TH Thailand: how to get around

While most flights still lead to Bangkok, popular regional hubs like Chiang Mai and Phuket are well connected to the entire country. The budget airlines are also selling 'flights' that are actually packages combining flights with ferry and bus transfers to extend their reach to destinations without usable airports. Few airlines limit themselves to domestic operations; you are likely to find that some budget airline offers better connections to Myanmar or China. The numerous airlines and changing routes make flight price comparison websites useful as long as you buy tickets directly from the airline; you are not going to get Thai budget airline tickets cheaper through a third party.

Pan-ASEAN low-cost carrier AirAsia has great coverage of international and domestic routes in Thailand and offers steeply discounted tickets if booked well in advance; however, prices rise steadily as planes fill up. It's often the cheapest option, sometimes even cheaper than bus or train, if booked at least a week or two in advance. They fly their A320s from Bangkok to a number of places domestically, and to Cambodia, China, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia. Their website displays "all-inclusive" prices during booking (which, however, still do not include optional surcharges such as baggage fees). On-line booking is straightforward and can be done even using the mobile phone, but must be done at least 24 hours in advance; ticket sales at the check-in desk close one hour before the departure time.

Bangkok Airways promotes itself as "Asia's Boutique Airline", and has a monopoly on flights to its own airports at Ko Samui (now shared with Thai Airways), Sukhothai, and Trat. Quite an expensive and "posh" option, although the fares are "all-inclusive" with no need to pay extra for baggage, meals and even airport lounge access, which is afforded to all Economy Class passengers.

Nok Air took to the skies in 2004 sporting lurid paint schemes with a bird's beak painted on the nose. Owned mostly by Thai Airways, they compete with Air Asia on price and, with a fairly comprehensive domestic network, are a pretty good choice overall. They ran into some serious turbulence in 2008, cutting their flights by two-thirds, but now seem to have recovered.

Thai Airways International is the most reliable, frequent, and comfortable Thai airline, but usually more expensive than the alternatives (look for their promotions). Travel agents often sell only Thai Airways (and Bangkok Airways) tickets; you can also book on-line. Thai Airways is a member of Star Alliance; all domestic flights, except some promotional fares, give at least 500 Star Alliance miles, which may (partially) compensate the price difference.

Thai Lion Air is a budget airline as an offshoot of the Indonesian Lion Air. It still runs aggressive price promotions on most popular routes but you may have to fly very late or very early with inconvenient airport transfers.

Thai VietJet Air operates flights on behalf of the Vietnamese VietJet Air using Suvarnabhumi as its hub.

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has a 4,000-km network covering most of the country, from Chiang Mai in the north all the way to (and beyond) the Malaysian border in the south. Compared to buses, most trains are relatively slow and prone to delays, but safer. You can pick up fruit, snacks and cooked food from vendors at most stations. With the arrival of new carriages, the railway's premier intercity and sleeper trains are the most comfortable way to travel around Thailand if time is not an issue; First Class accommodation is in high demand at least between Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and must be booked well in advance.

Point-to-point fares depend on the type (speed) of the train and the class of the carriage. There are three classes of service:

• First class (chan neung) 2-berth sleeping compartments with individually regulated air conditioning are available on some trains, but prices are sometimes matched by budget airfares. On the popular Bangkok to Chiang Mai route, these sleeping compartments sell out as soon as tickets go onsale.
• Second class (chan song) is a good compromise, costing about the same as 1st class bus tickets and with a comparable level of comfort. Second class is divided into four different subclasses - non-air-conditioned seating, air-conditioned seating, non-air-conditioned open-section sleeper berths and air-conditioned open sleeper berths, with each subclass having different fares and not all of them being available on every train. Seats are made into beds by your attendant. Purchasing an upper berth ticket is always about 10% cheaper than a lower berth ticket. This is because the upper berth is narrower and does not have a window. Also included in this category are the Express Diesel Railcar services, fully air-conditioned day-trains with reclining seats and airline-style meals included in the fare; unlike all other Thai passenger trains, they can match buses for speed, but cannot carry bicycles.
• Third class (chan saam) is the cheapest way to travel in Thailand, with virtually nominal fares, and can be great fun. As a farang (foreigner) you're guaranteed to be the centre of attention, so be prepared. Some 3rd class trains have wooden seats, others are upholstered; some services can be pre-booked, others cannot; refreshments are available from hawkers who roam the aisles. No air-conditioning, but since there are fans in the ceiling and the cars are lined with huge, wide-open windows, so there's plenty of wind. It's only really hot under the midday sun and when the train is stopped.

