Travel in Thailand
Last updated 2007-10-29
Getting around is very cheap in Thailand. If you choose to get to know the bus networks, it costs next to nothing to get around town and will always cost you less than 20 baht, regardless of the distance. Non air conditioned buses cost just a few Baht to get anywhere in the city.
Taxis represent very good value for money. The minimum fare at the time of writing is 35 Baht, followed by a couple of baht every few hundred metres (See: Taxis in Bangkok).
Thailand has many motorbike taxis and they are a great way to get around if congestion is bad. However, this is a very dangerous way to get about and while I personally make use of them if I'm in a hurry, I cannot recommend them. You will also need good bargaining skills or you'll end up paying more than if you'd have taken an aircon taxi.
Tuk tuks are for tourists. Try them out once, just so you can say you've done it... and then don't use them again, they're a rip off (See: Tuk tuks).
If you live near a canal or the river in Bangkok, you can make use of river buses, which are quite cheap but you'll need to study the routes carefully.
Domestic air travel can be quite cheap and you should look out for special deals for early morning flights etc. and flights from Bangkok to places like Phuket, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai can be had for just a few thousand Baht. Internal flights are quite popular because bus journeys can be long and uncomfortable.
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I personally enjoy train travel in Thailand and always buy a private sleeper cabin for long distance journeys so I can get a good sleep on an overnight trip. They sleep 2 per room and will cost around 2,500 in total. You can travel by train a lot cheaper than this if you travel third class without aircon, which is very cheap indeed but equally uncomfortable. For example, Bangkok to Chiang Mai will cost less than 200 baht in third class but this class should only be used for local journeys unless you're desperate and don't mind wooden seats, screaming kids and sharing your seat with a bag of rice. You'll also likely be the only foreigner in the carriage and thus the centre of attention.
If you have your own car in Thailand, I have it on good authority that you can employ a good driver for around 10,000 Baht per month.
Ferries and Boats
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