How to do a day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok?

The DIY version of this day trip costs almost nothing and is straightforward to plan. Here's how it works.

Getting there

The State Railway runs trains from Krung Thep Aphiwat (Bangkok's main station, on the MRT Blue Line at Bang Sue Grand Station) to Ayutthaya roughly every hour from early morning. Third class is about 20 baht and the journey takes around 90 minutes on a fast service. You don't need to book ahead. Turn up 20 minutes before departure, buy a ticket at the counter, get on.

If the train schedule doesn't work, minivans run from Mo Chit Bus Terminal every 30-60 minutes for 70-80 baht. Faster if the timing lines up, but cramped and no view. The train is better.

From the station to the ruins

Ayutthaya station is on the east bank of the Pasak River, a few minutes' walk from a small pier. The ferry across to the island is 5 baht and runs constantly. From the landing, bicycle hire shops are within 50 metres; 50 baht for the day gets you a decent bicycle with a basket. Grab a temple map when you hire it or screenshot one before you leave Bangkok.

The day on the ground

Front-load the temples you want to see in the morning. Start at Wat Mahathat (the Buddha head in the tree roots, 50 baht entry) and walk across to Wat Phra Si Sanphet (the three royal chedis, 50 baht). These two are close together in the centre of the island and take a combined two hours to do properly.

Break during the worst of midday heat. Boat noodles for lunch: small, dark, intensely flavoured bowls of beef or pork broth sold at stalls near the central market. Order three or four bowls at a time, that's how it's done.

In the afternoon, cycle west to Wat Chaiwatthanaram on the opposite bank of the river. It's outside the main island, about 10 minutes on a bicycle. This is the temple with the Khmer-style central prang and the river behind it, and the light on the brick chedis in the hour before sunset is the single image most people leave Ayutthaya with. Go at 4pm, stay until the sun drops.

If you have energy before catching the train, Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon is a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride east of the station and worth a detour: a large chedi you can climb, surrounded by rings of saffron-robed seated Buddhas.

Getting back

Check the evening train times before you go. Trains back to Bangkok run through the evening, with services roughly every hour. Buy your return ticket when you arrive in the morning so you're not scrambling for a seat later. Most people catch a train between 6pm and 8pm and are back in Bangkok by 9 or 10pm.

For more detail on which temples are worth your time and what to skip, see our full Ayutthaya day trip guide. For whether the whole trip is worth your time, see Is Ayutthaya a day trip from Bangkok worth it?