Public transport is good in Bangkok and
cheap. Driving is a bit difficult as the Bangkok traffic is
famous and there is a lot of congestion. Hiring a car is worth
it however, if you are planning to travel further afield or
maybe get a car with a driver.
One Day Pass
You can get a one day Pass for about 100-150 Baht and it covers all your travel on the BTS system for a day. You can buy these tickets at any BTS station. .
Three Day Tourist Pass,
There is also a BTS 3-Day Tourist Pass and this covers you for 3 nights and 4 days and costs about 300-400 baht. .
Skytrain
The Skytrain is the wonderful new system which goes from Sukhumvit Soi 77 to Chatuchak, and from the Erawan intersection down to the Chaopraya river (at the Shangri-la Hotel). Called Skytrain because it is elevated, it gives you a comfortable trip and interesting views some of the time. The Skytrain is called rot fai fah in Thai
The train actually reaches most major places in Bangkok, covering most of Sukhumvit, Silom, Ploenchit and Phiyathai roads. The train is fast and easy to use. The trains run daily from 6 am to 12 midnight. A three day pass can be purchased from all stations.
Taxi
Taxis are readily available, however you should only accept taxis with working meters, and avoid taxis that are waiting around. It’s a good idea to carry smaller notes to pay your driver. Hotel taxis have fixed tariffs depending on your destination so you can check this beforehand. Taxis cruising the streets have meters and start from 35 baht for first 2 kms. When you go out for the day, get a taxi card from where you're staying with your hotel address written in Thai. Most taxi drivers only understand Thai. Also get the hotel staff to write down your taxi destinations in Thai.
Tuk Tuks
Tuk-Tuks are three-wheel taxis, popular amongst tourists for short journeys inside Bangkok. Fares range from 30 Baht to 150 Baht. There is no meter on these three-wheeled machines, so you will have to bargain with the driver before you get on for the fare. However, if you are not worried about car fumes as you wait in traffic, they are great fun and a real tourist experience.
Motorbike taxi
The fastest way to avoid traffic jams but they do not go for long distances. Wearing a helmet is obligatory and usually the driver will provide you with one.
River taxi
There is a motorboat taxi service on the Chao Phraya River called the "Chao Phraya River Express Boat". Boats run between Wat Ratchasingkhon and Nonthaburi province. There are two main types of express boats with the standard express boats, running daily from 6 am to 6:30 pm and special express boats, running from Monday to Friday, 6 am to 9 am and 3 pm to 7pm. There are also cross-river ferries that ply back and forth across the Chao Phraya River. The river ferries are slow and more peaceful and make a nice sightseeing trip - they move quite slowly but they hardly pause to let passengers on and off so - move swiftly and carefully when boarding.
Bus
Bus transport in Bangkok is cheap and comfortable. There are non air conditioned red and green buses, air conditioned blue buses and air-conditioned televised microbuses with free newspapers for longer trips within the city). Red and green buses operate twenty-four hours a day.
Bangkok Metro (BMCL)
The subway is also relatively new in Bangkok and more lines are planned. It has eighteen stations and three interchange stations that connect to the Skytrain. It operates from 5 am to midnight every day at a frequency of 4 - 6 minutes. During rush hours the frequency increases All subway stations are air-conditioned and well equipped with elevators, escalators, shops, ATM machines, telephone kiosks and ticket vending machines.
Car Hire
Driving in Bangkok can be a big headache. Finding your way
around the many one-way traffic systems is difficult, so unless
you plan to drive outside Bangkok to another destination like
the beach, use the public transport services or take a cab.
You can hire a car (consider car rental with a driver) online
from the major companies. The Bangkok Yellow Pages lists local
and international automobile rental companies Self-drive and
chauffeur-driven automobiles are widely available. Car hire
companies also perate in Pattaya, Hat Yai, Phuket and Chiang
Mai. You can also hire a car with a driver if you want to
see Bangkok in comfort.
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