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Transport in Thailand: our tips for getting around
Thailand is one of the easiest countries in Southeast Asia to travel around: the transport network is dense, fairly reliable and cheap. Between domestic flights, night trains, VIP buses, minivans and island ferries, there is almost always more than one way to reach your next stop. Here are our tips to choose the right option and book with peace of mind.
Getting around Thailand: general tips
Book ahead in high season (November to March, Christmas, Chinese New Year and Songkran in April): night trains, island ferries and VIP buses sell out fast. The rest of the year, a few days ahead is usually enough.
Use combined tickets: to reach the islands, joint bus + boat or train + boat tickets save you from handling connections yourself.
Allow some slack: delays are common, especially for trains, and for ferries during the monsoon. Avoid a long overland journey and a flight on the same day.
Prefer official companies and bus stations over the 'tourist buses' sold around Khao San Road, which are often less comfortable and sometimes prone to luggage theft.
Keep documents, cash and valuables with you, and bring a jumper: air conditioning is often freezing on buses, trains and minivans.
Useful apps: Grab and Bolt for taxis in town, Google Maps (good for Bangkok public transport) and a local SIM or eSIM to stay connected.
To compare schedules and book trains, buses, minivans, ferries and flights online, we recommend 12Go, which covers most Thai transport companies.
Ways to travel in Thailand
Flying: for long distances
Domestic flights are frequent and cheap, especially with low-cost airlines. It is the best way to get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi or Koh Samui in about an hour instead of a night on a train or bus.
In Bangkok, check your airport carefully: Suvarnabhumi handles most international flights and some domestic ones, Don Mueang most low-cost flights. Low-cost fares often exclude checked luggage: compare the final price.
Thailand's rail network has four main lines (North, North-East, East and South) from Bangkok. Trains are slower than buses and often late, but they are comfortable, safe and a great experience. Night trains with sleeper berths (air-conditioned 2nd class or 1st class cabins) save you a night in a hotel, for example between Bangkok and Chiang Mai or Surat Thani (for the Gulf islands).
Most long-distance trains, including all night trains, now leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat central station (formerly Bang Sue); a few ordinary trains still use the old Hua Lamphong station, so check the station on your ticket. Book sleepers in advance, especially in high season.
Buses serve every town in the country. For long journeys, choose VIP buses (wide reclining seats, sometimes only 24 per bus) from reputable companies such as the Transport Company (Baw Khaw Saw), Nakhonchai Air or Green Bus in the North. Night buses are a good alternative when the train is full.
In Bangkok, buses leave from three main terminals depending on the destination: Mo Chit (North and North-East), Sai Tai Mai (South) and Ekkamai (East: Pattaya, Rayong, Trat for Koh Chang).
Minivans quickly link nearby towns (under 4 to 5 hours' drive) and serve the island piers. They are handy and frequent, but luggage space is limited and the driving can be lively: avoid them for very long trips and pick a well-rated company.
Ferries, speedboats and longtail boats serve all the islands. In the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao are reached from Surat Thani or Chumphon; on the Andaman Sea, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Lipe and the Trang islands are reached from Krabi, Phuket or the coastal piers.
During the monsoon (roughly May to October on the Andaman side, October to December in the Gulf), some routes are reduced or cancelled in bad weather: keep a spare day before a flight home.
Getting around locally: taxis, songthaews, tuk-tuks and scooters
In town, the Grab and Bolt apps avoid haggling and show the price upfront. Metered taxis are common in Bangkok; elsewhere you often agree the price before getting in. Songthaews (converted pick-ups with two benches) act as public transport in many towns and islands; tuk-tuk fares are always negotiated.
Renting a scooter is tempting, but be careful: helmets are compulsory, an international motorbike licence is required (and essential for your insurance to cover you), and roads can be dangerous. Car hire, with or without a driver, is a great way to explore the North or Isan at your own pace.
Getting around Bangkok
Bangkok is huge and its traffic jams are legendary: to save time, use the Skytrain (BTS), the metro (MRT) and the boats, and keep taxis and tuk-tuks for short trips or off-peak hours. All the details are in our full guide to transport in Bangkok.
BTS (Skytrain) and MRT (metro)
The BTS Skytrain (Sukhumvit and Silom lines) and the MRT metro (Blue, Purple, Yellow and Pink lines) are air-conditioned, fast and avoid the traffic. Fares depend on distance, and the two networks use separate tickets. The MRT Blue Line serves Chinatown and Wat Pho (Sanam Chai station).
From Suvarnabhumi, the Airport Rail Link reaches the city centre (Phaya Thai, BTS interchange) in about thirty minutes. From Don Mueang, the SRT Red Line links the airport to Krung Thep Aphiwat central station. Official taxis and Grab are available at both airports.
Chao Phraya Express boats run along the river and stop at the main sights: Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Chinatown, ICONSIAM. Saen Saep canal boats are a very fast way to cross the city, away from the traffic jams.
Insist on the meter in taxis (or use Grab/Bolt for an upfront price). Tuk-tuks are an experience, not the cheapest option: agree the fare first and turn down 'tours' with shop stops. Motorbike taxis in orange vests are unbeatable for short trips at rush hour.
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