Thailand Transportation

For quick, easy and cheap transport around Bangkok without having to navigate the traffic, jump on the sky train.

Buses are a cheap and easy way to get around Thailand, but take care of your belongings on buses, since thieving and pick pocketing does occur. Modern highways reaches into all areas of the country and Provincial buses are a comfortable and convenient way of travel.

The northern/north eastern terminal is located on Kam Phaeng Phet 2 Road in Bangkok, with the southern terminal located on Pinklao-Nakhon Chaisri Road. The eastern bus terminal is located on Sukhumvit Road.

Has there ever been a tourist in Thailand not utilizing the services of the Tuk Tuk.

This three wheeled open air and colorful mode of transport is as thrilling as it is unique to Thailand. It is cheap and it is fast and will take you anywhere in the city and on many of the islands.

Again, they are plentiful and you will constantly be offered their services. There is no standard price so prices are always negotiated before you get on.

Taxis in Bangkok, all other cities and towns and also on many islands, are so plentiful it is hard not to see one. Usually these guys will spot you walking and offer their services before you can look for one or flag one down. Taxis in Thailand are air-conditioned and a fast, effective way to travel,  and economical way to travel.

At the Airport you will immediately be surrounded by taxi operators offering their services, so bargain for a good deal. Taxis are also the best mode of transport to get into Bangkok from the airport. These days, nearly all taxis have a meter and are well maintained. Each taxi company has their own colour scheme. Yellow/green and red/blue are popular but you will also notice orange and green taxis. All cost the same. Meters start at 35 baht and remain that for 2 km. After that, it costs approximately 5 baht per kilometer. Make sure the driver turn on the meter and do not charge his own inflated prices.

If the taxi driver refuses to turn on the meter, make your intentions to get out known. He will change his mind quickly enough. You can spot other vacant taxis from a distance as they have a red light in the front windscreen. If there are 3 or 4 of you, it may turn out cheaper to go by meter taxi compared to the sky train or Metro, since taxis charge per trip and not per person.

When you get out of a taxi, remember to look when you open the vehicle's door on a street to make sure a motorcycle is not approaching. It is very common for passengers to open a car door and have a motorcycle hit it. This can cause serious injury to the motorcyclist and yourself, as well as considerable property damage. You will be liable for all damages.

It is perfectly legal and normal in Thailand for motorcycles to drive in the spaces between cars, lanes, and on the curb.

They are new, fast and the more risky of the transport options. If you are the daredevil type and want to get around the city fast during peak traffic times, this is your choice.

Motorcycle taxis are common forms for public transport in Bangkok and most other cities, towns and villages in Thailand. They are generally used for short trips. In Bangkok, there are motorcycle taxi queues on many streets (Thai "sois"), which are regulated by the city's government.

Licensed motorcycle-taxi operators wear orange vests. In compliance with Thailand's helmet law, many (but not all) carry a spare helmet to offer to passengers. Prices are always negotiated since no fixed fees exist.

The Chao Phraya River Express Boat run between Wat Ratchasingkhon (in southern Bangkok, near Krungthep Bridge) and Nonthaburi province. This is a wonderfully scenic and relaxed way of exploring Bangkok.

Four types of boats, spotted by a flag in different colours, travel on the Chao Praya River. The boats marked by a blue flag stops only at Nonthaburi, Wang Lang and Sathorn piers and charge more or less 22 or 32 baht, depending on the distance.

The express boats, marked by a yellow flag, charge 18 baht for the whole route while the rapid boats, flying an orange flag, charge 13 baht per person. The ordinary boats, without a flag, charge 9, 11 or 13 baht, depending on the distance of the trip.

The Chao Praya Tourist Boat traveling along the Chao Praya River is a wonderful scenic and relaxed way to see and explore Bangkok. The boat’s route starts at Sathorn Pier all the way up the river to Banglamphu Pier. It stops at no less than 10 piers on the journey. From these piers, easy access is available to many major tourist sights and attractions, including the Emerald Buddha, The Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Chinatown, Khaosan Road etc.

This boat service is available daily from 09:30 am to 15:00 pm.

A songthaew (meaning "two rows" in Thai), also known in English as a baht bus, is a passenger vehicle in Thailand and Laos adapted from a pick-up or a larger truck and used as a share taxi.

It takes its name from the two bench seats fixed along either side of the back of the truck. In some vehicles a third bench is put down the middle of the seating area. Additionally a roof is fitted over the rear of the vehicle to which curtains and plastic sheeting to keep out rain may be attached.

Some vehicles have roofs large enough to accommodate standing passengers within the vehicle, or passengers may stand on a platform attached to the rear.

Songthaews are used both within towns and cities and for longer routes between towns and villages. Those within towns are converted from pick-up trucks and usually travel fixed routes for a set fare. In some cases (as in Chiang Mai) they are used as shared taxis for passengers traveling in roughly the same direction.

Vehicles on longer routes may be converted from larger trucks for about 40 passengers. This is a very cheap and safe mode of traveling in Thailand.

Though not recommended in cities or other high-traffic areas, Scooters, or Mopeds, are a cheap, fast, and easy way to get around small villages and beach towns in Thailand.

At a low cost of approximately 200-600 Baht per day, depending on the size and model of motorcycle, you can tour around beach towns, highways, and back roads. This may lead to much more interesting adventures than if you simply took a standard tour. Always remember to wear a motorcycle helmet and to lift the stand when driving.

Some smaller islands along the Andaman coast have only Scooters. No cars or buses are available. You either have to rent a scooter to get around, or ride a motorcycle taxi for a mere 50-80 Baht depending on your destination.

On the coasts of Southern Thailand, the long tail (longtail) boat is king. They are incredibly versatile, acting as dive boats, fishing boats, ferries, cargo ships, and more. Likely a sign of status and wealth among the locals, owning such a boat would undoubtedly help to ensure a stable income. The boats are large, often more than ten metres (30 feet) long. Why are they called long tails? Though you can't see it from this vantage, long tail boats have a simple propeller at the end of a long drive-shaft connected to an even larger engine, (often removed from a car or truck). The boats are noisy, but great transport to various destinations.