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Bangkok is essentially the most visited metropolis on this planet, 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 if you happen to’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 aren’t serviced by Bangkok’s public transportation system, so it’s necessary to be clued up on the route maps and the way it works, so you will get from A to B with no hitch.
With trains, buses, subways, boats, sky trains, taxis, tuk-tuks, and your individual two toes, this information will allow you to perceive which public transport to take and to the place.
We’ve detailed every mode of transport in Bangkok so you may navigate your manner round Bangkok’s mass transit system with no hitch.
Kinds 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 after 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 liked not having to fret about costly airport parking, over-priced prepare fares (the Sydney airport hyperlink is extortion), sluggish buses, costly cabs, or soiled public transport on the whole.
The Bangkok Airport Rail Hyperlink is reasonable, clear, and environment friendly and provides you the prospect to observe larger Bangkok cross by your window.
The airport hyperlink opened in 2010 and connects Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), to the town middle of Bangkok. From Bangkok’s different airport, there may be one other Rail Hyperlink service, referred to 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 may 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 simple connection to the BTS sky prepare and Makassan is inside strolling distance of the Phetchaburi MRT station on the Sukhumvit Line, so you may simply leap onto different public transport to get to your resort.
At Makassan station, you may verify in for a Thai Airways flight. When you’ve got a night flight, verify your baggage in after which go hand around in the town till you want to go to the airport. Cool concept!
You do not want to e book your rail ticket upfront, simply rock up on the station and purchase a ticket from the sales space. Employees converse nice English and are there to assist!
If you wish to save just a little extra money and have a bit extra time, then take the Metropolis Line to Suvarnabhumi Airport. Trains run each quarter-hour, there are six stops and it takes 35 minutes to get to the airport on this line.
2. Bangkok Taxis
Except it is vitally early within the morning or late at evening, I wouldn’t even think about 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’s 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 sluggish and costly, and also you spend most of your time sitting in visitors. Except you’re getting motorcycle taxis that whizz between the vehicles.
At all times insist that the meter is turned on once you enter a Bangkok taxi. Remember that if you happen to take one inside Bangkok you’ll have to take care of added prices attributable to visitors delays and must pay for each toll.
All taxis are actually metered and air-conditioned: the hailing charge is 35 baht for the primary two kilometres and a pair 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. Journey-share apps (Seize and Bolt)
If you’re apprehensive 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 use, which is healthier for in case you are hailing vehicles, however Bolt is healthier if you happen to want a bike. Bolt is often cheaper than Seize and Uber too.
In case you’re touring by your self, you may take a Bolt bike taxi to anyplace within the metropolis, and it’ll inform you the price of the fare at first of your journey, so you may simply pay the fare in money once you attain your vacation spot.
The good thing about a Bolt bike is you may whizz between the visitors, nevertheless it may also be fairly unnerving if you happen to’re not used to bikes. Be sure to ask your driver for a helmet! They often have a spare one, however often the driving force received’t supply it to you until 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 cheap 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 can be the one you’d 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. More than likely 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 may simply swap between the 2 modes of transport.
Commuters can purchase single journey tokens (16 to 45 baht relying on the gap). The MRT doesn’t supply day passes, you need to pay per journey, in contrast to the BTS.
Word: The MRT and BTS Sky Practice are two separate firms, so you’ll need to purchase tickets for every individually. It’s a good suggestion to plan your day by day public transportation in Bangkok to see which mode of transport you employ extra. In case you use the BTS extra, it’s price investing in a day cross. Extra on this under.
5. The BTS Skytrain
The BTS Sky Practice is a wonderful manner of getting round Bangkok. In truth, it’s in all probability one in all 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 respect it on a stinking scorching day as the AC is freezing! The sky prepare can get you round Bangkok fairly rapidly, nevertheless it doesn’t join in all places 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 simple 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 certainly 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 Practice covers most of downtown Bangkok nonetheless and is an efficient possibility 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.
