River transport opening hours in Bangkok. Water bus in Bangkok

Who watched the movie "Bangkok Hilton"? I watched it as a child, I was about twelve years old, I remember how I was very worried about Nicole Kidman, I was especially impressed by the soundtrack at the beginning and I remember how the characters in the film dashingly rode around the city on long-tail boats. Even then, the thought sunk into my head: to see “when I grow up” this unusual city, which is literally riddled with river canals.

If you arrive like we did, then at the first intersection the tuk-tuk drivers will definitely offer you a tour of the canals of Bangkok. But don’t rush to agree and get into a taxi, the price for such a pleasure is not the cheapest (40 baht for the driver + 2000 baht for renting a boat/person), there is a more budget-friendly way to see this excursion in Bangkok on your own, by going to the pier and hiring a boat on the spot.

How to rent a boat yourself for a walk along the canals of the Chao Phraya River

When we arrived in Bangkok, the first thing we did was rush to explore the main attractions located in the area of the street, and while walking in the vicinity of The Grand Palace, we followed a crowd of Chinese tourists and went to the water bus stop - the Tha Chang pier.

Here, many local tour companies offer rides along the canals of Bangkok, and this excursion includes:

visiting the floating market
fish farm
Temple of the Dawn (Wat Arun)
Royal Barge Museum

After wandering around the pier, we bargained a little and rented a boat for 500 baht, which took us on our excursion to the canals of Bangkok. No one will allow you to drive the boat yourself; the boat is rented with a driver. In addition, only a local boatman can understand the operation of these vessels.

Tha Chang Pier near the Royal Palace

Along the canals of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok with a personal boatman. Our reviews

What was our boat that took us along the klongs, as the Thais call river channels. This is a wooden “long-tail boat” with an incomprehensibly attached engine from a truck - to control such a device, the captain of the boat is constantly moving and literally hanging on the lever. On the sides of the vessel there are oilcloth sides that protect passengers from splashes; the roof is made of the same material and is stretched over the top. In general, the boat itself looks very beautiful: the Thais love their “longtails” and decorate them with bright decorations of flowers and garlands.

This is how the Thais steer their “longtail” - a long-tailed boat

Dressed up longtails near the pier in Bangkok

What you can see on the river canals of Bangkok

As you know, in Bangkok there are only about 150 canals with the main artery of the city - the majestic Chao Phraya River, which divides the city into two halves. Our excursion followed a pre-planned route, and besides, there were only two of us in the boat - not counting the captain himself, so our journey was very relaxed: we constantly changed seats, took photographs and loudly greeted the boats with tourists passing by.

Digging a little from the topic, I’ll say that our excursion took place on the very day when exactly the same boat exploded, at 6.30 in the morning on one of the river canals of Bangkok. Nobody warned us about the danger, and in general there was no panic on the pier that day - there were the usual crowds of tourists rushing to take seats on the river buses. In the evening, I called my mother and found out about this incident.

I'm sitting in a longtail - a business sausage)
Approaching the floating market

Floating Market

The first seller of the floating market, seeing us, immediately swam up to our longtail in her boat and began offering souvenirs and other trinkets (the price tag for the junk was not at all high, then on Koh Samui we saw the same souvenirs only twice as expensive). In general, you can buy a lot of useful things at such boat markets: local farmers flock here and sell at competitive prices fresh fruit, you can try natural coconut juice and ice cream right from the boat. But to enjoy the spectacle of the market on the water, you need to come here in the morning.

City on the water

We sail further and here the most interesting thing begins - the city of Bangkok appears before our eyes from a completely different side: we see the underside of this multimillion-dollar Asian metropolis: the poorest quarters of Bangkok, shacks built from cardboard boxes right on the water. I immediately had an association with the film water world with Kevin Costner: there are people here too, living on unimaginably houses built on stilts. They approach their flimsy homes on boats, because there is no other way to get there. We saw an old Thai man fishing with a fishing rod in the canal right from the window of his house. There is a feeling that these houses could fall apart at any moment - just from the blowing of the wind, they are so lopsided and dilapidated.

