The First Journey
Luxembourg to Thailand — October 2024
At the end of July 2024, I book my first journey to Thailand.
The departure is scheduled for 9 October 2024.
After months of chatting and calling almost every day, the moment finally arrives when I will travel from Luxembourg to Thailand and meet my girlfriend in person.
The journey begins at Luxembourg Airport.
Luxembourg Airport
The first flight departs from Luxembourg Airport on 9 October 2024 at 14:55.
I fly with Helvetic Airways to Zurich.
The scheduled arrival time in Zurich is 15:50.
This is the beginning of a journey that will eventually take me from Luxembourg to Zurich and then from Zurich to Bangkok.
An Important Lesson About Airport Arrival Times
When arriving at large international airports, I discover something important about connection times.
The official arrival time of an aircraft is the time when the aircraft arrives at the airport. However, this does not necessarily mean that you are immediately at the gate.
After landing, an aircraft can still need time to taxi around the airport before reaching its parking position.
In my experience, this can sometimes take approximately twenty minutes.
This is something worth remembering when planning a connection between flights.
The scheduled arrival time alone is not always the time when you are ready to leave the aircraft and continue towards the next gate.
Zurich Airport
After arriving in Zurich, I pass passport control.
I then take the airport train to the international gates.
The next flight departs at 17:55 with Swiss International Air Lines.
My destination is Bangkok.
The Long Flight to Bangkok
The overnight flight is the longest part of the journey.
The scheduled arrival is on 10 October 2024 at 09:45 at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.
For a long flight, comfort becomes important.
I usually wear long trousers, preferably stretch jeans, because I find them more presentable than jogging trousers while still being comfortable.
I wear a T-shirt and a jacket with a hood.
On some aircraft, the air conditioning can blow very cold air, and having an extra layer makes the journey more comfortable.
I also prefer comfortable sports shoes.
For long flights, I wear compression stockings.
For entertainment, I use noise-cancelling headphones. They reduce the sound of the aircraft engines and other noise inside the cabin.
At the time of this journey, I use headphones together with a Bluetooth dongle connected to the aircraft entertainment system.
Some aircraft use different audio connections. For example, on some aircraft such as an Airbus A380, an adapter may be needed for the double audio connection used by the onboard entertainment system.
Arrival at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
After arriving at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, I take the airport train from the international gates towards the main building.
On the way to passport control, I change my clothes.
At the time of this journey, I am able to enter Thailand without obtaining a visa in advance under the entry conditions that apply to my nationality and travel period.
After passport control, I collect my luggage.
Then comes one of the most important moments of the journey.
My girlfriend is waiting for me at the airport exit.
After months of conversations and calls, we finally meet in Thailand.
From the Airport to Bangkok
Because my girlfriend picks me up at the airport, I do not have personal experience from this journey of travelling independently from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok by taxi, Grab, bus or MRT.
Instead, we leave the airport together in her car.
The journey to Bangkok gives me my first impression of traffic and driving in Thailand.
Travelling with someone who speaks Thai is very helpful.
Outside the larger cities, I find that English is not always widely spoken, and having someone who speaks the local language makes many situations easier.
Internet from the Moment I Land
Before leaving Luxembourg, I purchase a tourist data eSIM from AIS for 30 days.
Buying an eSIM before departure is more expensive than buying a prepaid SIM card after arriving in Thailand.
However, for me, there is an important advantage.
I activate the eSIM in Luxembourg before boarding.
When I land in Thailand, I can use the internet immediately.
I do not need to search for airport Wi-Fi after arrival.
I do not need to find a mobile phone shop immediately.
For me, this convenience is worth considering.
Exchanging Money in Thailand
During the journey, I exchange money at Superrich exchange offices or counters in shopping centres.
In my personal experience, Superrich often offers a better exchange rate than the banks I compare it with.
I always recommend comparing rates when visiting a shopping centre.
In my experience, the denomination of the euro banknotes can also make a difference. I find that 100-euro banknotes can receive a slightly better exchange rate than 50-euro banknotes.
This is my personal experience and exchange rates can change.
Our Journey Through Thailand
During this trip, we travel through Thailand and stay in different places.
The route, destinations and places where we stay are shown on our interactive TravelMap.
Time to Say Goodbye
After a good and interesting time together, the time eventually arrives to say goodbye.
The return journey begins at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.
After the security check, I take the airport train from the main building to the international gates.
The flight departs from Bangkok on 28 October 2024 at 23:00 with Lufthansa.
The destination is Munich.
Flying in an Airbus A380
The flight to Munich gives me the opportunity to travel in an Airbus A380.
It is impressive to see how many people can travel inside such a large aircraft.
One thing I notice during my journeys is that even when a flight is delayed by up to approximately one hour at departure, it can still arrive close to its scheduled arrival time.
The scheduled arrival in Munich is 29 October 2024 at 05:30.
Munich Airport
Munich Airport is quiet in the early morning.
Most of the shops are still closed.
Because I arrive on the Airbus A380, I need to take the airport train to change terminals.
One important lesson from this connection is related to security.
When leaving the aircraft and entering the Schengen area, I need to pass through security again before continuing to my next flight.
For that reason, I recommend not buying or filling a bottle of water immediately after leaving the aircraft if you know you must pass through another security check.
The Final Flight to Luxembourg
My next gate is a small gate.
Instead of walking directly onto the aircraft through a boarding bridge, I take a bus from the gate to the aircraft.
The flight departs from Munich at 08:10 with Lufthansa CityLine to Luxembourg.
The scheduled arrival at Luxembourg Airport is 09:15.
The first journey is over.
But the story is only beginning.
Returning Home
To avoid high parking costs at Luxembourg Airport, I continue by public transport.
At the time of my first journey, I take the bus towards Luxexpo in Luxembourg-Kirchberg and then continue home by bus.
From 2025 onwards, the tram connection becomes available as another option between Luxembourg Airport and Luxexpo in Luxembourg-Kirchberg.