Sukhothai is both a province and a city in the north of Thailand – just to the south of Chiang Mai. While it is visited by tourists, it’s nowhere near as busy as Ayutthaya or Chiang Mai, or Chiang Rai. Sukhothai is an important part of Thai history and is well worth a visit. The history of Sukhothai goes back to the year 1238 when Thailand was under Khmer (Cambodian) rule. The new kingdom of Sukhothai in the north stood against the Khmer Empire and fought, gaining control of the region. The Sukhothai Historical Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is well maintained and well worth the trip. It’s easy to get to Sukhothai and there are several options for transport between Bangkok and Sukhothai, but what’s the best way to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai? And what are the options for traveling to Sukhothai from Bangkok? Here’s our guide on how to get to Sukhothai from Bangkok.
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The kingdom of Sukhothai had nine kings and remained in power for 200 years, only ending when the Kingdom of Ayutthaya fought Sukhothai to become the new capital of Siam (you can read about Ayutthaya here). The remnants and remains of the Sukhothai Kingdom are a great, laid-back place to visit, but its distance from Bangkok (or Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai) means you’ll want to stay at least one night if not two).
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Where is Sukhothai
Sukhothai is about 427 kilometers (265 miles) north of Bangkok and 302 km south of Chiang Mai. It’s also 170 km (187.7 miles) east of Mae Sot, the border between Thailand and Myanmar. It takes around 6 hours to drive from Bangkok to Sukhothai.
Where to Stay in Sukhothai
There are a host of places to stay in Sukhothai – here’s our pick of the luxury places to stay in Sukhothai, mid-range places to stay in Sukhothai, and budget accommodation in Sukhothai.
Sriwilai Sukhothai (SHA Extra Plus), Sukhothai, Thailand: This fantastic four-star hotel in Sukhothai is located in the Historical Park area of the city. This top Sukhothai hotel’s rooms include amenities including air conditioning and free internet access. Rooms here also have coffee/tea machines, a nice morning breeze on the balcony, and there’s also a bar onsite. This luxury hotel in Sukhothai, also includes free toiletries, fluffy bathrobes, and a comfortable sofa for relaxing. Check availability of Sukhothtai’s top hotels here.
Legendha Sukhotai (SHA Certified), Sukhothai, Thailand: The Legendha Sukhothai (SHA Certified) is a mid-range hotel conveniently situated in the Historical Park part of Sukhothai. This mid-range Sukhothai hotel has air conditioning and internet access in all of its rooms. The Legendha has rooms with a minibar and a coffee/tea machine. There’s also a garden, karaoke, restaurant, and a bar in this great Sukhothai hotel. You’ll also get free toiletries, complimentary drinks, and a comfortable sofa too. While you are here, you can always have breakfast in the poolside bar or order room service. Read more reviews of Legendha Sukhotai (SHA Certified) here.
Thai Thai Sukhothai, Sukhothai, Thailand: The Thai Thai Sukhothai is a fabulous budget hotel located in the Historical Park area of Sukhothai. All of the rooms at this budget Sukhothai hotel have air conditioning and free internet access., and breakfast is offered on the scenic terrace. Our favorite budget hotel in Sukhothai offers a coffee/tea machine, a private bathroom, a refrigerator, cable TV, a seating area, and a desk in all its rooms. You’ll also get free toiletries and complimentary drinking water. See room rates here.
How to Go from Bangkok to Sukhothai – Transport Options
In this guide on how to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai, we’ll cover the fastest way to travel go from Bangkok to Sukhothai, the easiest way to go to Sukhothai from Bangkok, and the cheapest way to get to Sukhothai from Bangkok. There are no large buses that travel this route, road transport is minivans and taxis. Our guide on the best things to do in Sukhothai is here.
How to get to Sukhothai from Bangkok
For transport from Sukhothai to Bangkok, then you have several options. You can take a minivan from Bangkok to Sukhothai, you can take the train from Bangkok to Sukhothai or you can fly to Sukhothai from Bangkok. Visiting Sukhothai on a day trip from Bangkok is not feasible as it takes too long to get here (unless you fly!)
Fly from Bangkok to Sukhothai
The fastest way to get to Sukhothai from Bangkok is to fly. Flights from Bangkok take around 1 hour and 20 minutes. Flights depart Bangkok for Sukhothai from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to Sukhothai Airport (THS) and the flight schedule to Sukhothai from Bangkok is limited. You’ll also need to factor in your time getting to the airport in Bangkok and also from the Sukhothai airport, which is 30 km (18.6) from the city. The cheapest flight that you’ll find to Sukhothai from BKK is about US$32. Flights to Sukhothai from Bangkok are operated by Bangkok Air. There are two flights a day to Sukhothai from Bangkok – one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
- Check flight schedules from Bangkok to Sukhothai here.
- Book a morning flight to Sukhothai from Bangkok here
- Book an afternoon flight from Bangkok to Sukhothai here
When you arrive at Sukhothai Airport you will need to transfer from the airport to the city. Bangkok Airlines offers a transfer, for a fee, so if you book a flight you should check with them, alternatively book a transfer to Sukhothai from THS here.
