Airplane
Domestic flight services are now operated by five domestic
carriers, which are, Thai Airways International (or
THAI), Bangkok Airways, Air Asia, Orient Thai
Airlines (One-Two-Go), Nok Air, and SGA Airlines. Of all the domestic airlines, Thai Airways International (TG) is the biggest.
Thailand has six major international airports: Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, and
Hat Yai, and 23 domestic airports for commercial flights in major cities around
the country. They are Buriram, Hua Hin (Prachuap Khiri Khan), Khon Kaen, Krabi, Lampang, Mae Hong Son, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Si thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Pai , Phitsanulok, Ranong, Roi Et, Sakon Nakhon, Samui, Surat Thani, Sukhothai, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani Udon Thani, and U-Taphao (Rayong).
For more details, please contact your travel agent,
or call +66 (0) 2356 1111 for Thai Airways and +66 (0)
2664 6099 for SGA Airlines.
Bus
There are two main types of buses running to provinces
around Thailand.
| • |
Non-air-conditioned buses operated
by the government which are the cheapest and slowest.
These orange-coloured buses stop in every little
town and pick up passengers at any point along the
route. |
| • |
Air-conditioned buses painted
in blue. This type, run by both the government and
private companies, is faster and more comfortable.
Yet the number of routes of air-con buses are less
than those of the ordinary buses as they go to major
cities only. Normally, there are two classes of
air-con buses -- regular and 1st class; the latter
have toilets.
For long routes like those going to Chiang Mai,
Surat Thani and Phuket, there is another type called
"VIP" or "sleeper" buses which
have only 30 to 34 seats providing more leg room
for each passenger. Generally, private companies
offer more daily trips than the government's, though
their fares are somewhat higher. |
| Bus Terminals |
| There are three long-distance bus
terminals in Bangkok as follows: |
| Northern &
Northeastern Bus Terminal |
| Located on Kamphaeng Phet
2 Road, a little way from Chatuchak Market. |
| |
For information |
Call 0 2936 2852 to 66, 0 2936
2841 to 48 |
| |
Reached by Buses |
3, 26, 29,
34, 39, 49, 59, 77, 96, 122, 134,
136, 138, 145, 157, 159, 170, 509, 510, 512, 517 |
| |
For Taxi |
 |
| |
| Eastern Bus
Terminal |
| Located on Sukhumwit Road at
Soi 40 opposite Soi 63 (Ekkamai). |
| |
For information |
Call 0 2391 6846 |
|
Reached by Buses |
2, 23, 25, 38, 40,
48, 98, 501, 511, 513 |
| |
BTS Skytrain |
Ekkamai Station |
| |
For Taxi |
 |
| |
| Southern Bus
Terminal |
| Located on Borommarat Chonnani
Road, about 7 km. from Pin Klao Bridge. Besides
the southern buses, the buses going to western
provinces like Nakhon Pathom and Kanchanaburi
also depart from here. |
| |
For information |
Call 0 2894 6122 |
| |
Reached by Buses |
28, 30, 40, 57,
66, 123, 124, 125, 127, 146, 149, 159,
201, 170, 174, 177, 183, 507, 511, 515, 516,
539 |
| |
For Taxi |
 |
| |
|
|
There are also buses running between major destinations
within the region, e.g. Surat Thani to Hat Yai in
the South and Sukhothai to Chiang Mai in the North.
For provincial bus terminals, call 1490 or visit www.transport.co.th
|
Train
The State
Railway of Thailand offers train services throughout
the country at very reasonable fares. Most long-distance
trains start off from Bangkok's Hualamphong Station
on Rama IV Road. The four main rail lines, covering
over 4,000 km., are the northern, northeastern, eastern
and southern routes. Note that the trains to the northern
and northeastern routes pass Don Muang airport station,
so you can catch a train here if you go to any province
along either route to avoid heavy traffic in town in
rush hours.
There are four types of trains -- ordinary, rapid, express
and special express, and three classes of cars -- 1st,
2nd and 3rd.
