If you’ve never been to Thailand you couldn’t possibly imagine how big this place is just by looking at a map. Luckily for travelers, Thailand’s transportation is on point and makes it easy to visit all of this beautiful country. With no one means for transportation here the variety of ways you can get from one place to another is amazing. With two huge airports (Bkk & DMK) and three rapid transit systems travel has never been easier and more convenient. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) operates all of the nations rail lines while Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT,) Bangkok Sky Train (BTS,) and the Suvarnabhumi Airport Link ( ARL) operate within the city of Bangkok.
First thing you're going to do when arriving to another country is obviously exchange money. The official exchange rate as of February 2018 is 31 Baht to 1 USD. In this blog I will try to include the USD rate in parentheses. It may not be exact but it will be pretty darn close. There will be tons of places to exchange money but you want an official rate that won't rip you off so look for places that have actual LED screens where the rates are not just written on a piece of paper. ATMs will give you the official exchange rate automatically but will charge you 220 Baht ($7 USD ) and if your bank back home charges non use ATM fees it will start to add up. There’s a Western Union but the exchange rate sucks and you’re charged $10 USD per transaction for a processing fee. I had a friend wire me $500 USD and I ended up paying $20 for the processing fee and lost $60 in the exchange rate process. Big bills of cash are king and you can hide them anywhere when you pack. This will be the best exchange rate you can possibly get.
Starting with the largest city in Thailand and its capital, Bangkok has just about everything. Buses, Grabs, Tuk-Tuks, Songthaews, Meter Taxis, and Motorcycle Taxis. These can be found all over the streets and even if you’re not looking you will hear “Taxi” 24/7. If you’re thinking you want something a little more adventurous the river canal has Long Tailed Boats and Ferries that make for a great experience in Thailand. Don’t have much time you can still fly domestic flights like AirAsia, Vietjet Air, or Nok Air all over Thailand. I found flights from Bangkok to Chaing Mai round trip for $80 USD. Bangkok to Phuket for three weeks was only $50 USD. The sooner you book it the cheaper.
I think by far the buses are the cheapest when going from point A to Point B. Bangkok has an extensive bus route and it only cost 6.5 (.21 USD) Baht a person. Riding the bus is very simple. Wait at a near by bus stop, board and you will be approached by someone who will tell you how much in exchange for a ticket. I was never asked where I was going and rode the bus for quite a while manly out of curiousity. If you’re not sure a bus will take you to your desired locaton just ask they are always willing to help.
Taxis are everywhere and cost 35 ($1.12 USD) Baht upon getting in and the price only goes up from there depending on how far or how long you're in them. Make sure you request your driver use the meter. Some drivers will purposely not use the meter and charge you whatever they want when they drop you off. One time when leaving the airport I asked a Taxi driver to take me to my Airbnb about a mile away. He requested 250 Baht before leaving and I requested the meter. He laughed in my face and told me 250 Baht again. I walked away and found a Taxi that used the meter and it only cost me 40 Baht. Sad to say but if you’re white or look like a tourist the price automatically goes up.
The traffic in Bangkok is ridiculous and you can sometimes be stuck in one place for hours while the meter runs. Make sure you know where you’re going. Follow it on a map or your phone because most Taxi drivers will take you the long way, purposely miss your stop/turn or just take there time to get that money. I can’t say they all do that but I had it happen a few times and decided no more Taxi BS.
If you value your life I wouldn’t suggest a motorcycle Taxi. Most drivers drive at whatever pace they feel comfortable not really caring about the passengers safety. You’re lucky if you get a helmet. I can’t say every Motorcycle Taxi is like this but from what I seen in my three weeks in Bangkok and overall two months in Thailand you couldn’t pay me to ride one for means of transportation.
Now a days there is Uber and Grab but I prefer Grab while traveling.....except for in Bangkok. First time using Grab in Thailand was in Bangkok and I was on my way to my Airbnb from the airport when the driver took me through a toll that wasn’t even necessary. He requested an additional 70 Baht ($2.24 USD)on top of what I was already paying for the toll. I watched this man take the 50 Baht and the 20 Baht hand them both to the toll lady in which she took the 50 while he pocketed the 20. In Thailand you’re expected to pay the tolls on top of your fare but the toll ways are only 50 Baht not 70 Baht. I called the driver out on this, gave him 20 Baht less and went about my business. It’s not that much money in USD but that’s besides the point. Don’t be a shady driver when you’re already making money off the drive in the first place. Maybe I would have tipped you 20 Baht, maybe not.
