Day trip to BKK on a longish transit

[Kangol]

I will be going through BKK to/from Europe on TG F at the end of the year and was wondering how practical (or worthwhile) it is to go to the city for a day?

Outbound I have 8 hours and inbound 11 hours. I'm probably not all that interested in eating local food or cheapish-type shopping.. any suggestions on what to do? Or even if anyone has ever done this? I'm not sure if the TG F lounge would hold my carry on bag(s)...

I wouldn't mind going to say a day spa or similar but from all reports I could get something just as good in the F lounge.

Thoughts?

 

[Timba-Jet]

Catching the skytrain to the city is easy, fast (~25min) and super cheap, 45 Bhat I think.

On arrival in BKK you can first go to the F lounge, shower & freshen up if needed, leave your hand luggage at the lounge, then make your way downstairs to arrivals / immigration.
The lounge staff may explain they are happy to keep your bags, but to take all your valuables with you.

Might be limited choices during the day, but try visiting one of the many sky high roof top bars. The one above the Marriott is amazing.

 

[yohy?!]

Maybe pop into central world, its always my stand by for proper shopping and good restaurants in a clean and air conditioned place.

 

[Alanslegal]

I will be going through BKK to/from Europe on TG F at the end of the year and was wondering how practical (or worthwhile) it is to go to the city for a day?

Outbound I have 8 hours and inbound 11 hours. I'm probably not all that interested in eating local food or cheapish-type shopping.. any suggestions on what to do? Or even if anyone has ever done this? I'm not sure if the TG F lounge would hold my carry on bag(s)...

I wouldn't mind going to say a day spa or similar but from all reports I could get something just as good in the F lounge.

Thoughts?

Definitely head into town, I have done so a few times now. Easy peasy. Catching the airport train to Phaya Thai is simple and fast. From there you can connect to the BTS Asoke line and all the major shopping centres are littered between Siam through to Asoke. Similarly, you can catch the train to Makkasan and then catch the Sukhumvit line to Asoke.

Personally I would do a quick river cruise - one of those ones that take start at Saphan Taksin. Go north along the river, and visit Wat Arun, then Wat Po, then the Grand Palace. From there catch a taxis to Siam Paragon or Central World. (My favourite shopping centre is Terminal 21 as I like the laid back nature of it, and it's in my price range too ) Or you can try Thailand's best restaurant Nahm out, ranked 13th in the world. Then go back to the airport in time for your massage.

You can do what Timba-Jet below suggests. I have done exactly the same thing, once your hosts takes you to the F lounge you can shower & freshen up, have breakfast too if you're feeling hungry, then leave all your things behind in the lounge (remember to take your passport though), head into town and come back around 4pm for your evening flight back home. Remember to book your spa session before you head into the City too

On arrival in BKK you can first go to the F lounge, shower & freshen up if needed, leave your hand luggage at the lounge, then make your way downstairs to arrivals / immigration.
The lounge staff may explain they are happy to keep your bags, but to take all your valuables with you.

Might be limited choices during the day, but try visiting one of the many sky high roof top bars. The one above the Marriott is amazing.

 

[Austff]

I like the advice here .

 

[Kangol]

Thanks, I don't think I'd go to Central World - went there on my only visit to BKK, was around the corner from where I was staying and it just seemed like a normal mall which wasn't that special nor were there any bargains.

Nahm seems interesting, but looking at the website and a few reviews makes it seem kinda ordinary though.

River cruise sounds like fun! How long would it take (ballpark figure)?

If I go landside and back, do I have to pay the BKK passenger charge (given that the ticket indicates a transit both ways)?

 

[AviatorPJ]

Catching the skytrain to the city is easy, fast (~25min) and super cheap, 45 Bhat I think.

On arrival in BKK you can first go to the F lounge, shower & freshen up if needed, leave your hand luggage at the lounge, then make your way downstairs to arrivals / immigration.
but try visiting one of the many sky high roof top bars. The one above the Marriott is amazing.

I'm a big fan of the Banyan Tree rooftop for a coughtail, or two - Should be good weather around end of year. Bit more challenging to get to, but not so bad off the expressway Rama IV exit - feels a bit like flying!

 

[Mumfreqflyer]

I'm a big fan of the Banyan Tree rooftop for a coughtail, or two - Should be good weather around end of year. Bit more challenging to get to, but not so bad off the expressway Rama IV exit - feels a bit like flying!

Vertigo - on top of the Banyan Tree hotel would have to be my favourite place I have ever visited!!!

 

[Austff]

A question for BKK guru's , my wife & I fly in to BKK on TG673 in J at 5am & are staying in Bangkok for 5 days , if we have HLO could we use the TG lounge to shower & have breakfast ?

 

[JohnK]

If I go landside and back, do I have to pay the BKK passenger charge (given that the ticket indicates a transit both ways)?

I have heard mixed reports.