Tickets may be purchased on-line from the official SRT ticketing site D-Ticket or various resellers such as 12go. Tickets may be purchased from 60 days in advance to two hours before departure. Within Thailand, the 24-hour SRT hotline is 1690 and they have English-speaking operators. Reserved tickets must be paid for at one of the larger train stations in Bangkok by 22:00 the next day. This service is not available outside of Bangkok. The official D-Ticket website is not easy to use: tourists report problems with incomplete translations on the English version of the website, as well as with registering an account and setting up payment methods. If you search for Bangkok on D-Ticket, no trains will be found (January 2023). This is because from 19/01/23, SRT trains leave Bangkok from the new Krung Thep Aphiwat station, so use this name to search for Bangkok trains. As a result, some tourists prefer to buy from agents like 12go, that have easy-to-use websites and English-speaking customer service. Agents all charge extra fees for their services.

You can ship your motorbike on the same train on which you travel. All trains do not have baggage cars, so check with the ticket office. Shipping costs for motorbikes are roughly equivalent to the price of a first-class ticket on the same train. You can take your bicycle on any train for a fixed fee of 90 baht. You can change tickets at the station (not less than 1 hour before your original train's departure) for a small fee. Tickets are also refundable: the fee for refunding a ticket more than 3 days prior to departure is 20% of the ticket price; the fee for refunding between 3 days and 1 hour before departure is 50%.

Full information regarding routes, timetables and up-to-date ticket costs along with interesting videos can be found at seat61.com.

Buses travel throughout the country and the government's bus company BKS (บขส Baw Kaw Saw), known in English simply as the Transport Company, has a terminal in every province of any size.

Generally speaking, BKS buses are a good option for both price and comfort. There are also private buses sanctioned by BKS, which operate on the same routes from the same terminals with the same fares, and these are also fine. The ones to watch out for are the illegal bus companies, which operate from tourist areas (especially Khao San Road) and subsidize slightly cheaper tickets with worse amenities, schedules and safety. In particular, beware of non-government "VIP" buses, which often turn out to be cramped minivans - and you'll only find this out after paying in advance.

The basic BKS bus types, from the most luxurious to the most basic, are:

• VIP - Blue and white/silver with a pink stripe, 32 seats or less, reclining seats (typically 135 degrees) with good legroom. Generally take the most direct routes and make very few stops. Always air-conditioned, freshly laundered shrink-wrapped blanket, water and a snack provided. On overnight trips, a Thai meal at a long (25-30 minutes) stop in the middle of the night is normally included, a small separate ticket (written entirely in Thai) is often given at the start of the journey for that purpose; if not, just follow the other passengers. Toilet on board for all but the shortest services. Somewhat (25-30%, which amounts to 100-180 baht for a typical overnight route) more expensive than the first class. Available only on more busy routes, like Bangkok to Chiang Mai or Phuket.
• First class (ชั้น 1 chan neung) - Blue and white. As fast and almost as comfortable as VIP buses, with otherwise identical services, but packs in around 40 seats with a little less recline, sometimes up to 60 on double-decker services. Good enough and often the best class available for medium- to long-distance trips.
• Second class (ชั้น 2 chan song) - Blue and white with a prominent red stripe, usually 45-48 seats per bus, air conditioned (some provide blankets, some do not). Often takes a less direct route than 1st class/VIP and has more stops. Most have no on-board toilet, although the frequent stops mean this isn't a problem. Not much (10-20%) cheaper than the First class, and significantly slower, worth using if there's no better choice available to your destination.
• Express (rot duan) - Identifiable by their orange/red colour. Despite the name, these are slower than any of the options above, and only barely faster than local buses. Size varies, with the largest having around 65 seats (five seats per row) as well as an open space across the width of the bus by the back door for you to sling your backpack, bicycle, sack of rice, live chickens, etc. Not air conditioned.
• Local - Very slow, can be cramped when full (nevertheless there's always room for one more), and stop at every village and cowshed along the way. Many are of larger songthaew flavour. Not suitable for long-distance travel, but may be the only cheap way to get around locally.

