Traveling via Bangkok roads - terrible

BANGKOK, THAILAND
Transportation
One word summarizes traveling via Bangkok roads - terrible! Drivers use the left hand side of the road - well, at least most of the time! During most hours of the day, the roads are highly congested and it takes a lot of patience and time to get anywhere. On several occasions I have challenged my ability to stay alive by crossing large intersections of traffic. I have been entirely successful and have built up confidence with more and more practice. This is not recommended unless you are a seasoned veteran at dodging traffic in busy cities because in Bangkok cars have the right away, NOT people.   There are certain times of the month when the traffic is terribly fierce. One of these times is on paydays - usually the last Friday of the month. I've spoken to people who say a drive that normally takes 30 minutes turns into 2 hours on these days. Mornings and evenings are of course very bad. Extremely late night - like after 1am and mornings before 5:00 am are generally an ok time to travel the streets of Bangkok. The following are some methods of transportation you can use during your stay in Bangkok. A VERY typical street scene in Bangkok   A very colorful Tuk-Tuk!
Airport - Suvarnabhumi airport is Thailand's beautiful state of the art airport which opened at the end of September 2006. The Don Muang International Airport became a bit outdated and was built for travel levels of years past. Don Muang is now used for certain activities such as Military Day as well as offering domestic flights for certain budget airlines, such as Nok Air.   Airline check in Rows   Suvarnabhumi airport is huge and has the longest terminal in the world - the name of this airport is pronounced Su-wanna-poom (it means golden land in Thai). This is a major airport for all of SE Asia. We have flown into and out of this airport many times and as a result have become very familiar with the services offered here. A new city has actually grown up around this airport with many new buildings and massive bill boards will greet you next to the multi-lane expressway that leads back to Bangkok. There are 8 important levels you should know about in the main airport terminal building.   B Floor Airport Rail Link (Airport Express & City Line), book store, few miscellaneous food shops   Level 1Bus Lobby, & Taxi's - Magic Food Point (local cuisine - MUCH cheaper than Food Court on Level 3!)   Level 2Meet arriving passengers (Arrivals) - small tourist offices, banks, money exchange, Internet consoles, Phone SIM Card purchase, phone rentals, and ATM's available here   Level 3 Meet & Greet area (next to exit door #3), also dining options including a food court, Internet consoles, and Massage service (Chang Massage). Note the food court caters to tourists and tends to be quite expensive. For MUCH cheaper dining option go to Level 1 - the Thai Magic Food Point. This is open 24 hours a day, buy coupons first, then choose from a variety of food counters. NOTE: coupons are ONLY good the day of purchase.   Level 4Departing passengers. All airline counters & check in terminals. Thai airways main customer service offices. Expensive Internet cafe is located in the concourse F corner. There are many duty free shops in the main terminals.   Level 5 Thai Airways and Star Alliance program information   Level 6 Restaurants - typically more expensive than the dining options on Level 3.   Level 7 Observation Deck Thai Airways dominates this airport - from outside you can see all of their airline facilities. The control tower is the tallest one in the world and can be seen from miles around the airport. There is plenty of parking - the parking garages are very creatively constructed. There are 23 baggage claim belts for the International flights. They are spread out over a long distance so be sure to consult the large baggage claim screen (available as soon as you pass through passport control) to find out which belt your baggage is on. Internet: the Internet consoles are high speed and very cheap - however often some of them will not be working and the metal key pads are *extremely difficult and slow* to use. The wireless situation at the airport has improved somewhat recently. You have to purchase a wireless card at one of the book stores on the second level which contains a login/pwd. Major carriers do work such as Boingo (no card needed). The net cafes on the departing level are absolutely terrible - the net here is very expensive and the computers lock up rather often and a number of sites don't even load -we've tested these year after year. NOTE: at the Airport Information counters on the 2nd and 4th floors (2 counters on each floor) you can pick up a card with a login and password good for 15 minutes free WiFi use (connect to the "Free Airport WiFi" network on your computer). You need to look for the red and white symbol in certain areas of the airport indicating you can use that WiFi here. NOTE: these cards for free WiFi is *only* available after you've gone through through customs and security. Taxis. Taxis are available at Level 1 where you need to