Motorbikes

Getting around Bangkok by Bus

Tuk tuks or sam lor (3-wheeled) used to be everyone's favourite way of getting around Bangkok before the BTS, MRT and colourful taxis took over.

Hua Lamphong, or Bangkok Train Station, is the main terminal to northern, eastern, northeastern and southern Thailand.

The Bangkok Airport Rail Link connects downtown Bangkok with Suvarnabhumi International Airport and is a smart alternative to the airport’s express buses or taxis.

Mo Chit Bus Terminal is one of the biggest bus stations in Bangkok. It connects the northern, central, eastern and north-eastern provinces of the city, as well as linking the city to neighbouring countries.

There are both day and overnight buses from Bangkok to Phuket–all of them offering AC, on-board snacks and drinks, and free movies.

Trains don't go all the way from Bangkok to Phuket, but you can hop on one until you reach the town of Surat Thani and then switch to a bus for the rest of the journey.

If you're seeking privacy and a more in-depth look into Thai history and culture, a private Ayutthaya Day Trip from Bangkok might be your best bet.

For a scenic route with a touch of local charm, trains departing from Bangkok's Hualamphong train station will get you to Ayutthaya in 80 to 150 minutes, depending on which service you choose.

Ayutthaya is a massive maze of temples that spreads over 289 hectares.

Since many of Hua Hin's streets are narrow, tuk-tuks are able to go places cars cannot.

The train is a classic, safer and comfortable method to travel to Hua Hin from Bangkok and the other way around.

A cheap and easy way to get around Hua Hin is by motorbike taxi. On every street corner you will find a collection of motorbikes and a gaggle of drivers wearing brightly coloured vests.

The Pink Bus is also a converted truck that circulates only around Phuket town, using four different routes as indicated on the map.

The oldest and best-known local bus is the Blue Bus (known as Song Taew).

The Phuket Smart Bus is a very comfortable and affordable way to go from beach to beach for a very reasonable price. It is doing pretty well on the islands, and visitors love it.

Phuket's local beach buses offer routes to the island's most popular beaches, including Patong, Kata, Karon and Rawai.

Cycling in Bangkok takes you pedalling off the well-beaten tourist track and beyond.

Some of other bus routes provided by Greenbus include Chiang Mai to Mae Sai, Chiang Mai to Mae Sot, Chiang Mai to Lampang,

Coming to Ayutthaya, one must take a frog-headed tuk tuk (Tuk Tuk Hua Kop). Not only do tourists use these tuk tuks but the locals also use them as a common transportation mean. Around Ayutthaya City, many of these tuk tuks like you can see many taxis in Bangkok.

One of the best and cheapest ways to get to Ayutthaya is by train. Services leave from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station throughout the day, taking around 90 minutes.

The four–lane Highway 1 and Highway 32 connect Ayuthaya with Bangkok, with the journey taking around an hour if the traffic out of Bangkok isn’t too heavy.

Motorbike hire shops are ubiquitous in Pai, dotting Chaisongkran and Rangsiyanon Roads in particular, while many hotels and guesthouses will also organise you a bike on request.

There’s an imposing taxi counter next to the bus station on Chaisongkran Road plus numerous smaller ones dotted around town.

Cycling is a woefully underused means of transport in Pai since, with largely flat terrain in the wide valley, generally good quality rural roads plus lots of country back lanes to explore, it is an ideal way to get around.

There is only one road through Pai: Route 1095, along which you can either travel southeast to Chiang Mai or northwest to Soppong and Mae Hong Son. Obviously, that includes any stops along the route, like Mae Malai, but any other destinations you see advertised will necessitate a change of bus.

It’s easy to travel by train from Bangkok to Hua Hin, with trains leaving the city’s Hua Lamphong and Bang Sue railway stations on a regular basis during the day at periods between 8.05am to 22.50pm.

You can easily get to Hua Hin from either Suvarnabhumi Airport (the modern International Airport that serves Bangkok), or from the city of Bangkok itself.

Pattaya is on one of the branches of the Eastern Railway Line.

Pattaya has few local buses and routes change and are cancelled fairly frequently.

You don’t have to wander far to hire a motorbike in Pattaya, many hotels and guest houses in Pattaya have their own motorcycle rental service.