Ayutthaya
Cheap third-class trains from Bangkok are the classic way in, but most visitors arrive by minibus or first-class bus and then cross the river by a small passenger ferry to reach the temple island, getting around it by rented bicycle, tuk-tuk or songthaew.
- Researched
- 29 September 2026
- Reviewed
- not yet
- Ways of moving
- 9, 9 sources
- Not confirmed
- 4
- Fares seen
- 2020–2026
9 ways of moving, each with its rule
We confirmed nine ways of moving to, from or around Ayutthaya: two by rail and cable, three by road, two by water, one hired or on demand and one under your own steam, from 9 sources. Three of them run only on demand or when the seats are full, so there is no timetable to show; the rule is written where the timetable would be.
The fares were seen in 2020 to 2026; a fare from an older year is a floor, not a price. Two fares carry no year, because they could not be confirmed and the field says so. We rate 3 of the 9 high confidence, our own judgement of the sources. The entry was checked on 29 September 2026, and ends with four things we could not confirm.
By rail and cable
Bangkok–Ayutthaya intercity and ordinary trains
Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bang Sue) or historic Hua Lamphong to Ayutthaya railway station
Buy at the station ticket window; ordinary third-class trains have no seat reservation
- When
- Throughout the day
- Takes
- 1h 20m to 2h
- Fare 2026
- About 15 baht ordinary third-class from Hua Lamphong; from Krung Thep Aphiwat about 20 baht rapid third-class, 65 baht ordinary reserved, 245 baht rapid air-con reserved, 345 baht special express with air-con and a meal
SeasonYear-round. BookingOrdinary third-class needs no reservation; reserved classes are booked at the counter or online. Run byState Railway of Thailand.
SRT Bangkok Connex (BNEX) commuter feeder
Krung Thep Aphiwat, Don Mueang, Rangsit, Thammasat University, Bang Pa-In, Ayutthaya
Buy at the departure station shortly before the train leaves; not sold on the D-Ticket app
- When
- Six trains a day (three each way) on weekdays; four trains (two each way) on Saturday and Sunday, first departure 05:15 weekdays or 09:05 weekends
- Takes
- About 1h 15m
- Fare 2026
- 50 baht Bangkok to Ayutthaya
SeasonYear-round. BookingUnreserved seating; tickets are not capped in number so standing is possible. Run byState Railway of Thailand.
By road
Minibus from Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2)
Mo Chit 2 (Northern and Northeastern Bus Terminal) direct to Ayutthaya
Minibus stand on the other side of the road in front of the Northern Bus Terminal
- When
- When full
- Takes
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Fare 2020
- 70 baht (Feb 2020)Seen in 2020: a floor, not a price.
SeasonYear-round; can get stuck in Bangkok traffic. BookingNone, board and pay on the spot; limited space for large bags. Run byprivate minivan operators.
First-class air-con bus from Northern Bus Terminal
Mo Chit 2 (Northern and Northeastern Bus Terminal) to Ayutthaya BKS bus station by Chao Phrom Market
Ayutthaya-bound buses board at Mo Chit 2; in Ayutthaya the BKS station is on the south side of Naresuan Road
- When
- Every 20 minutes or so
- Takes
- Scheduled 1.5 hours, allow 2 with traffic
- Fare 2026
- 50 baht
SeasonYear-round. BookingNone, buy on board or at the terminal counter. Run byTransport Co. (Baw Khaw Saw).
Songthaew to Bang Pa-In
Chao Phrom Market, Chao Phrom Road, to Bang Pa-In Palace
Board at Chao Phrom Market next to the BKS bus station
- When
- Regularly from around 06:00
- Takes
- About 30-40 minutes
- Fare
- No current fare figure found
SeasonYear-round. BookingNone, pay on board. Run bylocal songthaew operators.
