How to get to Thailand

Planes, trains and automobiles

Thailand rivals Singapore and Kuala Lumpur as the regions number one international air-travel hub and as such boasts international flight connections with a vast number of destinations worldwide. It also has land connections with neighbouring Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos and Burma.

Requirements

Passport
You'll need a passport with at least six months validity to enter Thailand.

Visas
The vast majority of foreign tourists enter Thailand on either a 30-day visa free stay (arrival by air, 15 days if by land). Tourist visas pre-arranged through a Thai embassy or consulate, are also very popular.

For more information, see our Thailand visa page.

Airports

Thailand has two airports in Bangkok and a number of international airports across the country. Regional international airports include Hat Yai, Ko Samui and Phuket in the south and Chiang Mai in the north.

Airlines

Thailand is the base for a number of airlines. The flag carrier is THAI international. Budget carriers Thai AirAsia and Nok Air are also based in Thailand, as is Bangkok Airways. The country well served by low cost domestic flights.

A vast number of international carriers (both full service and LCCs) fly into Thailand, the list includes the following:

Air Canada
Air France
AirAsia
All Nippon Airways
Asiana
Austrian
Bangkok Airways
British Airways
Cathay Pacific
Cebu Pacific
China Airlines
China Eastern
China Southern
EVA Airways
EgyptAir
Emirates
Etihad
Garuda
JAL
Jet Airways
Jetstar
KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines
Korean Air
Lufthansa
Malaysia Airlines
Philippine Airlines
Qantas
Qatar Airways
Royal Brunei Airlines
Scandinavian Airlines System
SilkAir
Singapore Airlines
South African Airways
SriLankan Airlines
Swiss International
THAI
Tiger Airways
Turkish Airlines
United
Vietnam Airlines
Xiamen Airlines

Ticketing

You'll almost invariably get a better rate for a long haul fare shopping around online, but traditional agents are still worth a try -- if you haven't already, give our story on getting a cheap airfare to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam a read.

Overland crossings

Please refer to our Thailand borders page for detailed information on Thailand's border crossings or the Visa and border crossings FAQ for detailed crossing information, including trip reports from other travellers.