Bangkok Transport Travel Guide

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Bangkok is a major travel hub, so it has plenty of direct flights from capital cities around the world. Bus and train services to southeast Asian countries are not so reliable, direct or fast. [more]

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Bangkok Airports

The new Bangkok International Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) opened September 28th 2006. Pronounced "Su-wan-na-poom", this sparkling new airport was due to replace the old Don Muang airport for both international flights and domestic flights in Thailand. The new airport lies 30 kms east of Bangkok.

However, due to runway tarmac issues, since March 25th 2007, some domestic flights have been using the reopened Don Maung airport. If you have connecting flights via Bangkok for Thai Airways, Nok Air or One-Two-Go, the transfer time between airports can be up to four hours due to Bangkok's horrendous traffic jams, so make sure you have enough time for the connection, or save yourself the stress and stay overnight at a Bangkok hotel instead!

Suvarnabhumi Airport is a much more pleasant way to fly into Bangkok than the old airport, however. It boasts an impressive 130 passport control desks for arrivals, great news to anyone who has stood in line at Thai customs for hours.

The journey into Bangkok from the airport is still frustratingly slow, as even the Airport Express bus has to negotiate Bangkok traffic. This air-conditioned bus service runs frequently from outside the Arrivals hall to four main areas of the city; AE1 takes you to Thanon Silom, AE2 takes you to Banglamphu, AE3 covers the entire length of Thanon Sukhumvit, and AE4 links the airport with Hualamphong train station.

Metered taxis are available from levels 1 and 4, and make sure you only use a licensed, air-conditioned taxi with a TAXI METER sign on top. Your taxi fare will include a airport surcharge (at time of writing, B50) and you will also need to pay an additional B70 in road tolls. Do not use an unmetered taxi, as you are likely to not only pay over the odds, but you may be a potential robbery victim too. No unmetered taxi, however cheap, is worth the risk.

Alternatively, you can catch a taxi from the ‘transportation centre', reached via a free shuttle bus from the main terminal. The transportation centre aims to become the main hub for onward travel from the airport, making life easier for the tourist and business visitor alike.

Public buses into Bangkok depart from the transportation centre, and new routes are being added throughout 2007. Take the #552 to connect with the Skytrain station at On Nut, which is probably the best way to travel into Bangkok at present since it only involves a bus journey of a few kilometers. The #554 bus runs to Don Muang Airport.

By November 2008, the new high-speed rail link should (should) be completed, connecting the airport with the BTS Sukhumvit Line and the MRT Blue Line at Playa Thai Skytrain station and Phetchaburi metro station. The express service will run direct to the new City Air terminal at Makkasan. This will make a tremendous different to travel times into Bangkok, as the rail journey will flash by in just fifteen minutes.

Your other transport options into Bangkok include a private limousine, and you can book one on arrival from the Limousine Service Counter in the arrival hall on level 2. Limousine services offer a fixed rate service, so you don't need to worry about extras added to the fare.

Car rental is also available at the airport, but unless you love driving in some of the worst traffic in the world, can read Thai road signs, and have a minor death wish, this is not recommended.

Probably the best option is to ask your Bangkok hotel to arrange a private minibus collection. You may have to wait for a couple of other guests to join you before you depart, but at least your driver will know where he is going, and you can relax knowing that your fare is fixed and prepaid. Such services will also wait if your plane is delayed, so you will not be stranded at the airport. Certainly, for your return journey back to the airport, this is by far the best option at present.

Getting There By Rail

The best way to get into the heart of Bangkok quickly is by train, as most services from Thailand and Malaysia terminate at Hualamphong Station in the centre of Bangkok. The train station links to the subway system, and a whole network of local buses can take you from here to almost any part of the city. Be aware that the station does not offer any tourist services, so anyone approaching you as an 'official' guide or 'tourist information officer' is likely to be a con-artist, however official-looking his ID. Do not even stop to listen to their sales patter; instead, head straight for the official taxi rank and take a metered taxi to your Bangkok hotel or business destination. Ignore the tuk-tuk drivers too; more on them later...

Getting There By Road

It takes an intrepid soul to travel across Thailand by public bus, and if you do, you arrive in Bangkok at bus terminals on the edge of the city centre. Buses from the north arrive at the Northern Bus terminal at Mo. Chit, along with some east-coast buses. From Mo. Chit, you can catch the Skytrain into central Bangkok, or walk to the Chatuchak park train station, or catch a city bus. Whatever route you choose, from whichever bus terminal, expect a slow and hot last section of your journey.

Driving in Bangkok or Car Hire

If you are considering driving into Bangkok, don't. Just don't.

Public Transport in Bangkok

The Bangkok bus is the king of the public transport system in Bangkok, and you can reach almost every nook and cranny of the city via a bus, albeit slowly. There are over four hundred bus routes to choose from, the fares are ridiculously cheap, and you can choose to sweat it out on an ordinary bus, or pay the extra and hop on an air-conditioned service instead. Either way, you'll have plenty of time to admire the scenery or chat to fellow passengers, as Bangkok's legendary traffic jams have slowed the average speed on the city streets to a crawling four kilometers an hour. It really can be quicker to walk short distances, if you can cope with the traffic fumes, manic drivers, and the attentions of determined tout and tuk-tuk drivers...

Bangkok is not called the Venice of the East for nothing, and by using the network of Bangkok river boats, journeys via the river and canal system can take less than half the time they take by road. The Chao Phraya river literally teems with hundreds of boats zipping up and down its length, and it's not only a great way to travel, but also a wonderful way to see Bangkok.

The Chao Phraya Express Boat Company operate the large Bangkok water buses that take you and the locals up and down the river from early morning until, early evening, stopping at well-marked piers en route. The key to understanding the pier (or that) markings is to remember that Sathorn pier is at the centre, with every pier north being signed N1, N2, etc, and every pier south S1, S2, etc. If you want to get on, make sure the boat captain has seen you, and get ready to hop on quickly, as these guys do not hang around at a pier for very long. There are also express boats during the rush hours; look for the coloured flags these boats fly.

Tourist boats are also available, distinguished by their light blue flags, and your one-day ticket gives you unlimited trips, useful for a day's sight-seeing in Bangkok without too much street walking. If your Bangkok hotel is on the river, they may have their own private boat service, which will take you to the nearest pier for free; ask at reception for details.

Cross-river ferries literally just shuttle to and from across the river, and you can hop on one not just at the main piers by many points in between. You'll need a pocketful of loose change too, as the fares are under 5 baht!