The Airport Rail Link Bangkok is a mass transit system, connecting Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) with Bangkok city. Taking the airport train is the cheapest and easiest way to get into the city center from Bangkok Airport. Explore the Bangkok Airport Rail Link ticket options with single journey tickets, cards, ticket prices, and the process of purchasing Airport Rail Link tickets.
Bangkok Airport Rail Link Train
The Airport Rail Link train line in Bangkok covers a distance of 28 km. The journey from the airport to the last station on the route (Phaya Thai) normally takes less than 30 minutes, making it the fastest way to get from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the city.
The Airport Rail Link is well connected with other Bangkok mass rapid transit systems, and these connections help reach various important areas of the city from the airport very conveniently. The Airport Rail Link train line is connected with the underground MRT Blue Line at Makkasan Station, with the BTS Green Line at Phaya Thai Station, and with the MRT Yellow Line at Hua Mak Station.
Bangkok Airport Train Tickets
There are 3 ticket options for traveling on the Bangkok Airport Rail Link train:
- Single journey ticket.
- Stored Value Ticket Card (SVT Card).
- EMV Contactless Card.
1. Airport Rail Link Single Journey Ticket
Bangkok Airport train tickets for a single journey can be purchased at ticket vending machines. You need Thai Baht coins or banknotes for buying a ticket, as only cash is accepted.
At Airport Rail Link stations, tickets can only be purchased for this airport line, and you will need to buy another ticket at MRT or BTS station if you are looking to extend your trip on another train line.
2. Airport Rail Link Stored Value Ticket Card
At the Airport Rail Link Station Ticket Office, it is possible to purchase a Stored Value Card (Smart Pass) - a smart card that can be topped up for multiple rides. Stored Value Card can be bought and topped at any ARL Station Ticket Office. The card can also be topped up using the ticket vending machine.
However, if you are visiting Bangkok only as a tourist for a short stay, getting such a card would hardly be worth it.
3. EMV Contactless Card
Introduced in October 2025, the EMV contactless card of VISA or Mastercard is another ticket option that can be used as a Bangkok Airport Rail Link ticket card. EMV stands for "Europay Mastercard and Visa", which has a contactless payment logo on the front or the back of the card.
EMV contactless cards (credit cards or debit cards that have the contactless payment symbol) of all banks can be used to pay for Airport Rail Link fare.
While most of such cards should work on the system, some cards might not be accepted. We've been successfully using our Wise Card to pay Bangkok metro fares as it is much cheaper than using the card issued by the bank in Europe due to the mid-market THB exchange rate used on transactions.
The EDC machines used for reading EMV contactless cards are installed at swing gates on both sides of the ticket booths at each station, similar to those currently operating on the Pink Line and the Yellow Line.
Bangkok Airport Rail Link Ticket Price
Bangkok Airport Rail Link ticket price for a single journey varies from 15 to 45 THB, depending on the distance (the number of stations traveled). For more details about the ticket price, check here: Bangkok Airport Rail Link Fare.
How to buy Airport Rail Link tickets?
To buy a Bangkok Airport train ticket for a single journey, the most popular way is using a ticket vending machine. All these machines accept coins and banknotes.
These ticket vending machines are easy to use, as you can choose between English and Thai on the touchscreen. Then you just need to choose your destination and a number of tickets.
The exact fare will appear on the screen.
You need 1, 5, or 10 Baht coins or 20, 50, or 100 Baht banknotes, as 2 Baht coins, satangs, and larger banknotes are not accepted.
Insert coins and banknotes into dedicated slots.
When the amount inserted will reach the required fare, your ticket (token) and change will fall down into the chamber below. Take the token and your change (if any).
Steps of the process for purchasing tokens are also displayed on the machine.
Single journey tickets as well as stored value cards can be bought at any Airport Rail Link Station Ticket Office. However, the ticket office also accepts cash only.
How to use Airport Rail Link Ticket?
When you get your token, proceed to the metallic gates. Green arrow signs indicate entry points - you need to choose one of them.
Touch your token to the indicated place on the metallic part of the gate. The gate will open then. Quickly walk through as the gate stays open for just a couple of seconds.
Don’t lose the token, as at the exit you will have to insert it into the dedicated slot for the gate to open.
Bangkok Airport Rail Link Timetable
The Airport Rail Link Bangkok operates daily from 05:10 to midnight. For more details on the train departure schedule, explore the Bangkok Airport Rail Link Timetable.
Bangkok Airport Rail Link Map
The Airport Rail Link train line currently consists of 8 stations. Discover the route map with all the stations on the line here: Bangkok Airport Rail Link Map.
Tips
Get a discounted Thailand SIM card with an internet plan at Suvarnabhumi Airport and stay connected during your trip on the Airport Rail Link train. In case your phone is eSIM compatible, book online a Thailand eSIM and use the internet right after landing.
To make traveling on the train more comfortable, leave your unnecessary bags at Suvarnabhumi Airport luggage storage and travel lightly.
If you are landing at Suvarnabhumi and want to take a bus to Pattaya or Hua Hin, you don't need to take the Airport Rail Link train to the city, as there are buses to these destinations that depart directly from the BKK Airport. Bus tickets can be booked online here: Bus tickets at Suvarnabhumi.
The Airport Rail Link is just one part of the complex mass rapid transit system in the Thai capital. To make the most of your visit, get familiar with other metro lines in Bangkok.