A familiar sight on the canals of Bangkok - laundry hung out to dry

The water in the river along which we are moving is muddy and polluted from longtails and river buses constantly plying along it. But despite this, local children splashed happily and jumped into the river before our eyes. I won’t say whether there are crocodiles in Chao Phraya and whether it’s safe to swim in such a river, but we saw a huge monitor lizard basking in the sun on the shore with our own eyes.

Monitor lizard basking on rocks along the river canals of Bangkok

Temple of the Dawn Wat Arun

By the way, the Temple of the Dawn Wat Arun, in the photo in the background you can see a high pagoda in the Khemer style - in other words, “prang”, was under reconstruction at that moment, so we just sailed past without stopping. The building itself is unusual in that it is decorated to the very top with colored glass, mirrors and porcelain. This mosaic is laid out in the form of patterns and designs by hand by Thai craftsmen. But we did not give up the idea of climbing to the top of the Wat Arun Temple of the Dawn and looking at Bangkok from a bird's eye view.

Temple of the Dawn Wat Arun

Walk around Bangkok by water bus

Our excursion ended here, but we continued our acquaintance with the Chao Phraya River on our own. The next day, armed with a map of Bangkok, we came to the nearest pier and boarded a river bus to ride along the widest river channel in Bangkok - the Chao Phraya River, dotted with barges and boats. Here we did not take an excursion, but simply bought a ticket, like ordinary passengers - local residents. The fare is very symbolic - only 13 baht.

Water bus stop in the building of a shopping center in Bangkok

Here the picture is completely different: instead of slums, a crowded area dotted with skyscrapers stretches out before our eyes. You immediately begin to feel the full power of the Asian metropolis; the city's modern architecture makes it clear how much the city of Bangkok is developing and growing.

View from the water bus window

Reminded me of the Cosmos Hotel in Moscow

The breeze will take you past the main attractions of Bangkok - The Grand Palace. So such a walk can be considered an express excursion, and if you want, you can get off - the water bus stops at the pier with access to the Royal Palace (The Grand Palace).

This is how we swam through the river canals of Bangkok. I believe this walk is the first thing you should do when you arrive in Bangkok: it allows you to better understand the place you have arrived in and see the city from different sides. In addition, this is a budget-friendly way to learn how to move around Bangkok, bypassing traffic jams and enjoying the spray of the waves.

How to book a river cruise in Bangkok

In order to go on an exciting walk along Chao Phraya, you don’t have to go on your own to the pier, especially if this is your first time in the city and you don’t want to get lost. All you have to do is book your place on the boat via the Internet, fortunately there are such applications now. Surely you have heard about Sputnik, and if not, then excursions from Sputnik8 are Bangkok through the eyes of local residents, because the guides are people who have lived in the city of angels for a long time, and at the same time speak Russian! Well, where else will you find such a trip, which will include a Russian guide, dinner and transfer from the hotel? Follow the banner and read the program, it is very rich.

The Chao Phraya River or Chao Phraya River with its numerous branch canals is the main transport and shipping artery of Bangkok, tightly entangling the city with a network of boat and ferry routes. But in addition to the practical component, Chao Phraya also has a purely entertaining one. Yes, I'm talking about evening cruises on the Chao Phraya River, which are extremely popular among tourists! This is what I want to tell you about in more detail.

In general, I, of course, sailed along Chao Phraya and on ordinary boats when I visited the main attractions of Bangkok - Royal Palace and numerous temples in the neighborhood. But on my second visit, thinking about where else I could go in Bangkok, I looked for inspiration on the Internet for tours offered around the city and suddenly came across an evening cruise along Chao Phraya. Why not, I thought, because I practically never saw Bangkok at night, and even more so from the water. A couple of minutes and I already made a reservation. 🙂

So, what types of cruises there are, how much they cost and where you can book such an excursion yourself I will tell you in this article. Well, I’ll spice it all up with a fair amount of photographs. 🙂

By the way, subscribe on my Instagram. There I post only the best photos and stories from my travels. 🙂

Where to buy the excursion “Evening Cruise on Chao Phraya”

In general, I booked this excursion through the Sputnik service for $55 per person. UPD: It’s no longer relevant, Sputnik stopped selling this excursion, I removed the link to it. 🙁 Sputnik good service, which I use periodically on my travels. But, as it turned out while writing the article, the same tour in different variations can be bought cheaper through the service.

