A Full Information To Bangkok Public Transportation & Getting Round

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Bangkok is essentially the most visited metropolis on the earth, receiving 32 million guests in 2024, all mingling along with its 17.4 million everlasting residents – so with all these folks, how one can you navigate the town?

Getting round Bangkok might be extremely difficult when you’ve by no means been to the town earlier than. Whereas there’s a metro and a Skyrail service, most of the metropolis’s neighborhoods should not serviced by Bangkok’s public transportation system, so it’s essential to be clued up on the route maps and the way it works, so you may get from A to B with no hitch.

With trains, buses, subways, boats, sky trains, taxis, tuk-tuks, and your personal two toes, this information will enable you perceive which public transport to take and to the place.

We’ve detailed every mode of transport in Bangkok so you’ll be able to navigate your manner round Bangkok’s mass transit system with no hitch.

Varieties of Public Transportation in Bangkok

From the Bangkok airport rail hyperlink, to subways and tuk-tuks there are such a lot of choices for getting round Bangkok. Right here’s some info on every manner round Bangkok, Thailand.

1. Bangkok Airport Rail Hyperlink & Rangsit Rail Hyperlink Categorical

I don’t actually get excited to journey on trains, however I used to be once I took the Bangkok Airport Rail Hyperlink. Not as a result of it was a prepare, however as a result of it was precisely the answer I wanted when attending to and from the airport.

I cherished not having to fret about costly airport parking, over-priced prepare fares (the Sydney airport hyperlink is extortion), gradual buses, costly cabs, or soiled public transport usually.

The Bangkok Airport Rail Hyperlink is affordable, clear, and environment friendly and offers you the possibility to observe better Bangkok go by your window.

The airport hyperlink opened in 2010 and connects Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), to the town heart of Bangkok. From Bangkok’s different airport, there’s one other Rail Hyperlink service, known as the Rangsit, which connects Don Mueang Worldwide Airport to the town centre.

From Don Mueang Worldwide Airport

To get to the town centre from Don Mueang Worldwide Airport, you’ll be able to take the prepare from the airport to Mo Chit Station, after which join both onto the BTS Station (Skytrain) or the MRT metro, relying on the place you might be staying in Bangkok.

The BTS takes roughly 20-Half-hour to get to the Siam Space, and the MRT takes about 30-40 minutes.

From Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)

Suvarnabhumi Airport is the principle worldwide airport in Bangkok, and so it’s probably you’ll fly in or out of this airport.

The prepare to/from Suvarnabhumi Airport will go straight from both Makassan Station or Phaya Thai Station.

Phaya Thai has a straightforward connection to the BTS sky prepare and Makassan is inside strolling distance of the Phetchaburi MRT station on the Sukhumvit Line, so you’ll be able to simply soar onto different public transport to get to your lodge.

At Makassan station, you’ll be able to test in for a Thai Airways flight. In case you have a night flight, test your baggage in after which go hand around in the town till you have to go to the airport. Cool concept!

You don’t want to ebook your rail ticket upfront, simply rock up on the station and purchase a ticket from the sales space. Employees communicate nice English and are there to assist!

2. Bangkok Taxis

Until it is vitally early within the morning or late at evening, I wouldn’t even contemplate getting a taxi in Bangkok. The visitors is notoriously dangerous and it’ll find yourself costing you a large number.

A metered cab to the airport will value from 200-400 baht relying on visitors. In case you take the tollway (which in Bangkok visitors it is best to) then you’ll pay an additional 45-50 baht for the toll.

When getting round Bangkok, a taxi ought to all the time be a final resort. They’re gradual and costly, and also you spend most of your time sitting in visitors. Until you’re getting bike taxis that whizz between the automobiles.

All the time insist that the meter is turned on while you enter a Bangkok taxi. Bear in mind that when you take one inside Bangkok you’ll have to take care of added prices attributable to visitors delays and should pay for each toll.

All taxis at the moment are metered and air-conditioned: the hailing price is 35 baht for the primary two kilometres and a couple of baht per kilometre after that. Most journeys in downtown value lower than 100 baht.

To keep away from confusion have the identify of your vacation spot written in Thai when asking your driver to take you someplace.

3. Experience-share apps (Seize and Bolt)

In case you are frightened about costs racking up with taxis, and have to get someplace quick, use the ridesharing taxi app, Bolt. That is the Uber of Thailand and has a lot cheaper costs than Uber.

Seize is one other app you should utilize, which is healthier for in case you are hailing automobiles, however Bolt is healthier when you want a bike. Bolt is normally cheaper than Seize and Uber too.

