Bangkok is a big city with over 9 million residents and is Forbes' #1 most popular city for international travelers at 22.7 million tourists per year. It has lots of things to do and see but can be a bit disorienting to get around. For that reason, here is my travel guide for navigating Bangkok and getting to where you need to go in the quickest, easiest and cheapest way possible.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Flying into Bangkok
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to Bangkok
Don Mueang Airport (DMK) to Bangkok
Taxi vs Grab vs Tuk Tuk
BTS Metro
Ferry
Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)
Bangkok to Don Mueang Airport (DMK)
Flying into Bangkok
There are two main airports that travellers generally fly into - Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang Airport (DMK).
Especially if you're flying internationally, the immigration lines can get quite long so I would try to get to immigration ASAP once you get off the plane and save the bathroom break for afterwards (my general advice for international flights).
If you are not a Thai citizen, there are 4 ways to ensure entry into Thailand. If you have a valid passport, you can be visa-exempt or get a visa on arrival (valid for 30 or 15 days) or you get a single or multiple-entry tourist visa (valid for 60 days). For example, as of 6 Feb 2020, Hong Kong/US/UK/Australia/France/Netherlands/Canada/Brazil/Republic of Korea passport holders are visa-exempt for 30 days and those from China/India/Mexico can get a 15 day visa-on-arrival. More information can be found here.
Regardless of tourist nationality, you will need to fill out a landing form. They will either give it to you in flight or you can fill them in at immigration. To reduce time/stress, make sure to have the following info on hand: passport info, address in Thailand and flight information.
Make sure to keep this landing form as you will need to present it to immigration once you leave the country. If lost, not to worry, it's a bit of a to do but you can fill it out again when leaving (talk to airport staff if you need help - this happened to my travel companions).
You give your landing form, boarding pass and passport (+ visa if necessary) to immigration, they will check everything and stamp it and you're good to go.
Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to Bangkok
This is the main airport for Bangkok where most international flights will come in and out and it is a 30-minute drive east from the city.
Bus (to historical center/Khao San Road area)
Benefit/Cost: The S1 bus is the cheapest form of transportation at 60 baht ($2/€1.78/£1.5). It's relatively new and is the one form of public transportation that runs directly from the airport to the historical center to the west of the city.
*Note - since August 2019 MRT has extended their blue line and there's a new stop Sanam Chai a 7 minute walk south from Wat Pho.
Time/Location: It runs every half hour from 6am-8pm from gate 7 on Suvarnabhumi Airport 1st floor to Khao San Road (Wat Chanasongkram on Chakrabongse Road a 1-minute walk from the road's north entrance) and Sanam Luang park north of the Grand Palace.
Payment: Currently this bus is cash only (there is an ATM right by gate 7 as you exit the airport). There's a little informational desk as you exit with a map etc. but you pay on the bus. Don't worry if there's no-one there - the bus driver + an attendant will come eventually and the attendant speaks English and will sell you the ticket.
Bus: The bus is air-conditioned and has plenty of space for people + luggage. There is some limited wifi on the bus (you can at least do Google searches)
Trip: Online it says the 35m drive to Khao San will take about an hour by bus but when I went, it took about an hour to get there. As a solo-traveller on a budget going to Khao San Road, this was a super-easy way to get into the city from Suvarnabhumi.
Train (to downtown)
In order to get to the modern city center to the east of the city, the best form of public transportation is the Airport Railway Link. From two stops you can take the MRT blue line and BTS Sukhumvit Line to your required destination.
Cost: The train is 35 baht to get to Makkasan station (MRT) and 45 baht to Phayathai Station (BTS skytrain).
Time/Location: The Railway Link entrance is below on Level 1. The train runs from 6am to 12am, with trains departing every 10 minutes during peak hours (6-9am and 4-8pm) and every 15 minutes off-peak and on weekends.
Payment: There are ticket dispensers by the train entrance which take cash only.
Route: The stops are Suvarnabhumi Airport – Lad Krabang – Ban Thap Chang – Hua Mark – Ramkhamhaeng – Makkasan (City Air Terminal – interchange with MRT Blue Line (Phetchaburi Station)) – Ratchaprarop – Phayathai (interchange with BTS Sukhumvit Line (Phayathai Station)). It takes about 25, max 30 minutes to get to Phayathai.
Taxi
Generally, a taxi to Bangkok is no more than 350 baht. This is your best option if you are travelling in a group of 3 or more, outside the hours of 6-12am, and/or with lots of luggage.
Don Mueang Airport (DMK) to Bangkok
This is the second airport for Bangkok where most budget airlines fly from and it is a 30-minute drive north from the city.
Bus (to Chatuchak/Victory Monument/Lumphini Park/Khao San)
There are 4 bus lines you can take from Don Mueang Terminal 1 (Gate 6) & Terminal 2 (Gate 12). Like the BKK buses, they are air-conditioned, you buy your ticket on-board and the trip takes 30 minutes - 1 hour.