The only difference between Sputnik’s offer and cheaper ones is that you are offered an individual transfer with a Russian-speaking guide who, upon arrival, will take you to the ship, and after the cruise will meet you and put you in the car. In the case of Get Your Guide, transfers are group, without a guide and, importantly, only from central regions Bangkok - carefully read the description of the excursion.

Chao Phraya cruise prices and types

The cost of river cruises, in fact, differs only depending on the type of ship and whether transfer from the hotel to the pier is included or not. Among ships of the same type, prices will be the same plus or minus, but sometimes some company may have discounts, so carefully study the offers.

Types of cruises:

2 Hour Dinner Cruise on Chao Phraya Princess is the most popular option on big ship. It costs about $47, but very often there are discounts up to $33, and for $47 you can get it with transfer.
The 2-hour dinner and show cruise on White Orchid is exactly the ship I sailed on and it's also big. Price per person is $44 without transfer and $52 with it. Often discounts up to $30/$39 respectively. Read more about the cruise on this ship below.
2-hour cruise on Shangri-La Horizon - small boat, 5-star service and meals on board. It costs significantly more - $95 at par and $75 on discount days. Transfer is not provided.
2-hour cruise on an antique rice barge - a small boat suitable for those who want maximum flair. 🙂 Price - $72, $107 and $123 (with a discount of $59/89/104) depending on the type of package. The two more expensive packages include alcohol. You can choose your departure time from two options. There is no transfer.
A 2-hour cruise on the luxurious antique rice barge Manohra is the same as the previous option, only more luxurious. Costs $72 per person. There is no transfer.

These are the main and most popular options for evening cruises on Chao Phraya. Please note that the larger the cruise ship, the less intimate and romantic the atmosphere will be and the more of a booth. It’s not a fact that a booth is bad, it’s just that if you want to have a kind of romantic dinner with your other half, then it’s better to choose a small boat, but more expensive. The food will be tastier there too. 🙂 Well, for those who like loud shows, songs and dances, mass swims will be just right.

Evening cruise on Chao Phraya reviewed by Travel or Die

Well, let's finally move on to the debriefing. Let me note once again that we are talking about an excursion that was presented on the Sputnik website, but now it is no longer sold, so I also removed the link. I emphasize because it has one pleasant feature, which I only learned about when the excursion had already begun.

Transfer from hotel to pier

So, according to the voucher, they were supposed to pick me up at my condo at 18:00. I went down to the lobby at ten minutes to the minute, and the organizer immediately called me and said that they were delayed by an hour due to traffic jams. Check-in on board starts at 19:30, so I don’t really care, I just thought that it probably takes so long for tourists to get to their hotels. Imagine my surprise when at 19:00 a personal driver came for me in a car with a guide and took me alone to the pier! I didn’t expect this at all, because even on Sputnik it says that the excursion is a group tour! Arriving at the pier, being one on one with the guide, we spent about 40 minutes, until departure, chatting about various non-tourist places in Bangkok. In general, the beginning has already captivated me. 🙂 So you understand, excursions from other companies imply a group transfer, which is even more fun in the busy evening Bangkok.

Transfer fee: 10/10

Waiting to start and boarding the ship

1. The starting point of the cruise is the River City Bangkok shopping mall, where large number antique exhibits that can be purchased. Before you start, you'll likely have plenty of time to wander around the complex.

2. View from the Chao Phraya River.

3. At approximately 19:40 we went to the pier next to the River City Bangkok shopping center, they gave me a ticket for the ship, took a photo with the Thai lady, which then on the ship you will be asked to buy for 200 baht and somewhere before 20:10 we just waiting for loading. The crowd was decent, mostly Asians (Indians, Chinese), a few Europeans and other pale faces, including a group Russian tourists from Anex Tour.

4. Boarding lasted 5-7 minutes, but in the ship itself the flow of tourists was quickly distributed across the decks, so the main thing was to endure the passage along the walkway to get inside. 🙂

Ship boarding rating: 7.5/10. They arrive early, the boarding itself is delayed, albeit for 10 minutes, there are crowds of tourists, slow loading.

