Don Muang Airport in Bangkok – Important details for tourists!

Before 2006, Don Muang Airport handled all flights arriving in Bangkok. The load was such that it couldn’t handle the passenger traffic. It later passed the palm to Suvarnabhumi. However, it did not lose its international status (its code DMK).

In addition, it has become the main base of the low-cost companies, so the number of passengers passing through its terminal is increasing annually. Its runway sends and receives airliners flying within Thailand and to nearby Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Japan.

Online flight boards

Find flight tickets arriving at this particular airport using the search widget below. The search is performed by the well-known and popular aggregator AviaSales.ru. It finds flights between places in Thailand as well as from other countries.

It also doesn’t hurt to pay attention to the Online Flight Board for Don Muang, which displays important details and tells you the arrival/departure time of your plane. Thanks to frequent updates, the data in the table is always up-to-date.

Don Muang

On the airport grounds is the Museum of the Royal Thai Air Force, which has over 30 exhibits of aircraft from all times that were used for the defense of Thailand.

Terminal

It is four stories high and has an underground parking lot. For tourists the first, third and fourth tiers are of interest, while the second accommodates the air harbor directorate and several office spaces. Scheme of Don Muang Airport is shown below.

Diagram of Bangkok's Don Muang Airport arrival area

Diagram of Bangkok's Don Muang Airport departure area

1 floor

This is actually the main passenger terminal of the airport. It is common to all arriving flights, both domestic and international. As in any arrivals area, there are information desks here. Unfortunately, there is not a Russian-speaking one among them. On the first floor you can exchange currency or contact one of the transportation companies that rent out cars. Those who wish can grab a bite to eat at a cafe that offers light snacks and drinks. There is a cab stand to the left of the terminal entrance. There is also a shuttle bus to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Don Muang Airport in Bangkok - 1st floor

2nd floor

Nothing interesting besides the administrative offices.

Don Muang Airport in Bangkok - 2nd floor

3rd floor

The departure area. As at any airport, most of the space is taken up by the customs control desks and baggage drop-off areas. The rest of the space is taken up by the seating area with trivial benches and souvenir shops. If you’re totally bored and there’s still plenty of time before departure, take a tour of the Wat Don Muang temple across the street from the Amari hotel.

Don Muang Airport in Bangkok - 3rd floor

4th floor

More like a balcony overhanging the departure area. It’s interesting in that it has a restaurant where you can not only grab a bite to eat, but also a full meal. This option came about because of its proximity to the offices of local Orient carriers Thai Airlines and Nok Air.

Don Muang Airport in Bangkok - 4th Floor

Air arrivals area

Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport is much smaller than Suvarnabhumi. Therefore, in the arrivals area you can easily find your way around and follow the signs to the passport control counters. There is also a baggage claim area. In the arrivals area you can visit the doctor – there is a medical center, you can also have a quick snack at one of the small cafes, and if you don’t have baht, exchange currency.

A diagram of Bangkok's Don Muang Airport arrival area

The information desks are all in English. And the free city maps are the same. However, the mnemonic symbols are quite clear to go outside and find a parking spot for a cab, a bus to Suvarnabhumi or the Mo Chit metro line station and the Chatuchak Park underground station.

Departure Zone

It’s on the third floor of the airport and is so typical of all airports that if it weren’t for the Thai and English inscriptions, you’d think you were somewhere in Russia. Large electronic boards indicate the flight number, its direction and the check-in counters to go to. Check-in starts 2.5 hours before the airliner leaves the runway. If the flight is international, you will follow the signs to the customs control area. There are duty-free stores in the lounge and waiting area.

Diagram of Bangkok's Don Muang Airport departure area

Where to leave luggage

The luggage room at Don Muang is not only on the first floor, but also on the third floor. And in the arrivals area it is open from 8:00 to 20:00, and in the departures area – around the clock. The whole airport is hung with quite clear signs, so it’s easy to find the place where you can leave some luggage for safekeeping. If you do not want to guess the Thai quest, you can ask the staff. They will gladly help you, but you need to know at least a couple of common phrases in English. Your passport is sufficient for a deposit slip.

