Sukhothai to Bangkok

Travelling to Bangkok from Sukhothai is easy and straightforward with a wide range of travel options that include buses and flights if you are looking for direct transfer and trains and more flights – if you are ready to connect via Phitsanulok. This 420 km journey from Sukhothai to Bangkok can take you from a mere one hour by direct flight to 10 hours in case of bus+train combination. As Bangkok is the main transportation hub in Thailand, you can then continue your journey over the country further west, south or east or hop onto an international flight.

Flights from Sukhothai to Bangkok

As always, the fastest way to get to Bangkok from Sukhothai is to fly. But with direct flights provided only by the ‘boutique’ Bangkok Airways airline, do not expect tickets to be dirt cheap (THB2000 one-way). There is one morning, one afternoon and one evening flight, all bringing you to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport in 75 minutes.

Sukhothai airport is located 35km north of the new city or 40km from the historical park and Old city. The cheapest option to get to the airport is to take the airport shuttle bus (THB180-THB300), but taxis are also available.

A cheaper but longer way to get to Bangkok from Sukhothai is to take a flight from Phitsanulok. Getting from Sukhothai to Phitsanulok is easy and will cost you just under THB100 by bus (1 hour). Phitsanulok is served by several low cost airlines, including Nok Air and AirAsia. Both offer similarly priced tickets (around THB1200) but if you are lucky to grab one of their promotional tickets you can sometimes fly for mere THB600.

In Bangkok these airlines are based in Don Mueang airport which has recently received a couple of new airport bus routes linking it to the centre of Bangkok and the backpackers headquarters in Khao San Road, the latter route being an absolute hit.

If you need to continue your journey immediately after arriving to Bangkok, keep in mind that Suvarnabhumi airport is connected to many destinations throughout the country by bus. There are buses to Hua Hin and Pattaya; Koh Chang and Koh Samet.

Don Mueang is a better choice for cost-effective flights as Nok Air, AirAsia, Lion Air all use it as their hub with numerous destinations served both in Thailand and abroad.

From Sukhothai to Bangkok by bus

Travelling from Sukhothai to Bangkok by bus is one of the cheapest options. Tickets range from THB350-550 per person and can be booked online or at the ticket booth at the bus station in New Sukhothai.

In Sukhohai, the bus station is located around one-and-a-half kilometre from the main tourist area in New Sukhothai and is easily reachable by a short tuk-tuk ride. If you are staying anywhere around Old city, it is about 12 km to the bus station, though there is a possibility to hop onto a direct bus service from Sukhothai Historical park to Bangkok (limited number of departures throughout the day) or to Phitsanulok.

In Bangkok, buses will bring you direct to Morchit bus terminal and you can expect the journey to take up to 8 hours by bus. Upon arriving in Bangkok transfer to a taxi to take you to a short 10-minute ride to the Skytrain Morchit station. If you are going to continue your journey over Thailand, buses from Morchit cover a huge choice of destinations, mainly in the northeastern and northern Thailand, but Phuket, Kanchanaburi and Eastern Seaboard cities and towns are also serviced from there.

Morchit is a large bus terminal with a variety of amenities available including 7/11 convenience stores, food courts, toilets and waiting area. The staff is usually quite helpful and are always ready to direct you to where you want to get.

From Sukhothai to Bangkok by van

An alternative to a bus, minivans bring you from Sukhothai to Bangkok in about 6 hours. Note that there is no more terminus at Victory Monuments for vans: you will arrive to the same Morchit bus station. Taking into consideration the length of the trip, we would say that vans are less preferable than big buses.

It is a good idea though to check Ayutthaya on your way from Sukhothai to Bangkok to compare two of the former capitals of Siam. The distance from Sukhothai to Ayutthaya is 360 km, and buses cover it in about 5 hours.

From Ayutthaya, it is an easy 2-hour bus or van ride (THB80) to Bangkok’s Morchit bus terminal or a similarly short train journey.

From Sukhothai to Bangkok by taxi

A taxi from Sukhothai to Bangkok will cost you between THB6000 and THB7000 – if you decide to go by taxi and there are more than two of you, do order a van, not an ordinary car: it won’t cost you much more, but is a far way more comfy.

A better idea is to rent a car and to check a couple of other destinations enroute, including Kamphaeng Phet with its own historical park and more ruins and Sawan Nakhon, a city with strong Chinese influence, which you feel even passing it by: there is a huge dragon welcoming all guests at the main road.

From Sukhothai to Bangkok by train

It is not possible to travel from Sukhothai to Bangkok by train directly as there is no train station in Sukhothai with the nearest one located in the nearby town of Phitsanulok. Phitsanulok is an easy one-hour ride by bus and it also makes for a great stop, be it a couple-of-hours connection or a several day stopover.

Train journey from Phitsanulok to Bangkok takes just under 7 hours. There are a variety of train tickets available as well as a good choice of departures throughout the day, including a couple of late night options, so at the end of the day it may be quite a good idea to travel from Phitsanulok to Bangkok, especially if you are planning to continue your journey south by train or are staying somewhere in the centre of Bangkok: Hua Lamphong train station comes handy in both cases. Soft second class AC seats should cost around THB300 while berth can be as much as THB1000.

Note There are ladies only carriages, so if you are travelling as a solo woman traveller, consider this option.

Tip Do book train tickets in advance if travelling during high season and public holidays. If you happen to travel around New Year period, come prepared and buy tickets as early as possible. Trains are probably the only way to get to your destination in time if you need to move around the last days of December.

Onward travel from Bangkok

Need less to say that Bangkok is the main transportation hub in the whole country and the choice of destination to choose from is literally endless.

If you are after more ruins, then go west:a 3 hour bus journey will take you to the province of Kanchanaburi which is home to the ancient ruins of Prasat Mueang Sinh. This collection of Khmer ruins is considered the third most important of its kind in the country.

Heading east, check Phimai, the second largest Angkor era temple complex in Thailand, located in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima (from 4 to 5 hours by either bus or train).

Similarly, a 7 hour road or rail journey to the east will bring you to Buriram, home to Phanom Rung National Park – the number one in the list of ancient Khmer ruins in Thailand.

Finally, if you still have not enough old stones, there are direct flights and buses from Bangkok to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Direct buses leave from Bangkok’s Morchit bus terminal and Khao San Road daily in the morning between 8am and 9am for THB850-THB1000; the journey taking from 8 to 10 hours depending on situation at the border crossing.