Dinner on the ship

The second surprise, which really added respect to the organization of this entire event in my eyes, happened at the moment when we were distributed to tables. Well, let's start with the fact that everyone's ticket strictly states specific place, i.e. no one is rushing to take a better table. Where they put them, they put them there. But I went crazy after I, who arrived alone, was given a SEPARATE table! They didn’t sit me down with someone, because I’m alone anyway, but they gave me a personal one. 😀 I didn’t expect this from the Thais at all. I thought it would be as usual - everyone is sitting on everyone else’s heads, but here it is on you. 🙂

5. Red liquid in a glass is a welcome drink; water is refilled free of charge throughout the evening.

6. As soon as everyone boarded the ship and sat down, we handed over the mooring lines and were immediately invited to the table. Buffet.

7. Of course, everyone immediately rushed to eat, so those who hesitated had to wait 5-7 minutes for their turn at the food section. The buffet was right there, on the upper deck.

8. There was enough food large selection as side dishes...

9. ...so hot. Here you will find pork, chicken and beef, shrimp and other seafood. Of the soups, however, only tom yum, it seems.

10. Several types of salads, but they were all kind of strange. 🙂 I tried a little of each, they were spicy and unedible for my taste. 🙂

12. The desserts were also very strange, I tried everything, it seems, but nothing was right. 🙂 But the fruit bar was not bad, everything was ripe and tasty, but the choice was classic.

13. And there were also rolls. Well, I mean, Thai rolls, if you know what I mean. 🙂 A very unique something that I, over time, even learned to enjoy. Main soy sauce don't regret it. :))

Dinner rating: 8/10. In general, the picture with food on the ship is a little strange. Yes, the choice is good, the quality is the best of all the excursions I have attended. But damn, overall it’s still not the same. 🙂 Maybe I put something wrong, of course, but for some reason, out of everything I tried, the classic sweet and sour pork and rice with vegetables suited me the most. 🙂 Even the seafood was soft and fresh, but somehow tasteless. I wouldn’t be picky and in general would just get used to the fact that Thai cuisine is not for me, but my Thai friend in Phuket, from whom I ate classic Thai food almost every day for three months, cooked much tastier. 🙂 But at the same time, the food was still noticeably better than I expected, and I definitely didn’t go hungry. 🙂

Cruise show program

14. When I bought a ticket for the cruise, I didn’t expect anything from the dinner, I thought that there would be some small snacks and that’s it, and I certainly didn’t expect any show program. 🙂 But in reality, the fun began as soon as we set off.

15. Various dancers and singers replaced each other on stage with enviable regularity.

16. The ladies were all vocal, sang well, the repertoire included super-popular world pop hits, usually from the 90s and 2000s. You know exactly, so as not to be mistaken - only the material that even a deaf Chukchi from the far north knows.

17. I was, in general, deeply uninterested in this whole show, but I love watching people have fun listening to all sorts of game, so in the periods between contemplating the next beauties floating overboard and dinner, I was distracted by the program. 🙂

18. And what pleased me about it was that there was no feeling that everything that was happening was cheap. Respectable ladies and gentlemen, beautiful high-quality suits. Yes, of course, it’s garbage on vegetable oil for the mass consumer, but at least everything was done to the level. 🙂

19. After the end of the main part of the show, you could safely take pictures with its participants.

20. There was also a moment when everyone was invited to the stage to perform something karaoke, some Indian woman came out and sang some heartbreaking song a cappella in Hindi. And she did it almost better than the singers from the show. 🙂

21. I still don’t understand whose children these are, but they spent the whole evening on stage and sometimes it seemed that they were also part of the show.

22. A warm lamp atmosphere reigned throughout the evening. 🙂

Show Rating: 8/10. The show is decent, the only negative is that it is too intrusive. Even sitting at the very stern of the ship, the music was blaring quite loudly. That is, this is not at all the option when something purrs in the background, unobtrusively musical accompaniment, here each participant tears ligaments like the last time. 🙂

What to see on a Chao Phraya cruise

But everything that is said above is all lyrics, I personally took this cruise not for the food and show, but to see Bangkok at night! So that’s what I did most of the time, because there’s so much to see during the walk. 🙂

23. An evening cruise along the Chao Phraya River starts exactly a couple of hundred meters from the new bright and incredibly beautiful ICONSIAM shopping mall.

