Airplane
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BY
AIR Bangkok's Don Muang
airport is as busy as any
major international airport
anywhere in the world and
there are flights leaving
and arriving every minute.
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A
word of caution:
The Bangkok airport has
more than its share of
hustlers out to make a
quick baht, who often
wear uniforms and tags
that make them seem official.
They will try to get you
to change your hotel to
one that pays them a large
commission, perhaps claiming
your intended hotel is
overbooked. They will
hustle you into overpriced
taxis or limousines. Do
not get taken in. This
is a genuine warning,
not a 'competitors' wrangle.
Tip:
Thai airways the country's
No.1 airline offers an
excellent national service
and the prices are competitive
with other airlines making
it a good alternative
choice when travelling
within the country.
For more information on
flight timetables etc.
telephone the department
you require as follows:
International Flights:
(Bangkok) 0 2535-1111,
Domestic Flights:(Bangkok)
0 2535-1253, Arrivals:
(Bangkok) 0 2535-1301
and Departures: (Bangkok)
0 2535-1386 or contact
us via our mailbag pages.
Information on flights
between other areas in
Thailand and Bangkok are
as follows:
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TRANSPORT
FROM/TO THE AIRPORT
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Airport
- Bus This has to
be the easiest way into
town from the airport.
A mere 100 Baht per person
or 250 Baht for 4, and
in about 20-30 minutes
you are transported, via
the toll-way, into the
heart of the city on one
of three routes that are
designed to take in most
tourist areas and major
hotel districts.
The buses run from 04.30
until 00.30, and there
are prominent bus stops
at Terminal 1, Terminal
2, and the Domestic Terminal.
All bus stops are staffed
by helpful & friendly
girls who will tell you
which route you need,
and how many minutes there
are until the next bus
arrives. Due to the unique
traffic management in
Bangkok, there are numerous
one-way systems, so the
in-bound [from the airport],
and the out-bound [to
the airport], routes are
slightly different.
From the airport, catch
the bus at any of the
3 bus stops outside the
buildings at Terminal
1, Terminal 2, and the
Domestic Airport Terminal.
Going back to the airport
is slightly more difficult.
The bus can be caught
at any normal bus stop
along the route, but you
may need to catch it from
the opposite side of the
road from where you were
originally dropped off.
Keep your eyes open for
the buses, they pass at
around 20 minute intervals.
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Airport
- Limo When arriving
in Bangkok International
look for the Airport Associate
Limousine / Taxi counters.
There are two services
operating out of the Airport,
the Airport Associate
Limousine service or the
Thai Airway Limousine.
The cars are generally
clean and the drivers
reliable. The toll way
for the
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highway
is not included but the
expressway below it is.
Ask for a bonus card and
for each 650 Baht you
spend they will give you
a stamp, when you complete
the card with a total
of 5 stamps, you will
be entitled to a one way
trip in either direction
free of charge (if you
take the return trip at
1,150 you will only get
one stamp).
Airport - Taxi
Taxi's are readily available.
Only take the taxi's which
are in the official taxi
queue and only those that
will show you the meter
is working before you
get in. A ride from the
airport to central downtown
should cost between 200/350
Baht.
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Bus
BTS Skytrain
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The
skytrain or the Bangkok
Transit System consists
of two lines.
Mo Chit (Northern Bus
Terminal) - Onnut Line or
Sukhumwit Line
This line is
17 kilometres in length
with 17 stations, passing
Chatuchak Market, Victory
Monument, Siam Square, Ploenchit,
Sukhumwit and Ekkamai (Eastern
Bus Terminal).
National Stadium - Taksin
Bridge Line or Silom
Line
With a length of 6.5 km
and 7 stations, this line
passes Siam Square, Ratchadamri
and Silom Road.
Passengers can change their
routes at the Interchange
Station at Siam Square.
Apart from being the fastest
means of transportation,
the skytrain has two more
advantages -- it offers
a panoramic view of Bangkok
and it stops at several
prime shopping centres lying
along Silom, Ratchadamri,
and Sukhumwit roads.
The fares range from 10
to 40 baht based on the
distance travelled. The
trains run daily from 6
a.m. to midnight. |
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Taxi
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Taxis
in Bangkok are fixed with
a meter and have a sign
"TAXI-METER" on
the roof. The minimum fare
is 35 baht for a distance
of no more than 2 km. Then
the rates are 4.50 baht
per km. for the next 10
km., 5 baht per km for 13
to 20 km. and 5.50 baht
per km. for any distance
over 20 km. There is a surcharge
of 1.25 baht per minute
for traffic congestion when
the taxi moves no faster
than 6 km/ hour.
