Amsterdam - Bangkok
A popular route with many airlines, lots of fares. Just too long to be comfortable non stop.
Low Cost Lux Conclusion:
- Non-stop is non luxury.
- Stopovers are more than worth the effort.
- Business class from Dusseldorf with stopover in Tehran gets my vote for adventure.
Many flights require a change in Europe or the middle east. Middle east stops are especially bad since they often involve a change of planes when your body is only interested in deep deep sleep.
Good non-stop options but they all involve a red-eye night flight with departures in the early hours when your return.
Flight Time & Airlines: ca. 11 hours. China Arirways, KLM, , Eva Air.
Rough Best Price 2007 low season: 700 euro incl taxes etc [ eur]
Rough Best Price 2007 peak season: 1000 euro incl taxes [ eur]
The non-stop flights depart Amsterdam early afternoon. This means the whole flight is done during normal daytime hours at the point of departure and for your body clock. The return flights however depart Bangkok very late at night. Not great. They do have great fares and the non-stop fare is not much more than long long flights via another European country or the middle east.
Both at arrival and departure in Bangkok, take a normal taxi to and from the airport. It costs a ten euro or so to most places even from the new airport. To get a normal city taxi, follow the signs to taxi stand where you get a ticket for which you pay the driver 50 baht extra, ignore the limo touts which are much more expensive and never ever go with a guy hanging in the airport unless you want to get robbed or worse.
OK so non-stop is not great. How about business class?
Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. 15-16 hours. Flights 3.5 & 10 hours. 2200 euro incl taxes.
I.e. non stop economy + 1200 euro peak season, + 1500 euro off season
Another much cheaper option in business class is to fly from Dusseldorf with a stopover in Tehran. That would make for a fascinating extra trip. Dusseldorf is around 2 hours from Amsterdam by train. Cost around 20-30 euro one way if booked in advance.
Dusseldorf - Bangkok flights
Trains to Dusseldorf
As always the third possibility for doing it in style but without breaking the bank is a stopover.
Notable in this list is Tehran and then much cheaper if done from Dusseldorf.
Iran even have a convenient visa on arrival for most EU-member nationals. Not for the UK though or for the USA.
There are lots of great possibilities for stopovers but the more interesting ones reaquire a pre-arranged visa. Given that this route is so competetive, and the fares without a stopover are therefore cheap, you will also end up paying a little more for your "free extra trip".
We think it's worth a little more. So if you have the time and can get organised before you leave ...
Good non-stop options but they all involve a red-eye night flight with departures in the early hours when your return.
Non-Stop Direct flights
Flight Time & Airlines: ca. 11 hours. China Arirways, KLM, , Eva Air.
Rough Best Price 2007 low season: 700 euro incl taxes etc [ eur]
Rough Best Price 2007 peak season: 1000 euro incl taxes [ eur]
The non-stop flights depart Amsterdam early afternoon. This means the whole flight is done during normal daytime hours at the point of departure and for your body clock. The return flights however depart Bangkok very late at night. Not great. They do have great fares and the non-stop fare is not much more than long long flights via another European country or the middle east.
Both at arrival and departure in Bangkok, take a normal taxi to and from the airport. It costs a ten euro or so to most places even from the new airport. To get a normal city taxi, follow the signs to taxi stand where you get a ticket for which you pay the driver 50 baht extra, ignore the limo touts which are much more expensive and never ever go with a guy hanging in the airport unless you want to get robbed or worse.
OK so non-stop is not great. How about business class?
Discount Business Class
Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. 15-16 hours. Flights 3.5 & 10 hours. 2200 euro incl taxes.
I.e. non stop economy + 1200 euro peak season, + 1500 euro off season
Another much cheaper option in business class is to fly from Dusseldorf with a stopover in Tehran. That would make for a fascinating extra trip. Dusseldorf is around 2 hours from Amsterdam by train. Cost around 20-30 euro one way if booked in advance.
Dusseldorf - Bangkok flights
Trains to Dusseldorf
As always the third possibility for doing it in style but without breaking the bank is a stopover.
Notable in this list is Tehran and then much cheaper if done from Dusseldorf.
Iran even have a convenient visa on arrival for most EU-member nationals. Not for the UK though or for the USA.
There are lots of great possibilities for stopovers but the more interesting ones reaquire a pre-arranged visa. Given that this route is so competetive, and the fares without a stopover are therefore cheap, you will also end up paying a little more for your "free extra trip".
We think it's worth a little more. So if you have the time and can get organised before you leave ...
Possible stopovers
| Stopover | Visa reqd | Hotel Cost - Luxury/Basic | Fight Times 1st Leg/2ng Leg | 2 Night Stopover Cost | LowCostLux Journey Rating | Discuss
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | not required | 130 euro / 60 euro | 6hrs / 6 hrs | 170 - 350 euro | tbc |
Dubai Chat Forum |
| Tehran | EU, AUS & others - on arrival. UK, US, Canada - apply before travel | 100 euro / 50 euro | 6hrs / 7 hrs | 140 - 240 euro | tbc | Tehran Chat Forum |
| Delhi | apply before travel | 130 euro / 15 euro | 8hrs / 5 hrs | 50 - 280 euro | tbc | Delhi Chat Forum |
| Istanbul | on arrival 15 euro | 75 euro / 30 euro | 4hrs / 10 hrs | 40 - 160 euro | tbc | Istanbul Chat Forum |
| Suggest Other Stopovers | ||||||
