How to Travel from India to Thailand?

Traveling from India to Thailand by airplane is the most time- and cost-efficient. If getting to ex-Siam is only a part of your plans for this trip, consider options including ground transport, such as buses, trains, and cars. Traveling overland involves various accompanying expenses, so consider this alternative only if you have a lot of time and a big budget.

How to Get from Main Cities of India to Thailand

Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, is the most significant transport hub in the kingdom. The vast majority of foreign travelers, including Indians, go there when traveling to former Siam sooner or later. Therefore, we are using the city of Bangkok as the reference point for trips from India to Thailand in this article.

Traveling from Mumbai to Bangkok

Flying from Mumbai to Bangkok is the most hassle-free way of traveling from ex-Bombay to Big Mango. Direct flights are available daily, and the duration of a non-stop journey is less than 4:30 hours. From the Thai capital city, you have diverse alternatives to get to other cities and regions in Thailand.

Airline fares on this route typically range between US$200 (currently around ₹14,850) and US$300 (₹22,300) for a one-way trip. At times, flight deals tend to decrease down to $180 (13,400 INR).

Get to Thailand by air

The price of a journey depends on many things. The offer and demand ratio, time of booking, and the season are just a few of them.

Tickets for this route are usually the most affordable in February and the most expensive in May and December. The best time for booking a flight for favorable deals is two months in advance. According to statistics, Thai Lion Air is the most affordable airline flying from Mumbai to Bangkok, followed by GoAir and Thai Smile.

In general, non-stop journeys on the Mumbai-Bangkok route are more affordable than connecting flights.

Cruising from Mumbai to the Thai capital is another option. The duration of the trip is 16 days, and the approximate cost is 5,000 USD (371,500 INR at the time of writing the article). Along the way, the ship stops in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Getting from Bengaluru to Big Mango

Bengaluru, former Bangalore, also maintains direct flight connection to the principal city of the Kingdom of Thailand. While traveling times are typically around 3:30 hours, airplanes here don't take off as often as from Mumbai. Wednesday and Friday tend to be off days for flying on this particular route.

According to statistics, the price of a one-way ticket from Bengaluru to Bangkok fluctuates between $190 (₹14,100) and $270 (₹20,000). Sometimes, though, you can find a deal for around 135 USD (10,000 INR).

For the highest chance of affordable flight fares on this route, fly in March. December is usually the most expensive month for getting from Bengaluru to Thailand.

Get to Thailand from Bengaluru

If you wish to visit some other destination along the way or save a little money, consider booking a connecting flight. This way, you may save up to 25% of the price of the ticket for a direct flight. Some destinations where you can change airplanes are Colombo in Sri Lanka, Kolkata in India, and Singapore.

SriLankan Airlines is the least expensive provider by far, followed by IndiGo. To additionally save on flight fares, try to buy a ticket around two months before the scheduled flight.

Going from Kolkata to Bangkok

Traveling overland from India to Thailand is the most feasible option from Kolkata, ex-Calcutta. Still, you should give flying the first thought if time or finances are limiting factors.

Non-stop flights from Kolkata to the Thai capital are available every day. The average time you should spend in the air by traveling on this route is around 2:30 hours.

Airline deals are mostly constant, varying less compared to other destinations in the Indian subcontinent. So, you will pay around 170 Dollars (currently 12,600 Rupees) for a direct, one-way trip from Kolkata to Big Mango most of the year. If you get lucky, you may pay as low as US$110 (₹8,200).

The increase in flight fares typically occurs only in October and December. These months, you may need to plan the $215 (₹16,000) budget for a one-way flight on this route.

Changing flights when flying between these destinations is a little cheaper than traveling directly. Unless you wish to visit some destination along the way, it is questionable whether the price difference is worthwhile the trade. Mumbai and Singapore are some cities where you can get a connecting flight.

Overland from India to Thailand

Thai Air Asia stands out as the most affordable airline flying between these destinations in India and Thailand.

From Kolkata, you can travel to former Siam by combining buses, flights, and trains. This journey may take you via northeast India and Bangladesh to Myanmar and, finally, into the Kingdom of Thailand.

If you decide to undertake this adventure, the path will probably lead you via Imphal to Myanmar, whether you travel through India or Bangladesh. If so, note that these neighboring countries of the Republic of India have poor road conditions.

How to apply for a Thailand visa?

Residents of India traveling to Thailand need a visa to enter the kingdom. The application procedure involves meeting several requirements that confirm that Indian visitors have sufficient funds and will leave the country timely.

To obtain the Thai tourist visa, you can apply online, offline, or acquire the permit at the entry point (Visa on Arrival - VOA). The main difference between online and offline applications and VOA is the duration of your Thailand trip.

The validity of the visa on arrival is 15 days. The other visa allows you to spend up to 60 days within a three- or six-month period.

Individual travelers must have at least 10,000 Thai Baht (THB), while families need to have 20,000 THB for the VOA. To visit Thailand with the other type of tourist visa, you need to prepare double these amounts.

Besides a valid passport with two blank pages in it, you may need to provide a return ticket to India when applying for the Thailand visa.

You can receive Visa on Arrival at major airports in the kingdom and on border crossings.

Summary

The high tourist season in Thailand takes place from November to April. If you travel from India to Thailand in this period, book transport options and accommodation well in advance. Given that you don't mind higher temperatures and precipitation, you can save a lot by visiting the kingdom for the rest of the year.

Foreign nationals traveling via Myanmar to Thailand need a Burmese visa to enter the country. Since Myanmar Visa on Arrival isn't currently available, make sure to apply for the travel permit before the beginning of your trip.