Bangkok Public Transport, How to Get Around

Bangkok is famous for its traffic jams, but thanks to the public transport system, which includes underground metro, elevated metro (BTS Skytrain), buses, river transport along the Chao Phraya River and numerous canals, getting around the city is quite comfortable and affordable while bypassing traffic.

Comparison of transport types in Bangkok (prices and operating hours for 2026)

Transport	💰 Cost	⏲ Operating hours	📍 Best for getting to	⭐ Pros and cons
Walking	free	24/7	Historic center, Pratunam, Sukhumvit, Siam	👣 Best way to feel the city, but not convenient everywhere
Buses (Regular / AC)	8–36 baht	5:00 AM – 10:00 PM (some 24/7)	Khao San, Chinatown, remote areas	🚌 Cheapest, but complicated and can get stuck in traffic
Express buses (A1, S1, etc.)	30–50 baht	5:00 AM – 10:00 PM, 20–60 min intervals	Airports → city center	🏷 Budget airport transfer, few stops
BTS Skytrain	16–44 baht	5:15 AM – 12:40 AM	Center, Sukhumvit, Silom, shopping malls	🚇 Fastest and most comfortable, but pricey
MRT (underground)	17–44 baht (Purple Line – 20 baht)	6:00 AM – 12:00 AM	Railway station, Chatuchak, Chinatown, center	🚇 Good connections with BTS, but fewer tourist spots
ARL (airport line)	15–45 baht	5:30 AM – 12:00 AM	Suvarnabhumi Airport → center (Phaya Thai, Makkasan)	⏳ Fast and cheap from the airport
BRT (bus rapid transit)	15 baht (previously free)	6:00 AM – 10:00 PM	Southern areas, David Beckham Temple	🚗 Few routes, unstable status
Monorail (yellow/pink lines)	19–45 baht	5:30 AM – 12:00 AM	Remote residential areas	👽 New, but not very useful for tourists yet
City commuter trains (Red Line)	12–42 baht	5:00 AM – 12:00 AM	Don Mueang Airport → center (Krung Thep Aphiwat)	🚂 Convenient for transfer from Don Mueang
Tuk-tuk	from 100 baht (tours from 500 baht/hour)	24/7	Short rides around tourist spots	🔥 Colorful, but overpriced and scams
Taxi (via Grab/Bolt)	from 100–300 baht + 35 baht flag fall	24/7	Any point in the city	🚗 Comfortable, but price depends on traffic, toll roads
Mototaxi (via apps)	from 40–60 baht	24/7	Quick rides through traffic	🏍 Cheap, but only for one passenger
Water transport (scheduled boats)	14–33 baht (tourist pass 150 baht/day)	6:00 AM – 8:00 PM	Chao Phraya River, Wat Arun, Thonburi	🚤 Fast and scenic, several routes
Water taxi (long-tail boat)	from 500 baht/hour	On demand	Private canal cruises	💎 Expensive but very atmospheric
Bicycle (Pun Pun)	10 baht/hour	24/7	System is almost non-functional	⛔ Dangerous and unreliable, not recommended
Motorbike (rental)	from 300 baht/day	24/7	Free movement around the city	🛵 High accident risk, fine without a license

On this page, we've gathered information about all types of transport available in Bangkok, including costs, schedules, and useful routes. If you're interested in a specific type of transport, you can check out separate detailed guides:

On foot

Some reviews and guidebooks claim that Bangkok is not suitable for walking and that you should take taxis everywhere. We (the site authors) completely disagree – we enjoy walking around Bangkok and even covering long distances between neighborhoods. It's a great way to see the real, non-touristy side of Bangkok, and it's free.

Walking is comfortable and convenient in most areas, but there are places where it's genuinely difficult due to complex interchanges, railway lines, and canals. Among tourist-frequented spots, we know of one such area – around Chatuchak Market, the new Krung Thep Aphiwat/Bang Sue railway station, and Mo Chit bus terminal. In this area, getting from point A to B sometimes requires walking several times farther than the direct distance. On the other hand, walking is a pleasure in Bangkok's historic district on Rattanakosin Island (where Khao San Road, the Grand Palace, and most of the most important temples are located), Chinatown, and the Pratunam, Siam, and Sukhumvit areas.

