Water buses in Bangkok. Boat ride along the canals of Bangkok

Chao Phraya River great way traveling to Bangkok, but the system of boats and their different colored flags can be confusing for a first-time visitor to Bangkok. This guide will help you discover that water buses can be a very convenient (and cheap) way to get to some of Bangkok's top attractions. The Chao Phraya River runs vertically on the left side of the city of Bangkok.

During the daytime, public boats, sometimes called river buses, operate on the river. Regular boats have an orange flag, they pass at intervals of about 15 minutes, they stop at all piers, and they cost 15 baht (regardless of distance). The fare is paid directly on the boat, where there is a conductor. Boats operate daily from 06.00 to 19.00.

There are also blue flag tourist boats. These boats are larger and less crowded, and they do not stop at all berths (they stop at the main berths interesting for tourists, such as 13,10, 9, 8, 5, 3, 0. They occur at intervals of approximately every 30 minutes. Payment for them occurs before boarding.

Tourist boat tickets can be purchased at the Central Pier or Phra Arthit Pier (Banglamphu) N13. They can also be purchased at the Saphan Taksin and Siam Skytrain stations, tourist boats cost a little more, 30 baht for a single trip and 150 baht for unlimited trips for the day. Tourist boats operate daily from 09.30 to 16.00.

Scheme of boat routes with different flags

There are also boats without a flag, the fare for which is 10/12/14 baht, depending on the distance. There are also boats with green and yellow flags, the fare for which ranges from 13 to 30 baht depending on the distance, they run from Monday to Friday with a green flag from 06.15 to 08.10 and from 15.30 to 18.05 with a yellow flag from 06.15 to 08.30 and from 15.30 to 20.00.

The photo below shows Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn)

In addition, free boats depart from large hotels on the Chao Phraya River and go to the central pier, where the skytrain is located. You can squeeze onto these boats under the guise of being a guest at an expensive, large hotel, but no one asks there anyway. There are also boats that run from one side of the river to the other, the fare for them is 2-4 baht.

A boat plying on the Chao Phraya River inside. Sometimes there are a lot of people, especially in the evening, and you have to ride the boat while standing.

All piers (tha) along the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok are clearly marked in both English and Thai languages. The central pier is called Tha Sathorn and is conveniently located near the Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain station.

The piers north of the Central Pier are designated by the letter "N" followed by a number, and the piers south of the Central Pier are designated by the letter "S" followed by a number. The most popular attractions are located between the Central Pier and Pier N13 to the north. The journey from Central Pier to Pier N13 (Tha Phra Arthit / Banglamphu / Khao San Road) takes approximately 30 minutes.

Sunset on the embankment of the Chao Phraya River at the last pier N30.

Central Pier (Tha Sathorn) - transfer to Saphan Taksin Skytrain station
N1 (Tha Oriental) - Oriental hotel and OP Place shopping
N2 (Tha Wat Muang Kae) - Old Customs and GPO Building
N3 (Tha Si Phraya) -
N4 (Tha Harbor Department) - Shopping in River City, Holy Rosary Church and Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel
N5 (Tha Rachavongse) -
N6 Tha Memorial Bridge - Phra Poklao Bridge and Chinatown
N7 (Tha Rajinee) - Chinatown vegetable market and transfer to the cross boat going to the old Portuguese quarter.
N8 (Tha Tien) - and transfer to the boat going to
N9 (Tha Chang) - Grand Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)
N10 (Tha Wang Lang) - Siriraya Hospital
N11 (Tha Railway Station) - Bangkok Noi (Thonburi) station on railway.
N12 (Tha Phra Pinklao) – Klong Bangkok Noi and National Royal Barge Museum
N13 (Tha Phra Athit / Banglamphu) - (old Bangkok) and a popular area for travelers including the street
N14 (Tha Rama Bridge 8) - for a walk along the Rama VIII Bridge
N15 (Tha Thewes) - Thewes Flower and Plant Market

In addition, in Bangkok there are also klongs (a klong is a water canal) and boats also ply along the klongs, the fare of which depends on the distance. Taking a river walk along the Klongs is also quite interesting.

If you are new to Bangkok and want to ride along the Chao Phraya River and see the main attractions at the same time, we recommend taking the ferry from the Central Pier. You can get there by taking the BTS Skytrain (Saphan Taksin Station). Get into the first car from the center, exit the platform to the left side (in the direction of the train). It takes 1-2 minutes to walk from the metro station to the pier. You can buy a ferry ticket both at the pier and on the ferry itself. They go very often, about every 15-20 minutes.

Attractions on the Chao Phraya River

To see, you need to get off at pier No. 8 (it will be about 10 minutes after the Central Pier).