A1 (Mo Chit Chatuchak): This bus stops at Central Lad Phrao Mall, BTS SkyTrain Mo Chit (MRT Metro Chatuchak Park), and the Mo Chit Northern Bus Terminal. It runs every 5 minutes from 6:15am-12am and costs 30 baht ($0.96/€0.88/£0.74).
A2 (Victory Monument): This bus stops at Kasetsart University, Central Lad Phrao Mall, BTS SkyTrain Mo Chit (MRT Metro Chatuchak Park), Saphan Kwai, Ari and Sanam Pao, and the Victory Monument. It runs every 15 minutes from 6:30am-11pm and costs 30 baht.
*Note these buses can get quite crowded with not a lot of space for luggage but they do run pretty frequently. If you are trying to get to e.g. the Victory Monument and the road's are busy, it could be worth it to get off at any of the stops and get on the BTS.
A3 (Lumphini Park): This bus stops at Din Daeng, Airport Rail Link Ratchaprarop Station, Pratunam, Ratchaprasong (Central World Mall), Ratchadamri (BTS), and Lumphini Park (MRT). It runs every 30 minutes from 7am-11pm and costs 50 baht ($1.6/€1.46/£1.24).
A4 (Khao San/historic center): This bus stops at the Democracy Monument, Khao San Road (Wat Chanasongkram on Chakrabongse road), and Tha Prachan and Tha Chang Piers. It runs every 30 minutes from 6am-12am and costs 50 baht.
Taxi: This would be similar to Suvarnabhumi, depending on where you are going in the city.
Train: There is currently no train between Don Mueang and Bangkok. The above buses can get you to a BTS/MRT stop and from there you can take it to wherever you need to go.
Taxi vs Grab vs Tuk Tuk
Taxi: Taxis are very frequent in Bangkok and they're an easy mode of transportation as they're all over the city. However, they are subject to scams so make sure to ride in a metered cab so you know how much you are going to pay. Taxis can be very useful if you are in an area where there is no WiFi (while not everywhere/easy to get, WiFi is available in a lot of downtown, your hotel/hostel and in particular tourist areas) and are a good back up.
Grab: This was my most used and preferred mode of transportation in Bangkok. The modern downtown is very well connected by train but to get around the old town or from one end of the city to another, non-public transportation is the best and an affordable option. Grab is a Singaporean rideshare app that came very recommended and I found it very useful, especially staying and spending most of my time in the historical part.
Uber came to Thailand in 2014 but was very quickly declared illegal, they lasted pretty long but transitioned their services to the Singaporean Grab in 2018, which is used over South-East Asia. It’s technically illegal for drivers as they are unlicensed (as I was to vividly find out later - check the 5 August travel diary entry) but it is very widely used and there are ads for it all over the city. It’s highly recommended as it’s easy to use, relatively cheap, and helps you avoid the frequent scams from taxi and tuk tuk drivers.
Tuk Tuk: While a fun form of transportation, these motorcycle pulled carts can be very subject to scams as you might be taken to areas you did not want to go in hopes that you spend money there or they will charge you exorbitant fees. If you want to take a tuk-tuk, do it over a short distance and make sure you agree upon a location/price beforehand - generally it is not a good idea to take a "tour" from a tuk-tuk driver.
Train - MTR vs BTS Skytrain
Pictured - BTS Skytrain
There are two fast trains that run all over central Bangkok and to some suburbs - the MRT underground train and the BTS elevated Skytrain which started in 1999.
MRT: Tokens are 16–40 baht ($0.50-1.25/€0.47-1.17/£0.40-1) per trip.
BTS: Tickets are 16–50 baht ($0.50-1.60/€0.47-1.46/£0.40-1.24). You can also get a 140 baht ($4.49/€4.09/£3.47) for a one-day unlimited-ride pass.
The trains are very clean and well set up. There's no food/drink allowed on the BTS - they will stop you if they see you (happened to me).
*Note - since August 2019 MRT has extended their blue line and there's a new stop Sanam Chai a 7 minute walk south from Wat Pho and 15 minutes from the Grand Palace entrance.
Chao Phraya Ferry
This ferry runs on the Chao Phraya River to the north, down along the western historical city center and then loops along the south. It is a very useful way to see more of the city and to get to different locations along and across the river.
Local vs Tourist boat: It can be kind of confusing figuring out which boat to take. The Chao Phraya Tourist Boat only goes to certain stops and runs every 30 minutes. The local ferry has several lines (orange is the easiest to use) and stops at every stop every 15 minutes. The local ferry is a much better choice than the tourist ferry as it has more stops, doesn't have a not worth it audio guide blasting, and is much better on your wallet. One ride with the tourist boat is 50 baht and a day pass is 180 baht. However, one local ferry ride to whichever stop you want is 15 baht ($0.49/€0.45/£0.38), which means you can take the express boat 18 times to more places for the price of a tourist boat day pass!