pay 50 baht and reserve one at the taxi stand. We generally do not recommend getting at taxi at this level because of the extra 50 baht convenience fee and often long wait (unless you arrive in the wee hours of the morning - see the Taxi section below for details), rather go to Level 4, walk outside and flag one down (there are always taxis, 24 hours a day, even in the darkest hours of night) - this way you avoid the 50baht airport tax fee. Know how to use a taxi - review our Taxi Pitfalls article here. Expect to pay 200-270 baht for a metered taxi from the airport to any of the main districts in Bangkok (Silom, Sukhumvit, Khao San Road etc). DEMAND the taxi driver uses their meter and walk out of they do not...regardless of the time of day or night. A common quoted price is between 600 and 1000 baht for taxi drivers who do not use the meter. That is a rip-off. There is a toll way between the airport and the Sukhumvit Road area that makes two stops costing you a total of 70 baht. This is commonly used by the taxis and typically saves time when there is bad traffic. However you are well within your right to tell the taxi driver you don't want to use toll way (say, "Mai toll, mai expressway") especially if its late at night, i.e. typically after 11pm as traffic will be lighter and you can use the normal roads to get to downtown - or if its on a Sunday). Note: when you flag down a taxi at level 4, try to get one dropping off passengers rather than one that is waiting around. Those who wait around or are more aggressive  are usually waiting to prey on tourists and will insist on keeping their meter turned off or if its late at night will insist on taking you the tollway despite little traffic. Please read our TAXIS section directly below for additional pitfalls. Public transportation. In August 2010 the Airport Rail Link (www.railway.co.th) opened from the airport to central Bangkok. The Airport Rail Link is open from 6am until midnight every day of the week. This is found on the B Floor (bottom) - From the 2nd floor Arrivals, go down 2 more floors (either escalators or elevator). Also note that some of the seats near the entrance to the Airport Rail Link are often used by stretched out people who sleep here over night (maybe the quietest part of the airport for sleeping?!). No trolleys are allowed in the actual departure area for the Airport Rail Link but you can use the trolley to get here from any floor above. Two options to reach central Bangkok by rail are the following:      1. Airport Express - takes 15 minutes from the airport to Makkasan Station and reaches speeds up to 160km/hour. Once the train arrives at the airport you will have to wait about 10 minutes before it actually leaves. The Airport Express stops at Makkasan Station (fairly central location in Bangkok) where you can catch a taxi if you have luggage. The Airport Express is setup for those who have luggage, with luggage storage areas on the train. The Metro is about a 400 meter walk from Makkasan Station- not connected to the station (follow the arrows, exit downstairs) and with a lot of luggage would not be very practical. The Airport Express costs 150 baht/person. Note: you pay for your ticket *after* you arrive at the Makkasan station - you do not pay for your ticket at the airport. This line is usually not very popular compared to the slower cheaper Airport City Line. 2. Airport City Line - takes 35-45 minutes to the Phaya Thai Skytrain Station and stops at 8 stations before reaching Phaya Thai. This is a much cheaper way to reach central Bangkok than say a taxi or the Airport Express Line as the fare is only 45 baht/person. This is the popular option for backpackers. Note you pay for your ticket at the airport - there are ticket machines (available both in Thai and English - touch screen) or you can pay at the counter.  The free Airport Shuttle Bus provides transportation 24 hours a day to main airport facilities including the Public Transportation Center. Public buses run to various locations in Bangkok from the Public Transportation center 24 hours a day. Catch the free Airport Shuttle Bus to the Public Transportation Center on either Level 2 or 4 at Entrance 3, 6 or 9. The entrances to the actual airport are clearly labeled with numbers so you should have no problem seeing these. Public buses from the Public Transportation Center will cost you 35 baht to any of the serviced locations within Bangkok. You can also take the Airport Express Bus for 150 Baht - its more expensive than the public buses a little cheaper than a taxi, but it only runs from 5am until 12pm. If you want to use this option contact the Airport Bus Counter on Level 1 at Entrance number 8. For bus routes and Public Transportation Center information pick up one of their free brochures at any of the airport Information Counters - Level 2 and Level 4 have well marked Info counters. Official Airport Website: www.airportthai.co.th/airportnew/sun/index.asp?lang=en Enjoy the 11 minute informative video guide. Here are also a few photos for review: The old Don Muang airport is still used for some national & International flights usually