Together Festival is always one of the most highly anticipated events of the year in Bangkok as from one edition to another they have continued to bring some of the biggest names on the dance music scene to the city. Hosted in the Thai capital the festival attracts thousands of people from across the region and should definitely on your bucket list if you happen to be passing through around that time of year! To help you prepare for this festival adventure here is the Nitty Gritty Guide to Together Festival!
When did I attend? April 2017, May 2019
When is the next Together Festival? 5th-6th May, 2023
What do you hear at Together Festival? EDM and Techno
Where? BITEC Bangna, Bangkok, Thailand
What’s the local currency? Thai Baht
What’s the local language? Thai
- This is Together Festival’s 9th edition
- Once upon a time Together Festival was a one day event but is now a two day event bursting at the seams with some of the most sought after artists in electronic music
- Put together by some of Bangkok’s best party organisers and promoters, Together Festival always sets the bar really high for festivals in Thailand!
- To complete the Together Festival experience there’s usually a pre party to precede the main event and an after party so you can keep the party going after the festival is over!
- Together Festival is a 20+ event
All tickets are multiday, it’s not possible to buy a one-day ticket. Note that all tickets are non transferrable and non refundable. Also bear in mind that you need to keep the same wristband on for both days. If you cut your wristband off after Day 1 you will not be given a new one and you will not be allowed into the festival on Day 2!
If you think you can rally up a group of 6 people this year then consider buying the group ticket, this will ensure you get a nice discount and that all your friends come with you! When buying the group ticket you will need each person’s personal information. If you enter the wrong information during the purchasing process you may risk having to leave your friend at the gates as they will not be allowed in!
There’s no such thing as VIP at this festival, you’re either GA or VVIP. Bookings for VVIP can be done by contacting the organisers via Facebook.
ARRIVING IN BANGKOK
If you’re an international festival goer arriving in Bangkok then check out this Guide to Travelling to Bangkok! There you will find several options to get you to your destination within the city before moving on to the festival.
GETTING TO THE FESTIVAL
Together Festival is located in a very easily accessible venue so for all your newcomers who may feel a bit overwhelmed by this big city don’t worry! Getting there is pretty straightforward from any point in the city, below are several options to meet all your transport requirements!
Same as last year Together Festival will be held at BITEC Bangna which is located on the east side of the city, literally walking distance from Bang Na BTS station. Sure it may seem a little bit far (and to be completely honest to us living here it also feels like the ends of the world) but it’s a venue that can be reached very rapidly via the BTS (otherwise known as the SkyTrain) from any point in the city making it one of the simplest venues to get to.
TAKING THE BTS
There are two BTS lines that run through Bangkok: the Siam Line and the Sukhumvit Line. Both of these lines connect at Siam station so if you happen to be on the Siam Line your first move will be to get yourself to Siam station. From Siam station you’ll want to get the BTS in the direction of Bearing (opposite direction from Mo Chit) and get off at Bang Na. From Siam your journey should take about 30 minutes. Once you’ve arrived at Bang Na station please use Exit 1 to access the footbridge that takes you into BITEC.
Please note that hours of operation are 06:00 am – 12:00 pm. You’ll likely have to find an alternative method of transportation to get yourself back home as the party doesn’t end in time to catch the last BTS back into the city!
The venue can easily be accessed by foot, just follow the tracks of thousands of other festival goers making their way there!
You can find more information on the BTS and plan your route HERE.
USING THE MRT
Aside from the BTS, Bangkok also has one Metro line running through the city. If you happen to be staying by an MRT station and plan to take the BTS to Bang Na station you’ll first need to get yourself to Sukhumvit station which is situated in the middle of the MRT Line.
At Sukhumvit MRT station you can change for the BTS, called Asok Station. Exit at Sukhumvit MRT station and then follow signs for Asok BTS Station. Note that you’ll need a new ticket to access the BTS. Walk up to the BTS and get on the train in the direction of Bearing, then get off at Bang Na.
From BTS Asok station it should take about 20 minutes. Once you’ve arrived at Bang Na station please use Exit 1 to access the footbridge that takes you into BITEC.
Please note that hours of operation are 06:00 am – 12:00 pm.
You can find more information on the MRT and plan your route HERE.
ARRIVING BY TAXI
Taking the BTS means you’ll be guaranteed a fixed rate of transport and you’ll move fluidly through the city. This cannot be said for when you take a taxi from the city centre to BITEC Bangna. Using the same point as reference, in heavy traffic getting from Siam to Bang Na could take you over an hour. To avoid disappointment by arriving later than expected I recommend you take the BTS. It’s air-conditioned, fast, clean and the cheapest option by far! That’s another thing, when you’re travelling through Bangkok as a foreigner you’re likely to run into taxi drivers who won’t run the meter for you and try to convince you to pay a fixed rate. Don’t fall for it, no matter where you go ask your driver to put the meter on! Even if this means turning down a few taxis in the process, you’ll get one eventually!
