Sukhothai is one of the most impressive cities when it comes to exploring Thai ruins. It captures the essence of northern Thailand, even though it is located much further south than the popular Chiang Mai. This makes it a great stop between Bangkok and northern Thailand. In this guide, we’ll explain how to get from Bangkok to Sukhothai and which means of transport best suits your needs.
The distance between Bangkok and Sukhothai is about 450 kilometers, with relatively good roads connecting them. It’s one of those journeys where you might question whether the environmental impact of flying is justified, given that the roads, while decent, aren’t as fast as those in some other countries.
Flying is undoubtedly the fastest way to get from Bangkok to Sukhothai. However, there are only a few flights available each day, all operated by a single airline, Bangkok Airways. Prices are fairly competitive, starting at around 30 euros one way, with a flight time of just over an hour.
If you choose to fly from Bangkok, you’ll need to go to Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)(map), which is accessible via the Airport Rail Link train. For just 30 baht (about one dollar), this train connects Phaya Thai and Makkasan stations to the airport. Alternatively, a taxi ride will cost around ten euros and usually takes about 40 minutes from most parts of the city.
In Sukhothai, you’ll need to take local transport to reach the ruins, as the airport is about 30 kilometers from the city. The same airline also offers a reasonably priced bus service to get you there.
Personally, we prefer to travel between Bangkok and Sukhothai by bus. Although it takes around seven hours, the departure point in Bangkok is the Mochit station, which is much more accessible than the airport, and the bus drops you off in the city center.
While the overall travel time from leaving your hotel in Bangkok to arriving in Sukhothai may be about twice as long when taking the bus, the journey is made more comfortable by VIP buses that cost around ten euros. These buses are extremely comfortable, and you can buy tickets online.
Taking the bus is also a more environmentally friendly option, which is why we often recommend traveling from Bangkok to Sukhothai this way.
Thailand‘s train network is extensive and generally very comfortable. Unfortunately, there is no direct train station in Sukhothai, so the alternative is to travel from Bangkok’s central Aphiwat station (located quite far from the city center) to the region of Phitsanulok, which takes about four and a half hours.
Once you arrive in Phitsanulok, you still have around 70 kilometers to travel to reach Sukhothai. Thankfully, buses now operate regularly between Phitsanulok and Sukhothai, with tickets costing around three euros. You only need to get from the Phitsanulok train station to the bus station, and the bus journey takes about an hour. Tickets can also be purchased online.
If you’re a fan of train travel, this option might appeal to you. However, the need to transfer between train and bus makes the journey slower than going directly by bus. Regardless of how you choose to travel from Bangkok to Sukhothai, it will undoubtedly be worth it to experience the ruins that this ancient city has to offer.