27. Incredible rivals him in terms of epicness temple complex Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan.

30. Following Wat Arun, the Royal Court will float past you, although it is not so clearly visible.

32. Along the way you will meet all the ships that I listed in the section with types of cruises. This, for example, is that same antique rice barge. 🙂

33. Entire lines of bright, colorful ships will scurry back and forth past you. 🙂

34. And also bridges! There will be countless of them on your way. From the simplest...

35. ...to such a level that they can pass for a separate attraction - the Rama 8th Bridge.

37. Sometimes 3 bridges at a time will float in front of your face.

38. And trains will whiz past your head!

39. And of course, the skyscrapers of Bangkok are like spaceships plowing through space on the way to the Moon.

40. The final point of the route is a Ferris wheel, upon seeing which the ship will turn around and slide back.

41. Hotels and shopping centers.

42. And during the cruise you will probably be lucky enough to see more than one fireworks display.

43. I’m not sure that they were launched in our honor, but with enviable frequency. 🙂

Chao Phraya means "Royal River" in Thai. And it really is like that - wide, deep, the real pride of the local residents:

Huge suspension bridges stretch across Chao Phraya; this bridge glows amazingly at night:

1.1. Boat options on Chao Phraya

There are many boats and ferries traveling along Chao Phraya, all boats can be divided into 4 types:

Express boats
Special tourist boats
Ferries plying between the banks of the river
Taxi boats

So how do you navigate them?

The map that is available at every Chao Phraya pier will help us with this:

All Chao Phraya piers are marked on the map. Next to the number of each pier there are multi-colored triangles that indicate which ferries stop at that pier. The map also shows the route of each ferry and the cost of the trip.

Express boats used by local residents, this is one of the cheapest types of river transport.

1.2. Express boat routes in Bangkok

Total there is 4 express boat routes(to find out which route a boat is taking, just look at the color of its flag; it’s the colors that differentiate the routes):

Boat without a flag stops at every pier. Cost - from 10 to 14 baht. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6.45-7.30 and 16.00 - 16.30.
Orange flag. Route: Nonthaburi - Wat Rajsinkorn. Cost - 15 baht. Opening hours: Every day 6.00 - 19.00.
Yellow flag. Route: Nonthaburi - Wat Rajsinkorn, Rajburana-Nonthaburi. Cost - from 20 to 29 baht. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6.15 - 8.20 and 16.00 - 20.00.
Green flag. Route: Pakkret - Sathorn. Cost - from 13 to 32 baht. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 6.10 - 8.10 and 16.05 - 18.05.

There is also a special tourist boat, it makes fewer stops, mainly near attractions. There is also a guide on this boat who will tell you in English about the route and attractions.

A one-way ticket for a tourist boat costs 40 baht. However, you can buy a ticket for 150 baht, which will allow you to make an unlimited number of trips during the day. Tourist boat marked blue flag, departs every 30 minutes from the Central Pier (Sathorn Pier).

Route diagram for express boats and tourist boats:

More detailed information You can look at the official website: http://www.chaophrayaexpressboat.com

The entrance to many piers is very beautifully decorated with bright greenery and flowers:

1.3. How to get to the other side of the river

In addition to tourist and express boats, ferries run between the shores of Chao Phraya, on which you can quickly cross to the other side.

Cost of crossing- only 3 baht. To check whether there is a crossing from a particular pier to the other side, you can use Google map; all water transport routes in Bangkok are marked there.

For example, to get from to, located on the other side, just take the ferry, pay 3 baht, and you will find yourself on the right side of the river:

View from the ferry to Chao Phraya on the way to Wat Arun:

In some places the river blooms so much that you can’t even see the water:

If you want an individual tour of Chao Phraya, you can rent taxi boat on any of the piers. True, this pleasure will not be cheap - from 1,500 baht.

You can also go on an evening tour of Chao Phraya on a special boat, where you will be offered a delicious dinner and live music. You can book a tour in advance or directly through this form:

Besides the Chao Phraya, Bangkok is crisscrossed by a network of water canals called Klongs, some of which can also be navigated on special boats.

