Andys Real Guide to Thailand

Yes, that is a Manchester United logo...(mouseover)

Both local and long distance transport is generally very cheap. Around town this mostly consists of taxis, which are only metered in Bangkok. Everywhere else it is important to agree the fare before getting in. Thai taxi drivers will not try to rip you off, though upon seeing a farang they will likely start negiotiations with an inflated quote. You need to exercise patience and good humour to get the price down.

Bangkok: Transport in Bangkok is chaotic to say the least, with congestion and air pollution being a serious problem. A recent (2003) survey showed that Bangkok drivers spend an average of 22 days a year in their car. That said, it is the only city (that I know of) with a respectable local bus service . The opening of the two-line  Skytrain service (elevated light rail) a couple of years ago noticeably eased the traffic on some of the busier roads. Fares are calculated on a zone basis.

Long distance transport thoughout the country comes in the three usual flavours; bus, train, plane. To give you an idea of costs etc., the table below shows the journey from Bangkok to Udon Thani, where the "crow-flys" distance is 575km (280miles)

Buses

An "Air Bus" is a air conditioned bus usually blue and white. In the same way an "Air room" is a room with A/C.

Buying a ticket at the major terminals in Bangkok ( Eakamai and Morchit ) is simply a case of finding the right kiosk - one kiosk for each destination. At Chatuchak, the biggest terminal in Bangkok it can be a problem finding the right kiosk - there must be nearly 100. Note that Chatuchak is known referred to locally as "Morchit sawng" (Morchit number 2)

Personally, I don't like buses. I like them even less in Thailand where the drivers are paid bonuses for getting to their destination within schedule, and have been know to take "uppers" to stay awake. Given that Air Buses are usually the fastest vehicles on the road their accident rate is remarkably low.
Long distances services are by far and away the most popular way of getting around the country.

Chatuchak (a.k.a. 'Morchit #2') bus depot in Bangkok. The blue & white 'air buses' are generally well maintained and reasonably comfortable.

By-the-way, Bus tickets have seat numbers. The seat number being written on the back of the seat in question...

One bus company with an Internet site is NCA

Planes

It is often possible to turn up at the airport and buy a ticket on the spot, though at weekends and holidays it's best to book ahead. Seat prices are fixed, there are no discount fares available.

A Thai 747 at Bangkok's Don Muang airport (21/10/02)

Trains

Trains are my favoured why of getting around the country, at least when I'm not in hurry. For a country where things rarely get done on time, the trains are remarkably punctual.

The rail network in the country is fairly extensive with most cities having several services a day. Trains are reliable, safe and cheap. They are not however, Fast. Even an "Express" will likely be slower than the equivalent bus service. In Thailand the term seems to mean that the train won't stop many times, rather than moving quickly. I recommend you avoid the non express services as these tend to crawl, and stop everywhere.

Carriages come in three classes. 1st is a private (sleeps 2) compartment and air conditioned. 2nd is open with about 30 bunks, generally only with fans. A recent addition on some services is an air-conditioned 2nd class carriage. 3rd is a completely open seating arrangement, sometimes with a few fans. Unless you come in the winter months (Nov-Feb) You'll want 1st or 2nd. If you want to travel 1st class you'd do well do book ahead.

For more about trains in Thailand, including schedules, fares and seat availability have a look SRT's website [ Don't believe everything you read however... ]