Types of transport in Bangkok in order of convenience, speed and cost:
1. Metro: underground and above ground (fast and inexpensive, but for one person).
2. Taxi (necessarily metered!) - if there are two or more of you, then it will be cheaper to travel around Bangkok by taxi. For example, getting from the shopping center of BTS Siam to the Royal Palace costs about 70 baht.
3. Knock-knock. Mainly for tourists, in tourist places, but for short distances they can be quite convenient and inexpensive. The only thing worth knowing is not to take “free” city tours (they will take you shopping).
4. Boats. This is a very cheap form of transport and quite fast, but it can be used in a fairly limited area.
5. Motorcycle taxi is the fastest mode of transport! But for long distances it is not very cheap. However, it has an undoubted advantage - if you rode a motorcycle taxi in Bangkok, then you are no longer afraid of anything in life (motorcycle taxis in Bangkok and Pattaya are one of best attractions that are worth trying!).
6. BRT (bus line) - its disadvantage is that it is very small and tourist places almost doesn't go away. But you can drive around and see how Thais live without tourists.
7. Buses. If you have nowhere to spend your time and no money, then this transport is for you. The easiest way to use it is with the help of a Google map, which, when plotting a route, shows which buses go to the place you need.
And now more details.
BTS (Bangkok Mass Transit System) is an elevated metro system in Bangkok. It was opened in 1999 and currently remains one of the fastest and convenient ways getting around Bangkok. The two metro lines intersect at the Siam transfer station, which is located in the shopping center of the city.
Cost of travel to BTS depends on the range. Minimum tariff 15 baht, maximum 55 baht. You can find out the cost and buy a single ticket right at the station in front of the train entrance. Everything is quite simple there: ticket cards are bought from machines on which the cost of the trip to the desired station is marked:
If you plan to make several trips a day, then it makes sense to purchase a travel ticket at the ticket office - One Day Pass. It allows you to make unlimited trips within one day for 120 baht.
Suvarnabhumi link is a BTS line connecting Suvarnabhumi Airport to the city center. You can choose high-speed train(red line, closed until April 2015), it goes to the city center without stopping, or the city line train (blue line), it goes with several stops. The travel time on the express train will be 15 minutes, the ticket price is 90 baht, the city line train from terminal to terminal takes 40-50 minutes and the ticket costs 40 baht.
BTS Bangkok Map
(overground and underground metro - click on the map to open in large size):
The most attractive metro stations for tourists:
Chatuchak Market(open on Saturday and Sunday evenings) and Chatuchak Park - Mo Chit Station;
Shopping center MBK— National stadium station;
Siam Paragon Shopping Center— Siam station;
Central world plaza shopping center— Chit Lom station;
Lumpini Park (big park with live monitor lizards) - Sala Daeng station;
Rachaprarop— the nearest station to tall building Thailand, Baiyok Sky Hotel;
Suvarnaphum Airport— Suvarnabhumi station (you can take the airport line train at Phaya Thai station);
Eastern bus station(buses to Koh Chang, Koh Samet, Pattaya) - Ekkamai station
Mo Chit Bus Station— Mo Chit station (the bus station itself is located approximately two to three km from the station, so you need to get there by motorcycle taxi or taxi meter);
South Bus Station— Wongwian Yai station. The bus station is located quite far from the station; you can get to it by public transport only with transfers, so the best option- take a taxi meter.
Victory Monument- a large stop for minibuses going to Pattaya, Koh Chang, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya and many other neighboring cities;
Saphan Taksin— a metro station where you can get off and transfer to a boat going along the Chao Phraya River (and also get to Koasan Road).
MRT - Bangkok underground metro
The MRT line was launched in 2004 and today consists of one line: from Hua Lamphong railway station north to Bang Sue station. The MRT intersects with BTS lines at Si Lom, Sukhumvit and Chatuchak Park stations. The ticket price also depends on the distance of the trip and starts from 15 baht.
A map of the underground metro is presented above along with the above-ground one.
Taxi in Bangkok
Metered taxis in Bangkok are a fairly inexpensive means of transportation. For example:
— Getting from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the Southern Bus Station (sai tai mai) costs about 600 baht. It's quite far, more than an hour's drive.
— From the Surasak BTS station to the Eastern Bus Station 14 km. A taxi costs 75 baht. BTS - 40 baht.
During peak hours (8am or 6-8pm), taxis may take longer and make better use of the BTS. The rest of the time, you just need to check with the taxi meter - “taxi meter” - otherwise the trip may turn out to be much more expensive.