Take into account the Rabbit Card, a chargeable stored-value card (from 100 baht for the cardboard plus the price of your journey), or in the future cross 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 one in all my favorite methods of getting round Bangkok, regardless of being a little bit of a vacationer gimmick and also you spend the entire journey on the sting of your seat and with a face stuffed with air pollution.
The beauty of tuk-tuks is they’re in all places. There are various locations the Bangkok rail community won’t attain. In that case, you need to take a bus, stroll, or a taxi, or tuk-tuk.
Despite the fact that tuk tuks are costlier than a Bolt can be, I might typically go for them only for the joys of it.
Driving a tuk tuk will contain bartering earlier than you begin your journey. There isn’t a set value for a tuk tuk.
Tuk Tuk drivers will all the time attempt to overcharge the vacationers. Supply the worth you might be prepared 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 observe you, you understand that your value was cheap, and barter just a little extra to satisfy within the center.
I used to be lucky sufficient to be an English trainer and know just a little Thai, so earlier than I might begin the negotiation in Thai.
Professional tip: In case you converse just a little Thai, you’ll probably get a way more favorable value since you’ve made an effort to talk of their language. Kindness and respect go a good distance in Thailand.
7. Bangkok Buses
The buses in Bangkok are sometimes essentially the most handy manner across the metropolis as there are often a number of buses that go to the highest points of interest.
The bus is the most cost effective type of transport, and often solely prices just a few baht, starting from 8-15 baht per journey. The worth of buses is determined by their color and the way far you go.
Nonetheless, it’s not all the time simple to know which bus to catch or what route you want to take. The ViaBus App is nice because it exhibits 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 liked getting round Bangkok on a bus. The fixed clacking of the conductor’s change tin as he tried to wriggle his manner via the sweaty armpits of all of Bangkok squashed into the bus is a reminiscence that may final endlessly.
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 aren’t air conditioned – if you happen to get a very outdated unairconditioned bus with only a fan, you often pay the cheaper fare of solely 8 baht per journey – they usually take a very long time to succeed in your vacation spot.
Buses do get caught in visitors jams. An off-peak drive would take quarter-hour, however throughout these heavy durations, 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 approach to get round Bangkok and see the extra suburban aspect 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 supplies easy accessibility from the Golden Mount (our outdated house 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 comparable to 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 costlier, starting from 16-33 baht per journey. It relies upon which route you’re 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 comfy as fewer locals use them, and value a flat fee of 16 baht.
If you wish to get across the klongs and see the floating markets, then you could need to rent a long-tail boat. You possibly can 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. You may as well get a BTS on to Sathorn Pier.
9. Strolling Round Bangkok
There may be a lot to find and discover in Bangkok, nevertheless it’s additionally big, so strolling is just not actually an possibility until 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 may simply stroll from one aspect to the opposite in 30-40 minutes or so.
The place attainable, decide to stroll as an alternative of taking one or two stops on the MRT or BTS. It received’t value you something and has much less affect on the smog that shrouds the town daily.
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 vast, 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 funds, we advocate the Sukhumvit neighborhood, which has each a BTS and Metro. The Chateau de Sukhumvit resort sits on a beautiful avenue the place ex-pat bars intermingle with hawker meals stalls.
For a way more polished 5- star expertise, there isn’t 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 a beautiful place to spend the day as a household, however the resort can be a 5 minute stroll from our high shopping center, Terminal 21, the place you may discover reasonably priced and scrumptious meals in Bangkok.
There are many trip leases choices, and if that is the route taken, it’s finest to get one a bit exterior 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 just a little higher and offer you some choices. Make sure you put your itinerary collectively first, so you may plan which of Bangkok’s public transportation you want to take.
Earlier than you go, be sure you obtain maps and all of your related apps, so you will get from A to B as quickly as you arrive on the airport.
When strolling, watch out of visitors. The pedestrian mild might say inexperienced, however vehicles will nonetheless go. At all times look when crossing the street and watch out of rogue drivers!
In style Excursions of Bangkok
How do you are feeling about getting round Bangkok? Tell us if in case you have any questions within the feedback!
