Introduction
Bangkok has multiple modes of transportation. One has to choose the mode of transport in Bangkok based on budget, vacation period, time of day, convenience and other factors. Also, one has to keep in mind that there is heavy rush in the mornings and in the evenings in Bangkok. These are the peak hours. The various modes of transport in Bangkok are tuk-tuks, songthaews, taxis, motorbike taxis, buses, minivans, metros, boats and ferries. Negotiate the price before taking the ride in tuk-tuks, songthaews, some motorbike taxis and some taxis.
Tuk-tuks
They have one wheel in the front and 2 wheels at the back. The driver sits in the only seat in the front and two to three people can sit in the seat at the back. Tuk-tuks are the transport in Bangkok for short to medium distance travel. Negotiate the price before taking a tuk-tuk. With a very rough estimation, the fares may be around 100 baht. Have a memorable experience of the ride at least once.
Songthaews
The four-wheeler mini trucks with seats at the back in two rows accommodate about 10 people. People can hop on and off these vehicles. They charge about 10 to 20 baht for short to medium distance and are cheap mode of transport in Bangkok. You can stop the vehicle anywhere by pressing the buttons on the roof of the vehicle. Also, you can hop into one of these vehicles anywhere on the road.
Taxi transport in Bangkok
The popular taxi services in Bangkok are the Grab taxi and the Bolt taxi services. Grab is a little bit expensive than Bolt. Both the services have apps that you can download. The taxi can be booked from the app. You may have to pay the tolls if crossing them. If you haven’t booked online, just negotiate the price before taking the taxi.
Motorbike taxis
There are motorbike taxis available in Bangkok. They can be booked by apps. You can also get them from various places on the roads in Bangkok. If you do not carry any bags and the weather is good, these are a good choice. They are fast mode of transport in Bangkok to commute on roads compared to taxis. Negotiate the price if the bike is not booked online
Minivan transport in Bangkok
These are generally good for long distance travel like going from one city to another. For example, between Bangkok and Pattaya, many people take minivans to travel. They are fast mode of transport in Bangkok for long distances and available easily at various times in the day.
Bus transport in Bangkok
Metro transport in Bangkok
Due to the heavy traffic in Bangkok city, especially during peak hours, the best mode of transport in Bangkok is metro. There are various networks of metro operating in Bangkok. They operate from around 5 AM in the morning to around midnight. The frequency of the trains is from around 5 minutes to around 10 minutes. They cover a large part of Bangkok city and is the best mode of transport in Bangkok to use many times. The main networks of metro are BTS, MRT, SRT and ARL. The below information is as of the beginning of the year 2024. The construction and development works are going on. The most popular lines are the Sukhumvit line and the blue line of MRT.
The Sukhumvit line of BTS runs from Kheha to Khu Khot. The Silom line of BTS runs from National Stadium to Bang Wa. The Gold line of BTS runs from Krung Thonburi to Khlong San.
The blue line of MRT runs around central Bangkok through Tha Phra, Chatuchak Park, Sukhumvit, Silom up to Lak Song. The yellow line of MRT runs from Lat Phrao to Samrong. The purple line of MRT runs from Tao Poon to Khlong Bang Phai. The pink line of MRT runs from Nonthaburi Civic Center to Min Buri.
The SRT Dark red line runs from Bang Sue to Rangsit via Don Mueang airport. The SRT Light Red line runs from Bang Sue to Taling Chan. The airport link ARL runs from Suvarnabhumi airport to Phayathai via Makkasan.
The prominent interchanging metro stations are Mo Chit, Asok and Siam. The Sukhumvit line and the blue line of MRT have interchanging stations at Mo Chit and Asok. The Sukhumvit line and the Silom lines have the interchanging station at Siam.
River transport in Bangkok
The river transport in Bangkok has various boats and ferries operating in Chao Phraya River. The service is from around 6 AM to 8 PM. The way to travel during peak hours, other than metro, is by boats and ferries. They are quite helpful, mostly to visit the tourist spots of Bangkok. Sathorn is the central pier. It is located at exit 2 of BTS Saphan Taksin (S6). The piers to the north of it are depicted as ‘N’ and to the south are depicted as ‘S’.
The tourist boats are the blue flag Chao Phraya boats. The run every 30 minutes. They stop at about 11 piers. The boats with yellow flags run from Sathorn Pier to Nonthaburi. The Orange flag boats run from Wat Rajsinkorn to Nonthaburi. The ones with red flag run from Sathorn Pier to Nonthaburi. The boats with yellow-green flags run from Sathorn Pier to Pakkret. There are also hotel shuttles, Charter boats and river cruises. There is also canal transport service.
Nearest metro transport in Bangkok to tourist attractions
The nearest metro station to Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun and National Museum is MRT Sanamchai and the Pier is ThaChang Pier. The Mahanakhon Skywalk is near Chongnonsi metro station of Silom line. The metro station Wat Mangkon is near to Chinatown and Ratchawong Pier is the nearest Pier. Eastern bus station is near BTS Ekkamai.
The Termina21 mall is near MRT Sukhumvit or BTS Asok metro stations. The ICONSIAM mall is near BTS Krung Thonburi of Silom line. The MBK center, Bangkok Art & Cultural Center and Jim Thompson house are near National Stadium of Silom line. The malls Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery and Siam Square are located near BTS Siam metro station of Sukhumvit line.
Tourist attractions in Bangkok
Tourist attractions in Pattaya