You'll need two things to navigate this city successfully: a map and patience. Bangkok's
streets are among the busiest and most crowded in the world, and traffic headaches are as
much a part of Thai lives as monsoons and fiery hot chili peppers. Midday traffic is bad
enough, but rush hours (6 to 10 am and 3 to 7 PM) are four-hour bottlenecks. Renting a car
without a driver is not recommended. Some alternatives, both conventional and unorthodox,
are described in the "Getting Around" section below.
Is 24 km north of the city center? In the early
morning and at night, the drive into the city takes about 40 minutes. At any other time,
plan on at least one hour.
This combination of boat and bus is perhaps the most efficient way to travel around.
There are two taxi stands in the arrival hall. One is the Thai International Airlines
Limousine Service, which costs between 500 and 600 Baht, depending on your destination.
The other stand is for public taxis, which cost around 230 Baht (excluding the expressway
fare), depending on your destination. Most of the taxis are metered, but there are still
some taxi drivers who will bargain. Public taxis just outside the airport are not
recommended because they demand exorbitant rates.
A great new Airport Bus Service has been added, with large air-conditioned buses that
serve the entire major tourist and business areas on three different routes. Large signs
mark the stops. Buses run from 5 am to 11 PM, leaving every 15 minutes. Price one way is
70 Baht. To call for route information, phone 246-0969.
Going by train is the cheapest but least appealing route into the city. The trains are
dirty, and the station is inconveniently located. At the airport, the station is in front
of the Airport Hotel (walk across the pedestrian bridge from the international terminal).
The train runs to Hua Lampong, Bangkok's central terminal, every hour daily from 5 am to 8
P.M. The ride takes 40 minutes. Cost is 5 Baht for regular service, 10 Baht for express
service. Phone 223-7010 (some English spoken).
Avis and Hertz are on site.
Vehicles are driven on the left side of the road. Speed limit on the major highways is 80
kph. Because Bangkok is the center of the country politically, economically and
geographically, all major roads pass through it. Highway 1 goes north to Chiang Rai,
Highway 3 goes southeast to Pattaya and Rayong, and Highway 4 goes south to the Malaysian
border. Unfortunately, there's no easy way to bypass the city. The elevated toll road, the
Bangklo-Jangwatana Expressway, is an attempt to alleviate traffic problems, but often you
can look down and see street traffic moving faster.
Toll for the expressway is 30-40 Baht, depending on which exit you take. The Don Muang
Tollway can cut the trip to and from the airport by at least 20 minutes. It costs 20-40
Baht more.
Roads in Bangkok seem to be constantly in a state of repair. Sukhumvit Road, the main
street of Bangkok, always seems to be torn up in one location or another.
Current roadwork on Sukhumvit is centered on the Sheraton and Grand Delta Hotels around
Soi 19.
Construction of the new Skytrain system, a modern elevated railway that's expected to
alleviate some of Bangkok's traffic woes, is expected to add to roadway difficulties for
the next several years. Even without construction, traffic is horrible. Thais spend so
many hours in their vehicles every day that many are equipped with TV sets. Vans that
carry the family are often outfitted with toilets and beds for the children. Our strong
recommendation: Leave the driving to someone else.
The main train station in Bangkok is Hua Lampong Terminal.
Information and advanced booking: Rama IV Road, phone 223-0341.
The Chiang Mai Express from the north arrives daily at Hua Lampong Terminal at 6 am and
9:40 am.
The Hat Yai Express from the south arrives at the terminal daily at 9:30 am and 10:35 am.
A taste of former glory, the Oriental Express travels in luxury from Singapore to Bangkok
and back with stops in Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Kuala Lumpur and Hua Hin, Wang Po and
Kanchanaburi. The trip takes three days each way. Prices start at around 25,000 Baht. Call
the Oriental Hotel, 236-0400, or E&O Services (in Singapore), 65-227-2068, for more
information.
Bangkok has three major bus terminals, one for each direction of travel outside the city.
It's nearly impossible for a non-Thai-speaking person to make reservations by phone. Use
one of the many local travel agents in town.
Buses going south leave from the station on the West End of the city, across the river
from the Grand Palace at Charansantiwong Road, phone 435-1199.