Basically taxis are a no go on the way there however on the way back it’s your only option out of there unless you miss the end of Together Festival and plan to take the last BTS train back into the city! But let’s be honest who would want to do that? And because this is your only mode of transport back to where you’re staying it’s advisable to book ahead of time via the Grab application on your smartphone. If you’re unsure of your leaving time don’t panic there will be plenty of taxis waiting outside the venue ready to take people home, just remember to insist on putting the meter on!
ARRIVING BY CAR
It’s possible to park at the venue! So if you feel like braving the traffic and you really insist on coming in your own form of transportation it is possible to park your car safely on site.
If you’re worried about driving home after partying you should consider giving the ‘U Drink I Drive’ app a try, a mobile application that enables you to instantly request a driver to your location to drive you and your vehicle home. So if it turns out you’ve partied a little harder than you thought you would then don’t run any risks and trust this app to get you home safely.
There are literally thousands of accommodation options in Bangkok, ranging for hostels to five star hotels, there’s something to suit every budget. But here’s my recommendation: stay close to a BTS station! As I mentioned above BITEC is located walking distance to Bang Na station so staying right by a BTS station will make getting to the venue a lot easier, rather than have to race through the streets of Bangkok to get to one. And coming back from the festival you’ll have a good frame of reference to guide yourself back to your hotel! Every little bit helps at that point of the night, am I right?
If you’re only interested in partying there are a few accommodation options close to the venue at cheaper rates than places in the city centre. Bear in mind that this will make journeys to and from the city centre longer, but you won’t be too far from your bed when the party is over!
Why not give Booking.com a try to find accommodation that is best suited to your travel needs?
Up until very recently Together Festival only had one big main stage but last year the festival’s organisers surprised attendees when they opened a second new stage dedicated to Techno. Together Festival now hosts a variety of EDM and Techno acts over two days! Considering the rate at which the festival has grown over the last few years we wouldn’t be surprised if it expanded further in the years to come…
Both stages are huge! They occupy two halls at BITEC and have one main walkway in between. The space is massive so you never feel like you haven’t got enough room to bounce around with your friends. And the walkway doesn’t ever get crowded as that itself occupied a hall in 2017. Here’s hoping the same configuration will be kept in 2019 as getting from one stage to another was very quick and easy!
Together Festival is known for drawing in big names from year to year. It’s definitely one of the main parts of what makes this festival so incredible and makes the crowd really go crazy. Up until last year Together was a one-day festival but now party revellers are being treated to a two-day music extravaganza.
This festival has secured everyone from Martin Garrix, Armin Van Buuren, Disclosure and even Snoop Dogg in its early days. This year’s full lineup hasn’t been published yet, but they have announced these names so far:
It’s becoming a festival that meets a broader range of peoples’ music preferences. More recently, Together Festival has hosted two stages to feature a bigger scope of electronic music than its previous editions. The main stage is home to some of the world’s biggest EDM acts, whereas the second stage hosts anything from Techno to Future Bass and Trap. The Techno lineups in the past have featured a partnership with Toolroom Records (one of the world’s most prominent Techno record labels), and welcomed big headliners Tube + Berger, and Mark Knight. Not to mention that Together Festival debuted Elrow in Thailand in 2019 which pulled together a fresh lineup of Techno and House acts as well as the full Elrow production that left music fans stunned.
The festival has been diversifying its music lineup over the years and is now offering a bigger (unrivalled) selection of music to its attendees. It’s a chance to discover new music as you may stumble across an act you haven’t heard of before.
The lineup has always been strong with this festival but all the recent changes have really made it a dance music force to be reckoned with! It’s become a festival at the top of not just Thai EDM fans’ bucket lists but those in the region. This is definitely one of the biggest music festivals in Thailand, a festival that is not to be missed!
It’s no secret that the crowd at Together Festival is extremely friendly, from year to year the atmosphere is unbeatable. It could be the name that implies this conviviality amongst attendees, a case of the crowd living up to the name. But it’s more likely the fact that this festival is unparalleled amounts of fun and puts everyone in the friendliest of moods. I found that everyone there is really eager to have a good time and the festival genuinely lives up to what everyone should expect from a festival: a crowd thriving on self expression and complete acceptance of one another. There’s no explaining it but it really has become a given at Together Festival that you’re likely to double up on the size of your rave family by the end of the festival.
Apart from being friendly Together-goers are serious ravers, by which I mean they go hard and they go for hours. The amazing line up and the impressive EDM festival production really get people in the mood to go wild and give it their all. The crowd’s rave stamina is truly admirable and you’ll definitely be treated to some great shuffling and dance offs amongst groups. The general sense of friendliness and the incredible resilience the festival goers is what will keep you coming back for more from year to year. The level of fun and the widespread feeling of unison at this festival is a little addictive and won’t be something you forget anytime soon!
