Getting Around

Bangkok is large, so remember to pace yourself, and take a break to escape the midday heat. Don't bother driving in Bangkok. Traffic is unbearable.

Bus Travel: For a fare of B8 on non-air-conditioned buses and B12 to B25 on air-conditioned ones, you can travel virtually anywhere in the city. Air-conditioned microbuses charge B25. Most buses operate from 5 am to around 11 pm, but a few routes operate around the clock. You can pick up a route map at most bookstalls for B35.

Skytrain and Subway Travel: Although the BTS Skytrain covers just a fraction of the capital (it bypasses the Old City and Dusit, for example), it is surprisingly convenient for visitors, with routes above Sukhumvit, Silom, and Phaholyothin roads. If you are traveling between two points along the route, the Skytrain is by far the best way to go. Rates run between B15 and B40. Like the Skytrain, the MRT subway covers only a small section of the city, but it's a great way to get from the city center out to the train stations. The subway runs daily from 6 am until midnight. Adult fares are B15 to B50. Although the Skytrain and subway are separate entities and use different fare and ticketing systems, the two connect at three points: Sala Daeng Station and Silom Station, Asok Station and Sukhumvit Station, and Mo Chit Station and Chatuchak Station.

Taxi Travel: Taxis can be an economical way to get around, provided you don't hit gridlock. Most taxis have meters, so avoid those that lack one or claim that it is broken. The rate for the first 1 km (½ mile) is B35, with an additional baht for every 55 yards after that; a 5 km (3 miles) journey runs about B60. Ask your concierge to write the name of your destination and its cross streets in Thai.