Once you have examined this huge complex, you can cross to the other side of Chao Phraya, where the Temple of the Dawn is located. Runs between the two banks river transport, the ticket price for which is purely symbolic - 3 baht. Afterwards, take it back to Wat Pho and walk on foot to the entrance to the Royal Palace (10-15 minutes). The road is full of stalls with souvenirs and all sorts of small things, like sunglasses. Not far from the entrance there are a dozen restaurants, cafes and mobile food stalls. You can eat very inexpensively.

After visiting the Royal Palace with the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, go to pier No. 9 (Maharaj Pier) and take a ferry to No. 13, next to which is located. This busy street (or rather the whole area with adjacent blocks) is very popular among tourists thanks to a large number shops, tourist offices, inexpensive hotels, restaurants and bars. Here you can stay overnight for 200-350 baht. Not everyone will like Khaosan, because... very noisy and crowded, not for those who like a quiet holiday.

If you have no plans to stay here overnight or have a hotel booked elsewhere, you can return to the city center on the same ferry along the Chao Phraya River.

But it will be faster to do this on city buses No. 2 and No. 511. They go towards the Sukhumvit Highway and further along it, actually parallel to the skytrain. You can, for example, get to them, from where buses depart to Pattaya. Tickets cost 7-8 baht in buses without air conditioning and 17-20 baht with air conditioning. The stop is located on the Ratchadamnoen Klang Highway, which is a minute's walk from Khao San Road. There is no need to cross the highway, you need to stop on this side.

A crisis is not at all a reason to deny yourself entertainment and getting to know a new city. After all, the world is full of free or almost free ways to get to know this or that city. Even public transport can provide an unforgettable experience and give a good idea of the city. Especially if the transport itself is colorful. Like, for example, the public boats in Bangkok that ply the Chao Phraya River. This is public transport and a tourist attraction rolled into one!

River transport in Bangkok is well developed and allows you to quickly and cheaply cross the city in a north-south direction. The bonus is that there are no traffic jams, beautiful views and a fresh breeze. Beauty, and that's all! The face spontaneously stretches into a wide smile, and the eyes widen from the numerous skyscrapers, boats, bridges and fleeting scenes from river life.

There is a real storm on Chao Phraya; the water in the river is constantly shaking from the boats darting back and forth - there is no calm here.

You won't see any kind of boats here.

There are actually some kind of oceanic monsters...

But most of all I like the hard-working tugs pulling huge barges.

When absolutely unbearable they will unite in tandem.

The most scenic part of the route lies south of Phra Arthit station. There are churches here close to the river.

And how many sparkling skyscrapers are along the way!

Sometimes bonuses like this fit into the frame...

Thais actively use boats, but the number of farangs is amazing! Sometimes at least half of the people in the boat are white!

I went boating around Chao Phraya while my new Indonesian visa was processed at the consulate. Sailed on a boat with an orange flag from Phra Arthit to Wat Rajsingkorn - this is the final station in the south. I walked out through a series of boats moored to each other.

By the way, there are interesting surroundings here, and Wat Rajsingkorn itself is very nice.

Alternatively, from here you can go to Khaosan (Samsaeng) by bus 15. But I continued to ride the boat and swam to the northernmost station - Nonthaburi. In the north it’s not so colorful, it’s mostly an industrial zone. In the Nonthaburi area, not far from the pier, there is a market with cheap fruit and treats, a little further you can go out onto the street from where buses go to Khao San.

Useful information about boats on Chao Phraya

Passengers board and disembark at numerous pontoon stations and berths. The boat docks for a minute, and people quickly get in and out.

Those who didn’t make it in time are late and wait on the shore until the next boat.

The wait is usually not long - 15-20 minutes.

Boats have 4 routes, distinguished by the color of the flag hung at the stern.

A 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 blue flag tourist boat that costs 40 baht. It runs every half hour and is not far from Sathorn to Phra Arthit.

Getting around Chao Phraya can be connected to many important tourist and transport hubs: the Skytrain, Railway Station, Chinatown, Khao San Street and much more. Here are the cards to help. Clickable.

Well, if finances allow, a rented car is a great way to explore Bangkok and the surrounding area. Which is as easy as shelling pears to rent on the website eavtoprokat.ru where you can book a car almost all over the world!

