Transport in Thailand

Thailand has a comprehensive transportation system, which makes it really easy to travel through the country at a low price and relatively fast. Thailand has got numerous domestic airlines, a comprehensive railway network (more than 5 lines), a government-owned bus company and a bunch of private bus operators, numerous ferries with routes to island destinations, and a massive private minibus network.

Travel Between the Cities

Buses in Thailand

Buses are the most popular way of transportation for the long-distance routes. No wonder, since Thailand has more than 390,000 km of highways and an extensive network of state-owned and private bus companies.

State-owned bus company is named The Transport Company, Ltd., (TCL), which provides intercity connections in Thailand for more than 80 years.

There is an extremely wide selection of bus routes in Thailand departing from Bangkok. 

No matter where you plan to go, you are likely to find a direct bus even to some of the most ‘out-of-the-beaten-track’ places. We are serious: there is certainly not a single province in Thailand where you cannot get by a direct bus drive from Bangkok. If you are traveling from other towns, the route map can be smaller, but it will definitely feature the major provincial centers in the neighboring provinces. 

Buses are the cheapest way of travel. Well, if you choose to travel in Thailand only with a VIP24 bus, then a bus ticket can cost you nearly as much as a flight ticket. However, even express class buses in Thailand are quite comfortable, and a bus from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, or a bus from Bangkok to Phuket, with an express service, may cost you THB 450-500 (around USD 15). The price includes baggage along with the food onboard. If you are planning budget-sensitive backpacking in Thailand, travel on a nighttime bus will help you to save some cash which otherwise could have been spent on the accommodation.

Trains in Thailand

All the intercity train routes are managed by the state-owned State Railway of Thailand.

Traveling by train is safe and cheap. It’s one of the best ways to be more eco-friendly! Moreover, trains will give you a genuine Thai experience. 

Thailand has 5 main train lines: Northern Line, North-Eastern Line, Southern Line, Eastern Line, Kanchanaburi Line. Most provinces in Thailand are accessible by train, except for the parts of the Andaman Coast such as Phuket and Krabi, and the Northern Region above the Chiang Mai.

It’s advisable to book tickets for the overnight trains at least one day in advance, or even more during the high season. Especially if you are traveling from Bangkok, Chaing Mai, or another popular province.

Domestic Flights in Thailand

With lots of domestic airports and domestic flight companies to select from, tourists will enjoy the luxury of affordable choice within Thailand while looking to travel by plane.

The top domestic airlines include:

• Bangkok Airways
• Jet Asia Airways
• Nok Air
• NokScoot
• Thai AirAsia
• Thai AirAsia
• Thai Lion Air
• Thai Airways International
• Thai Smile
• Thai Vietjet Air

Traveling by flight in Thailand is very affordable, you can get the tickets even for as low as THB 600. 

Ferries in Thailand

With hundreds of islands and an impressive total of 3000 km coastline of the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, Thailand has lots of popular ferry connections. You can find both common island-hopping boats, and speed ferries.

Traveling by ferry in Thailand is both affordable and safe. 

In most cases, when you’re traveling between different cities, you will have to buy a combined bus and ferry tickets to reach the destination.

Get Around the Cities

Songthaew

Songthaews are the passenger vehicles that are covered pickup trucks with two rows of seats in the back. They are a very common way to travel around the cities, in most of the urban areas and even beaches. Songthaews have specified routes, which makes them quite convenient. Moreover, they are very cheap, which makes them popular among the locals and smart tourists.

Taxi

In the recent few years, Thailand has welcomed well-known taxi apps like Uber and Grab. We would recommend using them, as a simple and safe solution.

Of course, there are multiple common taxi companies, and using them is also quite safe, however, always make sure that the taxi meter is turned on before you leave for your destination.

Tuk Tuk

Tuk-tuks are often called rickshaws, they are three-wheel motor vehicles which are often used as taxis. Loved by the foreigners, these vehicles are cheaper than the metered taxis, and are used only for short distances.

Rickshaw (Samlaw)

These are the traditional bicycle vehicles on three wheels, which are peddled by the driver, and have a carriage behind. This type of transport is designed for the tourists and every year there are less and less of them.