Plan Trip
Getting around Thailand
Thailand is one of the easiest countries in Asia to move around. The decisions that actually cost people money or time are narrow ones: how to leave the airport, whether to fly or take the train, and what to do with your bags on the last day.
From the airport
Grab or meter
In daylight with light bags, a ride-hailing app or the official meter taxi queue is cheapest.
Book ahead when
late or heavy
A 1am landing, a family, or a lot of luggage is when a fixed-price transfer earns its premium.
Checkout gap
store the bags
Thai checkout is usually 11am or noon. Evening flights leave a long dead afternoon.
Leaving the airport
Ride-hailing (Grab, Bolt, InDrive)
Usually the cheapest and least stressful option, with the price agreed before you get in and no negotiation. Every major Thai airport has a designated pickup zone — follow the signs rather than anyone approaching you in the hall. You need data to book, which is the practical reason to sort a SIM or eSIM before you land.
Official meter taxi queue
Every airport has a public taxi rank with a ticket machine. Insist on the meter. At Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang expect a small airport surcharge plus any expressway tolls, which are paid on top and are legitimate.
Airport Rail Link (Bangkok only)
From Suvarnabhumi into central Bangkok, the rail link is fast and very cheap and completely bypasses the traffic, which at rush hour is not a small consideration. It works best with light luggage and a hotel near a BTS or MRT station.
Pre-booked private transfer
A fixed price agreed in advance, a driver waiting with a sign, and a vehicle sized to your group. It costs more than a taxi and is worth it in three specific cases: a late-night or early-morning flight, travelling with children or a lot of luggage, or a long transfer where a metered fare is unpredictable.
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Kiwitaxi
Pre-booked private transfers across Thai airports and resort towns, with the price fixed when you book. Worth it for the three cases above — a late landing, a group, or a long transfer — and not worth it for a solo daytime arrival into central Bangkok, where Grab will be cheaper.
Check transfer pricesKiwitaxi ↗Between cities
| Mode | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic flight | Long distances — Bangkok to Phuket, Krabi, or Chiang Mai | Often barely more than a bus once you value the day you get back. Book ahead for the cheap fares. |
| Overnight train | Bangkok to Chiang Mai or the south | Second-class sleeper is comfortable, sociable, and saves a night of accommodation. Book early — berths sell out. |
| Long-distance bus | Anywhere the train does not go | Extensive and cheap. Government buses from official terminals are the safer choice over tourist minivans sold on the street. |
| Ferry | Islands — Samui, Phangan, Tao, Phi Phi, Lanta | Usually sold as a combined bus-and-boat ticket. Sea conditions can cancel crossings in monsoon season. |
Day trips and tickets
Island hopping, elephant sanctuaries, cooking classes, and temple day trips are all sold through the big Asian activity platforms, usually cheaper than booking through a hotel desk and with clearer cancellation terms. Prices between the two below differ enough on the same tour that it is worth checking both.
Klook
The deepest Thailand inventory of the two, and usually the one with airport transfers, attraction tickets, and SIM pickup bundled alongside tours.
Browse Thailand activitiesKlook ↗KKday
Strong across Asia and frequently cheaper on the same day trip. Worth a price check before booking anything on the other platform.
Compare on KKdayKKday ↗The last-day luggage problem
Thai hotels check out at 11am or noon. A lot of long-haul flights leave late at night. That leaves a ten-hour afternoon that is genuinely unpleasant to spend dragging a suitcase around Bangkok in the heat. Most hotels will hold bags for free if you ask — always ask first. If you have already checked out of the area entirely, or you are between two stays, paid storage near a BTS or MRT station solves it for a few hundred baht.
Radical Storage
A network of shops and hotels that hold luggage by the day. Thai coverage is Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Rai, and Koh Samui — there are no listings yet for Krabi, Ayutthaya, Hua Hin, or the smaller islands, so for those, ask your hotel.
Find storage in BangkokRadical Storage ↗Next