In case you’re touring by your self, you’ll be able to take a Bolt bike taxi to anyplace within the metropolis, and it’ll inform you the price of the fare at the start of your journey, so you’ll be able to simply pay the fare in money while you attain your vacation spot.

The advantage of a Bolt bike is you’ll be able to whizz between the visitors, but it surely will also be fairly unnerving when you’re not used to bikes. Ensure you ask your driver for a helmet! They normally have a spare one, however normally the driving force gained’t supply it to you except you ask.

Bikes are enjoyable, however might be harmful.

4. Bangkok MRT Subway

The Bangkok MRT is the underground subway community in Bangkok. It’s clear and environment friendly and has affordable costs (actually cheaper than taxis).

The MRT is very easy to navigate since there are solely 4 traces serving 107 stations in Bangkok. The traces are colour-coded; blue, purple, yellow and pink, however the blue line could be the one you’ll use extra as a customer because it connects the principle points of interest in downtown.

The blue line takes a round route across the metropolis, the purple, pink, and yellow traces tends to function extra in residential areas.

The interchange station between the blue and purple traces is Tao Poon Station, which you’ll solely actually use if going to the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Almost certainly you’ll keep on the blue line the entire time.

Bangkok MRT subway trains run each 5-7 minutes and hook up with BTS at Sukhumvit and Silom stations, in addition to a number of different BTS stops, so you’ll be able to simply swap between the 2 modes of transport.

Commuters can purchase single journey tokens (16 to 45 baht relying on the space). The MRT doesn’t supply day passes, you must pay per journey, in contrast to the BTS.

5. The BTS Skytrain

The BTS Sky Prepare is a superb manner of getting round Bangkok. In reality, it’s most likely considered one of my favorite public transportation in Bangkok as a result of it’s clear, fast, air conditioned, and also you get to observe the town go by.

You’ll actually recognize it on a stinking scorching day as the AC is freezing! The sky prepare can get you round Bangkok fairly rapidly, but it surely doesn’t join all over the place within the metropolis.

The BTS was constructed in 1999 and whereas it has been prolonged since, it nonetheless doesn’t attain too many locations in Bangkok. It doesn’t attain Bang Phlat throughout the Chao Phraya River, for instance.

It’s straightforward to navigate because it solely has two traces, the Sukhumvit Line and the Silom Line.

When visiting many vacationer points of interest in Bangkok, you’ll most probably have to take the BTS and the MRT or taxi to your vacation spot. The MRT additionally has a BTS Skytrain Station at Sala Daeng, Asok, and Mo Chit.

The BTS Sky Prepare covers most of downtown Bangkok nevertheless and is an effective choice in case you are going a brief distance. Fares vary from 15 to 62 baht relying upon what number of zones you might be travelling in.

Contemplate the Rabbit Card, a chargeable stored-value card (from 100 baht for the cardboard plus the price of your journey), or sooner or later go for 150 baht per day.

The Rabbit Card could also be price getting in case you are visiting Bangkok for quite a lot of days.

6. Tuk Tuks

Tuk tuks are considered one of my favorite methods of getting round Bangkok, regardless of being a little bit of a vacationer gimmick and also you spend the entire experience on the sting of your seat and with a face filled with air pollution.

The wonderful thing about tuk-tuks is they’re all over the place. There are lots of locations the Bangkok rail community won’t attain. In that case, you must take a bus, stroll, or a taxi, or tuk-tuk.

Regardless that tuk tuks are dearer than a Bolt could be, I’d typically go for them only for the fun of it.

Using a tuk tuk will contain bartering earlier than you begin your journey. There isn’t any set value for a tuk tuk.

Tuk Tuk drivers will all the time attempt to overcharge the vacationers. Provide the value you might be keen to pay and see what they are saying. If they are saying no, stroll away and take a Bolt as an alternative.

In the event that they comply with you, you understand that your value was affordable, and barter a little bit extra to fulfill within the center.

I used to be lucky sufficient to be an English trainer and know a little bit Thai, so earlier than I’d begin the negotiation in Thai.

7. Bangkok Buses

The buses in Bangkok are sometimes essentially the most handy manner across the metropolis as there are normally a number of buses that go to the highest points of interest.

The bus is the most cost effective type of transport, and normally solely prices a couple of baht, starting from 8-15 baht per journey. The value of buses relies on their color and the way far you go.

Nevertheless, it’s not all the time straightforward to know which bus to catch or what route you have to take. The ViaBus App is nice because it reveals all of the buses, the route they take, AND the place the bus is! So you know the way lengthy you might be ready for.

