Bangkok's newest sky-train now links Suvarnabhumi International airport to the very center of Thailand's capital city, finished and opened in 2010. It's sleek and fast, and quiet. The ride is smooth, as it's almost a straight line from station to station, with few turns or bends. The Airport Link is fast and has only 3 stops between the airport and the PhayaThai BTS Sky-Train station in the heart of Bangkok's city center. After arriving at the PhayaThai BTS station, you can take another sky train to other parts of the city, or take a taxi to your hotel.
The cost of the Airport Link express train is 150 baht each way (about $5.00 each way), and will help you beat the traffic. Bangkok is notorious for traffic, so this is a great way to get past it all by riding above it. The trip will take 20 minutes from the airport to the city's heart. The train itself comes every 12 minutes during the busy times. A screen at the station displays a countdown of minutes until the next train. There is a city line (non-express) train costing only 45 baht - it takes about twice as much time.
Keep in mind that it stops running at midnight. Passengers on late flight arrivals will have to get to their hotels by taxi.
One note of caution: there isn't a lot of room for luggage, and the train does get filled quickly. If you are carrying many suitcases, you will have to try to make room for them around your feet. Also, as the train does fill up, you might need to stand for the journey. Fortunately, it's only 20 minutes at most, so you can probably survive that. Also note that - on the trip from the city to the airport - you need to ride 2 escalators to a highly elevated platform, so be mindful of your luggage. If you have many suitcases, make sure you'll be able to manage them. There is an elevator, but it's slow as molasses.
Keep in mind there are two train lines: Express and City Line. The Express is faster and makes no stops until you get to PhayaThai. The City Line has 3 stops in between. If you're going all the way to the city's terminal station (PhayaThai), then it won't matter which one you take, just that the Express is faster. If you need to get off at another station, make sure you take the City Line. Do not confuse the City Line with the local BTS line which stops at 35 places around the city, and can be accessed separately after you reach PhayaThai station.
The other 3 City Line stops include Huamak station, Ramkamheang station, and Makkason. If your hotel is near one of these, you should get off sooner. Your ride might actually be less than 20 minutes. Ramkamhaeng, for example, is only 14 minute from the airport. The best thing to do is ask your hotel before you arrive, and they can tell you which stop is closest to them. Some hotels are not near any station, so you may have to switch at PhayaThai station onto the local line. Again, your hotel can email you the best route. Just be aware of all the options available.
You'll need to buy an electronic card at a ticket window before you get on the train. You can purchase a round trip, or just one way. If you choose round trip, you'll scan the card upon entry to the platform and keep the card for your return visit, to be scanned again. This will save you the hassle of standing in line a second time for your return trip. However, the card is not refundable for the return journey, so you won't get your fare back if you decide to take a taxi back to the airport at the end of your vacation or business trip.
I think the Airport Link will be most useful for business travelers, as they tend to carry only a briefcase and an over-night bag. Vacationers with a lot of heavy suitcases might not like hauling their load up 2 escalators and then standing 20 minutes on a train. They might prefer to sit in traffic in a taxi with their luggage in the trunk. It will depend on your personal preference.
Personally, I'd do anything to avoid a traffic jam, so I intend to use the Airport Link more often. For me it's $5 well spent. This new train will also help those going to the airport to meet arriving friends and family. As they won't have suitcases, they can just take the airport link out to the airport quickly, then use a taxi to get their friends back into the city with all their luggage.
See Also: Guide To Transportation in Bangkok for more travel tips.
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