[Sampeng]

Transport

Best way to get round Bangkok is by riverboat. The riverboat system connects to the Skytrain network which connects to the subway system. When you get off the riverboat at Taskin bridge the Skytrain is right above your head so you carnt miss it. If you want to get onto the subway change at Sala Daeng. This is where you also get off for Patphong. The subway also crosses path with the sky train at Asoke where you get off for Soi Cowboy.
Its ded easy to pay for the trains as you just use a machine at the station. You press for how many stops you are going and it tells you how much.
The subway dispenses black discs and the sky train one pumps out a ticket.
Each station has a change booth.

The river boat system can take you to many off the tourist spots. You can go 9 stops for 14 baht. You get some fantastic views from the the river and there is always a nice breeze blowing through the boat.You can pay at the pier or on the boat. Just point to where you want to go on the map as some of the names can be a bit of a gobful.They have a few things in place to make you look a tit like the v is pronoused w . The boat comes every 10 minutes and has coloured strips and a flag to indicate what piers it stops at. Don’t stand at the back on the right hand side as they like to keep that speck for the monks who of course don’t pay.
Walk straight down to the front and sit next to the driver. Watch how he throughs the engine into reverse when docking at the pier.

The other river traffic is good as aswell. They have a system of barges carrying frieght. The pepsi-cola one is spectacular as it is 3 tower block size barges being pulled by a tug the size of a car.
To get about there is also taxi,s ,motorbikes ,tuk tuks and the bus.
The normal bus is 7 baht whether you go one stop or 50. The air con bus is twice the price and I depends how far you go.
Tuk tuk only for less than a mile as after that they become dearer than a air con taxi.
My advise is don’t use the tuk tuks. They take you gem shops and other rip off joints you don’t want to go to. They also pretend to have no change and start shoving them soapy leaflets in your face.
Taxis in Bangkok are great. They are all metered and you start off on 36 baht. If he doesn’t turn the meter on get out and flag down the next one. A 45 minute journey will cost about 100 baht. Motorbike taxis if you need to get somewhere fucking quick otherwise don’t bother as they are only a bit cheaper than a taxi.

[nosehair]

Cool reprt. Thanks

[yusamile]

Thanks Sampeng, never spent any time in Bangkok, but would like to and always wondered about getting around. This is very useful indeed. Fanks.

[roamer]

Useful post,the river boats sound a good and cheap way of getting about.

[jonny]

never even considered using riverboats as I never knew anything about them? thanks for posting!

[rubinjames]

Could agree more with sampeng about the river boats , a great way to travel especily if you want a cheap scenic tour of bangkok and have a camera. An addition note there are three boats , two are express boats both of which carry a coloured flag; red or yellow indicating that they are express boats and the no flag boat that stops at all piers. Please note that the river boats stops at sunset they dont travel after dark.

[Sampeng]

The boat in the photo is the tourist boat witch I dont like because you have to listen to the same commentary on the Tanoy every time and its 5 baht extra. For the first time visitor its good cos the guide will point out what you are looking at on the riverbank.
At most piers there is also a small boat that will take you straight across to the other side. You can also hire a longtail boat if sitting on a piece of wood and having a diesel engine roaring behind your head is your idea of fun.