We cherished getting round Bangkok on a bus. The fixed clacking of the conductor’s change tin as he tried to wriggle his manner by means of the sweaty armpits of all of Bangkok squashed into the bus is a reminiscence that may final ceaselessly.

Maintain your nostril, maintain on tight, and be careful for potholes. Maintain the overhead hand ropes or the individual subsequent to you and benefit from the cultural expertise.

Though they’re a really low cost manner of getting round Bangkok, there are some downsides. Most should not air conditioned – when you get a very previous unairconditioned bus with only a fan, you normally pay the cheaper fare of solely 8 baht per journey – and so they take a very long time to achieve your vacation spot.

Buses do get caught in visitors jams. An off-peak drive would take quarter-hour, however throughout these heavy intervals, it may be an hour to an hour and a half.

The bus is the most cost effective however slowest type of public transportation in Bangkok.

8. River Taxis/Ferries, and Lengthy-Tail Boats

An inexpensive and distinctive solution to get round Bangkok and see the extra suburban facet of it’s by river boat.

The Khlong Saen Saep Categorical Boat is generally utilized by commuters and goes down one of many few remaining klongs (canals). It gives quick access from the Golden Mount (our previous residence and near Khao San Highway) to Siam Sq..

The fare is 8-20 baht relying on the place you need to go to. Watch your step getting on and off!

The Chao Phraya Categorical boat is extra of a vacationer boat, because it runs alongside the river stopping off at many vacationer spots reminiscent of Wat Arun. I like exploring Bangkok from the river boats.

These boats go from Phra Arthiti pier close to Khao San Highway. The Chao Phraya Categorical Boat is dearer, starting from 16-33 baht per journey. It relies upon which route you are taking and the way far you go.

The orange line is the one which covers most vacationer locations and is quick. They’re additionally barely extra snug as fewer locals use them, and value a flat price of 16 baht.

If you wish to get across the klongs and see the floating markets, then chances are you’ll need to rent a long-tail boat. You may rent a long-tail boat from many piers in Bangkok, however the preferred is Phra Arthiti pier close to Khao San Highway.

Alternatively, get an MRT or BTS to Bang Wa Station and take a taxi. It’s also possible to get a BTS on to Sathorn Pier.

9. Strolling Round Bangkok

There may be a lot to find and discover in Bangkok, but it surely’s additionally enormous, so strolling shouldn’t be actually an choice except you keep in a single neighborhood.

If you wish to go to the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, in addition to the opposite temples in Outdated City, it’s very easy to stroll from one to the opposite.

Likewise, when visiting Chinatown, the neighborhood spans three MRT stations, however you’ll be able to simply stroll from one facet to the opposite in 30-40 minutes or so.

The place doable, decide to stroll as an alternative of taking one or two stops on the MRT or BTS. It gained’t value you something and has much less impression on the smog that shrouds the town day by day.

More often than not strolling is faster than driving one or two stops, and extra peaceable than coping with the horrors of Bangkok visitors.

The place to remain in Bangkok

As a result of Bangkok is such an enormous metropolis and all the things is unfold far and large, wherever you select to remain, be sure you base your self close to to a metro station or BTS station.

For many who are travelling on a finances, we advocate the Sukhumvit neighborhood, which has each a BTS and Metro. The Chateau de Sukhumvit lodge sits on an exquisite road the place ex-pat bars intermingle with hawker meals stalls.

For a way more polished 5- star expertise, there is no such thing as a higher place to remain than the Sheraton Grand Sukhumvit.

It sits throughout the well-known Benchakitti Park and Lumpini Park. Not solely is the park an exquisite place to spend the day as a household, however the lodge can also be a 5 minute stroll from our prime shopping center, Terminal 21, the place you’ll be able to discover reasonably priced and scrumptious meals in Bangkok.

There are many trip leases choices, and if that is the route taken, it’s greatest to get one a bit outdoors the town to have the chance for a extra genuine and native expertise.

Earlier than You Go

Bangkok is an lively metropolis with a lot occurring on a regular basis. It’s busy, chaotic, and wild – however that’s all a part of the enjoyable of it!

Hopefully, this information has helped you perceive Bangkok’s public transportation a little bit higher and offer you some choices. Make sure to put your itinerary collectively first, so you’ll be able to plan which of Bangkok’s public transportation you have to take.

Earlier than you go, be sure you obtain maps and all of your related apps, so you may get from A to B as quickly as you arrive on the airport.

When strolling, watch out of visitors. The pedestrian gentle could say inexperienced, however automobiles will nonetheless go. All the time look when crossing the street and watch out of rogue drivers!

Well-liked Excursions of Bangkok