Getting Around Bangkok — Transport Guide & Map

Bangkok has one of Asia's most entertaining transport mixes: a sky train, a subway, river expresses, canal rockets, three-wheeled theatre and motorcycle taxis that bend physics. Here is how each works, what it costs, and when to use it.

Original schematic by Bangkok Explorer — simplified; newer lines (MRT Purple, Yellow & Pink monorails, SRT Red lines) omitted for clarity.

BTS Skytrain

The elevated backbone. Two lines crossing at Siam: Sukhumvit (light green, Mo Chit–On Nut and beyond) and Silom (dark green, National Stadium–Bang Wa via Sala Daeng and the river at Saphan Taksin). Runs ~05:15–24:00; fares roughly 17–62 baht. Buy single-journey tickets from machines or a stored-value Rabbit card if you'll ride more than a few times. Avoid 07:30–09:00 and 17:30–19:30 crushes if you can. Fun fact from our stories: the whole original system was built elevated because the streets below were already unfixable.

MRT (subway)

The Blue line is the traveller's friend: it loops under Chinatown (Wat Mangkon), the old town (Sanam Chai — step out at Wat Pho's doorstep) and the train station quarter (Hua Lamphong), and interchanges with the BTS at Chatuchak/Mo Chit, Sukhumvit/Asok and Silom/Sala Daeng. Same hours as BTS; tokens or tap cards. Newer Purple, Yellow and Pink lines mostly serve the suburbs.

Airport Rail Link

Suvarnabhumi Airport to town in ~26 minutes, ending at Phaya Thai where you step across to the BTS. Runs ~05:30–24:00, 15–45 baht — usually faster than a taxi at rush hour. From Don Mueang airport, take the SRT Dark Red line or the A1/A2 bus to Mo Chit BTS.

Chao Phraya river boats

Deep dive: Venice of the East — how Bangkok still commutes by water

The orange-flag express boat is public transport with a view: piers from Sathorn (connect from BTS Saphan Taksin) up past Chinatown (Ratchawong), the old town (Tha Tien for Wat Pho and the Wat Arun crossing) and Banglamphu (Phra Athit), for ~16–20 baht. Cross-river ferries cost about 5 baht. The blue-flag tourist boat costs more but has commentary and a day pass.

Khlong Saen Saep canal boat

The commuter rocket: a canal boat that beats all traffic between the Golden Mount (Panfa pier) and Pratunam/Sukhumvit, ~10–20 baht. Hold the rope, keep elbows in, and mind the splash — locals raise the tarp with a pulley. The single most local ride in Bangkok.

Metered taxis & ride-hailing

Flagfall 35 baht — insist on the meter ('poet mi-toe duai', straight from our phrasebook) or walk away; refusing the meter is common around tourist landmarks and always a bad sign. Grab and Bolt work well and remove the negotiation entirely. From Suvarnabhumi use the official taxi rank: meter + 50-baht airport surcharge + tolls.

Motorcycle taxis (win)

The orange-vested riders clustered at soi mouths are Bangkok's last-mile system: fixed, posted prices for short hops (often 10–30 baht), astonishing in traffic. Helmets are legally required — take the one offered. Best for getting down a long soi, not for crossing town with luggage.

Tuk-tuks

Three-wheeled theatre. No meter: agree the price BEFORE you get in (short hops fairly 60–100 baht, more at night). Golden rule: any driver offering a '20-baht grand tour' is taking you to a gem shop or tailor on commission — decline with a smile ('mai pen rai, khawp-khun'). Worth doing once, at night, for the wind and the neon.

City buses

The cheapest seats in town, ~8–25 baht, everywhere the rails don't go. Routes are cryptic to newcomers — the ViaBus app shows live positions. Red non-aircon buses are the vintage experience; NGV blue-and-white ones have air-con. Have small change ready for the conductor's clicking coin tube.

Walking (a warning and a promise)

Footpaths can be an obstacle course of vendors, motorbikes and sudden gaps — but the old town, Chinatown and Charoenkrung reward slow walking more than anywhere else in the city. Cross roads with the locals: their timing is Bangkok-calibrated.

Which one, when?

Fares and hours checked July 2026 and change over time; operators' sites and station signage govern. See also our taxi phrases and itineraries.