Bangkok Transportation and transfer guide

Transportation

BY AIR Bangkok's Don Muang airport is as busy as any major international airport anywhere in the world and there are flights leaving and arriving every minute.

A word of caution: The Bangkok airport has more than its share of hustlers out to make a quick baht, who often wear uniforms and tags that make them seem official. They will try to get you to change your hotel to one that pays them a large commission, perhaps claiming your intended hotel is overbooked. They will hustle you into overpriced taxis or limousines. Do not get taken in. This is a genuine warning, not a 'competitors' wrangle.

For more information on flight timetables etc. telephone the department you require as follows: International Flights: (Bangkok) 5351111, Domestic Flights:(Bangkok) 5351253, Arrivals: (Bangkok) 5351301 and Departures: (Bangkok) 5351386

Airport - Limo When arriving in Bangkok International look for the Airport Associate Limousine / Taxi counters. There are two services operating out of the Airport, the Airport Associate Limousine service or the Thai Airway Limousine. The cars are generally clean and the drivers reliable. The toll way for the highway is not included but the expressway below it is. Ask for a bonus card and for each 650 Baht you spend they will give you a stamp, when you complete the card with a total of 5 stamps, you will be entitled to a one way trip in either direction free of charge (if you take the return trip at 1,150 you will only get one stamp).

Airport - Taxi Taxi's are readily available. Only take the taxi's which are in the official taxi queue and only those that will show you the meter is working before you get in. A ride from the airport to central downtown should cost between 200/350 Baht.

BUSES within Bangkok There are five types of city bus in Bangkok. The cheapest ones, cost 3.5 Baht, are not air conditioned. The fare for air-conditioned ones ranges from 6 Baht to 18 Baht depending on the distance traveled. The air-conditioned microbus cost 25 Baht.

This type guarantees you a seat on the bus, however, they are so scarce and unrealiable. Another thing about the buses in Bangkok is that they don't like stopping, so tell the driver where you want to disembark, as you get on. You usually have to do this anyway so that they can determine the price of the journey.

BUSES to destinations outside Bangkok Bangkok has three main bus terminals. Northern/Northeast Bus Terminal on Phaholyothin Rd., tel. 2720296 or 2796222, often referred to as Morsit, serves Chiang Mai and the north. The Southern Bus Terminal on Pinklao-Nakomchaisri Rd., Talingchan, tel. 4351199, on the Thonburi side of the river, is for Hua Hin, Ko Samui, Phuket and points south. The Eastern Bus Terminal located on Sukhumvit Rd., Soi 40, Ekkamai, tel. 3912504 or 392-2391, usually referred to as Ekkamai, is for Pattaya and points southeast, to Rayong and Trat province.

BOAT There are two types of boats plying the waters of the Chao Phraya River. One is the ferry that crosses the river, costing only one baht per person per crossing, the other is the boat that travels up and down the river. The fare for this is dependent on the distance traveled and is paid on the boat. Two lines are available: the Chao Phraya Express and Laemthong Express

MOTORBIKE TAXI The other way to get around if you are crazy or brave is to take a motorbike taxi or as they are called in Thailand, a motorcy. These are readily available and are fast and cheap. You can recognise the drivers as they wear numbered vests. They can be fun and will definitely beat the traffic but do be aware that the accident rate is very high in Thailand and you may pay for your trip with your life rather than a few Baht.

TAXI There are a number of taxi companies operating in and around Bangkok. Our advice is to only utilise those that are metered and check that the meter is switched on as you get in the car, otherwise you may land up paying someone else's fare too.

SKYTRAIN The BTS, LRT or Skytrain, is Bangkok's transport problem's saving grace. Stretching from Sukhumvit Soi 77 all the way to Chatuchak, with one leg running from Erawan intersection to the Chaopraya river, just next to the Shangri-la Hotel, the Skytrain is welcome addition to the weary fight against traffic congestion. You can buy individual tickets as well as monthly, yearly, and other alternative usage tickets. The train reaches most major places in Bangkok, covering most of Sukhumvit, Silom, Ploenchit and Phiyathai roads.

The following hotels on the skytrain route or with stops very close by are: Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Grand Pacific, Landmark, Amari Boulevard, JW Marriott, Grand Hyatt, The Regent, Le Meridien President, Swissotel, Novotel Siam Square, Novotel Bagna, Novotel Lotus, Pan Pacifc, Dusit Thani, Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, Shangri-la, Peninsula, Imperial Queens Park, Rembrandt.

TRAINS to destinations outside Bangkok Thailand has an excellent and reasonably priced railway system and tickets can be bought pretty much at any station in the country for travel along that line. You need to book well ahead for first class travel and for other classes during peak travel times. Most of the time however you can simply book in person a few days in advance. Travel agencies also sell tickets for overnight trains.

Tip: One can catch a train to/from Singapore, via Malaysia to/from Bangkok (1943km) - choose from the Eastern and Oriental Express for the ultimate in comfort and luxury, or the local express trains which run daily offering different classes of berths for all budgets.

First class seats on overnight services are difficult to obtain unless you book well in advance. For a higher price you enjoy air-conditioning and much more privacy. Second class travel is recommended - you get a good night's sleep in a fold-down bunk in a fan cooled carriage and the ticket prices are affordable. Third class is good for short trips only - you get a hard wooden seat with no fan cooling. Tickets are cheap, so the carriages can be crowded.

You can choose from express services with minimal stops or cheaper services that stop at every town en-route. Train travel is the safest and most affordable way of exploring Thailand. You do need to be a little security conscious as the occasional theft and/or drugging of passengers occurs.

Hualamphong Railway Station located on Rama IV Rd., tel. 2230341, the city's main station, serves most long-distance trains. Bangkok Noi on Arun Amarin Rd., tel. 4113102, on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River, is used by local trains to Hua Hin and Kanchanaburi. (There is no train to Phuket, though you can go as far as Surat Thani and change to a scheduled bus service.)

For information on schedules and passes, contact The State Railway of Thailand: (02) 220 4334 To make advanced bookings call the Bangkok Railway Station Advance Booking Office tel. 02) 225-0300 ext 5200-3.

TUK-TUKS Although fun these can be a health problem if in rush hour traffic and if you are on business, you may finish with a large dry cleaning bill.