Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link is the airport rail service connecting Yogyakarta to Yogyakarta International Airport.

Yogyakarta International Airport (IYIA) opened in 2019, replacing Adisutjipto Airport as the main airport of Yogyakarta. The new airport is about 45 km from Yogyakarta, but it’s near the main railway that runs near the southern coastline of Central Java. A spur line connected the airport to the railway in 2021.

Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link map

A map of the stations on the Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link. The old airport is also shown for reference.

[Map of Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link.]

Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link timetable

Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link train times can be checked on the official website.

Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link tickets

Tickets can be bought online or via the KA Bandara app.

There is a separate ticket office at Yogyakarta station, which leads to the entrance of the rail link.

I went to buy a ticket at the airport and they said it was already sold out for the next available train. I would have considered buying online if I knew there was a chance of tickets selling out

Onboard Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link

Yogyakarta International Airport Rail Link is a dedicated train used exclusively for the airport run (not a through-service to another destination).

There are luggage racks onboard for large bags.

The seats are comfortable padded seats that look like seats in a commuter train.

There is a toilet on the train.

The train travels through the Special Region of Yogyakarta along the same railway that connects Bandung to Yogyakarta.

The total travel time is 35 minutes on the express service.

The airport station is connected to the airport in a purpose-built station.

Coming from the airport, Yogyakarta Station is centrally-located and there are many hotels for all budgets near the station. The station is near Malioboro Road (the main thoroughfare of Yogyakarta that feature a wide pedestrian access).

I was originally sceptical of the new airport due to how far it is from Yogyakarta. It turns out that Indonesia are great at building airport railways. By using the exisiting line of the Java railways they have been able to make a useful railway that connect a modern airport to the historic centre of Yogyakarta.

[Yogyakarta International Airport.]

Adisutjipto Airport

Adisutjipto Airport is the old airport of Yogyakarta. Most flights are now from the new airport, and the airport lost its international status in 2024.

Adisutjipto still serves limited military, private, and commercial flights. The only scheduled flight is by Citilink to Jakarta–Halim Perdanakusuma.

Adisucipto Airport is served by KRL Commuterline Yogyakarta–Solo commuter rail at Maguwo Station.

This train travel review is part of the Southeast Asia railways guide.

The Kualanamu Airport Rail Link is an airport railway connecting Medan to Kualanamu International Airport.

Kualanamu International Airport (KNO) is the airport serving Medan in North Sumatra. The airport is located 23 kilometres east of central Medan and not in Medan (thus it is not Medan International Airport).

The airport opened in 2013, replacing Polonia International Airport which was located in central Medan. While the old airport was a convenient location for Medan, the location was considered dangerous for this growing city.

Fortunately the government had the foresight to build an integrated airport railway that was ready for service on the day the airport opened on 25 July 2013. The Kualanamu Airport Rail Link station is opposite the arrivals termnal, and the train goes the Medan Railway Station in the middle of the city.

It sounds almost too perfect for an airport rail link in Southeast Asia, so I was looking forward to seeing this. Here is my review of the service and what to expect.

Kualanamu Airport Rail Link map

[Map of Kualanamu Airport Rail Link.]

Kualanamu Airport Rail Link Website

Official Website: railink.co.id

Kualanamu International Airport

Kualanamu is breeze for foreign travellers as there are so few foreigners going through immigration. There are signs pointing to the station, which is opposite the arrival exit on the ground level.

There was a large sign showing the next departure, and this is where I encountered the only flaw in this otherwise great service. The airport railway runs on a limited timetable, which I guess is fair enough for an airport this size. I just so happened to arrive when a train had just departed, and the next train was not for another 1 h 20 m.

The station is in the transport hub of the airport, with a bus station next to it. I’m glad I wasn’t in a hurry, otherwise I might have had to consider taking the bus. There are cafes and restaurants nearby, and the free airport wifi is in the train area, so I stuck it out.

There is a ticket office at the station with an attendant on hand to help if you can’t work out the ticket machine.

My ticket cost 70,000 IDR ($4.60 USD).

The train

The trains are diesel multiple unit (DMU) which are trains with on-board diesel engines. Not as ideal as the electric airport trains of Bangkok or KL, but at least there is an airport train.

The train looks modern and it has comfortable seats and air-conditioning. The carriages are dedicated airport carriages with luggage racks.

There are no power outlets though, which would not have been a priority in 2013 when the train service started.

The train has nice toilet facilities as well (another reason why the train is better than the bus).

The track distance is 27 km and there is only one stop on the way at Bandar Khalipah (for connecting intercity services).

The trip takes 36 minutes, so it is not express fast but it is still a more comfortable ride than the bus.

Medan Station

Medan Station is right in the city centre, opposite the main city square and near the old town.

Behind the station also has an entry point, in front of the Centre Point Mall.

I had an early flight for my departure from Medan, so I got the first train of the day. Check the schedule on the official website.

Read more about train travel in Sumatra.

This train travel article is part of the Southeast Asia rail travel series.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.]

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.

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.

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.

[“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.

[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.

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.

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.