While accessible via a private tour bus run by many hotels and hostels, I arranged the trip by myself by getting a train to Ayutthaya station, then a very short ferry ride across a river, then a tuk tuk around the ruins. Overall the whole thing cost about €20!Train, Boat and TukTuk: Transport
The trains run quite frequently, I couldn't find a timetable online so I just turned up at Bangkok Central Hualamphong station (accessible by MRT) and asked for a third class ticket to Ayutthaya, which cost 20 baht (about 50c!). The train wasn't leaving for about another hour but I decided to go outside and check where it was leaving from, and it was actually already there. Third class looked dodgy with unscrupulous looking men, but the attendant pointed me towards the 2nd class carriages. A sweet Thai girl then confirmed that despite the ticket I could sit anywhere and encouraged me to sit beside her in the leather seats in 2nd class, which also had fans and open windows.
Since I was on a day trip I only had a small bag, but there were many backpackers with large bags who had trouble fitting on the train. The train also filled up well before departure time and people had to stand. So if possible, please be early for your train and check if it has already arrived. You do not want to stand, especially with backpacks and also local venders walking up and down trying to squish past you carrying who knows what!
The return journey home cost 29baht (75c) because it was a slightly faster train. The seats weren't as comfortable, hard benches, but it was fine, almost everyone managed to get a seat, and it was mostly full of backpackers.
On arrival, you just need to walk across the street and keep walking until you find the river, it's very close, and there are many other backpackers who you can ask for help or try find it together! The ferry cost 5baht each way (about 25c or so total) and it leaves every few minutes and takes literally 2mins.
Upon exiting the ferry there is bicycle rental which I did not partake in due to the heat, but is definitely a fun and cheap way to see the area if you have good fitness and a change of clothes afterwards (you will be drenched in sweat). It is also possible to rent like a motorcycle, but there was no way I was trying that! I walked past this and was met by some tuk tuk drivers who tried to charge me like 1,000baht. I had read the average price was around 400baht, and eventually I got them to 500baht (€12) for 2 hours and gave up because I was alone and hate haggling. As for the length of time, I felt rushed in 2 hours, but then the temples all start to look alike after awhile and it's very hot so I don't think I would have been up to much longer either.TukTuk Trauma
My only problem was this; the tuktuk driver who I was speaking to first took me to another place and switched drivers to some young guy. This guy apparently had absolutely no English and no idea where any of the temples where. He got lost trying to find one of the biggest ones and we circled around for about 10 mins, then he stopped and asked for directions, and then he eventually dropped me off at the wrong one. I obviously didn't even try to tell him and get to the right place as it would have wasted more time. As I said the temples are quite similar so it wasn't a huge deal, but it was still frustrating.
Entry to the temples cost about 50baht each (€1.20) but there are some that you could easily just take photos outside instead of paying to go in, even though it's a small fee it starts to add up after awhile!
Overall, it was a fun day out and wasn't too difficult to organise on the day without any prior booking. It was very cheap and a bit of an adventure getting outside the city, and I was happy to see some ruins as I couldn't make it to Siem Reap this trip!
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