Order a taxi in Bangkok not developed (but), in Bangkok you can very quickly catch a taxi just by going out onto the road.
Lifehack. There is a very important thing for each of us - mobile phone. If you can open a Google map through it and determine your location, then there are no problems with public transport anywhere at all - you select a point on the map where you need to go, plot a route and see what public transport you can use to get there (Google lists all the numbers buses, etc.).
Bangkok public buses
There are a great variety of buses in Bangkok, their cost is minimal (there are even free ones), but their routes are so confusing that it seems difficult to figure out right away. However, if you have a smartphone with a Google map, then everything is very simple - find your destination on the map and see the bus routes that Google offers you!
Traffic jams in Bangkok - especially in the evening - are simply crazy, so if it’s for business, then it’s better, of course, to take the metro, boats, or even a motorcycle taxi (if the traffic jams are really bad). good time for traveling by bus - around 10 a.m., when there should not be any major traffic jams. Well, if you are ready to spend your time and take a bus to the place you need, then here are some recommendations.
Bangkok buses come in several types:
- Small green ones - they cost 6.5 baht without air conditioning, with wooden floors, open windows and doors.
- Red buses are the same as green ones, but a little more, they cost 7 baht per trip. There are two types: if there is a yellow sign under the windshield, then the bus is on the express route; if there is no yellow sign, then it is on the regular route.
- White buses are not much different from red and green ones; a ticket costs 8 baht, perhaps because they look a little more decent.
- White and blue with green stripes are air-conditioned buses, the ticket price depends on the distance and ranges from 11 to 19 baht. There are also two types: regular and express (with a yellow sign under the windshield).
- Orange buses are air conditioned. Cost from 12 to 22 baht. There are regular and express.
- Blue and yellow are air-conditioned express buses.
- Pink and white buses - a ticket costs 25 baht, these buses are comfortable, air-conditioned and have seats only.
If you expect to quickly travel a long distance by bus, then it is better to forget about this idea. Despite the fact that buses often have a special lane on the road, they take a very long time, winding along the roads. But Bangkok buses are very convenient to use for short distances.
Bus routes passing through tourist spots in Bangkok:
- Bus No. 2 - goes from the Eastern Bus Station (BTS Ekkamai station) along the street Suhumvit through shopping mall Central World Plaza, turns at the hotel Amari Watergate(Phetburi street) and goes to Kao San road And Royal Palace- near Koasan Road.
- Bus No. 511 - runs from South Bus Station (Sai Thai May) via Kao San road, Chinatown, Petchaburi road, Central World, Silom.
- Bus number 40 - passes through Train Station Hua Lampong to the nearest BTS Siam station (usually without traffic jams).
- Kao San road: №2, №3, №6, №9, №56, №54;
- Buses passing in the area Dusit Zoo (Kou Din Zoo): №5, №18, №28, №70, №108, №510, №515;
- Buses passing in the area Chinatown: №1, №4, №7, №25, №35, №40, №53, №501;
- Buses passing in the area crocodile farm, Samutprakarn: №45, №142, №508, №513, №536;
- Buses passing in the area Water Gate (Pratoo Nam): №2, №11, №14, №23, №38, №58, №60, №62, №72, №79, №93, №99, №139, №140, №511, №512.
Look detailed description Routes can be found on this website (in Thai and English): http://www.bmta.co.th/en/travel.php
Bangkok river transport
Thanks to the abundance of canals, Bangkok was previously called the Second Venice. Before the advent of the highway network, canals and boats were the main means of transportation around the city. Now most of the canals are blocked and are not used for movement, but the largest ones remain and you can quickly move along them in the center. The cost of a ticket for a boat passing through the city's canals starts from 9 baht, depending on the distance of the trip.
A ticket for a boat on the Chao Phraya River costs 15 baht and does not depend on the distance. Express boats (for 40 baht) and water taxis also travel along the river. Tickets can be purchased at the piers and on the boats themselves. The largest pier is Sathon (also Taksin), it is located next to the BTS Saphan Taksin station.
Other posts on this topic:
©El Yate. Copying material.
The Chao Phraya River is a great way to travel in Bangkok, but the system of boats and their different colored flags can be confusing for a first-time visitor to Bangkok. This guide will help you discover that water buses can be a very convenient (and cheap) way to get to some of Bangkok's top attractions. The Chao Phraya River runs vertically on the left side of the city of Bangkok.
