Sukhothai Transport Travel Guide  Jump to: Sukhothai Transport Galleries
All our travel information below is to the contemporary city of Sukhothai; the ancient remains are 12 kms away from the city centre. For travel details on reaching the ruins in the historical park, see our Sukhothai Sightseeing section. [more]
Sukhothai Airport, Thailand
Sukhothai airport is probably the prettiest airport you will visit, looking more like a five star spa resort than a transport hub with its traditional architecture and ornamental pools. Sukhothai airport won the prestigious Outstanding Architect Award from the Siam Architects Association in 1996, for its design of open-sided wooden and thatched pavilions built in the traditional Thai style by local craftspeople. The borders of the runways are planted with tropical flowers and you'll even find fresh fruit in the airport bathrooms, a lovely touch.
Sukhothai airport is privately owned by Bangkok Airlines, a measure of the numbers of tourists who want to fly to visit the ruins in the Sukhothai Historical Park. Like some budget airline destinations, Sukhothai airport is actually around 40kms away from Sukhothai itself. Sukhothai airport was built in 1996, and there are only 14 flights a week on average.
Just to complete the relaxed and laid-back feel of Sukhothai airport, flights from Sukhothai to Bangkok have a on-time percentage of 92%, a figure which would delight most European holiday airport operators.
At time of writing, Bangkok Airways fly from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport to Sukhothai every morning and afternoon during the summer months. Bangkok Airways flights to Sukhothai depart from Concourse A of Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok.
The morning flight is in fact Bangkok Airlines' regular service to Chiang Mai, with a stop-over in Sukhothai. So, it is also possible to fly with Bangkok Airways from Chiang Mai airport into Sukhothai, and out again to either Chiang Mai or Bangkok, if you fancy visiting more than one city on your holiday in Thailand. The flight from Bangkok takes one hour fifteen minutes, and the flight from Chiang Mai lasts one hour thirty minutes. It's a cosy flight, with generally only 70 seats available for purchase, so make sure you book early to secure your chosen flight dates. Bangkok Airlines do offer online booking, if you want to book your flights to Sukhothai in Thailand yourself.
The Bangkok Airways bus runs from the airport to both old and new Sukhothai hotels and guesthouses at a reasonable price. Alternatively, you can take a private taxi, or your Sukhothai hotel or guesthouse can arrange a private minibus transfer.
Getting There By Rail
There is no train station at Sukhothai itself, so to travel from Bangkok to Sukhothai by train, it's best to catch the express train to Phitsanulok and continue to Sukhothai by bus. The train journey time is under eight hours to reach Phitsanulok, but you'll see some beautiful Thai countryside on the way, and it's a lot more comfortable than the bus. The route from Bangkok to Bangkok to Sukhothai is via the aptly named Northern Line of the State Railway system, with Chiang Mai as the final destination. The Sate Railway timetable is a little confusing as to the differences between Rapid, Express and Special trains, let alone Special Express Diesel Railcar , but do have a go at deciphering it yourself at http://www.railway.co.th/English/Time_HTML.asp.
Generally speaking you have a choice of air-conditioned 2nd class seats during the day, or Express Railcars offer reclining seats and refreshments included in the price. Night services offer a choice of first class two berth compartments or second-class air-conditioned sleepers. If you travel second-class sleeper class with a friend, you can fight over the bottom bunk, which is slightly larger than the upper bunk, and priced accordingly.
Don't consider the incredibly cheap third class seat with fan option unless you really want to spend your journey being an object in intense curiosity for the entire compartment. The price difference between cool comfort and possibly wooden seats with minimal padding and over-curious neighbours is so small in the scheme of things, it's not even worth thinking about.
Also bear in mind that the sleeper services are geared towards arriving at a sensible time in Chiang Mai, not at Phitsanulok, where the night services drop you off at time well after midnight, or at an eye-wateringly early 4am. You will need to pre-book sleeper services; either book on line or ask your travel agent.
Getting There By Road
Bangkok to Sukhothai
Sukhothai is over 420kms from Bangkok, and you can hire a car and drive it yourself, if you are feeling confident. The journey crosses several provinces, including Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi and the impressive river and hill scenery of Kamphaeng Phet and Tak. (For more on driving in Sukhothai, see our Sukhothai Car Hire section below.)
However, it's probably easier and less stressful (and definitely cheaper) to take a bus from Bangkok to Sukhothai rather than drive. It has to be said, the seven-hour bus journey from Bangkok to Sukhothai is somewhat long, but it is a great way to see some beautiful Thai countryside. What's more, you'll certainly get plenty of opportunity to chat to the locals on the way, or swap stories with intrepid travellers such as yourself.
Air-conditioned buses from Bangkok to Sukhothai depart from Bangkok's Mochit 2 Bus Terminal every day, with most departures leaving during the morning. At a cost of less than a baht per km for the top class of bus, which are modern air-conditioned coaches, it's an absolute bargain. You can also travel with private bus companies such as Win Tour and Phitsanulok Yan Yon.
Phitsanulok to Sukhothai
From the central bus terminal, it's only 58km from Phitsanulok to Sukhothai, a bus journey that takes around an hour.
Chiang Mai to Sukhothai
If you'd rather catch a bus than a plane from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai, bus services run from the main Chiang Mai bus terminal and take around 4 hours to reach the new part of Sukhothai. Local bus services are also available, which take around five hours.
Mae Sot to Sukhothai
From the station behind Mae Sot market, you can catch a minibus to Sukhothai on a three-hour journey that also takes you through Tak.
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"Everything you ever wanted to know about Sukhothai transport"
