Bangkok Transport

Bangkok is notorious for its sheer volume of traffic and its traffic jams.  Though this has eased slightly over the years with the introduction of the elevated monorail, the Skytrain, which provides a much quicker and easier alternative to the bus. The Bangkok metro covers areas not connected by the Skytrain. The extensive bus system has always been the main form of public transport and is the cheapest, most frequent mode of travel around the city.

The easiest, fastest and most interesting way to get around is on the waterways of the Chao Phraya River, where numerous river taxis, long-tail boats and large waterbuses put most tourist sites within easy reach. Tuk-tuk are a standard way of making short journeys and are sometimes cheaper and quicker than regular taxis. However, if you are in a desperate rush during gridlock, the cheapest, fastest and most perilous way is to travel by motorcycle taxi.

By metro

The Bangkok metro (tel: +66 2 354 2000; website: www.bangkokmetro.co.th) opened in July 2004, and it covers parts of the city that are not served by Bangkok’s overhead monorail system. The service operates from 05:00 to 00:00 every day, running every 2 to 4 minutes during rush hours, and every 4 to 6 minutes off-peak. For single-ride fares, a round plastic token is used and can be purchased from the automatic vending machines or from the counters at any metro station. Pre-paid cards are also available.

By train

An elevated monorail, the Bangkok Transit System, also known as the Skytrain (tel: +66 2 617 7300; website: www.bts.co.th), operates on two lines across the city, and has vastly improved the time it takes to move around. Trains operate daily from 06:00 to 24:00, running every 3 to 4 minutes during rush hours and every 5 to 6 minutes off-peak. Tickets are purchased from automatic ticket machines, although passes can be bought for 10, 15 and 30 journeys to be used within 30 days. Three-day tourist passes are also available.

By bus

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (tel: +66 2 246 0973; website: www.bmta.co.th) runs a comprehensive and highly complex bus system, which operates across the city from 04:00 to 23:00 every day. Buses are the cheapest but also the most challenging way of getting around, as there is a bewildering array of routes, usually marked only in Thai. A limited night service operates between 23:00 and 05:00. Bus stops usually list only the bus numbers that stop there and nothing more. Bus route maps are widely available at hotels and bookshops.

Taxis

Taxis are a quick and comfortable way to get around the city, at least if the traffic is flowing your way. All taxis are metered and air-conditioned. A red lit sign on the front window means that the taxi is available. Yellow-green taxis are owner-operated and of highly variable quality, and occasionally they have rigged meters; all other colours belong to large taxi companies, which usually enforce better standards. Be sure to know either the correct pronunciation of your destination or have it written in Thai, as taxi drivers in Bangkok are notoriously bad at reading maps and most have limited English language skills.

Tourist services

You’ll have one memorable night onboard one of Bangkok’s most luxurious restaurant boats with a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River. The splendour of the Grand Palace and Wat Arun while sampling a variety of Thai dishes during a cruise along the Chao Phraya River at night is not to be missed.

For a hassle-free historical trail of Bangkok, the Bangkok Sightseeing City Tram (tel: +66 2 225 7612) offers the sights of inner Bangkok from an electric city tram. A professional guide describes the attractions as you take in the myriad sights and sounds of the city. Catch the tram every day near the front gates of the Grand Palace at Sanam Luang. Tours operate every 30 minutes.

From the airport

Buses, taxis and rental cars get you from the airport to the heart of the city; taxis can be found on Level 2 at Arrivals, public buses run several routes from the Transport Centre to Bangkok, while the Airport Express shuttle provides air-conditioned coaches between the airport and first-class hotels in downtown Bangkok.