Catching the local ferry: The one detractor of the local ferry is that it usually doesn't have an obvious ticket station (you can buy tickets onboard) and it doesn't have bus staff trying to get you on it (quite the opposite!) The trick is to know whether you're going North/South and keep an eye out for a small boat with an orange flag coming from the opposite direction (another clue is a line of locals forming). Be very purposeful in getting to the dock to catch the orange flagged boat.
Stops: The full route has around 30 stops going from Nonthaburi in the North down till Icon Siam/Pier Asiatique. Pictured are some relevant stops (Grand Palace is at stop 9).
Stop 5: Chinatown Stop 8: Wat Arun/Wat Pho Stop 13: Phra Arthit (Khaosan)
Stop 5: This Chinatown stop has various lines and it's a bit confusing where the boat stop is. It has a map and a desk where you can buy tickets - the dock to go up the river is to the left.
Stop 8: This stop at Wat Arun (aka Temple of the Dawn on the west bank of the river) has free WiFi and a ticket booth. According to the map, the boat stops on the East side of the river and there is an essentially free boat by Wat Pho which regularly brings passengers across the river. However, when I took the boat (12:30-4pm on a Friday), it always stopped on the western Wat Arun side. Here, pier 4 for is to take the shuttle boat across to Wat Pho, pier 2 is for boats upriver (Khao San, Nonthaburi, etc), and pier 1 for down the river (Chinatown, etc).
Stop 13: This stop does not sell local ferry tickets and with this being the popular Khao San Road stop in addition to also having a tourist boat stop, it can potentially be difficult to get on the local ferry (as I discovered vividly, check out my travel diary on August 2 2019). It does have WiFi and while you need to pay close attention to find the orange boat, they sell tickets onboard the boat so not to worry.
Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)
Bus (from historical center/Khao San Road area)
*TIP: Coming from the airport there is both a set initial pick up point and most likely not a time constraint. However, going to the airport means you're probably both getting on at a point which does not have a schedule and a bus not showing up could mean missing your flight. E.g. when I was leaving Khao San Road to get to Don Mueang Airport - I waited a while for a bus which never showed up. Luckily I was by my hostel and got a Grab to the airport on time - even with the driver being pulled over. As such, I would recommend a) giving yourself plenty of time and b) having a back up option.
Time/Location: The S1 bus has the same schedule going back of every half hour from 6am-8pm to Suvarnabhumi Airport 1st floor from Sanam Luang park, 41 Phra Athit Rd, 102 Phra Sumen Rd, Wat Chanasongkram, 39 Ratchadamnoen Avenue, Democracy Monument, etc.
Train (from downtown)
Take either the MRT to Makkasan or the BTS to Phayathai Station and from there take the Airport Railway Link back to Suvarnabhumi Airport, between 6am-12am.
Taxi
Catch a taxi or Grab anywhere on the street and take it to the airport.
Bangkok to Don Mueang Airport (DMK)
Bus (from Chatuchak/Victory Monument)
There are 2 bus lines you can take to Don Mueang Terminal 1 (Gate 6) & Terminal 2 (Gate 12). Like the BKK buses, they are air-conditioned, you buy your ticket on-board and the trip takes 30 minutes - 1 hour.
A1 (Mo Chit Chatuchak): This bus stops at Central Lad Phrao Mall, BTS SkyTrain Mo Chit (MRT Metro Chatuchak Park), and the Mo Chit Northern Bus Terminal. It runs every 5 minutes from 6:15am-12am and costs 30 baht ($0.96/€0.88/£0.74).
A2 (Victory Monument): This bus stops at Kasetsart University, Central Lad Phrao Mall, BTS SkyTrain Mo Chit (MRT Metro Chatuchak Park), Saphan Kwai, Ari and Sanam Pao, and the Victory Monument. It runs every 15 minutes from 6:30am-11pm and costs 30 baht.
*Note these buses can get quite crowded with not a lot of space for luggage but they do run pretty frequently. If you are trying to get from e.g. the Victory Monument and the roads are busy, it could be worth it to get off at any of the stops and get on the BTS.
From Khao San Road (A4): If you look online, it says that the A4 bus also goes from Sanamluang/Khao San to Don Mueang and runs every 30m. However, when I tried catching the bus at 7:25, there was no sign of the bus for 25 minutes and I ended up catching a Grab. From Khao San in particular, I would recommend catching a Grab or a taxi (if hailing, go away from Khao San to avoid being ripped off - make sure it's metered and it should be around 150-200 baht.
Taxi: This would be similar to Suvarnabhumi, depending on where you are going from the city.
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