Buses

Bangkok buses are the cheapest way to get around the city, and therefore our favorite. You can get to almost any point in the city by bus, though sometimes you'll need to make transfers. But once you get the hang of it, no place in the city will be inaccessible, unlike the metro, which has limited coverage. For example, the tourist Khao San area has no metro, but plenty of bus routes, including direct ones from the airport.

However, this is also one of the most challenging ways to get around the capital. The problem is that there are a huge number of routes, they're all confusing, and usually only labeled in Thai. So don't even think about just going to a stop and taking a bus somewhere without preparation – you'll definitely get lost. It's better to study the route map at your hotel in advance, determine your starting and ending points and intermediate stops, and only then set off. Unforgettable experiences guaranteed!

For planning bus routes in Bangkok, you can use the aforementioned Google Maps or the ViaBus app. But keep in mind that route information there may not be up to date. For example, we once waited almost an hour at a stop on the outskirts of Bangkok for a bus that was shown as active in both the app and the maps, but it turned out it had long been canceled. To double-check, after planning a route on Google Maps, it's better to verify the existence of the bus by route number on the official BMTA website - http://www.bmta.co.th/en/bus-lines.

There are several types of buses with different comfort levels and prices. The cheapest non-air-conditioned ones are called Regular (Reg), and all the rest are air-conditioned, called AC. You can tell them apart by color, as well as by closed or open doors and windows (in air-conditioned buses they're always closed). Both types may run on the same route. By color, they're roughly categorized as:

• Small green Regular – from 8 baht, the cheapest, non-air-conditioned, not ventilated.
• Red, pink, and orange Regular buses – from 8 baht, same as green ones but more spacious.
• Blue-yellow and light blue air-conditioned AC – price depends on distance, from 16 to 36 baht.
• Orange air-conditioned AC – price depends on distance, from 16 to 36 baht.

In addition to the above, there are special city express bus routes A1 and S1 for longer distances, meaning they make few stops. They're especially convenient for getting from the airports to the city center and tourist areas on a budget. We've covered them in detail separately:

• How to get from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Khao San area by bus
• How to get from Don Mueang Airport

How to use buses

Buses in Bangkok stop strictly at designated stops. On some roads, they have a dedicated lane, and while cars sit in traffic, buses move along calmly.

Fares are paid on board to the conductor in cash; some rare buses accept card payments. Conductors monitor entering passengers and will come to you for payment. Since on some buses the fare depends on the distance of your trip (zoned pricing), you need to tell the conductor the area or a landmark where you're going, and they'll tell you the price. After payment, you'll receive a paper ticket, which you should keep until the end of the ride.

Conductors rarely speak English and struggle to understand foreign pronunciation, so it's convenient to show the stop name or landmark in Thai on your smartphone screen.

Bangkok Metro

The metro and rail transport system in Bangkok is developed and complex, with new stations opening and lines extending every year. The metro is very convenient to use, and it's often the fastest way to get from point A to B. But there are a couple of objective drawbacks:

• The metro fare is quite high, sometimes comparable to the cost of a taxi for a group of 2-3 people.
• There are several independent types of metro here, and they're not connected by a unified ticketing system, so you'll have to figure each one out separately.

The good news is that you can still transfer between different types, with connecting stations and walkways between them.

If you want to delve deeper into this mode of transport, we have a separate guide to Bangkok's metro.

Here's a quick overview of the essentials so you can start using it right away:

Bangkok metro map

BTS Skytrain

The BTS Skytrain system is the fastest and most expensive public transport. It's convenient for traveling between different areas, especially in the center, but it doesn't yet cover the historic area and Khao San Road. If you don't mind walking a kilometer or two from the station to a particular attraction, this transport is ideal for you.

Currently, there are two lines – Sukhumvit (long, light green on the map) and Silom (short, dark green on the map). The lines cover most of Bangkok's central business and tourist areas.

The fare depends on the distance of your trip: when buying a ticket, you need to specify your destination station, and you'll see the price. Tickets are sold at each station at ticket counters or vending machines. There are two types of vending machines: Ticket Issuing Machine (TIM) – accepts only coins and gives change in coins (in 5-baht denominations); Integrated Ticketing Machine (ITM) – accepts coins and banknotes (20, 50, 100 baht) and gives change in coins.

Ticket validation happens at entry and exit. If you bought a ticket to one station but try to exit at another, a siren will sound and the gate won't let you through. Then you'll either have to buy a new exit ticket at the counter or get back on the train and go to the correct station.

