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What is the most cost effective way to get from the Suvarnabhumi Airport to Hua Hin (on Thailand's northwestern Gulf coast)? And how much would that be compared to a taxi ride?

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  • it´s all about negotiation sweeties :-) from Bangkok to Huahin it is about 250km. Taxis are usually using LPG for their engines. 1kg LPG costs about 20 Baht. The 1kg LPG is about 2 litres. If the distance to Huahin is 250 (with way back to Bangkok 500km) and usually the taxi car Toyota needs 8-10 litres of LPG for 100km you can easily take into consideration that 250km to Huahin costs about 2.5(km) x 5 (10 litres LPG means 5kg of LPG per 100km) x 20 Baht = 250 Baht. It means from Bangkok to Huahing and back the costs are 500 Baht.
    – user4650
    Feb 26, 2013 at 12:06
  • Just a general tip: Be wary of the pre-paid taxi counters as you exit the terminal. They are exorbitantly priced, compared to the metered ones, which you can often negotiate before hand, lest you feel nervous about the meter. The pricing in the answers should give you a good ballpark
    – rs79
    Feb 26, 2013 at 15:02

11 Answers 11

11

A taxi ride would be at least 3000 Baht, but from the Airport you have taxi stands with fixed prices for most destination. From downtown Bangkok, you can negotiate to as low as 2000 Baht.

The less expensive would be to take the public minibuses. Thais use them for transport between provinces. Most of the minibuses can be catched at Victory Monument. To go there from the Airport either take a taxi (about 200 baht), or take the Airport Link to Phaya Thai. There are one rapid (100 baht I think) and one that stops to every station. At Phaya Thai, take the BTS to Victory Monument (one stop). Vans depart from several places under the Skytrain station (near Century mall), normally from ~7am to ~8pm.

So total for the less expensive trip would be Airport Link (45 baht) -> Bts (15 baht) -> Minibus (~200 baht) = 260 baht.

More infos : Bangkok public transport map, Getting to Hua Hin

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  • sounds good! I will mark down all you suggested and report back once I have experienced it! thanks again Thomas! Sep 1, 2011 at 16:54
  • 1
    Just tried the minibuses and it was 160 baht one way. And if you want to catch minibuses from Hua Hin back to Bangkok, it's across from Esso station on Petchkasem, refer to the map here, B3 Sep 10, 2011 at 20:14
8

Try this:

http://airporthuahinbus.com

It is 305 Baht for a trip from Suvarnabhumi to Hua Hin on a bus with AC. Estimated travel time is 3 hours.

This service is brand new, it just started on 29 November 2012.

7

The best way is to stay at the Inter-Continental and charter their Cessna for the 35-minute hop.

enter image description here

But at 50,000 baht one-way, this may not be all that cost-effective ;)

6

Use Train,

  1. take "Airport Rail Link (SA City Line)" : Airport > Makkasan station (45THB)
  2. 5 minutes walk : Makkasan Station > Phetchaburi Station (MRT-Metro)
  3. take "MRT" : Phetchaburi Station > Hua Lamphong the Thailand Train central (29THB)
  4. take "Train" : > Hua Hin, there are more than 10 times a day (44THB-202THB depend on the class)

    Budget 45+29+44=118THB

    Time overall around 5 hours

PS. check the train time table at http://www.railway.co.th

4

Bell Travel bus desk on Level 2 of the Airport has shuttles that run regularly, best if you book on line as they sell out, Around THB260/per person. Air conditioning, toilet, wifi, reclining seats. Around 3.5 hour trip but definetley the cheapest and easiest way to get there.

Not associated with this company just a happy customer.

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I think a metered taxi from the airport (Suvarnabhumi) to Hua-hin should be around 2,500 Baht, I did a quick online search and found a company called oriental escape that offer airport or downton pickup and transfer to Hua-hin for 2,650 Baht in an economy car (toyota Soluna) so a taxi should be a little bit cheaper than that, I usually get a taxi from Sukhumvit to Hua-hin and pay around 2,200 Baht!

3

there is actually no question of what is the best way.

The best way is CLEARLY by Bell Travel bus (http://airporthuahinbus.com)

  • easy online booking
  • new 24 seater bus
  • 3 super wide fully reclining seats in a row
  • smooth ride
  • 3.5 hours travel time
  • price 270 baht

The second best way can be hiring a private car online

  • Camry/Innova car
  • not as smooth as a bus, surely will make you more tired
  • roughly the same travel time
  • price from 1800 baht

Trains may be fine, but it will take much more time

  • old smelly train
  • first take airport link train
  • then change to MRT
  • then walk to the railway station and buy tickets
  • trains are super slow and NOT NICE

Don't ever think about taking a van from Bangkok, it's a horrible experience, not foreigners should travel this way... It's inhumane.

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  • I feel I must ask: are you, in any way other than as a customer, connected to the bus service/company?
    – CGCampbell
    Jan 26, 2016 at 12:34
  • 2
    Not related in any way. Having used this bus, van and train, just want to share my experience. The bus will make you much happier than any other option. Really great bus :) Jan 26, 2016 at 15:52
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I have used www.bangkokshuttle.com several times to get from the airport into downtown Bangkok. Apparently, they also serve Hua Hin for 2,800 THB. Clean and hassle-free.

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Bangkok Shuttle other than as a satisfied customer.

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  • not really cost-effective
    – greg121
    Nov 30, 2012 at 12:39
  • @greg121 How about the airplane?
    – arboc7
    Dec 1, 2012 at 21:30
  • more of a joke I guess
    – greg121
    Dec 2, 2012 at 9:29
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I have travelled many times to Hua Hin. The most cost effective way to travel is by train as Fawas described above, another easy way is using the airport bus shuttle, but.. I have had to wait almost 2 hours sometimes before leaving the airport, and that is not really great after a 11 hour flight and then another 3 -3½ hours in the bus. But the buses are comfortable.

What I normally do is book a transfer by taxi from a Hua Hin based taxi company, there are several you can find on the net, but lately I have used www.huahintaxiservice.com simply because the reply fast and have good communication skills in English when I book the trip. As mentioned I have tried others and all seem to have good cars and good drivers, price for one is between 2200 to 2500 THB.

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  • Are you associated with the website? Apr 16, 2013 at 2:19
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If your goal is get the cheapest journey do the following

Airport rail link city line to Lot Krabang (next station) (15 Baht) Take the train to Bangkok (6 Baht) Hualamphong to Hua Hin

0

This is what i would advice and also an extra tip...

Save yourself the stress , worries and the dragging with suitcases and spend the few baht/dollar/euro and take the Bell bus which cost 305 euro. It is quite fast and very comfortable. If you are at Hua Hin, you probably can walk or take and if not, take taxi from the busstation to your resort/hotel.

2200/2800 baht for a taxi is really overpriced. If i have to wait an hour extra, then i will have lunch or dinner there. A 3-4 hour drive to Hua Hin with an empty stomach can be a longggg ride.

What i would recommend is leave a day earlier Hua Hin, and take an airport hotel for 1.5 or 2 nights. They offer often free shuttle from/to the airport. Because my flights from BKK to my destination departs at 2AM i will book an extra night, so i will leave the hotel at 22:45pm and be 3 hours before departure time at the airport. At daytime i can relax and swim and get a last glimp of Bangkok if i want, and then take a rest, and then shower and head to the airport worry and hassle free.

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  • 1
    I suspect this is the same as Mr G's answer, and should say 305 baht, not euro? Sep 29, 2015 at 9:57

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