Thailand has a wide range of transport options that make it very easy to travel through the country affordably and relatively quickly. Discover detailed guide to Thailand domestic travel with everything you need to know about the most popular routes for bus travel, train travel, taking ferry, Thailand internal flights and transport tickets.
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Thailand Domestic Travel
Thailand has few domestic full-service and low-cost airlines, a comprehensive railway network, numerous bus companies, a massive minibus network and ferries providing easy access to all major islands.
Thailand Domestic Air Travel
Domestic flights are well developed in Thailand.
THAI Airways and Bangkok Airways are the major full-service airlines on the internal flight network. Low-cost carriers such as Thai AirAsia, Thai Lionair and Nok Air make traveling by air inside Thailand convenient for a very reasonable price.
Fares with the low-cost carriers are often comparable to train or bus fares, especially if you book online far enough in advance. Airline tickets can be purchased online direct with the airlines or through travel agents and third-party flight agencies.
The most popular domestic airports you might consider taking a flight to:
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) – Thailand’s main hub mostly used for long-haul and full-service flights to Bangkok
Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) – Bangkok’s second airport well connected with all Thailand regions and other Southeast Asian countries by low-cost carriers
Phuket International Airport (HKT) – the third busiest airport in the country serving as the main gateway to the biggest island of Thailand which is Phuket
Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) – the main travel hub of Northern Thailand located in Chiang Mai
Krabi International Airport (KBV) – connection for popular destinations in Krabi province such as Ao Nang, Railay, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta
Samui Airport (USM) – the main gateway to Koh Samui and nearby islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao
Surat Thani Airport (URT) – the main airport of Surat Thani province that can be used as a more budget friendly option for reaching Koh Samui, Koh Phangan
Chumphon Airport (CJM) – more direct tourist gateway from Bangkok to the islands of the Gulf of Thailand, especially Koh Tao
Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI) – Thailand’s northernmost airport can useful if you are visiting Chiang Rai, Golden Triangle or planning a trip to Luang Prabang in Laos by Mekong river
Udon Thani International Airport (UTH) – the main domestic travel hub of Isaan region which is useful for overland border crossing to Vientiane, the capital of Laos
U-Tapao International Airport (UTP) – airport conveniently connecting beach resort Pattaya and Koh Samet island with destinations in Southern, Northern and Northeast Thailand
Hat Yai International Airport (HDY) – airport of the fourth largest city in Thailand Hat Yai which can be useful if planning a crossing overland to Malaysia
Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport (NST) – connecting Bangkok and the capital of Nakhon Si Thammarat Province which is the second largest province in the south
Ranong Airport (UNN) – gateway of Ranong town which can be used as a starting point of the trip to Koh Phayam or for a visa run by boat to Myanmar
The most popular routes for domestic flights in Thailand are:
Flights from Bangkok to Phuket
Flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Flights from Bangkok to Koh Samui
Domestic flight tickets can be booked through this search form.
Thailand Domestic Train Travel
Thailand’s rail network is operated by State Railways of Thailand (SRT). Traveling by Thailand train is largely safe, comfortable but slow. The trains tend to start their journey on time, but arrival most probably will be an hour or two later than scheduled.
The main train station in Bangkok as well as the center of train travel in Thailand currently is Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal station in the northern part of the city. The old Bangkok Train Station called Hua Lamphong Railway Station.
Thailand’s rail network consists of four railway lines.
The Northern Line connects Bangkok with Chiang Mai via Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Phitsanulok and Lampang.
The Northeastern Line has two branches with one branch running from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani via Korat and Surin and the other is linking the capital city with Nong Khai via Khon Kaen and Udon Thani.
The Eastern Line also has two branches with one branch running from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet on the Cambodian border and the other connecting Bangkok with Si Racha and Pattaya.
The Southern Line extends from Bangkok via Hua Hin, Chumphon and Surat Thani to Hat Yai, where it continues to Butterworth in Malaysia and makes it possible to travel down south to Singapore after changing the train. There are branches to Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang on this line too. At Nakhon Pathom a branch of this line goes to Nam Tok via Kanchanaburi and the Bridge on the River Kwai.
Tickets for sleeper services should be purchased in advance. It can be done online or from stations at a maximum of 60 days in advance.
Fares depend on the class of seat and on the speed of the train. Hard third-class seats are much cheaper than buses. For longer journeys it would be wise to opt for the padded and reclining seats in second class. On long-distance trains, second-class berths, with day seats that convert into comfortable curtained-off bunks in the evening and first class air-con sleeping compartments should be the options to choose from.