MRT Underground

Currently, there are two metro lines:

• Blue Loop Line (Blue Line or M.R.T. Chaloem Ratchamongkhon Line), the most useful for tourists. Runs from Hualamphong railway station north to Bang Sue station through the Silom, Sukhumvit, Ratchadaphisek, and Chatuchak areas. Intersects with the BTS Skytrain lines at Si Lom (S2), Sukhumvit (E4), and Chatuchak Park (N18).
• Purple Line (Purple Line or M.R.T. Chalong Ratchadham Line). This is a new line opened in 2016. It doesn't intersect with the BTS Skytrain and is mostly of little use to tourists.

To be honest, the underground metro is of little interest to tourists, as it mainly runs through residential areas with few attractions. However, it connects Bangkok's Hualamphong railway station and the Northern Bus Terminal Mor Chit (Chatuchak station), which can be useful when traveling with a transfer in Bangkok.

The fare depends on the distance traveled, tickets are purchased at the entrance and checked at the exit gates.

Airport Rail Link

A very useful mode of transport – you can get from Bangkok's main Suvarnabhumi Airport to the city center for just 45 baht in no more than 26 minutes.

The airport train station is on the lowest level, with signs. It arrives at the terminal Phaya Thai station in Pratunam (where you can transfer to the BTS), or you can get off at Makkasan station if you need to transfer to the MRT underground.

BRT Bus Rapid Transit

This is Bangkok's equivalent of a metro system and a potentially great transport system launched in 2010, but unfortunately, it's going through hard times. Of the five planned routes, only one remains operational, and even its future is uncertain, so check the current operating status before deciding to use it.

BRT is something like trams but in the form of buses that run on a dedicated lane. Other vehicles physically cannot enter this lane, allowing BRT to bypass all traffic jams. Currently, only one route is operational – from Sathon to Ratchaphruek, and rides are temporarily free. The only tourist use we've found for this route is to get to the unusual Wat Pariwat Ratchasongkram temple, popularly known as the David Beckham Temple.

Monorail

The monorail is a new mode of transport and a new yellow line on Bangkok's public transport maps, launched only in 2023. We (the site authors) haven't personally used this transport yet, as there simply hasn't been a need. The line runs through residential areas on the outskirts of the city, and we just haven't found a use for it – nowhere interesting to go on the monorail.

City Commuter Trains (SRT Red Lines)

• Cost: 12-42 baht / 0.36-1.27 USD
• Frequency: every 15 minutes.
• Operating hours: 5:00 AM to 12:00 AM.
• Website: https://srtet.co.th/en/.

City commuter trains are known as the Red Line. These trains are not directly connected to any other type of metro and generally belong to Thailand's railway system, but there are transfer points to the metro. Currently, there are two lines, both marked in red and dark red on the maps.

For now, the SRT Red Lines are of interest to tourists mainly because you can take these trains for 33 baht to quickly get from Don Mueang Airport to Bangkok's new main railway station Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, where the Mor Chit Northern Bus Terminal and Chatuchak Market are also located. We haven't found any other uses for this line yet.

Tuk-tuks

The most exotic and most expensive mode of transport – the Bangkok tuk-tuk. These three-wheeled vehicles carry tourists around Bangkok, leaving clouds of smelly smoke in their wake. But you need to use them very carefully – they constantly try to scam tourists.

Tuk-tuk drivers will be waiting and pouncing on you from around every corner near tourist spots, offering supposedly free rides to anywhere in the city or along a tourist route. Naturally, this is all a scam to get money from tourists, with a catch: they'll take you to a restaurant or other "tourist-trap establishment" where the driver will get a commission for your "head."

If you do decide to take a tuk-tuk, always agree on the price before the ride! Despite being considered a cheap form of transport, tourists won't be able to ride one "for pennies." Be prepared to either pay for an excursion route from 500 baht/hour, or at least the price of a car taxi, but usually twice as much. From our experience, they won't even move for less than 100 baht, and for a couple of kilometers, they'll ask for 200-300 baht (for comparison, a taxi through an app would be about 100 baht).

Taxis

There are many taxis in Bangkok, and they're relatively inexpensive – sometimes even cheaper than the metro if you're traveling in a group of three or four. You just need to use them correctly to avoid overpaying or being scammed.