During the daytime, public boats, sometimes called river buses, operate on the river. Regular boats have an orange flag, they pass at intervals of about 15 minutes, they stop at all piers, and they cost 15 baht (regardless of distance). The fare is paid directly on the boat, where there is a conductor. Boats operate daily from 06.00 to 19.00.
There are also blue flag tourist boats. These boats are larger and less crowded, and they do not stop at all berths (they stop at the main berths interesting for tourists, such as 13,10, 9, 8, 5, 3, 0. They occur at intervals of approximately every 30 minutes. Payment for them occurs before boarding.
Tourist boat tickets can be purchased at the Central Pier or Phra Arthit Pier (Banglamphu) N13. They can also be purchased at Saphan Taksin and Siam BTS Skytrain stations, tourist boats cost a little more at 30 baht for a single trip and 150 baht for unlimited day trips. Tourist boats operate daily from 09.30 to 16.00.
Scheme of boat routes with different flags
There are also boats without a flag, the fare for which is 10/12/14 baht, depending on the distance. There are also boats with green and yellow flags, the fare for which ranges from 13 to 30 baht depending on the distance, they run from Monday to Friday with a green flag from 06.15 to 08.10 and from 15.30 to 18.05 with a yellow flag from 06.15 to 08.30 and from 15.30 to 20.00.
The photo below shows Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn)
In addition, free boats depart from large hotels on the Chao Phraya River and go to the central pier, where the skytrain is located. You can squeeze onto these boats under the guise of being a guest of an expensive, large hotel, but no one asks there anyway. There are also boats that run from one bank of the river to the other, the fare for them is 2-4 baht.
A boat plying on the Chao Phraya River inside. Sometimes there are a lot of people, especially in the evening, and you have to ride the boat while standing. 
All piers (tha) along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok are clearly marked in both English and Thai languages. The central pier is called Tha Sathorn and is conveniently located near the Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain station.
The piers north of the Central Pier are designated by the letter "N" followed by a number, and the piers south of the Central Pier are designated by the letter "S" followed by a number. The most popular attractions are located between the Central Pier and Pier N13 to the north. The journey from Central Pier to Pier N13 (Tha Phra Arthit / Banglamphu / Khao San Road) takes approximately 30 minutes.
Sunset on the embankment of the Chao Phraya River at the last pier N30. 
Central Pier (Tha Sathorn) - transfer to Saphan Taksin Skytrain station
N1 (Tha Oriental) - Oriental hotel and OP Place shopping
N2 (Tha Wat Muang Kae) - Old Customs and GPO Building
N3 (Tha Si Phraya) -
N4 (Tha Harbor Department) - Shopping in River City, Holy Rosary Church and Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel
N5 (Tha Rachavongse) -
N6 Tha Memorial Bridge - Phra Poklao Bridge and Chinatown
N7 (Tha Rajinee) - Chinatown vegetable market and transfer to the cross boat going to the old Portuguese quarter.
N8 (Tha Tien) - and transfer to the boat going to
N9 (Tha Chang) - Grand Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
N10 (Tha Wang Lang) - Siriraya Hospital
N11 (Tha Railway Station) - Bangkok Noi (Thonburi) station on railway.
N12 (Tha Phra Pinklao) - Klong Bangkok Noi and National Museum royal barges
N13 (Tha Phra Athit / Banglamphu) - (old Bangkok) and popular area for travelers including the street
N14 (Tha Rama Bridge 8) - for a walk along the Rama VIII Bridge
N15 (Tha Thewes) - Thewes Flower and Plant Market
In addition, in Bangkok there are also klongs (a klong is a water canal) and boats also ply along the klongs, the fare of which depends on the distance. Taking a river walk along the Klongs is also quite interesting.
Bangkok is well developed public transport. In the capital of Thailand, it is not at all necessary to rent a bike or car to get around the city. The main types of public transport in Bangkok are buses, subways, boats, and cheap taxis.
Buses
City buses in Bangkok are very cheap. For short distances, the fare is less than 10 baht per person. They come with air conditioning and open windows.
Our favorites are these little red ones with open windows. The salon may seem a little trashy. It's not hot while driving.
Another memorable feature of Bangkok buses is the conductors who love to rattle loose change in a round metal pencil case.