• BKS bus types

A particular bus always operates on the same route, so the route is often painted onto the bus itself. While signage up front may be only written in Thai, especially on local services, on BKS buses the destinations are always stenciled onto the side in English as well. Some buses may have TVs and sound systems blaring, so earplugs are well worth having, just in case. On long-haul buses, if your ticket allocates you a front seat, you may have to switch seats if a monk boards.

If you are travelling a long distance on a daytime bus, take a minute to figure out the sunny side and the shady side of the bus. For example, going from Chiang Mai to Bangkok on a 09:00 bus (south), seats on the right side will be bathed in sunlight all day (curtains are provided), so the left side is preferred by most.

Tickets for BKS buses can be booked online directly at the official website. For other companies, travel agencies and online ticketing systems such as 12go.asia can be useful. Other reputable tour bus companies include:

• Green Bus Co. (Chiang Mai-based).
• Nakhonchaiair Co., Ltd.
• Phetprasert
• Sombat Tour Co., Ltd.

A word of warning: travel agencies, particularly those on Bangkok's Khao San Road, are keen to sell you VIP bus tickets. Despite the name, these private buses are often inferior to the public ones: it's not uncommon to end up in some cramped minivan and have to change several times along the way, and theft can be a problem as well. It's better to do as the Thais do and stick to public buses, but if you must, keep your valuables with you and don't put anything you can't afford to lose in the storage under the bus.

A songthaew (สองแถว) is a truck-based vehicle with a pair of bench seats in the back, one on either side — hence the name, which means "two rows" in Thai. In English tourist literature, they're occasionally called "minibuses". By far the most common type is based on a pick-up truck and has a roof and open sides. Larger types start life as small lorries, and may have windows, and an additional central bench; smaller types are converted micro-vans, with a front bench facing backwards and a rear bench facing forwards.

Songthaews are operated extensively as local buses (generally the most economical way to travel shorter distances) and also as taxis; sometimes the same vehicle will be used for both. Be careful if asking a songthaew to take you to someplace if there is nobody in the back, the driver might charge you the taxi price. In this case, check the price of the ride before embarking.

The main ride hailing app is Grab, which took over Uber's former South-east Asian operations, including that of Thailand. Grab is generally available in larger cities and beach destinations. Grab fares are typically up to 2x as expensive as taxis, but prices are fixed, navigation is easy and you can easily pay by credit card.

Note, many tourist routes and popular destinations have highly inflated, fixed prices. Instead of inquiring a direct ride there, try choosing a nearby destination, maybe 300-500 m away, and you will often see the price drop from 400 baht to just 40 baht. Likewise, walk away from any touristy place in case you only get highly inflated quotes in the app. Just play around a little with pickup and dropoff point, and you will get a feel for how quickly and considerably prices change.

Other ride hailing apps include Bolt and inDrive. These are typically cheaper than Grab, but are available in fewer cities, and drivers often refuse fares from them as they can make more money off Grab.

The name tuk-tuk is used to describe a wide variety of small/lightweight vehicles. The vast majority have three wheels; some are entirely purpose-built (e.g., the ubiquitous Bangkok tuk-tuk), and others are partially based on motorcycle components (primarily engines, steering, front suspension, fuel tank, driver's seat). A relatively recent development is the four-wheeled tuk-tuk (basically a microvan-songthaew) as found in Phuket.

Tuk-tuks are small, noisy, and perhaps dangerous; but possibly the worst thing about them is that, as a passenger, you cannot see anything due to the low roof line. To catch even a glimpse of the passing scene you will find yourself practically supine.

You will often find yourself at the mercy of the tuk-tuk driver when it comes to pricing as you will likely have no clue as to the acceptable raa kaa Thai ("Thai price") and will probably have to cough up a raa kaa farang ("farang price"). Even if you do know the Thai price, the driver may just not bother to accept it on principle. If you pay with a larger denomination bill, it is also probable that the driver will whine that no change is available. If this happens, try to break the note in a nearby shop.

In Bangkok, it is possible to hail shared electrical tuk-tuks using the MuvMi app. This app will let you order routes between pre-defined pick-up and drop-off points in the same neighbourhood. This is very convenint to join the nearest MRT or BTS station.

Metered taxis are ubiquitous in Bangkok and starting to become more popular in Chiang Mai, but rare elsewhere in the country. When available, they are an excellent means of transport - insist on the meter. Beware of taxis which idle around touristy areas and wait for people. They are looking for a tourist who will take their taxi without using a meter. Instead, try to flag down a taxi moving down the street, or use a taxi stand where the locals are queueing. Always insist on the meter, and use another taxi if the driver refuses to turn it on. Most drivers do not speak English, so be sure to have your hotel staff write the names of your destinations in Thai to show the driver.

