Most tourists who have been to Thailand before might be familiar with the Tuk-tuk, which is both a novelty as well as a well-known tourist trap. Aside from the Tuk-tuk drivers who may try to overcharge tourists, the Tuk-tuk could also be uncomfortable to ride in for hot or rainy days, and especially if you get stuck in a jam.
While Tuk-tuks are the most widely available system of transportation in other parts of Thailand, Bangkok has, of late, developed a sprawling train network which makes it convenient to access key locations of interest in Bangkok and even connect to the airport and other train systems in Thailand. The Bangkok train network is primarily made up of the MRT system as well as the BTS Skytrain system.
MRT And BTS Skytrain
The MRT or Metropolitan Rapid Transit and the BTS Skytrain system are different transport networks, operated by different entities.
The MRT is made up of the conveniently named Blue, Purple, Pink and Yellow lines, indicated on the transport map as shown. The Yellow and Pink Lines are monorail systems and recently opened in July 2023 and January 2024 respectively as part of a wider masterplan to improve interconnectivity in Bangkok.
The BTS Skytrain systems are made up of the Sukhumvit Line and the Silom Line, both helpfully covered in light green and dark green respectively.
The BTS Skytrain and MRT both use different systems of payment, which means that commuters may need two different tickets for payment depending on destination.
Read Also: Long Term Resident Visa: How Much Does It Cost To Live And Work As A Digital Nomad In Thailand
MRT Ticketing And Fares
Fortunately for tourists (and even locals), the MRT system has recently started to accept contactless credit cards at the gantry (much like SimplyGo), which cuts down the hassle of purchasing a ticket, topping up, or maintaining sufficient balance in the card. Multi-currency cards such as Youtrip or Revolut can also be used for MRT.
MRT Fares are between ฿15- ฿42 (S$0.55 – S$1.55) per trip. For trips which include BTS Skytrain as part of the journey, the fares are separately calculated and charged for each leg of the journey.
For those who so choose, an MRT Plus card may be purchased at ฿180 (S$6.64). This card contains ฿100 (S$3.69) of credit, and the card can be topped-up thereafter.
Read Also: Guide To Travelling From Singapore To JB Sentral Via The KTM Shuttle Tebrau
BTS Skytrain Ticketing And Fares
Caption: BTS Skytrain Rabbit Card
The BTS Skytrain System uses the Rabbit Card (which is much like our EZ-Link Card in Singapore). Rabbit cards can be purchased at the ticket office of any BTS station or Yellow Line MRT stations. A ฿100 (S$3.69) non-refundable issuing fee will be charged, following which the commuter can choose to top-up the card with a stored value up to ฿4,000 (S$147.49), or purchase travel packages, or both.
Caption: BTS Skytrain Ticket Office
If no travel package is purchased, Fares per trip cost between ฿15- ฿62 (S$0.55 – S$2.29). Commuters could opt to purchase single-trip cards, but this is generally more hassle given the need to purchase a card for each trip.
The Rabbit Card also has a travel package where a number of trips are purchased for a fixed cost.
Source: BTS Skytrain
For a tourist intending to stay in Bangkok for a few days, the 10 or 15-trip packages bring the price per trip down to ฿37- ฿39 (S$1.36 – S$1.44), which is useful especially when travelling to/from/within the central business district where the fares are typically ฿62 (S$2.29) per trip. Assuming one visits 4 destinations within a day, a 10-trip package could be used up within just 2 days. A digital nomad could also make use of the larger packages to cut down transport costs.
Before leaving Bangkok, the rabbit card can be refunded immediately for its remaining stored value for up to ฿250 (S$9.22). Remaining trips on travel packages cannot be refunded, and the issuing fee is also non-refundable. For cards with more than ฿250 of remaining stored value can still be refunded, however it is more hassle, and the money will take some time to be refunded. It is advisable to simply be more conservative with your top-ups to ensure that the card balance is below ฿250 nearing to the end of the trip.
Read Also: Is It Worth Buying The Japan Rail Pass For Your Next Trip To Japan?
Airport Rail Link (ARL)
The ARL links commuters to the Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok Airport) and connects to Hua Mak Station (YL11) on the Yellow Line, Phetchaburi Station (BL21) on the Blue Line, and Phaya Thai Station (N2) on the Sukhumvit Line. Travellers who take the ARL from the airport to Phaya Thai Station, can expect to spend ฿45 (S$1.66). Google maps also estimates that this journey will take roughly 30-40 minutes.
This is significantly cheaper compared to a taxi ride to Phaya Thai Station, which will take approximately 22 minutes, and cost ฿290 – ฿350 (S$10.69 – S$12.90). Nevertheless, if your hotel is not near a station, a taxi ride may still be preferable especially if you have luggage to handle.
Read Also: Planning Affordable Adventures: Best Countries To Travel In Q4 2023 (Based On The Exchange Rates)
Attractions Near BTS Skytrain And MRT Stations
Thailand has a rich history and cultural heritage, and much of this heritage is enshrined in the many temples and other architectural sites in Thailand. Some may visit these sites for religious reasons, others for architectural interest, but whatever the reasons these attractions are easily accessible through the MRT and BTS Skytrain. People who are in Bangkok for work or leisure can easily take a quick trip to these places using the train system.
- The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew – Sanam Chai (BL31)
- Wat Pho – Sanam Chai (BL31)
- Wat Arun – Saphan Taksin (S6)
- Wat Traimit – Hua Lamphong (BL28)
- Loha Prasat and Wat Ratchanadda – Wat Mangkon (BL29)
Bangkok also has a number of shopping areas where Singaporeans can maximise the use of the stronger SGD to enjoy shopping in Thailand (S$1 = ฿27.11 at time of writing).
- Siam Paragon – Siam (CEN)
- Central World – Chit Lom (E1)
- MBK Center – National Stadium (W1)
- EmQuartier – Phrom Phong (E5)
DollarsAndSense Exclusive
Revolut – When you sign-up with Revolut today, you also get $15 topped up in your account. Terms & Conditions apply.
YouTrip – Use the promo code DNS5 during your YouTrip registration to receive a welcome credit of $5 in your YouTrip account.
Listen to our podcast, where we have in-depth discussions on finance topics that matter to you.
Advertiser Message
Sign Up For heymax.ai and get 800 miles for free
heymax.ai fast tracks your travel goals for free by rewarding you additional miles on top of your credit card rewards when shopping online. Get an upsized 800 miles bonus (usually 500) when you sign up through our exclusive
DollarsAndSense promo link. Promo ends 30 April 2024.
