On foot, but only when you reach your destination. Bangkok is not a pedestrian friendly city – hot weather, pollution and footpaths clogged with vendors and motorcycles make walking one of the least convenient ways to get around.
The convenient BTS (or Skytrain) – Bangkok’s efficient elevated rail line – and the MRT subway offer the best way to get around Bangkok’s main commercial centres and beat the city's often clogged roads.
Bangkok's taxis are reasonably priced and the best choice for door-to-door transportation outside of rush hour, and tuk-tuks (three-wheeled motorized open vehicles) are often the best way to get around smaller streets.
Bangkok’s public riverboats provide a great way to travel throughout the city, especially the Chao Phraya Express, which offers a frequent service stopping at several public piers along the river.
While the relatively slow, wide-bodied Chao Phraya Tourist Boats offer a relaxed way to cruise Bangkok's fascinating waterways and spy on the locals.
Alternatively, you can charter a fast long-tail boat to race along the river or cruise the narrow canals of neighbouring Thonburi. Boat charters are easily available at every pier and can also be booked at the riverfront kiosk at River City or at the Grand Palace.
We answer the most commonly asked questions (FAQs) about how to get around Bangkok.
While Bangkok's traffic woes continue to slowly improve you'll almost certainly find yourself stuck in road traffic at some point during your visit.
Train: Bangkok Transit System (www.bts.co.th) operates Bangkok's efficient monorail, the BTS Skytrain.
The elevated BTS Skytrain runs from 6am to midnight. Two lines operate daily, connecting popular locations including Chatuchak Market and Siam Square. You can buy single-journey tickets and one-day passes at station vending machines and ticket offices. Tickets cost from B16 to B52.
You can also buy a preloadable Rabbit smartcard, which you can also use on BRT buses (but not the metro).
Metro: The Bangkok Metro (www.bangkokmetro.co.th) runs from 6am to midnight. The Metro has 18 stations and connects with BTS trains.
You can buy single-journey tokens from station vending machines or use the Metro's own preloadable smartcard for multiple journeys from a one-day pass up to a 30-day pass. Tickets cost from B16 to B42.
Bus: The BRT is a rapid transit bus system running from Chong Nonsi Skytrain station to Talat Phlu station. Rabbit cards are valid on this service.
Bangkok’s public buses are run by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (www.bmta.co.th).
Air-con bus fares range from B10 to B23 and fares for fan-cooled buses start at B6.50. Most of the bus lines run between 5am and 10pm or 11pm, except for the ‘all-night’ buses, which run from 3am or 4am to mid-morning. Thinknet’s Bangkok Bus Guide is a good source for routes.
Taxi: Bangkok taxis are an excellent way to get around. You can hail taxis in the street, but check that the meter is working and turned on.
Fares to most places within central Bangkok start at B35 and cost from B60 to B100. Freeway tolls – B25 to B120 depending on where you start or end – must be paid by the passenger.
In unmetered taxis, you should agree the fare before setting off.
App-based yellow-green taxis through GrabTaxi (www.grab.com/th) are available for B20 above the metered fare.
Tips: It's best not to take a taxi without a working meter; these drivers usually park outside hotels and in tourist areas. Instead, wave one down that’s cruising by.
Very few Bangkok taxi drivers speak much English, so an address written in Thai can help immensely. Many hotels have business cards with the address printed in Thai.
Older cabs may be less comfortable but usually have more experienced drivers because they are driver-owned, as opposed to the new cabs, which are usually hired.
In general, yellow-green or white-pink cabs tend to be driven by experienced self-owned drivers compared to taxis of other colours, which tend to be driven by hired hands of varying experience.
Tuk-tuk: Bangkok’s iconic tuk-tuks are another way of getting around town. These three-wheeled taxis are ideal for short journeys. You must negotiate fares before getting in.
Tuk-tuk drivers are notorious for asking too much from tourists. Try bargaining them down to about B50 for a short trip, preferably at night when the pollution (hopefully) won’t be quite so bad. Once you’ve tried a tuk-tuk, you’ll find taxis are cheaper, cleaner, cooler and much quieter.
Motorcyle: Motorcycle taxis (known as motorsai) are popular and easy to spot as drivers gather at street corners and wear brightly coloured vests. Riders usually charge B10 to B20 for a short trip and up to B150 to go across town.
It is compulsory for passengers to wear a helmet, available from the driver; but the helmet's hygiene may be questionable.
Bicycle: Bangkok has a bike-share scheme called Pun Pun (www.punpunbikeshare.com) which operates from around 50 stations in and around the city centre.
SpiceRoads (www.spiceroads.com), offers bike hire as well as guided tours.
Navigating Bangkok's traffic can be daunting for novice riders but guided bike tours offer reassurance for the less experienced. Passport and deposit are required.
Note: Dangerous roads, traffic, heat, pollution and lack of adequate bike lanes mean that Bangkok is far from a safe place to ride a bike simply to get around town.
River Taxis: Two fleets of boats serve Bangkok's commuters: one operates along the Chao Phraya River and the other along Bangkok's many canals.
Bangkok’s khlong boats run along Khlong Saen Saep (Banglamphu to Ramkhamhaeng) and offer an easy way to get between Banglamphu and Jim Thompson House, the Siam Square shopping centres (get off at Sapan Hua Chang Pier for both) as well as other locations further east along Th Sukhumvit (after a change of boat at Pratunam Pier).
These boats are mainly used by commuters and pull into the piers for just a few seconds – jump straight on or you’ll be left behind. Fares range from B12 to B15, and boats run from 5.30am to 7.15pm from Monday to Friday, from 6am to 6.30pm on Saturday and from 6am to 6pm on Sunday.
The Chao Phraya Express Boat (www.chaophrayaexpressboat.com) operates from Sathorn Pier – near the Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain station – and is the scenic way to experience Bangkok's main river.
Services run from 6am to 7pm, and boats are marked by coloured flags indicating their 'express' status. Orange-flag boats have the most number of stops, while the green and yellow boats skip some piers along the way. Fares are a flat B15.
A blue-flagged tourist boat (B60, every 30 minutes from 9.30am to 5.30pm) runs from Sathorn/Central Pier to Phra Athit/Banglamphu Pier, with stops at major sightseeing piers. A B200 all-day pass is also available, but unless you plan on doing a lot of boat travel, it's not great value.
There are also dozens of cross-river ferries, which charge B3 and run every few minutes until late at night.
Private long-tail boats can be hired for sightseeing trips at Phra Athit/Banglamphu Pier, Chang Pier, Tien Pier and Oriental Pier.
Car hire: Several local and international car hire companies have offices in Bangkok, and at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International airports, including Avis (www.avisthailand.com), Budget (www.budget.co.th) and Sixt (www.sixtthailand.com).
A passport plus a valid driving licence from your home country (with English translation if necessary) or an International Driving Permit are required for all rentals.
To hire a car drivers must be at least 21 years of age and have held a driver's licence for one to two years.
Thailand's traffic drives on the left-hand side of the road; cars have steering wheels on the right, similar to British and Australian cars.
Note: You may find that parking and driving a car in Bangkok is more trouble than it is worth. If you need private transport, consider hiring a car and driver through your hotel or hire a taxi driver that you find trustworthy.
Latest update: How to get around Bangkok: 5 September, 2025
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