Unfortunately, Google Maps has not yet learned how to build routes using klongs, however, figuring out the routes on your own is not at all difficult.

Official website of Klong transport: http://khlongsaensaep.com

On the map the piers are marked as follows:

Klong boats operate daily from 5.30 to 20.30, on weekends until 19.00.

2.1. Routes and pier names

There are a total of 2 lines in Bangkok where boats go: Golden Mount Line And Nida Line. Moreover, in essence, this is one long route, one line ends and another begins.

The entire route and names of the piers:

The fare depends on the distance, from 10 to 20 baht.

When transferring to another line, in theory new ticket No need to buy, just show what you have. At least that's what it says on the website. But when I rode this boat for the first time, I was asked to pay again, although I showed the ticket from the previous boat. Perhaps I just had the cheapest ticket, and I had to go almost to the end of the route, I don’t know. Tickets must be purchased directly inside the boat from the conductor.

The transfer takes place at the pier Pratunam.

2.2. Central Pier (for shopping and visiting Baiyoke Sky)

Pratunam Pier is located in the center of Bangkok - from here it is convenient to walk to, and:

To get into the boat, you need to bend over backwards and jump onto the rocking boat, while managing not to run over anyone.

Getting out of the boat is also not so easy:

Several boats met in a narrow klong of Bangkok:

This time we were lucky - there were almost no passengers. Inside the boat there are wooden benches, and on the sides there is an oilcloth that can be raised to protect yourself from the splashes.

On the right you can see a special handle that lifts the oilcloth; usually whoever is sitting next to him holds this handle:

2.3. Boat rules

As I already wrote, you need to buy a ticket directly from the conductor on the boat, telling him the place to which you are going to swim. So, there is absolutely no room for the conductor inside the boat, therefore, in order to collect money, the conductor walks around the perimeter of the boat while it is moving, holding on to the rope and the roof on the outside of the boat (behind the oilcloth). So the work is not easy, it requires attentiveness and dexterity, as well as the ability to swim - just in case.

The views from the boat are very interesting, unfortunately, part of the way the view is blocked by an oilcloth, but you can still look behind it:

Sailing along the longues, you can see the real life of local residents - poor neighborhoods and skyscrapers. You get the feeling that you are immersed in history, this is where the spirit of antiquity has been very well preserved, this is exactly how they lived here 100 years ago, as if time had stood still:

3. Conclusions on the use of river transport in Bangkok

During peak hours, boats are simply irreplaceable! They don't get caught in traffic jams, they move quickly. True, people use them very actively, so you still have time to jump into the boat.

By the way, when there were rallies in Bangkok and the center of Bangkok was blocked, buses went on completely different routes, and some places were simply impossible to get to, boats were a great help.

In our opinion, public transport in Bangkok in the form of boats, plying along rivers and canals, is a wonderful help for tourists who want to independently explore as much as possible in Bangkok with minimal investment in time and money. Boats are cheap, and a trip along the river on a hot Thai day promises pleasure in the form of slight coolness and interesting species.
Chao Phraya Express is a company that provides passenger transportation along the Chao Phraya River. Using its services is as easy as shelling pears, but there are some nuances.
First of all, be careful - boats have stops on both banks of the river; when planning your route, make sure that the pier is on the side you need, or there is a connection with the other bank - a ferry or a bridge.

At Sathorn Pier you can go to the Sky Train station on the BTS metro line.

It should also be taken into account that the boat operating schedule depends on the category, route and day of the week. Please note that boats are:

the orange flag is flown daily throughout the day;
green, yellow, and also without a flag - only on working days, on certain days;
blue flag - tourist, they run daily and are unreasonably expensive

Boats of different color routes run on their own schedule, at certain intervals, depending on the direction of travel.
Tourist ships also have their own schedule, but we’ll talk about their schedule, travel and rental costs, as well as excursion tours at the end of the article.

Cost of travel in public boats on the river Chao Phraya

The price of tickets depends on the color of the boat's flag and the distance traveled:

orange flag - 14 baht, regardless of route;
green flag - from 13 to 32 baht;
yellow flag – 20 baht;
without a flag - from 9 to 13 baht.

Tickets can be purchased both at the pier before boarding and directly on board the boat. When traveling on the green route or on a boat without a flag, when purchasing a ticket, be prepared to name the pier you are going to.