The most popular train routes in Thailand are:
Train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Train from Bangkok to Surat Thani (for ferry to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan)
Train from Bangkok to Chumphon (for ferry to Koh Tao)
Train tickets can be booked through this search form.
Thailand Domestic Travel by Bus
Buses might be the most convenient way of getting around Thailand. They are connecting most provincial capitals and then linking them with smaller towns by secondary services.
Few types of buses are used for inter-town traveling in Thailand.
Fan-cooled ordinary buses usually can be seen on shorter routes in more remote parts of the country, but they are getting less common in the country. On most routes, including nearly all services out of Bangkok, regular air-con buses are used. These basic buses are inexpensive and generally run frequently during daylight hours. The ride can be slow because they pack in as many people as possible and stop often.
First-class and VIP buses, offering express services, with fewer stops, are the best option for long-distance journeys. First-class buses have fewer seats and more leg room for reclining than regular buses. VIP buses have even fewer seats and are often positively luxurious. These buses are still reasonably priced and usually the more you pay the larger and more comfortable your seating is.
Tickets can be bought from the departure terminal at the bus station, online direct with the bus company or through travel agents. Tickets for the more popular routes should be booked at least a day in advance.
All provincial capitals have at least one dedicated bus station. They are usually located not in the central part of town and a ride with local bus, tuk tuk, songthaew or taxi is required for reaching it.
There are currently three main bus terminals in Bangkok and you choose the one depending on your destination. Mochit Bus Terminal is mainly serving buses going to the northern and northeastern parts of Thailand, while Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal is used by buses going south and Ekkamai Bus Terminal is serviced by buses and minivans running to destinations in Eastern Thailand such as Rayong, Chonburi, Trat, Chanthaburi and tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Sriracha, Sattahip, Koh Chang or Koh Samet.
The most popular bus routes in Thailand are:
Bus tickets can be booked through this search form.
Minivans
Another popular mean of transport for domestic travel in Thailand used all over the country is private air-conditioned minivans. They run more frequently than inter-town buses and cover the distance faster, but they are often driven by maniacs at excessive speed and they can be uncomfortably cramped when full.
Minibuses are generally operating out of small offices or pavement desks in town centres but in some towns and cities authorities are trying to consolidate minibuses to central bus stations. The roads around Bangkok’s Victory Monument, once the busiest minibus pick-up point, were emptied of minibuses and they were moved to bus stations around Bangkok. While minivans operate in all three main Bangkok bus terminals, the largest selection of minivan routes is available at Mochit Van Terminal.
Some of minibus services have a timetable, but usually they depart when they’re full. Tickets are most easily bought at the minibus office or pavement desk. Fares are reasonable, usually about the same of air-con buses. If you have a specific departure time in your mind, pre-booking minivan tickets might be a good idea.
Songthaews
In rural areas, the bus network is often supplemented by songthaews (literally “two rows”). They are modified pick-up trucks or occasionally cattle-trucks, with two parallel bench seats installed on the rear part.
Songthaews usually have set routes from larger towns out to their surrounding suburbs and villages, and between small towns with no regular bus service.
Songthaews sometimes operate from local bus stations but in most towns they can be found parked near the market.
The cost of inter-town songthaews is comparable to that of air-con buses.
Thailand Domestic Travel by Ferry
Regular ferries connect all major Thailand islands with the mainland. Quality of vessels and safety standards can vary considerably but usually they are adequate.
For the vast majority of crossings ticket can be simply bought on board. Tickets or the more popular routes can be booked online. Prices are quite low and fares tend to vary with the speed of the crossing.
The most popular ferry routes in Thailand are:
Ferry from Krabi to Koh Phi Phi
Ferry from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi
Ferry from Surat Thani to Koh Samui
Ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan
Ferry from Chumphon to Koh Tao
Ferry tickets can be booked through this search form.
Longtail Boats
While many of the more popular islands rely mainly on large passenger speedboats and ferries for transport, smaller islands can be reached almost exclusively by longtail boats. These boats can carry between eight and twenty passengers.
On popular fixed routes it is possible to wait until the boatman gets his wanted number of passengers and to get a fixed price for the route, otherwise chartering the whole boat is needed.
Transport Tickets
Different means of transportation can be compared and tickets for air, ground and sea transportation can be booked through this search form.