- Book your flights and accommodation early! Dates are normally announced a few months in advance so if you’re absolutely sure you want to go regardless of the lineup then you should book both flights and accommodation as soon as the dates are released to avoid price increases.
- The same goes for your festival ticket, don’t wait to get your ticket as the longer you wait the more expensive it gets!
- Look out for group tickets. If you are coming with several friends then get a group ticket, it will work out cheaper for everyone!
- If you’re on a budget stay close to the event so you don’t up spending too much on transport to and from the event.
- Get a local SIM card so you don’t have to roam whilst you’re out here, that can get very expensive. You can get a SIM card at your nearest 7-11 or in a shopping mall by going to one of the local providers (you can choose from AIS, True, DTAC and more…). You’ll need your passport to purchase one.
- Eat street food and in food courts! one of the best things about Thailand is that you can eat cheap and still eat well, (you can also indulge as Bangkok is host to some of the world’s best restaurants). If you’re relying on street food stalls and food courts in malls then you’re sure to not spend too much money on your trip and still be able to make the most of Thai cuisine!
- Get a travel card if you opt for public transport to get around.
- Be smart about taking taxis, either use the Grab app to hail a taxi so you get a fixed rate or if you’ve opted to do your trip without data then get one on the street but don’t settle for a fixed rate, go with the meter. And share the fare with your friends!
- If you’re going to be drinking buy a bucket and split with your friends! Costs less than buying single drinks.
Smoking Area: attendees need to make their way to designated smoking areas, this includes those who intend on smoking e-cigarettes. Failure to comply with this rule may result in you being asked to leave the event, so don’t take the risk!
Food & Drink: like most festivals any outside food or drink is not permitted inside the hall so you will need to fuel yourself before you enter the hall. The food courts are located at B1 in BITEC, at hall 102, you need to go downstairs beneath the halls. There are usually also food trucks and stalls at the main gates of the festival but there isn’t much going on inside so load up on food before you head inside. In terms of drinks you’ll be spoiled for choice including big liquor buckets and beer buckets from various alcohol suppliers.
Printed Ticket and ID: you will need to arm yourself with both of these to be able to enter the hall, so make sure you don’t forget either, or you’ll be missing out on the action!
Cash: just to be on the safe side bring cash to the event! There are ATMs in and around BITEC but it’s a very big venue so don’t rely on chasing one down, they may be out of order or impossible to find so come prepared!
Sim Card: there’s no wifi available inside the hall so if you’re looking to stay connected during the event you should try to buy a Thai sim card before arriving at the venue. If you’re flying into Bangkok I recommend you buy them at the airport as it becomes trickier to do so when you’re in the city.
Ear Plugs: you’ll need to keep your ears protected! Long or repeated exposure to loud sounds can cause longterm damage to your ear drums, don’t risk ruining your hearing, think of all the festivals you have yet to explore!
Portable Charger: this festival is going to be packed full of moments you’ll want to video or photograph so it’s best to come prepared! Don’t miss any of your favourite moments because your phone is out of juice!
Stay Hydrated! drink plenty of water! You’re going to be going hard for hours at a time and you won’t necessarily feel like leaving the crowd to get some more water so stock up before finding a good spot in the crowd.
Agree on a Meeting Spot: a lot of people will be attending this festival so set a meeting point before going to any stages so you can easily find each other at the end of the festival should anyone go missing from the group and they’re unreachable during the festival!
Don’t remove your wristband! if you’re planning to go to both days of Together Festival (as you should be!) then please make sure you keep your wristband on! You not be given a new one on Day 2, you need to keep the same wristband you were given on Day 1 for both days.
No Re-Entry! re-entry is not permitted! If you exit early on the first day you will not be allowed to return until the second day!
Hopefully, this will give you all the information you need to get to and from the venue, and get you prepared for what awaits you inside the hall! Check back with the event’s official Facebook Page for news and announcements! Happy festival adventures!
4 Comments
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Thank you for the kind words Bethany! Watch this space for more guides coming soon!
Hello!,
You mentioned there is no re-entry on the first day. I was wondering what the timings were like it says the venue opens at 19:00.
What time would you advise regarding the time to get there and when to leave to be able to make it for the next day.
Hi HJ! Thank you for getting in touch! Bit late to respond but this info is relevant for Together Festival and for 808 Festival coming up in December, run by the same organisers. Doors are usually open around 3pm and close when the last act finishes. You then come back on Day 2 and the same process applies. If you exit on Day 1 then you have to wait until Day 2 to re-enter. Once you’ve entered you either stay until the end of that day’s programme or leave early but you won’t be able to go back in. So arrive when the acts you want to see come on, keep hydrated and go for breaks if you need to, it’s always a long day!