Getting Around Bangkok

Bangkok is a very large city. As many as 12 million people live there. The city has no real center, and a rather limited transportation infrastructure relative to many other cities its size.

There was a time in the early 1990's when getting around Bangkok was close to a nightmare. You could easily find yourself stuck in traffic for several hours just to make a short trip. The situation has improved dramatically in recent years. In 1999 the city's first modern mass transit system opened, the elevated Bangkok Transit System, known as the Skytrain. This was followed by the opening of the Bangkok Subway in July 2004.

Airport Transfers

Don Muang International Airport is located some distance from the center of town. The best way to get into town is by taxi. The cheapest option is public metered taxi. There's a counter in the airport terminal to request a taxi. You pay a 50 Baht surcharge on the metered amount when taking a taxi from the airport. The Airports Authority also runs its own taxi service, operated from its own counter just outside customs. The Airport taxis have a fixed rate depending on what part of town you're going to. Its generally about double what you would pay a regular metered taxi. There's also a limousine service.

Under no circumstances should you accept a ride from any touts or "unofficial" taxi services. Real taxis have a red and white TAXI-METER sign on the roof. All Airport Taxis are white with green plates. Many people have been robbed by seemingly friendly people offering them a ride to "a good cheap hotel they know."

Getting Around Town

Bangkok Transit System

Better known as the Skytrain, the capitol's first mass transit system is a quick way to get around. The system isn't very big, so it probably won't go exactly where you going, but it can cut a lot of time from a cross town trip.

In April 2002 the Skytrain made several improvements to help make using the system much easier for tourists. A three-day unlimited use ticket can now be purchased at all stations and many hotels for just 280 Baht (less than US$7). Included is a tourist guide and system map. Several stations now also have tourist information centers with qualified English speaking attendants to answer your travel questions. Information centers are located at Siam, Saladaeng and Taksin stations.

Taxi

Taxis are cheap and air conditioned. They are required to use their meter, but some drivers will attempt to negotiate a rate, especially late at night. If you're in a well populated area, you can just wait for a driver willing to use the meter. All taxis have a red and white TAXI-METER sign on the roof, yellow license plates and a two color paint job. Most are yellow and green, with the second most common color scheme being blue and red.

Tuk-tuk

These three wheeled carts, properly called a samlor, are generally the quickest way to get somewhere, but they're rather dangerous and if you take a long trip in them you'll be quite dirty at the end. Be sure to negotiate the fare before starting your trip.

Motorcycle Taxi

Those aren't gangs you see hanging around at major intersections in colored vests, they're taxis. You ride pillion while the driver weaves through traffic. Useful if you have to get somewhere in a hurry, but a little dangerous. Note that helmets are required.

Car

Driving yourself in Bangkok is definitely not recommended. However you can rent a car with a driver if you want to go someplace out of the way and don't want to bother with a taxi. You can rent a car with driver for as little as $25 a day.

Boat

The Chao Phraya river makes a great way to get around, since many of the major tourist sites are easily accessible from the river. Chao Praya River Express operates a regular boat service up and down the river. Sort of a bus on the water. Fares are extremely cheap. You can get just about anywhere for 10 Baht or less. There are piers next to many of the riverside hotels. Even if you aren't staying on the river, if you are staying close to the elevated train system, you can catch a train to the Taksin Bridge station. A River Express pier is on the river right below the station, and there is generally someone on duty at the pier to sell you a ticket and help plan your trip. The boats can be dangerously crowded during peak traffic times, so avoid rush hours.

Underground / Subway

The Subway, Bangkok's newest mass transit system owned and operated by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) and the Bangkok Metro Company Limited (BMCL), was launched on 3 July 2004.

The subway route is 20 kilometres long with 18 stations and three interchange stations that connect to the city's other overhead mass transit rail system, the Skytrain. One of the subway stations is located right next to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. More interchange stations will come on stream after line extensions to the Skytrain are completed.

The subway operates from 05.00 hrs - 24.00 hrs every day at a frequency of 4 - 6 minutes per train. During rush hours (06.00hrs - 09.00hrs and 16.30hrs - 19.30hrs), the frequency increases to 2 - 4 minutes per train.

All the subway stations are air-conditioned and well equipped with elevators, escalators, shops, ATM machines, public telephone kiosks and ticket vending machines which accept both notes and coins as well as return change.

The subway will run from the city's main railway station, Hua Lamphong, under two major thoroughfares, Rama 4 Road and Ratchadaphisek Road.

The Metro's Thai name is pronounced 'Rot Fai Fah Dhai Din Mahanakhon', literally "city underground electric train".