Bangkok’s Free Airport Shuttle: How to Transfer Between Airports in Bangkok Posted on October 3, 2024October 24, 2026 By Stacey A. Peters BKK to DMK– Don Mueang Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok has two major airports: Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). If your itinerary requires you to fly into one and depart from the other, Airports of Thailand operates a free shuttle bus between them for airline passengers with onward travel. We used it when our Bangkok itinerary involved both airports during a trip to Luang Prabang, and it saved us the cost of taking a taxi across the city. The shuttle is convenient, but Bangkok traffic can make airport transfers unpredictable, so leave plenty of time between flights. Table of Contents BKK to DMK– How to use the Free Bangkok Airport Shuttle? Don Muang Airport (DMK) to Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) How do I use the Free Bangkok Airport Shuttle? At Don Muang Airport (DMK) The Shuttle Desk Locations Operation Hours Documents Required Frequently Asked Questions Bua Airport Express Conclusion Don Mueang Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport Our transfer started at Don Mueang, where we needed to get ourselves and our luggage over to Suvarnabhumi. There was no reason for us to pay for a taxi when the airport shuttle could take us between the two airports. The shuttle currently runs from 5 AM to midnight, approximately every 30 minutes. One thing I wouldn’t do, however, is rely on an old blog post for the exact pickup gate. Airport boarding locations change, and even Airports of Thailand has published different pickup points at Don Mueang. When you arrive, follow the airport shuttle signs or ask at the information desk for the current location. Once you’re on the bus, the transfer itself is easy. You aren’t piecing together several modes of transportation or hauling luggage through Bangkok. You get on at one airport and get off at the other. The wild card is traffic, and anyone who has spent time in Bangkok knows how quickly that can change. Suvarnabhumi Airport to Don Mueang The shuttle also works in the opposite direction, which is good to know if you land at Suvarnabhumi and your next flight departs from Don Mueang. This is where those airport codes become important. BKK means Suvarnabhumi. DMK means Don Mueang. They aren’t two terminals within the same airport. If your first ticket says BKK and your next one says DMK, you’re changing airports and need to plan accordingly. I’d check the current shuttle boarding point after arriving at Suvarnabhumi rather than building my plans around a specific door or counter. Airports change, and I don’t want to send anyone wandering around looking for a pickup point that has moved. Don Muang Airport is definitely not a silent airport… but these are. How Much Time Do You Need? Don’t treat a transfer between BKK and DMK like a normal airport connection. Depending on your flights, you may have to collect luggage, wait for the shuttle, travel across Bangkok, check in again, clear security, and possibly go through immigration. The bus ride may go smoothly, but Bangkok traffic is unpredictable. That’s why I’d rather have too much time than not enough, particularly when the flights are booked on separate tickets. Our itinerary gave us plenty of time, so taking the free shuttle made sense. Had we been trying to make a tight connection, I wouldn’t have wanted to spend the entire ride watching the clock. Keep your onward flight information handy because the free shuttle is intended for airline passengers transferring between the two airports. I keep my passport and flight information together anyway, especially on a travel day involving multiple airports. The important distinction is that this is an airport-to-airport shuttle, not a free bus into Bangkok. If you’re staying in the city before your next flight, you’ll need to consider transportation that actually takes you to your hotel. Other Ways to Get Between BKK and DMK If the shuttle doesn’t work with your schedule, a taxi, Grab, or private transfer may make more sense. Bangkok also has plenty of public transportation, but there is no direct Airport Rail Link train between BKK and DMK. Personally, if I’m carrying luggage and simply need to get from one airport to the other, I don’t want to turn the transfer into another sightseeing adventure. The free shuttle is much easier when the schedule works. Bua Airport Express Bua Airport Express is easy to confuse with the inter-airport shuttle, but it’s a completely different service. It connects Suvarnabhumi Airport with hotels and popular areas around Bangkok rather than taking passengers to Don Mueang. So if you’re changing airports, you want the BKK-DMK airport shuttle. If you’re staying in Bangkok, Bua Airport Express may be useful for getting closer to your hotel. Frequently Asked Questions Is the shuttle between BKK and DMK free? Yes. The airport shuttle connects Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang for airline passengers transferring between the two airports. How often does the shuttle run? The current schedule is approximately every 30 minutes between 5 AM and midnight. I would still check the schedule when you arrive because airport transportation details can change. How long does it take? I would allow plenty of time rather than planning around a precise travel time. Bangkok traffic can dramatically affect the drive between the airports, and your total transfer time also depends on luggage, check-in, security, and immigration. Can I take the Airport Rail Link directly from BKK to DMK? No. There isn’t a