Don Muang Airport Locker in Bangkok

Local hotels

Many people arriving in Bangkok via this air harbor are wondering, “Are there hotels near Don Muang Airport?” And the answer is yes. The closest, just two hundred meters, is the Amari Don Muang Airport Bangkok hotel. It is connected to the boarding terminal by an alley that runs over the railway branch. You don’t need a cab to get to the front desk. There are a dozen more hotels in different price ranges adjacent to the airport.

Don muang airport logistics

Going from Don Muang Airport to downtown Bangkok and back is easy. Besides cabs and shuttles, there is a railroad line near the terminal, the fare is less than a dozen baht.

Buses

Bus from Don Muang departs from a parking lot behind the railway line. It is accessed by a covered trestle that ends at the Amari Hotel. A relatively inexpensive way to transfer to Bangkok, but extremely dependent on traffic jams on the capital’s streets. Each Thai bus has a luggage compartment and the cabin is air-conditioned. Six routes running through all significant areas of the Thai capital.

  1. No. 513 – takes you to the East Bus Station
  2. No. 4 – take the route to Siam Road.
  3. Nos. 10 and 510 – goes to the southern train station.

Don Muang Airport in Bangkok - signs to buses

Railway SRT

The most reliable way to get from Don Muang to Bangkok. Doesn’t depend on traffic jams. You can get to Don Mueang station by the same overpass as the bus stop. There are 32 trains passing through it in a day. The first one is at three in the morning. The last one is at ten in the evening. Tickets are sold at the ticket office on the platform. The terminus is the Hua Lampong train station. The schedule can change suddenly and electric trains are cancelled by a voluntaristic decision. So it’s best to plan for extra time when taking the Thai train.

Don Muang Airport in Bangkok - train station

Taxi

Taxis from Don Muang go to Bangkok around the clock. It’s not as cheap as a bus or train, but it can take you right to your hotel porch or anywhere else in the capital. And if you want, you can also arrange a ride to Pattaya, for example. In the center of the city, if there is no traffic, you can get there in half an hour. The cost depends on the method of renting. Rent on the website or at the counter of the transportation company is always cheaper. In addition, you do not have to communicate with the driver in Taiglish and sign language. It is recommended to catch a car on the street only for those who know the local specifics.

Don Muang Airport in Bangkok - Taxi Call Desk

Transfer

The most comfortable way for those who are in Thailand for the first time or traveling with children. The transfer is arranged in advance on the website of the transportation company, for example KiwiTaxi.ru. In addition to the rent of a car of the agreed capacity, the service includes a meeting at the arrival hall, escort to the car, carrying and loading luggage, delivery at the desired location in the capital. Instructions on how to order a transfer are read here.

Transfer between Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi airports

The journey between the airports takes just over an hour and a half. Allow at least four hours for the transfer, including passport and customs control, baggage claim (drop-off) and check-in.

      1. Taxi. The cost according to the meter is from 400 to 500 baht. Possible force majeure due to traffic jams.
      2. Free shuttle bus. Bus Aeroexpress, with a boarding pass. It can be replaced by the printout of an electronic ticket. The departure point from Don Muang is to the right of the terminal entrance. There is also a counter where free tickets are issued. At Suvarnabhumi, the free shuttle bus departs from Gate 2 on the second floor.
      3. Go from Don Muang to Suvarnabhumi and back via city buses number 554 and 555.

Don Muang Airport in Bangkok - shuttle buses running between the two airports

From Don Muang Airport to Pattaya and other cities

From Don Muang Railway Station you can go not only to Bangkok, but also to the northern provinces of the country.

There are no direct bus connections to other cities in the country. So if you want to get from Pattaya to Don Muang you have to change at the Mo Chit bus station which is also called Bangkok Bus Terminal (Chatuchak). The most convenient way to the airport is the A1 shuttle (Aeroexpress). Bus stops # 510, 59 and 29 are on nearby streets, they do not have a schedule, the trip on these routes will be longer. Try to find tickets at 12go.asia (or use the search form below). You can read about the secrets of searching this site here.

Another transfer point is Suvarnabhumi Airport. There is a free shuttle bus to Don Muang from its terminal. But you have to have a boarding pass to use it.

In order to use it, you have to have a boarding pass.

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