Tag Archives: MRT

Asia, Destinations, Thailand, Travel Advice, Travel Feature

How to use MRT in Bangkok

The MRT subway is a convenient way to get around. The fares start at 16 baht for a single journey.

Take the stairs from street level to the station. Upon entering you have to go through a metal detector like at airports.
Go to a ticketing machine. You will find there a touch screen with map that displays, how much the fare is when you select your journey. After you payed your fare you will receive a small plastic coin. This is your ticket.

Bangkok traffic
Bangkok traffic

Most ticket vending machines accept coins and also bank notes. Day passes are also available. You can purchase them only at the ticket counters located at some stations. Go through the fare gate by placing your coin/token on the scanner.

The system works similar to public transport in Europe, look for a sign that tells the name of last station of the line. This will show you in which direction which train will take you. Board the train. On the train they will make announcements about the next stop both in Thai and English. Get off at your designated stop and exit the station through the fare gate.

There’s currently 1 line running through the city. The government of Bangkok is still working on extending the existing network.

Here’s a video by DiscoveryThailand, which explains the system pretty detailed.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHW8TyuoLuE

Asia, Destinations, Thailand, Travel Advice

Getting around in Bangkok (1)

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Bangkok traffic - Taxis
Bangkok traffic – Taxis

When you think about Bangkok and getting around in this big city, 2 things come into your mind.
“Tuk-tuks” and the dangerous moto-bikes.

But there are far more ways getting around in the city of angels known as Bangkok.

 

BTS Sky train

this is a train service that runs through many parts of the city.

Bangkok - Nana BTS station
Bangkok – Nana BTS station

It runs on tracks above the streets. The fares start at 10 baht for a single journey.  Take the stairs from street level to the station.

Go to a ticketing machine select the fare for your route and pay, receive your paper ticket, go through the fare gate.

Next take the stairs or escalator up to the trains. Board the train, get off and exit the station through the fare gate.

Day passes are also available for 150 baht. You can purchase them only at the ticket counters located at some stations.

There are currently 2 lines running through the city, you can use your ticket on all lines.

The government of Bangkok is still working on extending the existing ney network. E.g the trains don’t run to the northern districts yet.

MRT

Bangkok also has an underground/subway train service.

There’s an interchange with the BTS Sky train at the Asok BTS station. The MRT network is still very simple. There’s one line and it runs from the north to the south.The Bangkok goverment is still expanding the network.

Taxi

There are two different types in Bangkok. Taxis and metered taxis.

The metered taxis work like in most other countries. But you can also find taxis without meter. Then you have to know the price for they journey and know how to negotiate with the driver.
You can recognise the difference by searching for a sign on the roof of the car. As Thai people write things differently in english, look for “Taxi-meter”.
If you just want to get around, take a metered taxi. Please make sure that the driver starts the meter. Otherwise you may end on a jewellery and tailor shopping tour through the whole city. 😉

Bus

Bangkok traffic - Buses
Bangkok traffic – Buses

Getting around by bus can be a unique experience in Bangkok.

There are not only modern air-conditioned buses, you may see some of the older ones that look like, they’re from the 1960.

Get on the buses at bus stops that consist of signs with the buses’ numbers on them. Make sure you give a sign to the driver that you want to get on the bus.
Tickets are bought on board the buses. Show the driver you want to get off the bus by standing up approaching the doors.

 

Stay tuned for part 2 of Bangkok – Getting around, in which I write about more Bangkok styles of getting around.