A Brief Guide to Bangkok’s Buses

A Brief Gide to Bangkok’s Buses

Buses in Bangkok have always been the most affordable way of getting around the city. The fact that they have managed to remain low-priced makes them the go-to option for the legions of Bangkok workers for whom the over-priced BTS sky train is not a viable option on a daily basis.

Buses can also be a great way to see Bangkok, although unfortunately there are a couple of things that don’t always work in their favour.

The obvious one is the notorious Bangkok traffic congestion. The buses are not absolved from this as the city has no bus lanes to speak of. And if it did, they would most likely be blocked with traffic!

The other things that goes against the buses is the lack of upgrades that they see, as well as the fact that some of the routes can sometimes be changeable with nothing resembling any prior warning having been give.

Indeed, Bangkok buses are a very ‘Thai’ thing – and the experience can very according to the quality of the bus and the price of the fares.

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On some of the more run-down buses with no air-conditioning, and fairly battered-looking exteriors, it’s not uncommon for the drivers to sometimes be brusque, if not obnoxious, and the bus conductors exhibit a similar demeanour when it suits.

This is not true of all of them, obviously, but when you consider there is no limit to the number of passengers on any one bus in Thailand – well, things can sometimes get a little interesting. There is also the bad traffic, pollution (a lot of it from the bus itself), and hot, bothered and impatient passengers to consider.

Welcome to the real side of public transportation in Bangkok.

But there have been several, ongoing attempts by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) to upgrade certain aspects of the Bangkok bus services over the last decade or so.

This has seen the introduction of a number of new, air-conditioned buses of higher quality (particularly the yellow City Bus), along with more comprehensive bus routes, numbered bus stops, and most recently, electronic boards at some of the bus shelters.

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The BMTA is responsible for running bus services for people living and working in Bangkok and surrounding areas and provinces like Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan, and Nakhon Pathom.

The BMTA service extends to over 100 routes, apparently with more than 3,000 buses, although this figure includes the older buses with fans, air-conditioned buses of varying conditions and age, as well as privately-owned buses and minibuses.

The Bangkok bus routes can transport you to pretty much any part of the inner city and out to the suburbs. They only operate on main roads though, so the chances of getting one to your door in this city are slim unless you happen to live on a main road. Hence, many people have to use a bus and at least one motorcycle taxi to complete a journey to or from their workplace in its entirety.

Types of buses in Bangkok

Although there are distinct variations of each, there are two main types of Bangkok buses – the air-conditioned ones and the non-air-conditioned, which just have fans and open windows (meaning more traffic fumes).  

Some of the bus routes are covered only by one particular type, but others quite often have a choice of either bus type. Aside from the various colours and conditions of the two types of bus, the most notable difference is in the fare prices.

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Most of air-con buses in Bangkok are yellow or light orange. Oh, and they can be blue as well. The fares depend on the length of your journey. The air-con bus fare range is somewhere between 13 – 25 Baht for a single trip.

Most of the fan buses in Bangkok are red and blue. And sometimes pink. Again the ticket fare depends on the length of the bus route, as well as the type of the bus and in some respects, time of your journey.

The most common regular fare on these buses is 9 Baht. This can vary upwards or down by one baht on some routes and at some times. Expect to pay a bit more on one of the late-running buses that operate after 11 pm.

Most buses (excluding the all-night ones) run between 5am and 11pm daily, and the BMTA in fact just increased most of the Bangkok public bus fares by 2 baht in 2019.

Image by Ian Fuller from creativecommons.org

How to take a bus in Bangkok

Destinations on the city’s buses are written mostly in Thai, although that is changing very slowly on some of the routes. The locals get to know which bus is goes from the buses’ numbers and colours.

A BMTA bus map is available, and some of the bus stops now have electronic boards with information on them. One thing to consider is that different coloured buses with the same number don’t always follow the same route, so stick to the numbers and colours.

So far as ticket prices go, you might not know your exact fare price until you state your destination on the bus. But bear in mind that most Thai conductors know little English, unless you happen to be on a route that covers popular tourist stops. Searching for a fare table or asking about the price will probably get you nowhere.

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You pay for your ticket once on board. Just get on the bus, find a place to sit and the conductor will (usually) approach you. You will be able to spot the conductor as they always have a long round metal box in their hand and quite often wear uniform navy uniform. On top of that, you’ll probably hear them asking for fares and shouting out various destinations (in Thai).

If you don’t know the name of your exact destination in Thai it is a good idea to go far a well-known point or landmark somewhere near it, such as a shopping mall, market or temple.

