How to Travel Around Bangkok

Ranked among the most affordable and vibrant vacation hotspots in the region, Bangkok not only welcomes backpackers and student travellers but also globetrotters and families. Providing tourists with the chance to engage with Thailand's food culture and historical heritage while enjoying the city's retail potential, the Thai capital is a city full of possibilities. From using the subway to hopping on a tuk-tuk, here's a rundown of the best ways to travel during a stay in Bangkok.

1. Use the BTS SkyTrain Network

Tipped to be the most efficient way to get from Point A to Point B in Bangkok, no trip to the Thai capital would be complete without whizzing past the city on a BTS SkyTrain carriage. Covering most of Bangkok's major areas and neighbourhoods, the BTS SkyTrain network is an ultra-modern and high-speed public transport option that's also surprisingly affordable. This network is divided into two lines named the Sukhumvit Line and the Silom Line. Hopping on a SkyTrain is the best way to avoid the congested highways and byways of Bangkok. Running from the Kasetsart station towards Kheka stations and from Bangkok's National Stadium to the busy Bang Wa station, the routes criss-cross Bangkok and its tourist highlights. Available from 5:15 am, the Skytrains halt operations after the clock strikes 12 at midnight. Rabbit passes and tickets for the Skytrain are available at 7-Elevens and every BTS station.

2. Hop on the Subway

Also called the MRT and the Bangkok subway, the transport links accessible to locals and tourists along the Blue and Purple Lines are more than enough to enjoy sightseeing tours around the city. Expanding to include more and more areas and neighbourhoods each year, the MRT network shares interchanges with the BTS SkyTrain system although the former will be far easier to navigate for first-timers. MRT subway trains run from 6 am till midnight although tourists should remember that most stations shut down as soon as the clock strikes 11:30 pm.

3. Taxi Travel

Although taxi services are not the most cost-effective way to get around the Thai capital, they can be an attractive option to those who are travelling in groups. The taxis in Bangkok are painted in various colours and are metered with the first kilometre costing a specified amount and fares increasing incrementally with the distance of the journey. Some local taxi drivers are known to "forget" to turn on the meter at the start of the ride so travellers should be mindful of those who are attempting to swindle tourists in this manner or by insisting that their meter is broken. It is also wise to download GRAB and other taxi booking apps as these vehicles and drivers are more regulated and less likely to overcharge. Travellers can hail a taxi from street corners, especially in front of malls and other popular attractions.

4. Tuk-Tuks

Another means of transportation that is both a cultural element in Bangkok while also being an efficient mode of transport, tourists should only use tuk-tuks for short transfers. Most three-wheelers in Bangkok are not metered and drivers are more than likely to dupe unsuspecting travellers to pay more so avoid using tuk-tuks unless it is to go from one mall to another. Tuk-tuk drivers are also known for their less than safe driving practices so those who are faint of heart should steer clear of three-wheelers altogether.

5. Water-Based Transfers

Visitors staying at the Chatrium Residence Riverside Bangkok or any similar serviced apartment in Bangkok on the shores of the Chao Phraya River can rely on boat transfers to head inland. The Express Boats and the other ferries and riverboats on the River of Kings are not only used to transport visitors along the length of the river but also to its cultural hotspots and floating markets as well.