If you are in Bangkok, you will likely find yourself in Sukhumvit. This is a very popular neighborhood, home to famous shopping malls and nightlife hubs. Some of the best things to visit in Sukhumvit include Terminal 21, Emporium, Nana Plaza, and Soi Cowboy.
Many visitors choose to stay in Sukhumvit due to its well-connected public train system, with both MRT subways and BTS skytrains running through this area.
In this article, I will help you to look at the most popular ways to get to Sukhumvit, which include taking trains, taxi, and even canal boats. I will also show you how to get to Sukhumvit from other popular areas like Suvarnabhumi Airport, the Old Town, Khao San Road, Chinatown, or Siam/ Pratunam.
4 Popular Ways to get to Sukhumvit
1. BTS skytrains
The BTS skytrain runs through the heart of Sukhumvit on Sukhumvit Road. Major BTS train stations in this area include Nana, Asok, Phrom Phong, Thong Lor, and Ekamai.
This BTS skytrain Sukhumvit line will take you directly to famous sights in Bangkok like CentralWorld, Siam Paragon, Pratunam Market, and Chatukchak Weekend Market.
Asok Station is the major transport hub in Bangkok where you can get BTS sky train and transfer to MRT underground train at Sukhumvit MRT station. From Asok Station, you can walk to Terminal 21, Soi Cow Boy, and Korean Town.
Nana Station is also a popular station in Sukhumvit. You can use this station to get to Sukhumvit Soi 11, Nana Plaza, Korean Town, or Soi Arab.
If you are enjoying luxury shopping, you can take the BTS skytrain to Phrom Phong Station. This station is within walking distance to several high-end malls like Emporium, EmQuartier, and EmSphere.
To get to the trendy area of Thong Lor and Ekkamai, you can use Thong Lor or Ekkamai Station. These areas are known for its wide range of Korean and Japanese restaurants, cafes, and malls.
2. MRT underground trains
The MRT line runs past Asok Montri Road in Sukhumvit with one stop called Sukhumvit MRT Station. This station is just a few minutes walk from Asok BTS Station, making it an important train hub in Bangkok.
You can use the MRT train to visit famous night markets, and historical attractions like Wat Pho, Grand Palace, Chinatown, Pat Pong Night Market, Jodd Fairs Night Market, and Chatukchak Weekend Market.
3. Taxi, Grab, Bolt
Taxis are plentiful in Sukhumvit and Bangkok. When using taxis, just be aware of common taxi scams, by using metered taxis, Grab, Bolt, or agreeing on the price before getting in the car.
I’d also suggest avoiding taxis during rush hour since traffic in Bangkok is pretty awful during this period. If you need to go somewhere, plan ahead and avoid these times from 7 am and 8.30 am and from 5 pm to 7.30 pm.
It is also hard to order Grab, Bolt, or InDriver during rush hours. In this case, you can just flag down the regular taxi along the road for faster access to the destination.
4. Canal Boat
You can use the canal boat at Saen Saep Canal, located in the northern area of Sukhumvit. The express boat service runs everyday from early morning to 7-8pm.
This NIDA boat line runs between Wat Sriboonreung Pier and Pratunam Pier. To travel between Bangkok Old Town and Sukhumvit, you need to transfer from the NIDA boat to Golden Mount Line boat at Pratunam Pier.
The Golden Mount Line Boat Service will take you to Jim Thompson House Museum, and end up at Panfa Leelard Pier near the Golden Mount. From this pier, you can walk to Khao San Road and Old Town.
Some piers in this part of Sukhumvit include Nana Nua Pier on Sukhumvit Soi 3 (Soi Arab), Nana Chard on Sukhumvit Soi 15, Asok Pier near Phetchaburi MRT station, Thonglor, and many other piers.
From Suvarnabhumi Airport
By Airport Rail Link + BTS skytrain
To reach Sukhumvit from Suvarnabhumi airport, you can use the combination of Airport Rail Link and BTS skytrain. You can take the 30 mins train ride from the airport to Phaya Thai Station, then transfer to the BTS train to reach the BTS station near your hotel in Sukhumvit.
Take note that all public trains in Bangkok only run from 6.00am to 24.00am (midnight). If you arrive late at night or early in the morning, it is better to take a private taxi to get to your destination.
By Airport Rail Link + MRT underground train
If you are within walking distance from the Sukhumvit MRT train, you can consider taking the airport rail link to Makkasan Station, then transfer to the MRT train at Phetchaburi Station. It is just one stop from Sukhumvit MRT Station.
Taking Airport Rail Link and MRT trains is convenient for those who stay around the Asok area and around Sukhumvit Station. It is quicker than taking the Airport train and BTS train.
By taxi, Grab
The taxi ride from Bangkok Airport to Sukhumvit is around 40 minutes to one hour. The price is from 300 baht to 500 baht with a toll fee. You can easily order a public metered taxi at the taxi counter on level 1. If you book a private transfer with your hotel, it can be more expensive, around 1000 baht.
From Bangkok Old Town
You can get to Sukhuvit from Bangkok Old Town by using a private taxi or public transport. The Old Town is served by two MRT train stations Sam Yot and Sanam Chai. Sanam Chai Station is located just a few minutes walk from Wat Pho and the Grand Palace.
Depending on your location in Old Town, you can walk or use a short tuk tuk ride to get to the MRT Station to take the MRT line to Sukhumvit Station. From Sukhumvit Station, you can transfer to the BTS line easily by walking to Asok Station.
If you enjoy taking canal rides. You can walk/ take a short motorbike taxi ride to Panfa Leelard Pier to take the Golden Mount Boat Line to get to Pratunam Pier. From Pratunam Pier, transfer to NIDA Boat to get to your destination in Sukhumvit. The boat runs frequently from 6am to 7pm every day.
From Khao San Road
From Khao San Road, you can walk for 20 minutes to Sam Yot MRT Station to get the MRT train to Sukhumvit Station. Another way is to walk for around 10 minutes, to Panfa Leelard Pier, to get a boat to Pratunam Pier, then transfer to another boat to Sukhumvit.
From Chinatown
From Chinatown, you can take the MRT train at Wat Mangkon Station to Sukhumvit Station. The train ride is 20 minutes and it costs 32 baht. Otherwise, you can always opt for a taxi or Grab if you want a more private option.
From Siam/ Pratunam
Siam and Pratunam are located right next to Sukhumvit and very well-connected to Sukhumvit BTS skytrain. You can easily take the BTS train to get to Sukhumvit from Siam and Pratunam. The train ride is only a few minutes.
Siam Station is located within walking distance from major malls like CentralWorld, Siam Paragon, Siam Square, or Siam Discovery. The closest stations to Pratunam Market and Platinum Fashion malls are located either at Ratchathewi Station or Chit Lom,more than 10 minutes away.
I hope you enjoy reading my short guide on transportation in Sukhumvit, and know how to get to this area by train and taxi. It is a great hub of Bangkok to enjoy shopping, dining, and nightlife. See more: Best places to Stay in Bangkok.