Does anyone know if the new International airport in Bangkok has opened yet and is it ( or will it )be domestic as well as international ? I'm thinking maybe the old international will become the new domestic ? Thanks.

Late June 2006 is still the latest word, despite a fire a month ago.

It will handle both international and domestic flights, but there are talks of the low cost airlines staying behind.

Many people are betting it won't be open in June. I've got a visit there scheduled for mid-March, and I'll probably get a better idea from the project manager.

The idea of letting the low cost carriers continue to use Don Muang is being questioned by a lot of people. Frankly, it's beginning to look like Thailand may have a new government before June, so just about all bets are off.

How much difference if there going to be in travel time to downtown from the new airpot compared to the old?
Thanks J

not much...

It currently takes 20-40 minutes to get into town. I've been told that it will be 60-90 minutes from the new airport so there will be a big difference. Supposedly they are trying to address it but they have not thus far.

It will be a mess in traffic. Last summer, it took an hour and a half for me to get from the airport to the Oriental...but then again I asked not to take the toll road because I wanted to jot downs places of interest while being driven through the streets. But, I have taken a taxi, using toll roads, to the Pen and it's taken an hour. And the new airport is way out to the east, I believe, so it will probably take forever. It's good I'm staying at Emporium apartments these days, which is east and should thus hopefully cut off a chunk of taxi time. Happy Travels!

Since they built the toll road it has never taken me more than 30 minutes to get from the airport to the Oriental. It's been fabulous. I've been told it will be at least double and perhaps 3 times longer to get to and from the new one.

i believe the new toll road to the new airport is being built, but that may take for ever....in 90 minutes from bangkok you could get almost to pattaya so i think this estimate is a bit high...

I (finally) have my tickets to Bangkok in November. I'm not counting on the new airport being open yet... lol!

where else are you going this time Kathie?

This is all great info. I wonder when we will really know when the airport will be open. One would assume that there would be a fair bit of notice. Wonder who will be the first person on this board to use the new location. That will have to be a special report for sure!

J

I timed my travel time from the airport to the Oriental...not using the toll road. I was curious to see how long it would take and it took an hour and a half. I wrote it down on a piece of paper...time that I left the airport and time that I arrived at the hotel. It also took about the same time when I stayed at the Pen the previous summer. So,if folks are going to that area of BK, without using the toll road, plan accordingly...just in case. Happy Travels!

Thanks for all the information. We are going in July so maybe we will be the first on here to experience the new one!? However as it is going to take four trips to and from the airport during our stay perhaps I am hoping the existing airport is still functioning if the new one is going to take 60-90 minutes!

Though other than as an experiemnt, I can't imagine why someone would choose not to use the toll road. I used to go to Bangkok in the days before the toll road (yes, I'm OLD) and it was common for it to take one and a half to two hours to get to the Royal Orchid. Now it's 45 minutes or less at the times I travel.

We are going in July - August - and have 6 trips in all between the airport and the river. Here's hoping that there are further delays in the new airport opening...

Presumably Bangkok Air and Thai (domestic) are not low cost airlines? so would theoretically transfer from don muang to the new airport?

I park at Bangna which is roughly near Novotel Bangna and cab from there, though it's a good few months, the cabs go around back ways, can't remember how long it took, the journey time is going to depend on what become the established routes and just how busy they get, you can't really judge at the moment potential traffic levels, but zooming past on the expressway last month bypassing to the south of center it wasn't too bad.

For those who are making plans there is a Novotel being built at the new airport but 'meanwhile' the 'other' Novotel which has been around a good while, that is the Novotel Bangna is an option for those perhaps making plans for much later in the year like October who want to settle an overnight near the airport without waiting for the new hotel to open or whatever, it's about USD 63-70 inc breakfast, tax etc.

Yes, I recommend to take the toll road. But, I remember my very first time to Bangkok,back in the 90s, I didn't know that the toll road would be that much quicker than the regular road since I'm not usually used to dealing with toll roads. And a couple trips ago when I chose not to take the toll road, as I mentioned, it was so that I could check out the layout of more of the city and jot down interesting places I passed along the way. I kind of used it in a ...as if I were on a tour bus kind of way. It was one fixed price anyway. Happy Travels!

I had an email from Quality Suites Airport where we are booked to stay on 01/09/2006 saying they only pick up from Don Muang , they are not 100% sure is the new airport will be operating just warning us.
We are flyimg AirAsia the next day so hoping it will be delayed further

an expat told me this week that a thai air capt. told him 2007 now...