Bangkok - Shoestring Transport

Skytrain & Underground

This is my personal advice based on my decades of travel and living in the city of "scene" (I love Bangkok too much to use the word Sin on my 3rd adopted hometown!).

Be Safer on Bangkok's Efficient MRT, BTS & ARL

I still remember those younger days when I was taking the public bus transport around Bangkok, as the current Skytrain (also called BTS), the Underground  (MRT) and the Airport Rail Line (ARL) network was either non existent or being built.

Even though I tried the omnipresent Tuk Tuks, I now travel religiously on the rail systems instead of the zipping Tuk Tuks unless I absolutely have to ( like the time I went Chinatown for car parts and accessories, my bumper kits and accessories were so bulky even Taxis turned me down.  I ended hailing a Tuk Tuk who after going in circles - due to communication barrier - finally got me back to the hotel. )



Overloaded & Still Room For Helpers

For the even more adventurous, there is the informal biker personal transport where you ride as a pillion.  These bikers lurk around designated streetsides and are useful if the streets are jammed and you need to be at an appointment pronto.  Having said that, I stopped taking them ever since the roads of Bangkok got really congested and the drivers more and more impatient.  The clarion call to treasure my life more came when my knee knocked against the back of a public bus as my biker was earnestly negotiating traffic to help me get to my destination quickly. I was almost knocked off the bike due to this falang's (foreigner's) long legs!!!

 

USEFUL TIPS





• The old Don Mueang Airport (DMK) does not have airport train rail to the city.  You have to take a limo bus to the nearest Mo Chit BTS or Chatuchak Park MRT to get to town.  Or use the taxi line at the airport - they may take you on a meter fare system (but not turn on the meter), but once you are on the highway, they may quote you a higher fare.  So nicely negotiate for them to turn on the meter before getting into the taxi - or negotiate a non-meter fare which suits both you and the hardworking drivers!
• The new Suvarnabhumi Airport is the one I fly into most often - because I love the ARL which connects to the BTS & MRT.   The ARL is at the basement - so go straignt down to the basement upon exit from customs.  You have cafes and money exchange there - without the crowd of non-initiated tourists at the helpdesks outside Arrival Customs.
• Get yourself stored value BTS and MRT cards.  There is no need to consider whether you will fully deplete the values because the benefit of avoiding lone lines at the ticket machine is more than worth it.  Besides, you could always return the cards for the balance refund when leaving Bangkok.  Or like me, keep them for my next visit!
• Book hotels near to BTS & MRT stations - you will enjoy Bangkok so much more.  I always recommend staying near the BTS/MRT interchange of Askok/Sukumvit respectively.  There have a plethora of luxe hotels and boutique inns.