The rates only apply to
trips within the limits
of Bangkok, which include
Don Muang Airport. A toll
of 40 - 60 baht for expressway
or tollway must be paid
by the passenger. |
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Samlor (Tuk-Tuk)
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This is a three-wheeled
taxi without a meter or
air-conditioning. Fares
must be negotiated beforehand.
They are normally a little
cheaper than ordinary
taxis and are suitable
for short trips only.
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Boat
5.1 Chao Phraya River
Express
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There
is a motorboat service on
the Chao Phraya River called
"Chao Phraya River
Express Boat". The
boats run between Wat Ratchasingkhon
(near Krungthep Bridge)
and Nonthaburi province.
There are two main types
of express boats: the standard
express boats, running daily
from 6 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
at charges of 4 to 16 baht,
and the special express
boats, running from Monday
to Friday, 6 - 9 a.m. and
3 - 7 p.m. at charges of
10 to 25 baht. |
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5.2 Chao Phraya Tourist Boat
This is a special boat service
for travelling along the Chao
Phraya River. The boat route,
connected to BTS
Skytrain at Taksin Bridge
station, starts from Sathon
pier and proceeds up the river
to Banglamphu pier (near Khao
San Road). The boat stops at
10 major piers which provide
easy access to important tourist
sites such as the Grand Palace,
Temple of the Emerald Buddha,
Wat Pho, China Town, Khao San
Road etc. A guide is provided
on board and the boat is not
crowded as the express boat.
The boat service is available
daily from 9.00 to 15.00 hours,
departing every 30 minutes.
The charge is 15 baht per trip.
One day river pass is available
for unlimited trips at 75 baht
which includes a Chao Phraya
River Guidebook.
5.3 Cross-River Ferry
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From
almost every boat landing
in Bangkok, there are cross-river
ferries that ply back and
forth across the Chao Phraya
River. The standard fare
is two baht and usually
collected at the entrance
to the landing.
Consult Thaiways Map
of Bangkok for the boat
landings. |
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Motorcycle
Taxi
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In
rush hours in Bangkok, they
can be fun and will definitely
beat the traffic but do
be aware that the accident
rate is very high in Thailand
. Normally, a motorcycle
station can be found at
the entrance to a soi (lane).
Fares are about the same
as samlors except during
rush hours when they may
cost a bit more. If you
are not really in a hurry,
you'd better avoid using
them as they are not safe. |
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Train
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TRAINS
to destinations outside
Bangkok Thailand has
an excellent and reasonably
priced railway system and
tickets can be bought pretty
much at any station in the
country for travel along
that line. You need to book
well ahead for first class
travel and for other classes
during peak travel times.
Most of the time however
you can simply book in person
a few days in advance. Travel
agencies also sell tickets
for overnight trains. |
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Tip:
One can catch a train
to/from Singapore, via
Malaysia to/from Bangkok
(1943km) - choose from
the Eastern and Oriental
Express for the ultimate
in comfort and luxury,
or the local express trains
which run daily offering
different classes of berths
for all budgets.
First class seats on overnight
services are difficult
to obtain unless you book
well in advance. For a
higher price you enjoy
air-conditioning and much
more privacy. Second class
travel is recommended
- you get a good night's
sleep in a fold-down bunk
in a fan cooled carriage
and the ticket prices
are affordable. Third
class is good for short
trips only - you get a
hard wooden seat with
no fan cooling. Tickets
are cheap, so the carriages
can be crowded.
You can choose from express
services with minimal
stops or cheaper services
that stop at every town
en-route. Train travel
is the safest and most
affordable way of exploring
Thailand. You do need
to be a little security
conscious as the occasional
theft and/or drugging
of passengers occurs.
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Hualamphong
Railway Station located
on Rama IV Rd., the city's
main station, serves most
long-distance trains,
Tel: 0 2223-0341. Bangkok
Noi on Arun Amarin
Rd., Tel: 0 2411-3102,
on the Thonburi side of
the Chao Phraya River,
is used by local trains
to Hua Hin and
Kanchanaburi. (There
is no train to Phuket,
though you can go as
far as Surat Thani
and change to a scheduled
bus service.)
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For information
on schedules and passes,contact
The State Railway of
Thailand Tel: 0 2220-4334
To make advanced bookings
call the Bangkok Railway
Station Advance Booking
Office Tel:
0 2225-0300 ext. 5200-3.
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Car
Rent
Cars are easily
rented at rental shops
and companies all around Bangkok.
See Transportation&Car
Rental in
General Information section for
more details. |