For short trips, it's more cost-effective to use a metered taxi. But unfortunately, you can still encounter scam situations where the driver "forgets" to turn on the meter and announces an arbitrary fare. That's why it's safer to use apps – you see the price immediately before ordering. Grab, Maxim, InDrive, and Bolt work here. They also offer mototaxi options, which are twice as cheap as car taxis, but suitable for only one passenger. You can pay through the apps with a linked card (Russian cards can't be linked) or in cash at the end of the ride. The payment will be strictly at the price shown in the app, though drivers sometimes don't have small change for a few dozen baht.

From our experience, Grab has the most cars and the fastest pickup, but prices are higher. If you're not in a hurry, you can save a few baht by ordering through Maxim or InDriver, though we've had cases where we just couldn't get a car assigned.

If you need to go a long way, for example to Pattaya or Hua Hin, it's more economical to agree on a fixed price. In the Khao San tourist area, you'll see information with contacts or near travel agencies, where the price for the trip to another city is already listed.

Bangkok water transport

If you didn't know, Bangkok is called the "Venice of the East" because of its many canals. River transport is inexpensive and in some cases one of the fastest ways to get where you need to go. The Chao Phraya River winds through the entire city, with numerous canals branching out to its distant corners. Scheduled boats, tourist boats, ferries for crossing from one bank to the other, and even water taxis ply these waters.

• Water taxi – the most expensive type of water transport. The price for a one-hour ride on a long-tail boat starts at 500 baht per hour (15.09 USD). It doesn't matter whether you're moving or stopping to see a sight – the payment is the same. You can haggle before the ride, but it yields weak results. At most, you can hope for a discount for a multi-hour trip. If you're renting a boat for a group of more than two people, you'll have to pay almost twice as much. Ideally, you should take a water taxi for small groups and scenic cruises, and visit attractions by other transport. You won't have to search long for a water taxi – as soon as you appear at one of the Chao Phraya River piers, you'll immediately be offered a "charter boat."
• Scheduled or express boats on the Chao Phraya River. Tickets cost from 19 to 33 baht and are purchased at ticket counters at the pier or on the boat from the conductor. The boat routes are distinguished by colors and marked with flags of different colors, although the route is essentially the same – different boats just stop at different piers, skipping some. Orange-line boats stop at all piers.
• Scheduled boats along the canals (klongs). The most useful tourist route is the Golden Mount Line, fare 17 baht. Golden Mount Line boats run between the pier in the very center of the Pratunam area (Pratunam Pier) and Panfa Leelard Pier in the historic district near the Golden Mount Temple. From here, you can walk to Khao San Road (800 meters).
• Ferries across the Chao Phraya River. They allow you to cross from one side of the river to the other at almost any pier for as little as 5 baht. This is convenient, for example, for getting to the Wat Arun Temple of Dawn, the Thonburi area (to the railway station for Kanchanaburi, and to the unique medical museum).

More details about Bangkok water transport here.

Bike rental system

Bangkok has an eco-friendly way for tourists to get around – bike rental. A network of rental stations has been set up where you can pick up a bike, ride around the city, and return it to any other station. On one hand, it's convenient, but on the other, there are plenty of drawbacks:

• Bangkok's traffic is too dangerous for cycling, and there are no dedicated bike lanes. Where bike lanes do exist, they're still occupied by parked motorbikes or mobile vendor stalls.
• The free rental period is only 15 minutes, after which you pay full price.
• There's no mobile app with a station map.
• To start using them, you first need to visit the office with your passport.

If none of this scares you, here's the guide on how to use the bike rental system in Bangkok...

Motorbike rental

You can find motorbike rentals in Bangkok, but unlike popular beach resorts, you can't just walk down the street and find the first rental shop you see. Rentals exist here, but they're mostly large shops for buying and repairing motorcycles, scattered across different areas of the city. So if you're planning to get around by motorbike, it's better to find rental shops near your hotel online in advance. The easiest way to find rentals is through a Google Maps search for "motorbike for rent bangkok" or look on 🏍 BikesBooking.com. Rental prices here are slightly higher than in other tourist spots – from 400 baht per day for the most basic scooter, with discounts for rentals of a week or more.

Traffic in Thailand, and especially in Bangkok, is very difficult and even dangerous. The country consistently ranks among the top in the world for road fatalities, so be extremely careful, or better yet, forget this idea and use taxis or public transport.

If you do decide to rent, read our detailed guide about motorbike rental in Thailand.

🕒 11 September, 2026