for budget carriers such as Nok Air. For nostalgia purposes, this site provides general information & photos of the old Don Muang International airport:www.asiatraveltips.com/PicturesofBangkokAirport.shtml     Taxis - There are more taxis in Bangkok than I have seen in most cities. The most common ones are yellow and green and they have a "metered" sign on top of their roof. Most of the taxis are air-conditioned. I do not recommend taking one of these taxis if the driver insists on NOT using their meter. This is very common when you first step into a Bangkok taxi. Usually when the driver says "no meter" and quotes you a set price - you are being ripped off. I find for the most part that the taxi drivers are friendly and helpful; in addition almost all of the taxis have excellent air conditioning. The taxi driver will know about how much rides cost to certain parts of the city with their meter - There are four scenarios for why a taxi driver will tell you he can't use the meter. 1. The meter is actually broken (very doubtful) 2. there is so much traffic that the drive will take a very very long time - this is often the case in the late afternoons. 3. they know the price they told you is higher than what it would be if they used their meter, 4. it is late at night. If traffic is so bad you will find that most of the taxi drivers will quote you a price and not use their meter. At this point you could take the taxi, or take a Tuk-Tuk for a little cheaper or walk depending on the distance.  Expect to pay between 200 to 270 baht for a ride from a taxi from the Airport to most Bangkok districts (the metered price - tollway fees are extra - if you arrive late at night, say after 10pm or 11pm there is really no reason to use the tollway). On Level 4 where taxis drop off passengers, you can walk out to the median lane and get a taxi before they pull away. Technically the taxis are not supposed to stop here very long. Sometimes the drivers will refuse to use their meter - they can say anything in regards to this, the most common reason for not using the meter is "its late at night". Right. REFUSE their services and find a taxi driver who will use their meter REGARDLESS of the time of day or night. Unfortunately this can be difficult very late at night especially with any language barriers or if you are extremely tired - if you keep getting rejected by taxi's who refuse to use their meter, our best suggestion is to try to get one of the security guards to walk over with you to the taxi, or simply save the hassle and pay the extra 50 baht convenience fee to the taxi attendant on Level 1 and be assured of taking a metered taxi. Also note a very small percentage of taxi drivers will alter their meters. This is a real tough one to determine when they are cheating, unless you know approximately how much you should pay based on the distance. (See our airport taxi info above). Normally hailing a taxi is not that difficult unless you happen to be on a small side street. There are usually many taxis available near the main tourist locations even in the wee hours of the night and morning. We always reject taxis that hang out next to hotels as often these drivers will try to not use the meter, will alter their meter or somehow rip you off. We go by the "rolling taxi" rule - walk a little further from your hotel and flag down a taxi that is actually moving. There are two main taxi companies in BKK - identified by the green & gold cars, and the blue and red cars. The green and gold cars are individually owned whereas the blue and red cars are company owned. For more information on taking taxis in general, please review our article on using taxis which is found on our Backpackers Portal. Note that there is becoming more of a problem with taxi drivers not using their meters in Bangkok. The phone number: 1584 is the Bangkok Thai complaint line about taxis (if you have a complaint be sure you have the meter number on hand) - we haven't yet tried this, so not sure if the receptionist will be able to speak English. This link shows exactly what you should pay per each KM. www.suvarnabhumitaxi.co.th/taxi-rate.html  Bangkok Metro (MRT) opened on July 3rd, 2004. It currently costs 14-36 baht depending on the length of your trip. We have been very pleased with our times riding this 3 billion dollar state of the art Metro. Wow, its quite nice and very well organized. Please visit the photo thumbnails below. There are two connecting points with the SkyTrain at Sukhumvit (Asoke) and Silom. There is talk about investors coming up with additional funding to increase the range of the Metro. Whether this plays out remains to be seen. For more information please visit the official Bangkok metro website (Thai and English versions - a map is available). A great website for the latest and greatest about the metro is:www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/Subway/index.shtml     On the right is the token used to  enter the subway and on the right is the full subway map. Above are various metro photos. The above photos were taken at the Lumphini Terminal   Here is a map of the Metro that we took from the Sukhumvit stop. Click on Map for full version.   