If you have a boarding pass for onward flight then you may not need to pay the departure tax if you exit and return as I don't think they check this anymore. They just check that you have a valid boarding pass and passport.

If you have to get onward boarding pass from airline check-in desk they may ask for the 700 baht (or is it 800 baht now?) before issuing boarding pass.

I guess best not say anything to anyone and keep 800 baht with you just in case.

 

[JohnK]

A question for BKK guru's , my wife & I fly in to BKK on TG673 in J at 5am & are staying in Bangkok for 5 days , if we have HLO could we use the TG lounge to shower & have breakfast ?

As far as I am aware there is no arrivals lounge in BKK so you will not be able to stay airside as you do not have onward travel that day.

 

[Kangol]

I have heard mixed reports.

If you have a boarding pass for onward flight then you may not need to pay the departure tax if you exit and return as I don't think they check this anymore. They just check that you have a valid boarding pass and passport.

If you have to get onward boarding pass from airline check-in desk they may ask for the 700 baht (or is it 800 baht now?) before issuing boarding pass.

I guess best not say anything to anyone and keep 800 baht with you just in case.

Thanks. If I don't have any THB, will they accept anything other currencies? Or even is there an ATM handy I can quickly draw funds from?

 

[RB]

Thanks. If I don't have any THB, will they accept anything other currencies? Or even is there an ATM handy I can quickly draw funds from?

We had a 12hr or so stopover (unplanned at time of booking) in July this year and had no ongoing boarding pass. As per JohnK I had read mixed reports. We were not asked to pay! From various reading about the ATMs at BKK I had kept info such as the below but I cannot say it is all current-

• There are NO fees or charges to bring your home currency, and NO fees or charges to exchange it into baht in Thailand.
• There are no surcharges or commissions when exchanging cash at the airport.
• It is the easiest to use, and in most cases the cheapest as well, but has obvious risks associated with loss.
• Make sure you count your money for clerical errors BEFORE you walk away from the exchange counter.
• Again, you do not need to buy any Thai baht BEFORE arriving in THAILAND.

At Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, there are exchange booths right in the Customs Hall (after clearing Passport Control, in the baggage claim area) as well as in the general arrivals area. ATMs are also readily available in the airport.

Thai Military Bank (TMB) are largely represented at the Airport. Their advertised rates of exchange are notoriously lower (3-4% less) than ALL others, irrespective of their location (airport, city, country -- they offer the same low rate everywhere).

Unfortunately the only other major airport exchange operator,Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), now seems to have pegged its rates at the airport on TMB's rates, even though its rates at non-airport locations remain considerably higher. This means that ALMOST ALL exchange booths at the airport are now offering IDENTICAL rates, LOWER than the norm elsewhere in Thailand.

There seems to be only one exception: Kasikorn Bank's sole outlet on the Airport Rail Link Level (two levels below Arrivals). Since it's officially on ARL property, not in the airport proper, K-Bank's booth is able to offer exchange rates consistent with its rates outside the airport. For major currencies, that could mean 1.20 or more baht per dollar, pound or euro. On trades of 1000 units or more, that could add up to a significant amount. Kasikorn Bank's exchange booth on the ARL level

Kasikorn usually places in the highest tier of exchange rates among the banks, vying with Bangkok Bank. Independents such as Super Rich do offer even higher rates, though.

So unless you use the Kasikorn Bank outlet, you are now advised to exchange just enough for current needs at the airport, and to shop around downtown for better rates if you are making a larger trade.

Most airport currencyexchange services operate24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

(Note: At present, that one and only booth operated by Kasikorn Bank, does NOT operate around the clock (24 hours). Its current operating times are 07:00-23:00 daily, which closely mirrors the hours of the adjacent Airport Rail Link.)

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[JohnK]

Thanks. If I don't have any THB, will they accept anything other currencies? Or even is there an ATM handy I can quickly draw funds from?

If you do get charged you may be able to pay using credit card which is a good thing.

If you are asked for cash then ATM is going to cost 150 baht for withdrawal + any fees from credit card and currency exchange. Foreign currency exchange at airport is nearly 2 baht less than what one can get in the exchanges but for 800 baht it's not going to be a great loss.

 

[Alanslegal]

re: departure tax. I have gone into town three times (had onward BPs issued at check in for the inbound BKK flight) in 18 months whilst on long transits and have never been asked to pay for the departure tax back at the airport. That said, there are printed A4 signs at immigration advising that passengers will be charged the tax if on transit and leaving airside. So its YMMV.

 

[hummel]

re: departure tax. I have gone into town three times (had onward BPs issued at check in for the inbound BKK flight) in 18 months whilst on long transits and have never been asked to pay for the departure tax back at the airport. That said, there are printed A4 signs at immigration advising that passengers will be charged the tax if on transit and leaving airside. So its YMMV.

Similar to you I've done 3 in the past 12 months (twice last week) and no tax was asked to be paid.