Bangkok conductor
Metro
Skytrain 
Underground metro station
The metro is ideal for getting around Bangkok. There is also a separate metro line directly to Suvarnabhumi Airport. Download Bangkok metro map
River transport in Bangkok
Boats and river buses are full-fledged public transport in Bangkok, like buses. River transport is used by the Thais themselves, as well as tourists for entertainment. We previously wrote to you about where you can ride the river buses twice.
Taxi in Bangkok
Taxi in Bangkok is the cheapest taxi we have taken. Often a metered taxi ride is even cheaper than a metro ride. The main thing is that the driver turns out to be normal, understands correctly where you need to go and turns on the meter.
- Taxi drivers often don't speak English and don't understand maps
- Don't ask for the price, but be sure to ask to turn on the meter.
Where can I order a transfer from the airport?
We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You've already talked about your experience In this article.
Popular mobile apps Uber and Grab taxi operate in Bangkok. I don’t know about the prices, we haven’t used them ourselves, somehow we always make do with cheap government taxis around the city. It is also possible to order transfers in BKK through Kiwitaxi service. Using the following links you can order a taxi online. You can pay online with bank card or to the driver in cash:
. Transfer to Suvarnabhumi Airport
. Bangkok → Don Mueang Airport
. Bangkok → Pattaya
. Bangkok → Koh Chang
. All directions from BKK
Taxi meter
Knock Knock
A type of taxi in Asia is a three-wheeled motorcycle. In Bangkok, tuk-tuks are quite expensive. I don’t know how much the Thais themselves pay the tukers, but for tourists the cost of a short trip around the center can reach 200-300 baht. Reviews of Bangkok tukers are not the most positive. But the tuk-tuk itself looks cool, you can take a ride once for fun.
Motobike taxi
Motorcycle taxi for short distances. Very popular in Thailand and many other Asian countries. All locals use their services, as they can travel without traffic jams and are cheap. We rarely travel with motorcycle taxi drivers; we prefer regular taxis.
Trains
Bangkok Central Station - Hua Lamphong. Located at the metro station of the same name. From this station you can travel by train to the far corners of Thailand. To the north to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nong Khai or to the south to Surrathani (Samui), Trang, Hat Yai.
Trains in Thailand are very popular, both among locals and tourists. Although, travel by train is more expensive than by bus. Tickets must be purchased in advance. This can be done either at the Hua Lampong Station ticket office or online.
You can buy train tickets in Thailand online only on one site - 12GoAsia
Intercity buses
There are 3 large bus stations in Bangkok - , and , from which you can go to almost any city in Thailand in the south and north. There are buses to Koh Samui, Krabi and Phuket. You can also take a direct bus to Cambodia and Laos.
Long-distance buses come in different classes. The fare depends on this. All long-distance buses have toilets and air conditioning.
- The most comfortable VIP class buses. They have the widest chairs that recline almost horizontally.
- 1st class buses below VIP level. It differs in that the seats are in 4 rows, that is, more cramped.
Meals are provided on all long trips. Each passenger is given a bottle of water and some light snacks. Also, on some flights you can have a full meal at the stop for free or at a discount by presenting your ticket.
You can order bus tickets online on the 12GoAsia website
Aircraft
From Bangkok you can fly to anywhere in Thailand by plane for the price of a train or bus, and sometimes even cheaper! For example, an air flight from Bangkok to Phuket costs on average 800-900 baht ($25-30). If only Russia had such prices for domestic flights!
We have flown around Thailand several times. For example, from Phuket to Vientiane for visas. Very convenient and very cheap. A flight lasting 1-2 hours for the price of an overnight bus and you are at the other end of Thailand.
You can book tickets for Thai airlines directly on the official websites of AirAsia, Nok Air, Thai Lion, etc. All websites are in English, you can pay by card.
Order air tickets for Thai airlines flights in Russian available on the 12GoAsia website
Hotels in the center of Bangkok
To explore the capital of Thailand, we recommend staying in the city center to see everything interesting places and the main attractions were within walking distance. We have compiled an excellent selection of hotels for such a case -. Book any of these hotels and enjoy walking around the BKK.
- Adamaz House
- Siamese Views Lodge
- Tara Place
- The Orchid House Boutique Resort
- Nouvo City Hotel
- Phasumen Riverview
If you have any questions or additions, write in the comments.
Tourists will find this type of transport no less interesting, since many routes pass through popular tourist attractions. River transport in Bangkok is well developed and boats run every 10-15 minutes.