The conductor tells you the price, and sometimes, though not always, they might even give you the nod when you are approaching the place where you need to get off.

Bangkok Bus Routes

Bus routes are somewhat on the extensive side in the Thai capital. This means that, as with many things in Bangkok, they are not always an entirely straightforward affair to figure out.

The MBTA map is available at most bus terminals and online, and it is even possible find a Bangkok bus route with Google Map by clicking on the public transport bus mode option when looking for a route.

You can’t rely too much on the schedules and estimated length of the trip when the unpredictable Bangkok traffic figures in the scenario. This means the waiting time and journey time are open to significant variation, as with all things in the city that depend to any extent on the traffic.

Bus Stops in Bangkok

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You can now also see a Bangkok Bus Route Map board a lot more frequently at some of the newer bus stops. They have never been that common in the past but there are noticeable, if not infrequent upgrades going on with both the bus stop signs and the shelters.

If you are really lucky you will encounter one of the signs with the names of the roads that the bus route passes written on the scale, along with any famous nearby landmarks. There are separate scales for both directions as the bus route does tend to vary somewhat according to the direction.

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There are literally thousands of bus stops of some form or other, from all eras, scattered around Bangkok. Sometimes finding one can be a challenge tough as it’s common for the signs to be covered by other objects like flyers, posters, boards, trees – you name it!

There are also shelters at some of the bus stops – but not all – and this does make them a bit easier to spot.

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The bus routes that pass the stop could be on the sign but won’t be obvious if it is covered with graffiti or other decoration. Having said that, to be completely sure you need one of the most modern, up-to-date, electronic boards with the routes and other information on them. Without this, there is always the chance that any information on one of the bus stop signs is incomplete, outdated, or obsolete.

If you find yourself unable to locate a sign with any list of routes on it at the bus stop, just stay there for a while and watch the buses passing. If you are not in any massive rush, you might start to get some idea about your options at that particular bus stop soon.

TIP: If it seems you are unable to locate the bus or a stop for a trip you want to take, and are going anywhere near the Victory Monument, you might consider jumping on one of the cheap, non-air options to get to this city centre transportation hub.

Victory Monument is the exact centre of the city and is also a huge transportation hub for buses, mini-vans, and other options. You will have better luck seeking out a better option in terms of the bus that you actually need from here.

If you are at the bus stop and want to get on some bus, just raise your hand. Don’t assume that buses stop in Bangkok! If the driver doesn’t see any people waiting to get on the bus, often he won’t even bother stopping.

In fact, if the traffic is busy or there’s not enough space at the bus stop, don’t be surprised if the bus doesn’t attempt to stop – or simply stops in the middle of the road. Then it’s up to you if you want to make your way across 2 or 3 lanes to get on the bus or not…

A few other considerations for taking a bus in Bangkok

Always keep small change ready for the fare, preferably in coins. Anything more than a 100-baht is pushing it to ensure that you get the right change. Hang on to your ticket as it is common for inspectors to board the buses and check tickets.

On air-conditioned buses, fares vary by distance. Tell the bus conductor where you wish to get off, and he’ll tell you how much the journey will cost.

Alert the driver that you want to get off by pressing a buzzer before the bus reaches your stop. If you’re not sure where to get off, ask the bus conductor to let you know if you can.

Generally, the non-air buses are not recommended for foreigners or visitors. There are a few reasons for this such as the fact that they are the cheapest option and do get very packed at certain times. This means little chance of a seat and the driving can be a little…erratic at times.

It’s not the most comfortable option by any means but if you are looking for another one of those authentic, grass-roots Thai experiences, then go ahead and jump in.

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Normally, all the windows in a non-air bus are open, which often makes the idea of taking a ride on it seem quite appealing. Yet this won’t be the case if it is packed to the rafters with people and the thick, black smoke coming from the exhaust of the other bus in front of you is blowing in through your window. If you are lucky enough to get a seat at all, that is, least of all one next to a window.

When you want to get off the bus at your stop (if you know when you get to it, or you are lucky enough to have the conductor give you some indication), you need to press one of red buzzer buttons.

These are usually located on the walls or ceilings all around the bus, and sometimes the conductor will do it anyway.

The usual style is to be quick when getting off and entering the bus as the bus drivers are always eager to get moving again as soon as the feet of the last passenger touch the ground. Needless to say it’s not that uncommon for people to get trapped in closing doors or dragged into the bus while they are still trying to climb on!