Bangkok Travel Information

Bangkok Travel Information

Introduction || How to get there || Things to see & do || Day Trips from Bangkok || Sky Train || Subway (MRT)

Introduction

    Bangkok was founded in 1782 by the first monarch of the present Chakri dynasty. It is now the country's spiritual, cultural, diplomatic, commercial and educational hub. It covers an area of more than 1,500 square kilometres, and it is home to approximatlely ten million people or more than 10% of the country's population.

    Over the last few decades, Thailand's capital city, Bangkok, has changed into a modern, exciting and sophisticated city. It offers to visitors not only the cosmopolitan amenities they would expect from other big cities, but also a unique treasure trove of cultural attractions. Thailand, in the heart of Southeast Asia, was never colonised and thus kept its unique culture and heritage intact. Bangkok offers visitors the opportunity to experience fascinating glimpse of Thailand's gentle culture amidst the bustle of a great and dynamic metropolis. This great city has had astounding success in combining the ancient and modern world.

    For tourists, Bangkok has a feast of attractions to offer. The city is dotted with 400 glittering Buddhist temples of great beauty and fascination, magnificent palaces, classical dance extravaganzas, numerous shopping centres and traditional ways of life, especially along the "Venice of the East" timeless canals and the Chao Phraya River of the "River of Kings" winding through the city. It is worth taking a trip along its waters before exploring further into different canals to take a glimpse of old Bangkok.

How to get there Back to Top

Suvarnabhumi Airport is accessible by 5 routes.

from the north via the new Bangkok-Chon Buri Highway, an 8-lane elevated highway
from the northwest via a 6-lane road links to the Rom Klao elevated highway and King Kaew Flyover
from the South via a 4-lane road links the airport to Bang Na-Trat highway
from the northeast via a 4-lane road connecting to Onnuj Road Road
from the west via a 4-lane road linking King Kaew Road

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

Airport Shuttle Buses – Free of Charge
Airport Shuttle Buses operate between the Passenger Terminal Complex and the Public Transportation Centre, where limousines and public buses are parked.

The Airport Shuttle Bus service serves points of interest in Suvarnabhumi Airport
by 2 routes (Ordinary and Express), providing Free of Charge services for passengers and staff on duty at the airport. The routes are serviced by low-floor typed Bus powered by NGV (natural gas).

PARKING
Private cars can be parked at the parking building after dropping off passengers at the 4th floor of the terminal complex. Pick-up points are on the 2nd floor. Parking garages are fully automated.

TAXIS
Taxis drop off passengers at the 4th floor of the terminal complex and leave the area immediately.

For arriving passengers, there is a Taxi Stand on Level 1 of the Passenger Terminal Complex. To maintain between 20 to 25 taxis at all times, supervisors will radio for taxis.

Public taxis will charge a 50 baht service fee on top of the metre charge for the transfer from either the passenger terminal or remote taxi ranks.

ASIA TRAVEL'S PRIVATE AIRPORT TRANSFER SERVICE

CAR RENTAL SERVICE
Two categories of car rental services providers operate at Suvarnabhumi Airport — well-known international brands and a local operator

The Car Rental Centre is located at the Public Transportation Centre. To rent a car, contact the car rental service counter at the arrival hall and take the Airport Shuttle Bus (express route) from the MTB to pick up the car at Car Rental Centre. After use, the car is dropped off at the Car Rental Centre.

AIRPORT EXPRESS SERVICE
Airport express service will be operating between the airport, hotels and various important places in Bangkok and the suburbs.

Pick up area: at the arrival (level 2) outer curb
Drop off area: at the departure (Level 4) outer curb

Public air-conditioned bus services are available on six routes.

Group 1
Bangkok and Neighbouring area to Suvarnabhumi Airport
Departure from the Bus Terminal at the public transportation centre
There are 6 routes.

1. Number 549 SA. – Minburi
2. Number 550 SA. – Happy Land
3. Number 551 SA.– Victory Monument (Express Way)
4. Number 552 SA.– On Nuch BTS station
5. Number 553 SA. – Samut Prakan
6. Number 554 SA. – Bangkok International Airport(Express Way )

Group 2
Public bus services between Bangkok and tourist destination spots

All bus services operating along these routes will drop off airport passengers at the Public Transportation Centre.

Trains by the State Railway of Thailand will be in service between Suvarnabhumi Airport and major places in Bangkok and the suburbs.

Suvarnabhumi Airport City Rail Link
Construction of a 28-km overhead city rail link between downtown Bangkok and the airport is underway. Travelling time between the airport and the city centre will take only 15 minutes. Scheduled to be completed in December 2007, the electric train service will connect Suvarnabhumi Airport with city air terminals along the East rail track serving eight city air terminals: Phayathai, Ratchaprarop, Makkasan/Asoke, Ramkamhaeng, Huamak, Bantubchang, Ladkrabung and Suvarnabhumi.

PRIVATE BUSES
Private Buses are required to stand by at the bus parking lots at the Public Transportation Centre.
Pick up area: at the Arrival (level 1) inner curb
Park condition: only if passengers are waiting at the spot
Drop off area: at the departure (Level 4) outer curb

Getting around Bangkok Back to Top

Bus
Public buses are plentiful and cheap, with a minimum fare of 6 baht to most destinations within metropolitan Bangkok. Air-conditioned buses have minimum and maximum fares of 10 and 22 baht, respectively. Air-conditioned micro-buses charge a flat fare of 25 baht all routes.

TAXI
Taxis cruising city streets are metred. They charge a minimum of 35 baht for the first 3 kilometres, and approximately 5 baht per kilometre thereafter. Make sure you have change, as taxi drivers often dont! Passengers must pay tolls in the case of using an expressway.

TUK-TUKS
These three-wheeled open-air motorised taxis are popular for short journeys. Fares must be bargained in advance. Minimum fares, for journeys of up to 3 kilometres, are approximately 30 baht.

BTS Sky Trains
BTS sky trains ply along Sukhumvit, Silom and Phahonyothin roads. The routes connect Bangkoks leading hotels and major shopping areas such as Siam Square, Silom, Ratchaprasong and Chatuchak Weekend Market. The fare ranges from 10-40 baht according to the distance.

Subway (Metro)
The city's subway system, or MRT, connects many of the top tourist attractions with the accommodation areas, markets, and the business district. Fares range from 14 to 36 baht. The trains run from 6 a.m. to midnight, daily.

Boat
Taxis that are even more unusual, though equally convenient, are the river taxis that ply the Chao Phraya River. Some are just cross river ferries, but others serve the many landing stages on both banks and cover a route that goes up as far as the northern suburb of Nonthaburi.

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