Bangkok river transport route map
There are several companies involved in river transport in Bangkok:
Chao Phraya River Express
The company's boats operate between Wat Ratchasingkhon (near Krungthep Bridge) and Nonthaburi province.
The company's boats can sail either with different flags, which indicate a specific route, or without a flag, which indicates that the boat will berth at each pier.
This company has 2 types of boats:
Standard express boats operating daily from 06.00 to 18.30 with prices from 4 to 16 baht
Special express boats operate from Monday to Friday from 06.00–09.00 and from 15.00–17.00. Ticket prices range from 10 to 25 baht
Chao Phraya Tourist Boat
This company specializes in the movement of tourists. Unlike ordinary boats, the boats of this company are not in a hurry. The route starts at Sathon Pier pier and ends at Banglamphu Pier pier. Between these two piers the boat makes 10 stops which allow you to view some of Bangkok's popular attractions such as Royal Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Chinatown.
There will be a guide on the boat who, along the way, will tell you about Bangkok, its traditions and the sights that you will see.
The boats of this company operate daily from 09:00 to 15:00 every 30 minutes. The ticket costs only 15 baht, but you can buy a special ticket for 150 baht, which gives you the right to use the boats of this company an unlimited number of times during the day.
Cross-River Ferry
These boats specialize in ferrying passengers from one side of the Chao Phraya River to the other. The standard fee for this route is only 3 baht.
Longtail boats (river taxi)
You can see such boats on all major tourist routes. The cost of travel on such a boat depends on the distance, but it is better to agree in advance so that the amount announced at the end of the trip is not a surprise for you. The main advantage of longtails is that they are very fast and can be rented for any route.
Walk around Bangkok on your own for fear of getting lost or being scammed by slick taxi drivers or tuk-tukers. However, in reality there is nothing difficult about moving around the city. You can easily arrange for yourself self-guided tour: inspect the main Bangkok attractions in a couple of days, and without any negotiations with taxi drivers and other intermediaries. And at the same time admire the skyscrapers of Bangkok from the river side.
How to do it? It's simple. Take a waterbus ride along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. The river runs through the whole of Bangkok, so it is convenient to get to many temples in Bangkok along the river.
How to ride water buses on the river in Bangkok
In the photo: how to see the sights of Bangkok by riverTo do this, you need to have a navigator with you or, and for transport use inexpensive river trams that constantly run along the Chao Phraya River. Getting to the chosen place along the river will not be difficult, as elsewhere in Thailand.
Where to start your river tour in Bangkok
You need to start your trip to the attractions on the Skytrain (BTS). Go to the “Saphran Taksin” station, get off and go down under the bridge to the river. And here you are at pier number 1 - “Sathorn Pier”.
Sathorn Pier in Bangkok - start of the river trip The left arrow indicates the path to the water buses. Please note that two types of boats stop at this pier:
- Chao Praya Tourist Boat - a walking route for tourists
- Chao Praya Express Boat – public transport, there are different routes (flags)
- Orange flag
- Yellow flag
- Green flag
Choose the regular Expess Boat (Orange flag). Before your trip, study the stop schedule; boats of different flags do not always stop at all piers.
If you follow the arrow “straight”, you will get to the pier where boats from cool coastal hotels like “Mariott”, “Peninsula”, “Chatrium” or “Shangri La” arrive.
How to buy tickets for the water bus
Do not react to various offers of tickets and “inexpensive” excursions at the “box office” you see - this is all tourist business and water buses don't touch. Find the cashier at the table where it says “Orange Flag” and buy your ticket. Ticket price 14 baht per person - the right budget for a self-guided tour!
If you didn’t have time to buy it at the ticket office, you can also buy a ticket on board the water bus from the conductor.
The ticket office for tourist boats looks more elegant. Ticket prices too...
Boarding the water buses
Before boarding, tourists are formed into a queue. Water buses run quite often. Be prepared that passengers boarding and disembarking very quickly - don’t yawn, watch where you put your feet and do everything like the Thais around you.
How to get off the ship at the right place
When traveling along the river, keep an eye on the berth numbers. These will be blue signs with numbers. As you can see, everything is simple.
Inside Chao Praya Express Boat
Inside the river bus, everything is simple - there are rows of seats in front, boarding/disembarking goes through the back of the boat.
Along the way, you will have time to take photographs and observe ordinary Thais and the coordinated actions of the boat captain.
How to get to the main attractions of Bangkok by river
So, where do you need to get off in order to immediately get along the river to the desired attractions.
