply
  6. Ben Minhas says

    July 18, 2024 at 2:42 am

    WHy Nothing is discussed about green line on the other side which goes all the way south?

    Reply
  7. Graham Roberts says

    August 19, 2024 at 11:15 am

    All fares on the Red Line are now set at 20 baht indefinitely

    Reply
  8. Frank R. says

    October 16, 2024 at 7:01 am

    Thank you, James. I`ve been to Bangkok many times but your comprehensive guide Don Mueang to City is invaluable!

    Reply
  9. Kastor says

    November 10, 2024 at 5:09 pm

    Hi, do you know anything about the newly opened Pink line that supposedly connecting BTS and the red SRT line in the north? Is that even an viable option for getting to airport?

    Reply
    • James Clark says

      November 11, 2024 at 6:03 am

      Yes there is an interchange at Lak Si Station with the SRT Dark Red Line. It’s not an integrated interchange, but there is a walkway between the stations.

      Reply
  10. Brad Dalton says

    December 13, 2024 at 2:55 pm

    Fix you map image please dude. When i expand it, its blurred so cannot read the stops

    Reply
  11. Peter says

    December 23, 2024 at 8:52 am

    Hi James, thanks for sharing. Do you know anything about the long distance train from the station? I was thinking whether there is any train to Ayothaya train station. Thanks

    Reply
    • James Clark says

      December 23, 2024 at 10:58 am

      Good question, I should add a section. There is a separate ticket office and platforms for SRT services. You can get northbound trains (eg to Ayutthaya), but you can’t get on the long-distance trains to go to Bang Sue.

      Reply
  12. SK says

    March 27, 2025 at 12:58 pm

    Very helpful, thanks. Just a note that the A-A4 buses need to be caught at Terminal 1, Gate 1, on the far right of the airport.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m James Clark, and I've been travelling the world since 2003 while running a location independent travel business. Nomadic Notes is a travel blog featuring travel guides and notes from my travels.

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