The eastern station is at Ekka Mai, Soi 63 Sukhumvit Road, phone 391-2504.
The station for buses going north or northeast, Mor Chit Terminal, is north of the city
center near Chatuchak Park, Phaholythin Road, phone 271-2961.
The Bangkok Microbus Co. has air-conditioned,
comfortable buses. TV, newspapers, magazines, drinks and snacks are available. Fare is 25
Baht per trip. Place your money in the box near the driver. Make sure you have exact
change, because there's no conductor to make change for you. (However, you can get exact
change from Microbus officers at bus stops.)
Buses of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority remain a cheap and efficient way to get around
the city over more than 100 routes. A few run 24 hours, most run 5 am to 11 P.M. Fares
range from 2.5 to 16 Baht depending on whether the bus is air-conditioned or not and how
far you're going. Exact change not required. You can purchase a Tour 'n' Guide Map at any
travel agency or hotel for 50 Baht. This is the official street map and bus-route guide,
and it's worth its weight in gold.
Bangkok Taxi, phone 424-3062,
Nakornchai Taxi, phone 467-2074,
Thai Taxi, phone 437-8867,
Are all available 24 hours a day. Order by phone, hail one in front of any major hotel or
hail one on the street. But be Careful: Bangkok's metered and non metered taxis often look
alike. If it's a metered taxi, make sure the driver switches on the meter at the beginning
of the ride. If it's non metered, agree on a price before you get in. Metered taxis charge
35 Baht for the first two kilometers and 6 Baht for each additional kilometer.
When the taxi is stopped in traffic, the meter
switches to a clock, and the fare goes up 2 Baht for every minute the speed is below 6
kph. Four passengers maximum; no additional charges per person. It's always a good idea to
have the hotel clerk write down your destination in both Thai and English.
Note be sure to allow plenty of time to get to the airport for your return flight. Even
though most international flights leave early in the morning, traffic can still be
horrific. Ask at the hotel how much time to allow.
They ply the Chao Phraya River and the city's canals (klongs); they're cheap and
relatively efficient, because there's less congestion on the waterway. (Fares start at 5
Baht on the Chao Phraya Express River Taxi.) This is the preferred mode of transport if
the pickup and drop-off points are convenient. Pick up a copy of Nancy Chandler's famous
Map of Bangkok from any bookstore for river taxi pickup points. Be aware that the klong
taxis don't come to a full stop and dock -- they just slow down long enough for you to
jump on.
Other waterway options They include river jets (used as hotel and airport shuttles and for
sightseeing -- any travel agent can hook you up); long-tailed boats (for trips up smaller
klongs); and river ferries (to cross the river from Bangkok to Thonburi, with a fare of 1
Baht).
These are three-wheeled contraptions that are half motorcycle and half golf cart. They
offer exciting and unsafe-at-any-speed transportation. They're more expensive than taxis,
and since there's no meter, you must bargain with the driver on price. Tuk-Tuk drivers are
sharp bargainers, and you could go broke using them exclusively.
They're a viable, though dangerous way of getting around. In a city where traffic often
sits for half an hour before creeping up a few inches, motorcycle drivers can get you to
your destination in good time. Drivers defy traffic laws; good sense and even the laws of
gravity. The price of a death-defying motorcycle ride is a bit more than a metered taxi,
but you can bargain.
Keep your body tucked in -- every inch counts. Wear a helmet. Check the neck of your
motorcycle driver for a blue line and triangle peeking out above his collar. If you spot
these tattoos, choose another driver. (Many young Thai men go to occult shamans who
ceremonially tattoo their backs, chests and necks with protective symbols that, the young
men believe, make them immune to danger.)
This can be a good way to get around, and it's always an adventure. Don't expect Thais who
are driving to give right-of-way to pedestrians. Even if they see you that don't mean
they'll slow down or stop. When you're not scanning for traffic, keep your eyes glued to
the ground ahead of you: Uneven sidewalks, open trenches and exposed sewer drains have
been known to incapacitate more than the occasional pedestrian. Keep in mind, too, that in
the tropics where heat and humidity are usually high, a midday jaunt of more than 15 or 20
minutes will leave you looking and feeling more than a bit soggy and limp.