How To Get There
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 By
Rail
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Trains leave from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Railway Station.
Call 0 2220 4334 or Hotline 1690 for more information.
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By
Bus
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From Bangkok Bus Terminal on Kamphaeng Phet II Road (tel. 0 2936
2852-66), air-conditioned buses leave for Ayutthaya every half-hour
from 5.30 a.m. to 7.20 p.m. Non-air-conditioned buses leave for
Bang Pa-in, Bang Sai and Ayutthaya many times daily from 5.30 a.m.
to 7.20 p.m.
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By
Car
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1. Take Highway 1 (Phahonyothin Road.) then take Highway 32 to
Ayutthaya.
2. Take Highway 304 (Chaeng Wattana Road) or Highway 302 (Ngamwongwan
Road), turn right onto Highway 306 (Tiwanon Road.), then take Highway
3111 (Pathum Thani - Sam Khok Sena) and turn right at Sena onto
Highway 3263.
3. Take Highway 306 through Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani, then take
Highway 347.
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Boat
Trips to Ayutthaya & Bang Pa-in
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There are no public boats going to Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-in but
several private companies run excursions. One-day excursions:
Chao Phraya Express Boat - Tel. 0 2222 5330, Fax. 0 2225 3002.
Oriental Queen & Ayutthaya Princess - Tel. 0 2236 0400-9, Fax.
0 2236 1939.
River Sun Cruise - Tel. 0 2266 9125, 0 2234 2250, 0 2233 287.
Two-day excursions: Mekhala - Tel. 0 2256 7168-9, Fax. 0 2256 7172.
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Local
Transportation
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 Mini-buses
run from the train station into the city. Hiring a mini-bus within
Ayutthaya costs 250-300 baht/day. Connecting Ayutthaya and Bang
Pa-in, mini-buses leave Chao Prom Market from 6.30 a.m. onwards.
The fare is about 30 baht and the trip takes 50 minutes. Saraburi
is a rice-growing province on the Central Plains possessing one
of Thailand’s most important temples, Wat Phra Phutthabat Ratchaworamahawihan,
and many sites of naturalbeauty. The provincial capital lies 108
km. north of Bangkok, on the main highway to the Northeast.
Travelling around Ayutthaya and from Ayutthaya to nearby attractions
Song taew and shared tuk-tuk will go anywhere for 10 to 30 bahts/person
depending on the distance/destination. A tuk-tuk from the train
station going to any point in the old Ayutthaya zone is approximately
30 bahts. Note that the trip on the island (old Ayutthaya city)
itself costs 20 bahts/trip maximum.
To tour the ruins, the most economical and ecological option is
to rent a bicycle from one of the guesthouses (40 to 50 bahts/day).
Walking is also an option, but not recommended during the hot or
rainy seasons. It is possible to charter a sam lor, tuk tuk or song
taew by the hour or by the day to explore the ruins but the prices
are relatively high by Thai standards (150 bahts/hour, or 500 bahts
for the entire day).
Another interesting activity is chartering a boat from the Tha
Chan Kasem (Chan Kasem Pier, next to Hua Ro Market) for a semicircular
tour of the island and seeing some of the less accessible ruins.
A long tailed boat with a capacity of up to 8 people can be hired
for 400 bahts for a 2 to 3 hour trip with stopovers at Wat Phutthaisawan,
Wat Phanan Choeng and Wat Chai Wattnaram.
Mini - bus services operating from the railway station into the
city are also available. Hiring a mini - bus within Ayutthaya costs
250 - 300 bahts/day. If you wish to travel between Ayutthaya and
Bang Pa - In, mini - buses regularly leave Chao Prom Market (on
Chao Prom Road). Daily schedules start from 6.30 a.m. with a fare
of 30 bahts. The trip takes approximately 50 minutes.
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