By water
Railway station river ferry to the island
Small pier opposite Ayutthaya railway station across the Pa Sak River to the town island
Walk across the main road from the station forecourt and down the small street straight ahead to the pier
- When
- Every few minutes, no fixed timetable
- Takes
- A few minutes
- Fare 2026
- 5 baht
SeasonYear-round; this crossing is the main way most visitors reach the island without realising the station itself is off it. BookingNone, pay the boatman. Run bylocal boat operators.
Longtail boat charter around the island
River loop around Ayutthaya island and along the Chao Phraya and Pa Sak rivers, passing riverside temples
Charter at the pier in front of Chanthara Kasem National Museum, at Pom Phet Pier, or at Wat Phananchoeng Pier
- When
- On demand
- Takes
- Varies by route chosen
- Fare
- Depends on the route and duration, no fixed published rate found
SeasonYear-round; river level affects which piers are usable. BookingNegotiate at the pier. Run byindependent boat owners at each pier.
Hired, booked and on demand
Temple-circuit tuk-tuk hire
Station or in-town pickup around the main ruins and Historical Park
Registered "tourist official" drivers wait at the station with a photo ID board at the south end of the platform; others can be flagged down on the street
- When
- On demand
- Takes
- Typically hired by the hour, 3 to 4 hours covers the main temples
- Fare 2026
- Official station drivers quote around 300 baht/hour; street tuk-tuks elsewhere often start near 200 baht/hour and are negotiable
SeasonYear-round. BookingNone, negotiate directly with the driver. Run byindependent tuk-tuk drivers.
On foot, by bike, or otherwise
Bicycle rental for the island
Ruins and temples across the walkable, paved paths of Ayutthaya island
Shops opposite the train station and along Naresuan Soi 2 among the guesthouses
- When
- Rent for the day
- Takes
- As needed
- Fare 2026
- Around 40 baht/day
SeasonYear-round; check tyres and brakes as bikes are not always well maintained. BookingNone, walk in. Run byindependent rental shops and guesthouses.
What we could not find out
4 things the researcher looked for and did not find, in their own words, with where to ask instead. None of this goes into the planner; it stays here until someone confirms it.
- 01
Flood season: Bangkok Post reported 'Ayutthaya floods in 12 districts' (12 Oct 2025) and '83 ancient sites in Ayutthaya inundated, all outside Koh Muang' (15 Oct 2022), and the Straits Times reported 'Monks and troops protect Thailand's Ayutthaya temples as Chao Phraya rises' (24 Sep 2026), but all three were only reachable through Google News redirect links that would not resolve to the publisher's own URL in this session, so no fare, closure date or duration claim from them is included here. Someone checking closures ahead of a rainy-season visit (roughly Sept-Nov) should search bangkokpost.com and straitstimes.com directly for these headlines, or ask at the Historical Park ticket office.
- 02
Victory Monument minivans: the brief expects minivans direct from Victory Monument, but Bangkok's own Wikivoyage article states minibuses to other provinces were relocated from Victory Monument Square to the three public bus terminals since October 2016, with free shuttle buses covering the gap. The Ayutthaya minivan option in this file is therefore sourced to the Northern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2), not Victory Monument directly - worth confirming on the ground whether any informal Victory Monument departures have since reappeared.
- 03
No current published fare was found for the Chao Phrom Market–Bang Pa-In songthaew or for the longtail boat charters; ask the driver or boatman directly.
- 04
Ayutthaya Historical Park admission/zone ticket prices and any flood-related site closures were not confirmed from a reachable government or Fine Arts Department source in this session.
What the planner can route today
The options above live on the place page, not in the departure board: a boat that comes when you phone has no time to show. What the board can do for Ayutthaya is this.
- Y
- Scheduled flightsBangkok (DMK), 49 km
- Y
- Trains and coachesTransitous carries 1 timetable feed for this country, 0 with real-time
- N
- Ferriesno crossing within 25 km
- Y
- Driving and taxiOpenStreetMap roads; cab fare from the country band
- N
- Bike and scooter shareno share feed known
- N
- Cruisesno open itinerary source anywhere
Y routable now · F found, not yet implemented · N no source known.