Buses from Bangkok to Sukhothai
It’s about 427 kilometers (265 miles) by road from Bangkok to Sukhothai and buses from Bangkok to Sukhothai are the easiest way to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai. It takes about 7 hours to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai by bus and you’ll find lots of times available. Tourist buses to Sukhothai from Bangkok leave from the Mochit bus station and all Bangkok-Sukhothai tourist buses have air conditioning.
Mo Chit Bus station is also known as the Northern Bus Terminal, the Chatuchak Bus Terminal, or Mo-Chit 2 Bus Terminal.
Buses to Sukhothai depart throughout the day from Bangkok Mo Chit, all you’ll need to do is choose your seat – Select your seat here.
If you arrive at Mochit bus station to take a bus to Sukhothai then you’ll need to confirm the price and pay in cash. If you want to pay with a card, then you can book and select a seat here.
Pre-bookable buses start to leave Bangkok at 7 am and the last van leaves at 9 pm.
- Check morning departures from Bangkok to Sukhothai here
- Check afternoon times from Mo Chit to Sukhothai here
- Check night bus times from Bangkok to Sukhothai here
You don’t need to print a ticket for buses from Bangkok to Sukhothai, you can use an electronic ticket from your online booking from Bangkok to Sukhothai.
Online booking of buses to Sukhothai from Bangkok lets you select which seats you want and that’s a good thing as some seats are better than others for legroom!!
Check availability, prices, and book seats on buses from Bangkok to Sukhothai here.
Buses from Mo Chit bus station to Sukhothai arrive at the Sukhothai Bus Terminal which is about 2 km (1.2 miles) from the city of Sukhothai, which is where most hotels are. From there, you can take a songthaew or a tuk-tuk. Songthaews (shared trucks) will cost 20 THB to 30THB to take you and your bags to Sukhothai from the bus station. The blue songthaews will take you to the city.
A tuk-tuk to Sukhothai from the bus station costs about 60THB. If you plan to go straight to the Sukhothai Historical Park from the Sukhothai Bus Terminal then you’ll pay around 150 THB.
The benefit of a tuk-tuk over a songthaew is that you’ll get dropped off directly at your hotel or hostel.
Train from Bangkok to Sukhothai
While I love taking trains, especially in Thailand, the train from Bangkok to Sukhothai isn’t the best option. There’s no train to Sukhothai as there is no Sukhothai train station. You’ll need to take a train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok and then go from Phitsanulok to Sukhothai. Trains for Phitsanulok depart from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong station. The train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok takes about 4.5 hours and then to go to Sukhothai from Phitsanulok is about 70 km (43 miles). At present (October 2022) no pre-bookable buses are operating from Phitsanulok, and a taxi for this route is expensive – around 2,400 THB (!), so we don’t recommend this route.
However, if you decide to take the train, then you should take a morning train to Phitsanulok from Bangkok, which will give you plenty of time to find onward transport.
Taxi from Bangkok to Sukhothai
Taking a private taxi to Sukhothai from Bangkok is the fastest way to go to Sukhothai. It is the most comfortable way to travel. You can check prices for Bangkok to Sukhothai taxis here. This is also the most expensive way to travel to Sukhothai from Bangkok.
Map of Bus Stops and Train Stations for going from Bangkok to Sukhothai
You can also see the train station and bus stops from Bangkok to Sukhothai here
The quickest way to get from Bangkok to Sukhothai
The time it will take you to get to Sukhothai from Bangkok depends on where you are staying in Bangkok. The quickest way to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai is to fly, but then you will need to consider getting to BKK and getting the 30 km (18.6 miles) from Sukhothai airport to the city. It takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to fly to Sukhothai from Bangkok and you can book tickets from Bangkok to Sukhothai here.
The easiest way to go to Sukhothai from Bangkok
The easiest way to get from Bangkok to Sukhothai again depends on where you are staying in Bangkok. It is easiest to get a door-to-door transfer, but this tends to be expensive, however, if you are traveling in a group of 4 or 6, it could be worth it. (Check taxi rates to Sukhothai here)
The cheapest way to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai
The cheapest way to get to Sukhothai from Bangkok is to take the bus – reserve your seats here.
The most comfortable way to go to Sukhothai from Bangkok
The most comfortable way to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai is to take a private transfer. Private transfers to Sukhothai from Bangkok take around 6 hours and are a luxurious if expensive way to travel to Sukhothai. You’ll benefit from pickup from your hotel and drop off directly at your hotel. If you have a group of 4 or 6 people, then this might be cost-effective for you and you can check the rates of a taxi from Bangkok to Sukhothai here.
The best way to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai
Taking the bus from Mo Chit to Sukhothai is the best way to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai. Check the bus times here.
Popular Routes in Thailand
Want to know more about different forms of transport in Thailand? Our guide to Thailand transport is here. And here’s how to travel some of the popular routes around Thailand, your options, and how we did it.
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- How to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai
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- How to go from Cambodia to Thailand
Final Words on How to Go from Bangkok to Sukhothai
Visiting Sukhothai from Bangkok is an easy trip to take, but it is a long trip, and it’s not possible to visit Sukhothai from Bangkok on a day trip. It’s best to plan for a morning or late afternoon departure and we recommend taking the bus to Sukhothai from Bangkok, as the most convenient way to travel to this historic Siam capital and kingdom.
Stock images in this article are courtesy Deposit Photos.
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