Bangkok Bus
How to get around Bangkok by bus
Bangkok Bus<
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Bangkok Bus travel is cheap with fares from 8-32 baht. Getting around Bangkok by bus is a good way to see the city & experience Bangkok travel like a local. City buses in Bangkok are plentiful but getting around Bangkok by bus is also time-consuming and can sometimes be confusing. The City Buses in Bangkok come in different colors and are air-conditioned or non-air-conditioned. There is also a rapid bus service (BRT) but this only runs on one route.
Bangkok Buses
Most Bangkok buses are run by the BMTA, though some routes are licensed to private operators. Air-Conditioned buses are orange, yellow, blue, or white. Non-Air Conditioned buses are red, pink, blue, orange or white.
Bangkok Bus Fares
Bangkok Bus fares are not expensive. Air-Con bus fares are between 11-32 baht depending on the distance. Non-Air conditioned bus Fares are 8 baht (red), and 10 baht (blue, white, pink, orange). You buy a ticket from the conductor on board. Don’t try to pay with large notes. Conductors can usually change a 100 baht note max. Keep your ticket as inspectors often hop on to check tickets.
Bangkok Bus Tips
If traveling by air-conditioned Bangkok bus, make sure you know the name of your destination as you will need to tell the conductor. Most conductors understand some English but they may not understand your pronunciation! Drivers usually do not usually understand any English
When catching a Bangkok bus, you will need to stick your hand out to signal to the bus driver that you want to board, and when you want to get off you should always ring the buzzer on the bus. Bangkok bus drivers are notorious for not bothering to stop to pick up passengers. Get off quickly as drivers are also notorious for speeding away from bus stops before all passengers have disembarked safely.
Bus Safety
On crowded buses look after your belongings. Pickpockets operate on crowded buses, in particular, the red non-air buses. Don’t leave your phone or wallet sticking out of your back pocket! Keep your backpack in front of you rather than on your back
Bus Stops
Bus stops in the Rattanakosin old city & Khaosan areas have tourist-friendly signboards in English with the bus numbers and routes. These are now being rolled out slowly around the city. Outside of tourist areas, Bus stops have a blue sign with a bus symbol and sometimes the numbers of the buses that stop there. Stand by the sign and wave your hand at the bus to signal it to stop. Some buses in Bangkok have a sign in English on the side of the bus but this is not common.
Bangkok Bus Service Hours
There is no night bus network, though some routes provide a 24-hour service. These are usually red buses. Most services run between the hours of 05.00 – 23.00. Bus stops have a blue sign with a bus symbol and sometimes the numbers of the buses that stop there.
Bangkok Bus Map
Due to Bangkok’s often severe traffic congestion, traveling by Bangkok bus can be slow, particularly at peak times (07.30-10.00) and (16.30-20.00). If you want to get around Bangkok by bus it would be wise to buy an English Bangkok bus map such as the ones pictured. They cost 100 baht from bookshops such as Asia books, Kinokuniya, and SE-ED books. These maps list the routes and show bus numbers next to the roads they travel down making it easy to track your route. They are also excellent walking maps. Google maps also show bus stops on their maps. Click on the bus symbol to show the bus numbers that stop there.
BMTA Bangkok – Destinations
Some useful Buses in Bangkok, numbers, and stops of interest on the route, a/c = air-conditioned.
2 Samrong – Sukhumvit – Central World – Pratunam – Democracy Monument – Pak Khlong Talat (Flower Market) (Red Bus) Air-Con Orange bus
3 Phra Arthit – Samsen – Chatuchak – Northern Bus Terminal (Orange bus a/c, Red Bus)
15 Charoen Krung – Silom – Siam Square – Democracy Monument – Sanam Luang (Red Bus)
25 Paknam (for Ancient City) – Sukhumvit – Eastern Bus Terminal – Siam Square – Hualamphong – Yaowarat (Chinatown) – Pahurat – Wat Pho – Tha Chang (Grand Palace) (Red Bus)
29 Hualamphong – Victory Monument – Chatuchak – Don Muang (Yellow bus a/c, Red Bus)
34 Hualamphong – MBK – Phaya Thai – Victory Monument – Chatuchak (Orange bus a/c, Red Bus)
47 Similar route to No 15 (Red Bus)
53 Hualamphong – Yaowarat – Pahurat – Wat Pho – Grand Palace – Sanam Luang – Phra Arthit – Samsen (Red Bus)
59 Sanam Luang – Phaya Thai – Victory Monument – Chatuchak – Don Muang (Orange Bus a/c)
79 Southern Bus Terminal – Taling Chan (Floating Market) – Democracy Monument – Siam Square – Central World – Pratunam – Fortune Town – Ratchada (Orange Bus a/c)
124 Sanam Luang – Southern Bus Terminal
503 Sanam Luang – Dusit – Wat Benjamabophit – Victory Monument – Chatuchak (White/Green or Orange Bus a/c)
508 Sanam Luang – Grand Palace – Siam Square – Sukhumvit – Easter Bus Terminal – Samut Prakarn Crocodile Farm (for Ancient City) (Orange Bus a/c)
509 Thonburi – Democracy Monument – Victory Monument – Chatuchak – Northern Bus Terminal (Orange Bus a/c)
511 Southern Bus Terminal – Democracy Monument – Sukhumvit – Eastern Bus Terminal – Samut Prakarn Crocodile Farm (for Ancient City) (Orange Bus a/c)
524 Wat Pho – Grand Palace – Phra Arthit – Samsen – Chatuchak (Blue Bus a/c)
For a list of all Bangkok bus routes & operating hours, please click here.
Bangkok Rapid Transport (BRT)
The BRT is a bus rapid transit system that runs on an exclusive lane on the city roads. There is only one line, with 12 stations running between Sathon and Ratchaphruek. Sathon station connects with Chong Nonsi BTS station via a walkway. Ratchaphruek BRT station connects to Talat Phlu BTS station.
The BRT shares a ticketing system with the BTS and you can use BTS travel cards. The fares are 12-20 baht depending on distance traveled. The service runs every five minutes between 06.30-09.30 and 16.00-20.00. Outside of these times, the service runs every 15 minutes. If you are visiting Wat Pariwat the temple is opposite Wat Pariwas station.
BRT line in yellow.
Map – BRT/BTS Chong Nonsi Station