Bangkok Guide: Getting Around, Temples and Where to Stay

For a first Bangkok trip, take the airport train in (THB 15 to 45), ride the BTS around town (THB 17 to 65) and budget THB 500 for the Grand Palace. Bars may run until 04:00 only if licensed, and 1669 gets you an ambulance.

Short answer: train in, BTS around, temples early

If it is your first time, plan Bangkok around the rail lines, the river and opening hours, and the rest falls into place. From the airport, the Airport Rail Link is the easy pick at THB 15 to 45. Around town, an adult BTS ride costs THB 17 to THB 65.

Put a Grand Palace ticket in your budget at THB 500. Late nights are for licensed entertainment venues, which may stay open until 04:00. Save 1669 in your phone, because that is the ambulance number.

For more depth, see BTS and MRT fares, the Grand Palace, bar closing times and English-speaking hospitals.

Getting in from the airport

Skip the taxi queue if you are travelling light, because both airports have a train. Here is how they compare.

Tolls on a taxi ride are yours to pay at both airports.

Heading to Chatuchak from Don Mueang? The Red Line gets you there for THB 29. At Suvarnabhumi, the Grab pick-up point is on Passenger Terminal Level 1, Gate 4, and it runs 24 hours. More options are in Suvarnabhumi to Bangkok and Don Mueang to Bangkok.

For a phone and cash, the eSIM guide and the ATM fee guide cover both.

BTS, MRT and river boats

The BTS is the quickest way to cross town, and you pay by distance. From Siam, the next station costs THB 17 and the fare climbs to THB 47 further along the line. The longest journeys reach THB 65, on fares in force since 1 November 2025.

On the MRT Blue Line, fares run from THB 17 to THB 44 depending on stations travelled. You can tap a contactless card on the Blue and Purple Lines, and Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay credit cards count as contactless there.

On the river, each express boat line has its own flat fare, for example THB 19 on the orange line and THB 24 on the yellow line. Tourists can pay THB 40 for a single tourist-boat ride, or THB 150 for the all-day River Pass. Chao Phraya boats has every line.

Temples: tickets, hours and what to wear

The three big temples sit close together, but each has its own price and hours. Here is what a foreign visitor pays.

Start at the Grand Palace, because tickets stop at 3:30 PM. Leave shorts, sleeveless tops and see-through tops at the hotel, since the palace turns them away. At Wat Pho, shorts are not allowed but trousers are fine.

Wat Pho is where you will find the Reclining Buddha, 46 meters long. Both temples have full guides: Wat Pho and Wat Arun.

To reach Wat Arun by express boat, get off at Tha Tien, because the orange-flag and gold-flag boats have stopped calling at Wat Arun pier since 5 April 2024. By MRT, leave Sanam Chai by Exit 1 and take the ferry from Tha Tien.

For Chatuchak, go Friday to Sunday, since the general goods market is closed Monday to Wednesday. From the BTS, Mo Chit Exit 1 leads straight into the market. The Chatuchak guide and the 3-day Bangkok plan help you line up the rest.

Late nights

In an ordinary bar, drinks stop at midnight, because alcohol sales are allowed only between 11:00 and 24:00. The exception is a licensed entertainment venue, such as a dance hall or massage parlour, which may stay open until 04:00 the next day. That rule took effect in December 2023 and covers Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Ko Samui district. The bar closing times guide explains each licence type.

Where to stay

Choose your base by the nearest station rather than the neighbourhood name. The Silom Line meets the Sukhumvit Line at Siam, so a hotel near Siam gets you both lines. Staying in the Old City means no BTS near your door, so ride the MRT to Sanam Chai, leave by Exit 1 and take bus 3, 9, 44, 47, 53 or 82. The Bangkok areas guide compares six areas.

Planning to live here? A lean month for one adult costs THB 20,868. A comfortable one runs to THB 38,265.68, before VAT and service charges. Rent decides most of that gap, and a Sukhumvit one-bedroom starts around THB 22,000 a month. The Bangkok cost of living guide breaks it down.

If you get sick or need a visa

In a medical emergency, call 1669. For hospital care, Bumrungrad, Bangkok Hospital Headquarters, Samitivej Sukhumvit and BNH all hold JCI accreditation. Many insurers allow direct billing at Bumrungrad, though not all, so ask yours first.

Visa business goes to Building B of the Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana Road. Go on a weekday, because the office is open Monday to Friday and closed on public holidays. The office guide has the rest.

Easy day trips

Ayutthaya is the simplest day trip by train. The first train leaves Krung Thep Aphiwat at 05:15, and the ordinary park ticket is THB 80 for a foreign visitor. Bang Pa-In Palace is open daily from 08:00 to 16:00.

For Damnoen Saduak floating market, arrive around 7:00 a.m., when vendors are rowing their boats. Bangkok day trips lays out all six.

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Prices, timetables and opening hours change; check with the operator before you travel. See how guides are checked.

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