We all have our preferred ways of getting around. One of the keys to quickly acclimating to a new city is figuring out how its transportation networks work. The aim of this article is to give you the quick and dirty on transportation options in Bangkok so you’re that much better prepared to get where you need to go when you arrive.
Skytrain, MRT, Airport Link
We’re listing this first because it is our preferred method of transportation in BKK. Fare is cheap and the trains run fairly frequently and reliably. The stations are modern and clean. If you’re arriving to Thailand via Suvarnabhumi airport you can take the Airport Link train directly from the airport to the city center. We recommend you get the handy Next Station app which has a map of all of Bangkok’s train lines.
Drawbacks to riding the rails are there aren’t any bathrooms and the trains shut down around midnight, so if you’re out late you’ll need to find a different option. These and the fact the trains can sometimes get quite crowded.
Other than that we like how easy it is to buy a single fare, unlike other metro rail systems we’ve used that require you to buy a card with a minimum amount. There are ticket machines and counters at every station. The lines can get a bit long during peak hours, but they’re normally not bad. Prices range from about 14-100 Thai Baht depending on how far you need to go.
Uber
When you need more flexibility in your final destination or you just can’t be bothered lugging all your luggage around we recommend summoning a good old fashioned Uber. There are plenty of drivers in the city and you shouldn’t have to wait long at all for a pick up. The fares are also incredibly cheap–much cheaper than a cab or tuk tuk–and a lot cheaper than an Uber ride back home.
Cab, tuk tuk
What visit to Bangkok would be complete without at least one obligatory tuk tuk ride? We don’t use this option much because they charge more than an Uber, but they do seem to get you where you’re going pretty quickly. Most of the tuk tuk drivers seem to have a pretty good handle on English, unlike the cab drivers. Probably because they deal mostly with tourists.
TL;DR
Use the metro and BTS wherever possible, with Uber as a back-up if you’re out late. Take at least one tuk tuk ride while you’re in town.