BTS Sky Train was under construction for about 10 years before the original route was finished in December 1999. In part, the reason it took so long to finish construction is because the city had to purchase land from local businesses so that they would have the space to build the Sky Train. The Sky Train towers over several large roads including the congested Sukhumvit road - you can't miss it. There are stairs leading up to each station from each side of the main road. All the actual trains have excellent air-conditioning. This is quite a relief to sit in one of these for a while after walking around the hot humid streets of Bangkok. Try to sit in the middle of each railcar as that is the furthest away from the doors that open - hence affords you the coldest part of each train! Also TV screens are located in each car - not always on, but when they are, they typically play Thai commercials or music videos.   There are two lines to the Sky Train - the Sukhumvit Line and the Silom Line. The Sukhumvit Line is by far the longer of the two lines. In order to change between the two lines, you would do so at the central station called Siam which intersects the two lines. At this station be sure to note the unique phenomena we have coined as the "Siam Sucking Sound!! " (hold mouse over pink text for description). If you are on the Skytrain at this stop, you will surely see what we are referring to! The price of travel ranges from 10 baht to 40 baht and is charged based upon the number of stops you have to travel for (only 5 and 10 baht coins work in the ticket taking machine). However at each station there is a small attendants office where you can give them larger bills and they will give you change in return. It would be real nice at some point for the ticket machines to start accepting paper bills. That would save a lot of time. Be sure to also pick up a free small paper pocket map from one of the attendants - either from them directly, or from on the attendant counter or from a plastic display. There are also very good Skytrain maps posted on the wall near the coin machines. Before you actually purchase a one-way ticket, consider how many times you will be using Skytain that day and calculate the total cost. The reason for this is that an unlimited Daily Skytrain pass is available for 120 baht, and allows you to ride for unlimited stops for the entire day. Besides allowing you to ride unlimited for the day, there is also the neat feeling you have when you exit the Skytrain - instead of "losing" your card to the exit machine like the vast majority of the Skytrain travelers, you keep your card. If you purchase the unlimited option, you will hold on to the Skytrain pass each time you exit, and you keep the pass when you are finished riding for the day - a nice little plastic souvenir with a picture. Skytrain also sells student and monthly cards discounted off of the normal prices. Each car of the Skytrain has seats with signs over them saying "Please offer this seat to monks" in case it is crowded and monks have no seats. Directions on Paying at Ticket Machine First you need to look at the map next to the ticket machine and determine where you are going (this is based on the exact number of stops you will make). You need to press the button indicating the number of stops you want before you put in the coins. Once the button is pressed, the actual button lights up, and you put in the coins and the machine spits out a wallet size plastic card with the word "Siemens" on it (hmm could that have something to do with the fact that this company was in large part responsible for the construction of the Sky Train?!). Some cards have Skytrain maps on the back of the cards, some do not. Entering the Station After you purchase your ticket you will walk to the main entrance gates which are merely a few meters away. Now put the plastic card through a thin slot on a stall/gate that displays a green arrow - the card slides through, the red plastic gate slides apart in the middle of the stall, you walk through the gate and you pick the plastic card up on the other side once you are through the gate. You are then admitted to the main part of the station. From here you need to look at the blue hanging signs and determine which direction you will walk. The signs list the LAST stop in each direction - so if your stop is anywhere along the line that contains the last stop, you would go in that direction. Note a few stations have different levels for the different directions of travel. You will want to keep the plastic card with you until you leave the Sky Train. When you arrive at your final destination on the Skytrain route, in order to get out of the station you insert the card into a slot and the gates open for you. Note: Some of the machines at the entrance will have a red circle with a white line through them. A very common mistake is to try to put your card into one of these machines to gain access to the station. If you try to put your card into one of these machines, you will just get a whirring noise. If you keep trying to put your card through, an officer of the law will approach and indicate you need to use another stall/gate - one that displays a green arrow! There is talk of implementing wireless readers for all cards - this would be an excellent idea - as during high volume times lines stack up entering and leaving the ticket gates - a reader would cut down the time of entrance or exit over the current system. Note: The Skytrain completed a new expansion that opened in August of 2010 with service from Suvarnabhumi airport to central Bangkok (see the "airport" section above for more information about this. For additional useful information, pricing, photos, and rail maps visit the web sites listed below.  