Boat route map Chao Phraya

The route diagram of the Chao Phraya Express is quite simple, it will not be difficult to understand it, even if you do not speak English. The color of the line is the color of the flag above the ship ( gray- a boat without a flag).
The dots with numbers and inscriptions are the names and serial numbers of the berths where the ship under the corresponding flag stops.

How to choose the right boat

This question is simple - each pier has a name and number, so:

open the map (we use the maps application Maps.Me, which works offline), determine the pier to which you need to swim and its name or number;
take a look at the route diagram - ships that stop at your pier (from which you are sailing) and at the one you are heading to will suit you;
look at the schedule and make sure that on this day of the week and at this time of day the desired boat is operating on the river.

Example: Let's say today is Saturday, 12 noon, and we need to get from Khao San Road to the Turtle Temple. We determine from the map that the closest pier to Khao San Road is Phra Arthit (No. 13), and the closest pier to the temple we need is Memorial Bridge (No. 6). We take the diagram and see that the orange line and the gray line (without a flag) are suitable. Now we turn to the schedule and see that the gray line disappears, because it only works on weekdays.
This means our choice is a ship flying an orange flag.

What is noteworthy is that usually in articles about boats in Bangkok the schedule and day of the week are not mentioned. I remember when we were just starting to discover this wonderful city and didn’t know about such a thing, a couple of times we waited a long time and to no avail for our boat. In general, in practice, everything is often much simpler; just ask the pier worker, clarifying that what you need is a Public Boat.

Travel Services Chao Phraya Express

If for one reason or another you do not want to use public transport, tourist routes, sightseeing tours and boat rentals are at your service.

Tourist boats flying a blue flag

The tourist route (blue line) is small in the number of stops, there are only 9, but the length is not so small - from the pier at the Asiatique shopping and entertainment center, to Phra Arthit (No. 13 Khaosan Road).
The main advantage is that it runs faster than public transport. We draw your attention to the following:

from Sathorn pier to Phra Arthit (No. 13) ships operate throughout the day at intervals of 30 minutes;
to the Asiatique pier only in evening time and only in one direction.

The blue route's operating hours are as follows:

from Sathorn to Phra Arthit from 09.00 – 17.30
from Phra Arthit to Sathorn from 09.30 – 18.00
from Phra Arthit to Asiatique from 16.00 – 18.00

For information: free boats run between Sathorn and Asiatique from 16:30 to 23:30.

The full schedule for all stations is as follows:

Tickets are sold at the box office and come in two types:

one-time – costs 50 baht, valid only for one trip;
day pass - costs 180 baht, valid all day, unlimited number of trips.

Boat tour on the Chao Phraya River

This river tour is very extensive and interesting. If you are in Bangkok for the first time and do not dare to independent trips around the city, we recommend using it for an initial acquaintance with the city’s history and culture. Currently, the tour program includes visits to 9 temples. During the tour, among others, you will visit and see:

the most popular Wat Arun (Temple of the Morning Dawn), from the tower of which magnificent panoramas of Bangkok open;
Wat Yannawa, built in the shape of a Chinese sailboat;
a huge statue of a seated Buddha in the ancient monastery of Wat Kalayanamitr Varamahavihara;
almost unknown, but very beautiful Wat Prayoon - with a magnificent white pagoda and the Turtle Temple.

Tour duration is from 09.00 to 17.00. Ticket price:

599 baht for adults;
499 baht for children under 100 cm.

The price includes a tour guide, drinking water, insurance. Start from Sathorn Pier.

Boat rental in Bangkok

In addition to the listed public and tourist water transport services, you can rent a boat for trips along the river and canals at Chao Phraya Express. We doubt that this service is popular among ordinary tourists; rather, it is for travel companies, so we will be brief. The company provides various river boats with a capacity of up to 120 people, prices go up to 50,000 baht.

However, if you are traveling with a small group, or you have plenty of money, then you will probably be interested in the following information on boat charter prices.
In conclusion, we would like to say that we personally really like this type of transport, we regularly use its services and recommend that everyone, at least once, take advantage of one of the above opportunities and take an exciting trip along the rivers and canals of Bangkok!