By Air
Bangkok is Thailand's major gateway. Most visitors
arrive through Bangkok's Suvarnabhum International Airport which is
connected by daily flights to Europe, North America, Asia and
Australasia aboard the world's major airlines.
Further
international flights, mostly from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur,
Penang and Hong
Kong, land on a less regular basis at the
southern airports of Phuket and Hat Yai and Chiang Mai in northern
Thailand.
Charter flights from Europe and the Orient
sometimes land in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and at
U-Taphao for Pattaya.
By Rail
Regular
rail services link Singapore and Bangkok. Intermediary stops include
Kuala
Lumpur, Butterworth and major southern Thai
towns.
By Road
Overland entrance to
Thailand is restricted to three road crossings on the Thai-Malaysian
border in Songkhla, Yala and Narathiwat.
By
Sea
There are no regular steamship connections with
Thailand. Cargo ships calling at Bangkok's Klong Toey port sometimes
have passenger cabin facilities. Cruise ships, such as Cunard's
Queen Elizabeth 11, Royal Viking, or Pearl of Scandinavia
periodically visit Pattaya.
Domestic air, rail and road transport in Thailand is
surprisingly inexpensive.
By
Air
Thai Airways
International, Thailand's
national airline, flies to eight destinations in the North, seven
destinations in the Northeast, and six in the South. Bangkok Airways
flies from Bangkok directly to Ko Samui, Ranong, Cha-am (Hua Hin)
and Sukhothai. It also flies one-stop to Chiang Mai and Phuket, and
from Samui to U-Tapao (Pattaya). There are also services linking
Samui and Singapore. Orient Thai Airline connects major Thai cities
such as Chiang MaiSurat Thani-Hat Yai, Chiang Mai-Hat Yai, Chiang
Mai-U-Tapao, Chiang Mai-Udon Thani-Ubon Ratchathani, Chiang Mai-
Khon Kaen-Ubon Ratchathani.
Reservations can be made through any authorized Thai Inter
Travel Agent. Thai Airways International's Lan Luang Office is on 6
Lan Luang Road, Tel: 280-0110,280-0060. The airline also organises
'Royal Orchid Holidays' tours to every destination it flies
to.
By
Rail
An efficient rail system links major northern
and northeastern towns with the capital. A southern route permits
the visitor to travel by train into Malaysia and Singapore. Domestic
express trains comprise first, second and third class carriages.
Slower trains may have only third-class seats.
The State
Railway of Thailand organizes oneday, two-day economy tours to
various destinations on Saturdays, Sundays and official holidays.
Other tours include trips to Surat Thani (for Ko Samui), Chumphon
and Chiang Mai. Railway schedules can be obtained from Bangkok
Railway Station, Tel: 223-7010, 2237020.
By Road
A modern
highway system reaches into all corners of the kingdom. Domestic bus
services offer fast means of travel. Airconditioned tour coaches
offer more comfort.
Bangkok's Northern/Northeastern Bus Terminal is
on Kam Phaeng Phet 2 Road, Tel: 9363674, 9363667-8.
Bangkok's
Southern Bus Terminal is on Pinklao-Nakhon Chaisri Road, Tel :
4351190, 4351200 (air-conditioned) and 4345558
(regular).
Bangkok's Eastern Bus terminal is on Sukhumvit
Road, Tel: 3929227, 3919829 (airconditioned) and 3912504, 3922521
(regular).
Public
Transportation
Public buses are plentiful and cheap,
with 3.50 baht minimum and 5 baht maximum fares to most destinations
within metropolitan Bangkok- Air- conditioned buses within Bangkok
have minimum and maximum fares of 6 and 16 baht respectively. Red
and grey Micro-Buses, also air conditioned, cost 30 baht for single
journey.
A Bus Route Map is available at most hotels,
bookshops and the TAT head office for 35 baht.
Taxis and Tuk Tuks
Hotel taxis have fixed
tariffs. Taxis cruising the streets of Bangkok, and designated
"taximeters" charge 35 baht for the first 3 kilome
tres and
approximately 5 baht for every kilometre thereafter.
Tuk-Tuk
or three wheel taxis are quite popular among the tourists for short
journeys inside Bangkok. Fares range from a minimum of 30 baht to a
maximum of 150 baht. Fares must be bargained for.
River Taxis
1 Chao Phraya River Express There is a motorboat service on the Chao Phraya River called "Chao Phraya River Express Boat". The boats run between Wat Ratchasingkhon (in southern Bangkok, near Krungthep Bridge) and Nonthaburi province. See Thaiways Maps of Bangkok
There are four types of boats, spotted by a flag in different colours. The boats marked by a blue flag (the most express), which stops only at Nonthaburi, Wang Lang and Sathon piers, charge 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 by an orange flag, charge 13 baht per person (whole route) and the ordinary boats, without a flag, charge 9, 11 or 13 baht, depending on the distance of the trip. After disembarking at a main pier, you can cross the river using the ferry service (details on 6.4 below) if you need.
2 Chao Phraya Tourist Boat This is a special boat service for travelling along the Chao Phraya River. The boat route, connected to BTS Skytrain at Taksin Bridge station, starts from Sathon Pier and proceeds up the river to Banglamphu Pier (near Khaosan Road). The boat stops at 10 major piers which provide easy access to important tourist sites such as the Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Pho, Chinatown, Khaosan Road etc. A guide is provided on board and the boat is not crowded as the express boat. The boat service is available daily from 9.00 to 15.00 hours, departing every 30 minutes.
The charge is 15 baht per trip. One day river pass is available for unlimited trips at 75 baht which includes a Chao Phraya River Guidebook.
3 Long-tail Boat In Bangkok, long-tail boat services are available at many piers along the Chao Phraya river, offering different routes, such as those from Khlong Bangkoknoi to Bangyai, and from Khlong Bangphrom to Khlong Bangramat. The fares depend on the distance of the route, roughly from 10-20 baht. Most boats are in service from 6 a.m. to 9.30 p.m.
There are also cruise services along numerous canals which form an extensive network of waterways around Bangkok. Some popular places that you can go for a cruise by boat are the Damnoen Saduak floating market, the Temple of Dawn, the Royal Barges Museum and various Buddhist temples. As tourists, you are advised to ask for the fares from more than one pier before making a decision to assure that you will be charge at an appropriate rate.
4 Cross-River Ferry From almost every boat landing in Bangkok, there are cross-river ferries that ply back and forth across the Chao Phraya River.The standard fare is 3 baht and usually collected at the entrance to the landing.
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Long-tail Boat
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Cross-River Ferry
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Chao Phraya River Express |
Cross-River Ferry
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