For a long distance trip, the fare for the 2nd class
is about the same as a private tour bus, but some say
that the train is more comfortable, especially on overnight
trips. However, travelling by train take a bit longer
than by bus.
| Sleeping
Berths |
| Sleeping berths, ordinary and air-con,
are available on rapid, express and special express
trains for all long distance routes which depart
from about 15.30 hrs. onwards. The following are
the major provinces accessible by trains with sleeper
cars: |
| The northern route |
Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang,
Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, Phichit |
| |
|
| The northeastern
route |
Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket,
Surin, Buriram, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Khon
Kaen |
| |
|
| The southern route |
Sungai Kolok (Narathiwat), Yala,
Pattani, Hat Yai (Songkhla), Phatthalung,
Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Surat Thani, Chumphon |
|
Bookings & Tickets Buying
Passengers can buy tickets and make advance bookings at
Hualamphong Station or any of the 11 other stations in
Bangkok including Don Muang Station as well as stations
in large cities throughout Thailand. Besides, train tickets
can also be purchased at travel agencies, with a surcharge
of 50-100 baht to the ticket price. This is much more
convenient as you don't have to wait in a long queue at
a station, especially during holiday time when many Thais
scramble for getting train tickets.
Therefore, it is advisable to book your train far in advance
if you plan to go to a popular destination such as Chiang
Mai, Hat Yai or Surat Thani. Advance bookings may be made
one to 60 days prior to your scheduled departure date.
The ticket offices at Hualamphong Station open from 05.00
to 23.00 hrs. and the advance booking offices from 07.00
to 16.00 hours every day.
For details, call
the State Railway of Thailand, 1690, 0 2223 7010, 0 2220
4444 (RSVN),
0 2220 4334, 0 2621 8701
| Reached by Buses |
4, 7, 21, 25, 40, 48, 98, 501, 511, 513 |
| MRT Bangkok Metro |
Hua Lamphong Station |
| For taxi : Hualamphong Station |
 |
Car
Rental
Car, Jeep & Van
Cars, jeeps and vans can be rented in Bangkok, Chiang
Mai, Pattaya, Phuket and other tourist cities. The rental
costs for cars and jeeps are from around 2,000 to 3,000
baht per day and vans from 2,500 to 3,500 baht. Typically,
international rental companies charge a bit more than
local companies, yet they offer a larger choice. A car
can also be rented at travel agencies, many of which
have branch offices in large- and medium-sized hotels.
It is advisable to check whether a car is insured for
liability before signing a rental contract.
Motorcycle
Like cars, motorcycles can be rented in
tourist cities, except Bangkok as it is not convenient
to use motorcycle here.
It has recently become a popular way to travel around
Thailand by motorcycle, especially in the North. Rentals
vary considerably from city to city. In major tourist
spots like Chiang Mai and Phuket where there is an abundance
of motorcycle rental shops, the costs are certainly
much lower.
Anyway, whether you rent a motorcycle from a big rental
company or a small shop, it is advisable to check the
machine over thoroughly before you take it out. Before
renting, make sure that an insurance is provided, though
with an extra charge. And please note that both rider
and passenger on a motor bike must wear a helmet.
Important!
1. Thai drives on the left-hand side of the road.
2. Foreigners who wish to drive motor vehicles in Thailand
need a valid International Driving License.
3. Driving license and passport must be carried at all
times when driving.
Local Transports
| • |
Bus
Most big provinces have public non-air-con bus and
air-con bus services to destinations within the
provinces and to other nearby provinces. |
| • |
Taxi
Many tourist cities have taxi services, but most
of them are non-metered. Therefore, it is necessary
to establish the fare before departure. Some big
cities also have share-taxi services for popular
routes. Though the fare is fixed and cheaper, you
have to wait until there are enough passengers (usually
four or five). |
| • |
Samlo
A samlo is a three-wheeled taxi which comes in two
types -- motorised and nonmotorised. Motorised samlos
or Tuk-Tuk can be found throughout the country
while nonmotorised ones (or tricycle or rickshaws)
are available in certain provincial towns. Both
types of samlos are suitable for short trips only. |
| • |
Songthaeo
Literally meaning two rows, this is a small pickup
truck with two benches, each at one side of the
truck seating several people. It is a public transport
which operates fixed routes like buses, but normally
runs a shorter distance or within the province.
Songthaeo can also be chartered like a regular taxi. |
|
