Bangkok Transportation Tips by aukjejetty

Airport Map

'Mode': TO
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: The airport is located about 30 miles outside of the city and the taxi or bus ride into town can take anything between 40 minutes (at night or during weekends) and 3 hours (during rush hour). Airportbuses leave at regular intervals from the terminals and drop passengers off all over the city - this can take very long, it costs only 100 Baht per person and is the best deal when you are travelling alone. For which bus to take go to the website listed below.

An (faster) alternative are taxies, about 200 to 300 plus 70 to 80 Baht Highway toll if you take one from the taxi-stand. Better is instead of walking to your left after passing customs, walk to your right and go outside, there will be taxis there. They will have meters (never take one without!) and if you explain to them that you do not want to take the toll road, a ride into town should be no more than 200 Baht.

Very important is to save 500 Baht for your departure tax, it is paid at counters and automatic vending machines. All passengers - International (500 baht) and Domestic (50 baht) have to pay.

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Website: www.bangkok-bkk.com/transportation.htlm

River and Canal Boats: Take the River for a Change

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Updated by aukjejetty

on Aug 15, 2004

Express Boat

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: My favourite means of transport in Bangkok was the boat over the Chao Phraya River. It is much more fun and a lot cleaner than the bus, tuk-tuk or taxi. It is not always the best idea ofcourse, since the stops are only along the river, but if you have to go from one place close to the river to the other, try it sometime! You can also hop on many buses and even the skytrain at many of the stops to continue your journey.

The boats are long, fast, and normally colored white with a red stripe. Fares vary slightly according to the destination, they're between 5B and 10B, and if I remember well, in busy hours they have one price. Boats seem to come around every 20 minutes, start at 5.30am and the last boat leaves each end at 6pm.

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River and Canal Boats: Another Boat tip

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Updated by aukjejetty

on Aug 15, 2004

Chinatown-area

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: If you are staying at the Banglamphu-area (near Khao San Road) you can walk to the boat stop at Phra Athit Road. From there you can take the boat to Ratchawong Road-stop, and you will be right near the old part of China town.

If you go al the way to Tha Sathorn-stop (one stop after Shangri-La) you wil get to the sky-train, and take that to all the shopping areas, Silom, Sukhumvit and Siam.

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BTS Skytrain: Clean and Fast

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Updated by aukjejetty

on Aug 15, 2004

Sky Train Lines

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Since 1999 there is Sky-train in Bangkok. It is very conveniant, and only crowded a few times, most of the times there is plenty of space to sit. The train looks very clean.

The only thing you have to remember is that the vendingmachines only accept 5 and 10baht coins. If you don't have any you can exchange your money at the ticketbooth.

Some important stops: Mo Chit (weekend-market), Siam/Central Station (switch lines, shoppingarea), Ekkamai (eastern busstation), Saphan Taksin (Chao Phraya expressboat-stop), Sala Daeng (Silom centre shoppingmall) and National Stadium (MBK, Tokyu shopping centres)

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Website: http://www.bts.co.th/

City Buses: City busses

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Updated by aukjejetty

on Aug 15, 2004

Bustickets

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: The best way to get around in Bangkok is to take the bus. The non-aircon busses are only 4 baht, and you pay a little more for the aircon busses. You just pay the fare on the bus, a busconductor will walk towards you and you just give the 4 baht (try to have it small). He or she will give you a ticket.

Most of the busses only have Thai writing on them, which makes it hard to find the right bus. So, you have to find out what number takes you where you want to go. I remember bus 47, which we took from the Kao San Road area to the shopping centres.

Sometime busses with the same number [but different color bus] go in different directions, so watch the color of the bus when you get on, just so you know what color to look for when you head back.

Another thing I found out which is good to know: if you sit on the backseat, and you see a monk walk in, please stand up, the backseat is reserved for the monks. And the first bench behind the door is for disabled and elderly.

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Subway / Metro: New Subwayline

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Written by aukjejetty

on Aug 15, 2004

map from 2Bangkok.com

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Bangkok has it's own subwayline now. The opening of the line was in July 2004. It's convenient startingpoint is at the main trainstation; Hua Lamphong, and from there it makes another 17 stops. There are 3 stops connecting to the two different skytrains.

You can have a look at the map on the website I listed below, the blue line on the map is the subway, the other two are the skytrains. The numbers are explained underneath the map.

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Website: http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/Subway/stations.shtml

City Buses: A Few Important Buslines

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Written by aukjejetty

on Aug 15, 2004

Traffic in Bangkok