Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

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Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by Big Boy »

My son and his girlfriend will be travelling to Buriram next month, and have decided to fly from Don Muaeng to Buriram and back again - exceptionally cheap at the moment.

Of course, getting to Don Muaeng brings its own problems. I've seen on the Airport Bus Hua Hin site that they talk about a free shuttle bus between the airports http://www.airporthuahinbus.com/V2/free-transfer-bus/ .

So can anybody jump on these free buses, or do you have to have e.g. a flight ticket? On the outbound journey, that won't be a problem, they'll have a flight ticket departing Don Muaeng. On the return leg, they'll only have a bus ticket departing Suvarnabhumi.

I ask, because I tried to use the shuttle on my return leg in 2014, and was refused travel. I had to get a taxi.
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by brianks »

There is a free shuttle bus between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang that operates from around 6 am (could be 5am but not sure) until 1 am daily (used to be 12pm but I think it is now 1am). On at least a half hour schedule. All you need do is show your flight reservations and they will log you and put you on the bus. Leaves from just outside Door #3 on arrivals floor.

At Don Muang it leaves from just outside of the International Terminal. Can always ask Information desk to find out which door.

There are no other free shuttle buses that I know about. You would have to get a van or bus from Hua Hin to and from the airport your going or coming from to Hua Hin.
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by Nereus »

I ask, because I tried to use the shuttle on my return leg in 2014, and was refused travel. I had to get a taxi.
Never used it, but in any other country a boarding pass is usually all that is required, even if it is a used one.
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by Big Boy »

brianks wrote: Sat May 05, 2018 9:46 am All you need do is show your flight reservations and they will log you and put you on the bus. Leaves from just outside Door #3 on arrivals floor.
That's what I thought it would be, flight reservation.
Nereus wrote: Sat May 05, 2018 10:35 am Never used it, but in any other country a boarding pass is usually all that is required, even if it is a used one.
That was me in 2014, but they said no. From memory, it was about a 50 seat bus, with people on it. We even offered an incentive, but the jobsworth said no. Bangkok taxis aren't expensive, its just the hideous taxi queue at Don Muaeng, especially after being refused passage on an empty bus.
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by JohnD »

I note BB’s comment above about the “hideous taxi queue at Don Muaeng”.

I took a Sombat bus from the bus station at Hua Hin (Soi 96) to Chit Mo BTS, and then took a metered taxi to Don Muaeng.
There was an enormous taxi queue waiting to unload at Don Muaeng, luckily I had only hand luggage so I was dropped off well outside the airport. I had to walk for about 20 minutes to the departure area; this would not have worked out well if I had checked bags.

Looks like taking a taxi to Don Muaeng involves a big unloading delay at the airport, I guess the converse is plenty of taxis out of Don Muaeng?
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by caller »

JohnD wrote: Sat May 05, 2018 1:47 pmI guess the converse is plenty of taxis out of Don Muaeng?
I think it depends on how many flights are landing in a short space of time. We arrived back at Don Muang at 22.20 last Monday, add about 30 minutes to get off the plane and to the taxi area and we had 62 people in front of us waitiing for a taxi and they were few and far between. Then after about 30 minutes or so, they all started arriving back from the last round of flights.

Edit. The taxi's that pick up at DM are not allowed to pick up elsewhere, but just return to the airport. They are monitored via GPS and can be suspended if they are known to have collected other fares. Taxi's pay to be ranked at the airport and are allowed to charge a 50 baht premium.
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by Big Boy »

I was actually referring the queue to get a taxi at Don Muaeng. The queue took as long as the ride to Suvarnabhumi.

Unfortunately the return flight does not time well with the Sombat Tour buses, so the bus from Suvarnabhumi seems the best compromise. A taxi to Hua Hin would cost more than 2 return flights to Buriram.
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by brianks »

What are all you talking about with the Taxi Que at either airport. Just go up to the top level (check in level) and go outside and grab a taxi that has just dropped off their fair. I do it all the time and get out of either airport quite quickly. At swampy you have to specify they use the meter or they will try to quote you a high fare. I once had a driver circle around and drop me back off when I insisted he use the meter at Swampy. Never had that problem at Don Muang.
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by Big Boy »

I guess it's being British and joining queues etc.

Seriously, I don't think it's allowed. You probably get away with it because you're a one-off, but if everybody it........................
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by buksida »

Used this service this week from DMK to Swampy.

You get it from exit 6 at international arrivals in DM. They check you are actually flying out of Swampy, mine was the following day which was fine. Transfer took 45 minutes. I wanted to stay at a hotel near Swampy for the night.

Then it was a battle with the taxi bandits at the other end - no wonder everyone is switching to Grab, these guys deserve to go out of business. They still see a farang and the meter becomes instantly 'broken'.
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by Big Boy »

I simply go back to get another number - that will put them to the back of the queue with no fare. Plenty more taxis at the airport. Amazing how fast they fix their meter when you walk away.

Assuming you're talking about actual airport taxis.
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Re: Free Bus Transfer Between Suvarnabhumi – Don Muaeng

Post by pitsch »

There are many hotels near swampy which offer free transfer.
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