Unofficial web site www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/Skytrain/index.shtml BTS Skytrain Map www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/Skytrain/BTSMain2.shtml Official web site www.bts.co.th
Tuk-Tuks - Bangkok is famous for its three wheeled Tuk-Tuks. This mode of transportation is usually found downtown and near most of the major tourist attractions. Once you leave these areas you will find not nearly as many Tuk-Tuks. To travel the same distance, Tuk-tuks often are the same price or more expensive than an air-conditioned taxi ride. However, they are able to get around traffic jams a bit better than a taxi. I recommend taking a Tuk-Tuk for the experience at least once unless you are adverse to some of the things you will experience from the back seat - listed here.     From the back seat of a Tuk-Tuk you really get to experience the Bangkok traffic intimately - you will absorb severe amounts of gasoline and diesel vapors, there are no seatbelts, and you can reach out your hand and touch other cars or tuk-tuks because in Bangkok, automobiles tend to drive quite close to one another. Tuk-Tuks are quite small vehicles that are open to the air but have a roof. They contain one seat for the driver in front and space for 2 to 4 people in the back seat. I have never seen a metered tuk-tuk. You should always try bargaining with the Tuk-Tuk drivers. Finally, a use of "wasted" advertising space: Nowadays you may see ads on the back of some of the Tuk-tuks. Sometimes Tuk-Tuk drivers will insist on stopping at a jewelry store or other business before reaching your desired destination (especially around the Grand Palace). Don't use these drivers - find another one who will take you straight to your destination. We call these drivers "Stop Stop Drivers" (hold mouse over pink text for description) and they are working on a commission...or as one author writes about the "Tricky Trick Tuk Tuk" Walking is a cheap way to get around Bangkok, however, wear something quite lightweight due to the heat and humidity. Be sure to carry with you some sort of fluid so that you do not get dehydrated while walking as during many times of the year it feels as if you were walking in a Sauna. Shorts are acceptable for tourists to wear. There are several places you can get maps of Bangkok. Travel authorities at the airport should have maps of Bangkok as well as your hotel. Chao Phraya River is the largest and most central river running through Bangkok. Often times in the rainy season this river is quite dark (brown) looking from all the sediment runoff. I have also seen large piles of green plants floating down the middle in which birds seemed to have made these their temporary homes. There are many piers located along the edge of this river. Many small stands, usually fish and fruit vendors, congregate along here. The river ferry is an   inexpensive method of transportation to reach sights and attractions that are located along this river. It makes stops at most of the piers located along the river. There are also multiple places in which boats will cross the river such as between Wat Po and Wat Arun. The main express boats on this river are labeled with orange, yellow and blue flags - and the color of the flag determines which pier the boat stops at and which destinations it reaches. Note: sometimes its a bit difficult to tell the difference between the orange and yellow flags as both fade in the strong sun. At all the main piers along this river you will find Express Boat Route Map Boards - they list the current fares and route maps. We have included a sample map from one of these boards - click on the thumbnail to see a larger version.   Another type of unique boat operates along the Chao Praya river and is called the Longtail. These wooden very colorful boats contain several benches in the front while in the back is a huge engine with a long shaft that contains a motorized propeller at the end which extends from the end of the boat into the water. The controller of the boat steers by moving this long shaft back and forth in the water. These boats are available for rent and touring but are more expensive than the ferry service. These boats tend to take 1 or 2 hour trips for the tourists visiting the main river and several of the side canals - perhaps stopping at attractions along the way. The long tails also make trips down the side canals - not just along the main Chao Phraya River.
