Head north from Bangkok to visit one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the ancient city of Sukhothai, once the capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom. Today, the modern city of Sukhothai, located 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) west of the ruins, offers accommodation and restaurants to suit all budgets, making it a great place to stay when exploring the ruins and the surrounding area. Sukhothai has become a popular escape from the chaos of Bangkok and is easily accessible from the Thai capital.
By bus, van, train or plane from Bangkok to Sukhothai?
From Bangkok to Sukhothai, it is 427 kilometers (267 miles), a fairly reasonable distance. We recommend planning your trip in advance as it can take up to a day to travel from one city to another. The good thing is that there are various transport options available, including high-speed flights and cheap buses. Read on to discover all the possibilities.
Flights from Bangkok to Sukhothai
Bangkok Airways uses propeller plane to fly from Bangkok to Sukhothai © Sudpoth Sirirattanasakul / Shutterstock.com
Although the new city of Sukhothai is not very large, it has its own airport, so flying from Bangkok to Sukhothai is a viable option. The flight takes 1 hour and 20 minutes, making it the fastest way to get to Sukhothai, even adding in the time it takes to get to the airport, check in and go through security. Upon arrival at Sukhothai Airport, you will need to make your way to the city center which is 30 kilometers (19 miles) away, but this will not be a problem as there are plenty of taxis and shuttle buses waiting for each flight. If you have booked your hotel in advance, you can choose the hotel shuttle bus option for a reasonable price. The journey takes approximately 20-30 minutes.
As you might expect, flying from Bangkok to Sukhothai isn’t the cheapest option, but it’s so quick that you can even visit Sukhothai Historical Park and return to Bangkok on the same day, thus saving on accommodation costs. There are three daily flights from Bangkok, one early morning, one midday and one afternoon, with flights operated by Bangkok Airways departing from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. There are also three flights a day to return to the capital.
From Bangkok to Sukhothai by bus
Bangkok Morchit Bus Station © Hafiz Johari / Shutterstock.com
A large number of tourists choose to travel around Thailand by bus as it is a very affordable option. No doubt for those traveling on a budget, the bus from Bangkok to Sukhothai is the cheapest option and is ideal if you have some time as the journey is quite long.
There are several companies that operate this route, departing from the Morchit Bus Terminal in Bangkok, going directly to Sukhothai Bus Station. Both Transport Co Intl and Phitsanulok Tour have several options depending on how much you want to spend. The cheapest is the Express bus, which has air conditioning, a toilet, snacks and hostess service. If you pay a little more, you can take the VIP bus, which includes a meal and has a TV on board. Buses depart several times a day and the journey takes approximately 8 hours. There is also a night bus, but keep in mind that with less traffic on the roads it will cover the journey in less than 8 hours. This may sound like a good option, but if you cannot reach your accommodation by a certain time in the morning, you may have to wait several hours at the train station.
Van from Bangkok to Sukhothai
Vans in Bangkok / Shutterstock.com
If you want to travel by car but don’t want to share the bus with many other passengers, you can choose a van. For a similar price to the VIP bus, you can book a van with Tara Tour and Travel, and the trip should be shorter than the bus. The downside of this option is that onboard services are more basic as the vans do not have toilets or hostesses.
Take a taxi from Bangkok to Sukhothai
A private taxi is the most expensive way to travel from Bangkok to Sukhothai, but it is also probably the most flexible. If you don’t mind paying a surcharge, a glassflower-operated taxi will pick you up from your hotel in Bangkok at the time you choose and drop you off at your hotel in Sukhothai. This is a very flexible option as you can even ask the driver to stop along the way to visit a different place or to stretch your legs. You can make this trip by car or van. If you’re traveling with a group of friends or family, the van can accommodate up to 9 passengers and splitting the total cost will make the trip more affordable.
From Bangkok to Sukhothai by train
Phitsanulok Railway Station © pittaya / Shutterstock.com
The last option is to travel by train. It is not a fast means of transport, but traveling by train in Thailand is inexpensive and allows you to enjoy beautiful views along the way. There is no train station in Sukhothai, so you will have to go to Phitsanulok town. This will cover most travel from Bangkok as this city is only 60 kilometers (37.5 miles) from Sukhothai by road. Take a tuk-tuk to the bus station and from there take a bus that will take about an hour to reach your destination. The train journey to Phitsanulok takes 5 to 7 hours.
Here are the different travel options from Bangkok to Sukhothai. There is an alternative for all budgets and schedules. Note that if you don’t have time, you can also fly to Sukhothai in the morning and return to Bangkok in the evening.