Bangkok to Khon Kaen

Four airlines fly the route. Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air leave from Don Mueang, and Thai Airways and Thai VietJet from Suvarnabhumi. On 12Go's board for a mid-November weekday there were departures from about 06:00 until 19:40 across the two airports, about a dozen a day, and the flight takes an hour to an hour and ten minutes. Fares for that date ran about ฿1,000–1,550 from Don Mueang and ฿1,100–1,900 from Suvarnabhumi.

If you've just landed at Suvarnabhumi on an international flight, book the Thai Airways or Thai VietJet connection and skip the 60 to 90 minutes across town to Don Mueang. Khon Kaen Airport is about 11 km northwest of the center, about 15 minutes by car, and taxis, Grab and an airport bus run into town.

Khon Kaen trains run on the northeastern line toward Nong Khai and leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat, the big terminal at Bang Sue with the MRT underneath, not Hua Lamphong. Every one stops at Don Mueang station, across the road from the airport terminal, 17 minutes later, and at Ayutthaya about an hour in. The line bypasses Korat, so you can't stop there on the way.

The one I'd take is Express No. 75 at 08:45, the only daytime train. It reaches Khon Kaen at 15:30, in time to check in and get to Bueng Kaen Nakhon lake for sunset. On 12Go a third-class seat costs about ฿277 and a second-class air-conditioned seat about ฿477, and thailandtrains lists the air-con seat at ฿397 at the station.

The night trains are the problem. Special Express No. 25 leaves at 20:25 with first and second-class air-conditioned sleepers and gets to Khon Kaen at about 04:10, and Rapid No. 133 at 21:25 gets in at about 05:10. That's not much of a night's sleep, and the city is dark and closed when you step off. They make far more sense if you're riding on to Udon Thani or Nong Khai. A second-class berth on No. 25 costs about ฿900–1,200 depending on where you buy it.

By SRT's booking rules, seats for Khon Kaen should open about 90 days ahead, and you can buy them on SRT's D-Ticket site, at any station or on 12Go, which adds a fee.

The railway station is on Darun Samran Road, an elevated new station a short way from the center, and most central hotels are a short tuk-tuk or Grab ride away. Bus Terminal 3 is on the outer ring road about 6 km from downtown, so plan on a taxi or Grab from there. The airport is about 11 km northwest, about 15 minutes by car. Our Khon Kaen destination guide covers where to stay around Bueng Kaen Nakhon lake and the night markets.

It's about 440 km from central Bangkok, up Phahonyothin Road to Saraburi and then Highway 2, the Friendship Highway, through Korat to Khon Kaen. Without traffic that's about five and a half hours, and leaving Bangkok on a Friday afternoon adds a lot more. 12Go lists private cars with a driver from about ฿4,300.

All three trains carry on north. No. 75 reaches Udon Thani at about 16:55 and Nong Khai at 17:30, and No. 133 continues from Nong Khai across the Friendship Bridge to Khamsavath station outside Vientiane, arriving at about 09:05. Buses to Udon Thani leave Khon Kaen's terminal several times an hour and take about two hours.

Going back, Express No. 76 leaves Khon Kaen at 10:11 and reaches Krung Thep Aphiwat at 16:35, stopping at Don Mueang at 16:21. The night trains suit this direction much better, Special Express No. 26 at 21:49 arriving at about 05:30 and Rapid No. 134 at 22:51 arriving at 07:30. Buses leave Bus Terminal 3 from early morning until nearly midnight, and there are about a dozen flights a day to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi. Our Khon Kaen to Bangkok guide has the full return timetable, the buses and the flights.