The easiest and cheapest way to see the city is, of course, to use water transport.
The Chao Phraya River permeates the entire Bangkok and by choosing the desired route, you can see a lot for just 20 - 120 baht
attractions. Not to mention, a walk along the river in Bangkok will help you see the capital of Thailand from different angles.
Boat ride on Chao Phraya in Bangkok
There are several options to see Bangkok by boat. Boats, speedboats, water taxis – there are many options.
In this article we will consider the most interesting and profitable for tourists.
We will discard such an obvious method as “a cruise along Chao Phraya” or “dinner on a boat in Bangkok”, since you can easily
Buy this excursion from your travel agent or at any pier.
Chao Phraya boat dinner prices range from 1,100 to 2,000 baht per person.
My favorite way to travel by boat around Chao Phraya is by express boat.
Chao Phraya Express boat routes and differences
The express boats on Chao Phraya have flags to help guide you.
Orange, yellow and green are express boats that ply the same route but stop at different piers.
A boat with a blue flag is a tourist boat. A very convenient option. You pay 120 baht (single ticket for the whole day)
and you can go and go all day long from different piers and see the sights of Bangkok as much as you can.
The Chao Phraya Express Boat without a flag is the cheapest public transport in Bangkok (from 10 baht) - does
stops at ALL piers.
Chao Phraya – river walks in Bangkok photo
Chao Phraya runs through the center of Bangkok, so seeing the temples, getting off at the main streets and entertainment spots is not a problem.
Remember a few important stops that may come in handy:
How to save on insurance?
Insurance abroad is required. Any appointment is very expensive and the only way to avoid paying out of pocket is to choose an insurance policy in advance. We have been registering on the website for many years, which give best prices insurance and selection along with registration takes only a couple of minutes.

We have compiled interesting route one day to ride a couple of times along the canals of Bangkok on a boat with the locals, visit the temple and the royal palace. This kind of walk is always interesting because it is not a tourist attraction, but public transport.

Living in Bangkok for the second month, we already began to miss the water, the sea and even the pool. We decided to go for a walk, arranging ourselves a little “river trip”. With two transfers, first by bus, then by metro, we got to the Bangkok canals with boats.

Where to go canal boating in Bangkok

Half-day itinerary around the center of Bangkok:

Boat tour along Bangkok canals

Golden Mount Temple

Walking tour around the center

Royal Palace

Boat ride on the Chao Phraya River

1. Hua Chang Bridge Pier

We got off at the BTS National Stadium metro station and walked to the pier. You could also get off at Ratchathewi station, and walk a little closer there. The pier of the dirty river is incredibly camouflaged from the eyes of passers-by, but we still found it intuitively with the help of GPS.

After waiting 5 minutes for our boat to arrive, we set sail, paying 10 baht per person. The boats are spacious and designed for both sitting and standing places. We rode standing up to get a closer look at the barracks where people live.

Everything here is very dirty and poor. Such sides of the coin are not reflected in tourist brochures about Bangkok. Instead of high-rise buildings and clean streets, a person finds himself in a different, not very bright reality.

But at each house there are flowers planted and flower beds arranged. Even in poverty, residents diligently improve their modest homes.

Where can I order a transfer from the airport?

We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You've already talked about your experience in this article.

2. Golden Mount Temple

After driving for about 10 minutes, we were dropped off at the same inconspicuous pier. Next we walked to the temple, also known as the Golden Mount.

3. Downtown Bangkok

After the temple we went for a walk through the center of Bangkok towards the center and the Royal Palace.

We discovered that all municipal and government institutions were surrounded by barbed wire, and there were guards with machine guns everywhere. We walked along the demonstrations, which, surprisingly, are still ongoing. Nobody knows when the “blockade” will come to an end (the situation in 2014).

Demonstrations in Bangkok in 2014

4. Royal Palace

Then we went to Royal Palace. In the evening it was already closing, so we didn’t go inside, we just walked around it along the fence and headed to the next pier.

5. Tha Chang Pier near the Royal Palace

It was already getting dark when we arrived at the second pier, where boats, costing 14 baht per person, go down the Chao Phraya River (price 14 baht is current as of October 2016, payment to the conductor on the boat)

A few minutes of waiting and we were off. Bangkok is beautiful at dusk.

We both loved this Chinese house in Chinatown

We enjoyed our evening boat ride along the river. Even though there were a lot of people there, it didn’t stop us from looking at the evening city.

The temple of Wat Arun is visible - the temple of the dawn, a little reminiscent

Business center of Bangkok

6. Sathorn Pier (Taksin)

The final stop on our route. The MRT Saphan Taksin MRT station is located here. The half-day self-guided route around Bangkok was completed successfully!

You can take the opposite route and start from this pier. Be careful - the price for travel on the water bus is 14 baht, and not 40, as the helpers will offer you. Payment of fare to the conductor in line or to the conductor on the boat.

We didn’t see everything, because we had to leave in the morning to have time to ride along the canals of Bangkok and run through the main attractions along the way. But in our opinion, the real thrill comes from the fact that you can see the city from bottom to top while riding on the water, and compare what different lives may live the capital of Thailand. If we take into account that we mainly see only temples along the route, then such a short walk was enough for us. We've already seen enough temples and Buddha statues.

Route map