The Bangkok Sky Train (BTS) was probably my favorite way of transportation. It’s super fast and takes you right to all those markets and shopping malls you don’t want to miss. There are two lines of transportation with the BTS price ranging from 15-45 Baht (.48-1.44 USD.) Using the BTS is very simple. You go to a kiosk, hit the destination you want, pay and receive a token. Once you have your token you walk through a revolving gate where you scan your token and are let through. After reaching your destination you drop the token into a slot at another revolving gate and are let through again. Very easy process and you can’t beat the price, how fast you get to your destination, and the views of the city. The MRT operates about the same but only has one line going from North to South. If you’re flying in or out of BKK Airport the Suvarnabhumi Sky Train link will come in handy and also has two lines.
Chaing Mai, Thailand is a completely different story. The people are so friendly and although there isn’t much for public transportation you can still get around quite easily. Upon arriving in Chaing Mai I had the host from my first Airbnb pick me up. He only charged 150 Baht ( $5 USD ) and when my flight was late he didn't mind and was there when I arrived.If you can arrange this with the people your staying with I would recommend it. Anything going to or from the airport is going to be a little more cash. The Tuk- Tuks, Songthaews, Ubers, and Grabs are still available here if needed.
While in Bali we rented motor bikes and did not have an international license which was not a problem ever. DO NOT rent a bike in Thailand if you do not have an international license! I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal and rented a bike for the day from my host. The bike was 200 Baht ($6.40 USD) and it was for the whole day. My host warned me if that if I was to be stopped by the police they would demand 100 Baht as a bribe and be on their way. No joke I wasn't even on that bike five minutes before I hit a check point. They asked for license, I didn’t have one so I had to pay 500 Baht ($15 USD) fine and given a temporary three day license. I used the bike for the rest of the day and that was it for Chaing Mai. I had no idea about these check points and the more time spent in Chaing Mai the more I noticed how often they do them. They're unavoidable seeing as they post up on one way roads and block the streets off.
All around Thailand you will see these little trucks that are red, yellow, pink or blue these are the Songthaews. The smaller ones that look like a three wheeled bike with a cab on the back are just small Tuk-Tuks. The first time riding in a Songthaew was actually in Chaing Mai. I never got the chance to ride in the tiny Tuk-Tuks though I’m sure they’re fun. I had looked up a Grab to head to the airport and they were asking 200($6.80 USD)Baht. I knew it was possible to find a ride for cheaper then this because Grab and Uber always charge more for traveling to and from airports. I decided why not try a Songthaew. The first one I found only charged 50 ($1.75 USD) Baht and the driver was an incredibly nice man. Most of the time these are shared with other people and often look overcrowded. My friend and I got lucky and had the whole truck to ourselves. The driver brought us to the closest departure gate for our flight and was very thankful for the business. If you are in or around Chiang Mai this old city is a must see.
Phuket, Phuket, Phuket. Where to start with this crazy town? Well first off going from the airport to anywhere in Phuket is going to be a little more pricy. The international airport is about an hour or so north of everything.I again arranged a ride through my first Airbnb host for 800 ($ 25 USD) Baht. This was convenient since most of my flights were arriving late at night (cheapest fares.) A friend of mine came and stayed for a week and she ended up paying 1200 Baht for a one way Grab to the same location. Although Thailand is very cheap, when your traveling six months with no income coming in you want to budget and save where you can.
Once in the Patong/Phuket area Grab is where it’s at. You can take a Taxi if you prefer but I promise you Grab is cheaper and way nicer. There is always the option of the Songthaew which in Phuket is more like a “party bus” because they’re constantly blasting loud music and often have crazy strobe lights going off the whole time. I traveled all around to beaches like Patong Beach, Freedom Beach, Karon Beach, and many others by Grab for between 500 and 800 Baht ($15-20 USD.) Most rides were about 20-45 minutes long but you’re basically in a private car with AC, and you won’t beat the Grab price. The roads in Patong and Phuket are often curved with sharp corners and the driving can be intense. It's nice to have someone who is used to driving these roads operating the vehicle your in.
One of the coolest ways of transportation in Patong was by boat. My friends and I were one of the last few people for sunset at Freedom Beach and instead of waiting for a Grab we took a boat back. It only cost 600 Baht for three of us which evens out to about $6 USD per person and the view across the ocean at sunset is unbelievable.
All in all there are so many cheap ways of transportation in Thailand you are bound to find one of your liking. I personally think Grab is the best to use while traveling Southeast Asia. It's a nice private car with a personal driver and I guarantee it’s cheaper then any Taxi or Tuk-Tuk. How do you beat that? Every way of transportation I've tried has been an adventure and a great learning experience. When in doubt you can always walk. I’ve walked miles and miles while on this jouney and loved every minute of it. If you're lazy this probably isn’t for you. I hope this blog helps some future travelers and I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts, opinions, and views on Transportation in Thailand.