direct Airport Rail Link connection between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. Final Thoughts Using the free Bangkok airport shuttle turned out to be much easier than I expected. We needed to get from Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi during our trip to Luang Prabang, and the shuttle saved us from paying for a taxi or trying to navigate Bangkok with luggage. The most important thing I learned had less to do with the bus than with planning. Whenever I book a flight through Bangkok now, I pay attention to the airport code. BKK and DMK are three little letters you don’t want to overlook. If your itinerary includes both airports, give yourself plenty of time, keep your onward flight information handy, and check the shuttle pickup location when you arrive. I’d much rather get to the airport early enough for a bowl of noodles and a coffee than spend the ride across Bangkok wondering whether I’m going to miss my flight. Like it? Pin it! CULTURE, EVENTS & EXPERIENCES air travelASIABangkokpublic transportationSuvarnabhumi AirportThailand
Thanks for this tip, it was very helpful. I took the shuttle yesterday and it only took 45 mins, very lucky! Also my flight out is not till tomorrow but there was no problem accessing the service. Thanks again. Reply
Thanks Jane, I am glad it all worked out. I am so jelly– I guess you can tell from my blog that I love Thailand. Happy New Year!!! Would you take the time to subscribe, it would really help me a lot. Reply
Stacey, You are very knowledgable on travel in Thailand. Can you give me assistance in getting from BKK to Koh Tao. I have tried Nok Air but they say there are no flights on the day I arrive in BKK. I have a flight booked getting into BKK on12/20/24 at 9:30pm. Any help you could give would be appreciated. Thanks for all the great information! Mike Reply
Look into a flight to an AirAsia flight Chumphon Airport, its an hour flight. There are shuttles to the ferry from the airport to the ferry (1 hr) and take it to Koh Tao. Now you can also take the bus or train to Chumphon. That’s the best option but you can also fly into Surat Thani or Koh Samui are also options. Now if you want to take the bus or the train you can too but whyyyy??? Lol I looked there are 1-2 flights per day at about $95. I wish I had your problem, lol. Have fun from the not so tropical island of Rock Island!! Let me know if I can help with anything else. Please make sure you and your partner subscribe. Reply
Hola muy clara la información pero tengo un inconveniente ya que llego a las 7PM a DMK y sale de BKK al.otro día 11AM me dejaran utilizarlo. Gracias Reply
Take the shuttle bus from DMK to BKK when you land and stay at a nearby hotel, so you can easily get to BKK in the morning for your flight. Toma el autobús de enlace de DMK a BKK cuando aterrices y quédate en un hotel cercano, así podrás llegar a BKK fácilmente por la mañana para tu vuelo. Reply
if you fly 2 days later is it also possible to take the transfer shuttle. because my hotel is nearby Suvarnabhumi airport. I Reply
As long as you hold a ticket out of or into Bangkok and need to transfer, you can use the free shuttle. Safe travels, Medi!! Reply
i arrive 14.20 in sumavabhumi and wish transfer to DMK how much time must i allow between airports??? Reply
To transfer between Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Don Mueang Airport (DMK), you should allow atleast 4 hours, The distance is approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles), and travel time can range from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours by taxi or shuttle bus. Reply
Please suggest me . my flight will land around 7:30 pm night at don mueang international airport and need to go Pattaya .Suggest me the best budget friendly route , what is in my mind is * take free bus from Dmk to Suvarnabhumi Airport and catch bus to Pattaya , or take taxi to Pattaya. we are 6 ppl . suggest us . Reply
For 6 people I suggest you either hire a car and split the fee or take the bus or train, its about 1.5-2 hours away. Have fun, I am jealous I wuld love to be in Thailand right now. Reply
My flight will be landed at suvarnabhumi at 12.05am and my connect flight from DMK is 6:30am. What is the best way to get to DMK since the shuttle only run from 5am to midnight only? Reply
Downlod the Grab app before you leave and connect it to your bank account. Your best bet is to call a Grab. Follow the signs to the Passenger Pick-up” area on the Arrivals level (Level 2). You can also take a taxi, they are located at the taxi stand on the ground floor (Level 1) of the terminal building, I think its between Gates 4 and 7. If you take a taxi, make sure they use the meter. You will probably have to pay a airport surcharge either way. Let us know what you chose, so I can update the blog post. Safe Travels– I am so jealous!! Reply
Thank you, I appreciate your support. And you are right, the shuttle is both convenient and inexpensive. Reply
I really liked this post because it made it easy to understand how to use the free shuttle between Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi airports. I was going to hire a taxi, but this showed me why the shuttle is better than taxis since it’s free and convenient. The clear instructions about what documents to bring and where to find the shuttle desks were super helpful. The tip about checking digital boards for updates due to traffic was great too. Overall, it made me feel confident about using the shuttle service. Reply
Awesome!! I’m glad I was helpful. Actually this post is geeting a lot of traffic. I have no idea what I did to make it so, lol. Reply