City Buses -There are two types - Air Conditioned City Bus and the Ordinary City Bus - non-air conditioned. The fare for the length of a particular bus route in Bangkok is 7 baht for the ordinary buses. Beware of pick pockets if the bus is particularly crowded. Those who work on the bus rarely speak English and typically you won't see hardly any foreigners using the ordinary City Bus. The fare for the air conditioned buses range from 10 to 20 baht. Bus numbers are displayed on bus stop signs. Long Distance Buses There are three main bus terminals in Bangkok. The Eastern Bus Terminal is located on Sukhumvit Road at Soi 40 opposite Soi 63 (this is at the Ekamai stop on the Skytrain. If you are going to the Rayong Province and Pattaya you would use this station.  The Northern & Northeastern Bus Terminal is on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road. You can take the skytrain to Chatuchuk Market. From here you would go to places such as Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. The Southern Bus Terminal (Name= Sai Tai) is located on Borommarat Chonnani Road not far from the Pinklao Bridge. If you were going to Phuket you would use this station. Also western destinations would be reached from this station.    Train Hualumpong Train Station is Bangkok's main train station and is located near the Chinatown district. This train station is a hub for those who want to travel to other parts of Thailand, as this train station does not actually serve destinations within the city of Bangkok. Note you can get to this train station by public transportation. The Metro Stop called Hualumpong is just minutes away by walking from the train station. Thailand trains have three classes, 1st class is a private car with 2 beds stacked one above the other. Second class includes the option of fan or AC. Seats fold down into beds at night. Third class contains hard wooden benches (no AC and no sleepers). Of the three classes, this is the only class that cannot be pre-booked. These seats sell within several hours of the trains departure. Bookings and additional information about Thailand trains is available on the official government website here:www.railway.co.th/English/index.asp Mini-Van - there are also many Mini-Vans that run in Bangkok, usually frequenting the same stops as the buses. These usually cost 10baht, they are much smaller than the buses, have Air Conditioning and can be more comfortable. Its ok to get into the driver's side seat if it is empty and the rest of the van is full, otherwise you should first sit in the back.     Motorcycle - motorcycles have the advantage of being able to slip in and among cars and Tuk-tuks during the busy rush hours of Bangkok (which seem to be every day!!). Some of the motorcycle drivers I have used even will ride on the sidewalk or on the opposite side of the street in order to reach their destination. Imagine a motorcycle driver careening down the street opposite against the flow of traffic. Imagine again that the drive doesn't speak any English - and there is nothing you can do from the back seat to be able to stop him! I only recommend motorcycle transportation in Bangkok if you are in an absolute hurry to get somewhere. Elephant - yes, you can even take an elephant for a ride in Bangkok! These can be a bit expensive and should not be considered a good means of transportation for getting from one place to the next!! They are more of a novelty type of transportation and are in fact, outlawed from the streets of Bangkok. The reason for this is that too many elephants were being hit by vehicles. However, there are still some operators who would rather pay any fines incurred and continue to operate their elephant ride business. You may see a few of these elephants still especially around tourist locations.