Minivan services are ubiquitous, although under the radar as minivans typically are anonymous grey Toyota vans with no company markings. They serve shorter routes, such as Krabi to Phuket, about 180 km or Bangkok to Hua Hin, about 200 km. The purported advantage of taking a minibus is speed, as they move quickly once they get going. Disadvantages are that they are expensive compared with standard bus travel, they can be uncomfortable as they are usually crammed full, and they offer little room for luggage. Take minivans from bus stations. Do not take minivans that offer to pick you up at your hotel. They will pick you up, but then you will spend the next hour driving to other hotels to pick up more passengers. You will then be driven to an aggregator where all the collected passengers will disembark to wait for the minivan to their respective destinations. Then you will likely be driven to a bus station to change to a third and final minivan. Better just to sleep in, then go to bus station to book your (cheaper) minivan ticket, thus saving 2 hours of pointless discomfort.

Thailand's roads are head and shoulders above those of its neighbors Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, and have seen major improvements since the late 2010s. However, driving habits are still quite dangerous. Drunk driving, speeding and reckless passing are common, and bus and taxi drivers (especially for private companies) work inhuman shifts and often take drugs to stay awake, with predictable and tragic results. Lately, road blocks and strict policing are being implemented quite often in an attempt to address the situation but it may still take same time for the results to start bearing fruit. There are an estimated 24,000 fatalities on Thai roads annually. It's common for motorbikes — even police! — to drive close to the curb on the wrong side of the road. Death tolls sky-rocket around major holidays, especially Songkran, when bystanders often throw water on passing cars and bikes. Many drivers forget to switch on headlights at night, multiplying risks, and it is wise to avoid or minimize overnight travel by road.

Unlike in its neighbours (except Malaysia), traffic moves on the left side of the road in Thailand and Thai cars are generally right-hand drive. Most official road directional signs are bilingual and written in both Thai and English.

Renting a car to explore on your own is a cost-effective way of getting off the beaten track if you are with a 4-person group, and will avoid the constant hassle of haggling with local taxi/tuk-tuk drivers. Most major roads are marked in both Thai and English and traffic culture is not as bad as some might lead you to believe. Keep a sharp lookout in both mirrors from passing traffic including 18-wheelers and scooters. If you travel with one companion and have a motorbike license, it's worth it exploring the possibilities of using small automatic gearbox 125/150cc step-on bikes to do shorter local excursions and use other mass means of transport for longer travel distances between cities and towns. It's quite safe to use these bikes and it allows one to appreciate the landscapes, if you stick to moderate speeds and keep to the left hand side of the road, like the local bikers do.

Traffic on major highways moves at 100-120 km/h, while smaller highways are generally 80 km/h. Gas stations are common and most Thai are more than willing to give directions in spite of any language barriers.

Drive very defensively at first and watch what the locals do. Of course, it helps if you are accustomed to driving on the left side of the road, which in itself could be enough to distract some Western drivers.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is illegal and dangerous, and driving at night also increased the risk of accidents — even if you're sober, many others aren't.

As is the case throughout virtually all of Southeast Asia, motorcycles (motosai) are the most common form of transport overall; the most popular type are the 100 cc-125 cc step-through models. However, according to the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013, Thailand in 2010 had 38.1 road fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants. This is the second highest in the world. 74% of those fatalities involved "motorized two or three wheelers". Motorcyclists (including passengers) are required to wear crash helmets and to keep their headlights switched on at all times.

Motorcycles can be rented without difficulty in many locations. Rates start at around 125 baht/day for recent 100-125 cc semi-automatic (foot-operated gear change, automatic clutch) step-through models, 150 baht/day for fully automatic scooters; larger capacity models can also easily be found, although the rates reflect the risks: up to around 2,500 baht/day for the very latest model high capacity sport bikes, such as the Honda CBR1000RR. In all cases, lower prices will apply if paying upfront for more than a week or so; in some cases, long-distance travel may be prohibited. Motorcycle rentals do not include insurance, and both motorcycling accidents and motorbike thefts are common.

Many places will rent to you without requiring a license, but legally speaking you must have a valid Thai license or International Driver's Permit. Often a deposit will be required; sometimes a passport photocopy, or even the passport itself will be requested (Don't do this. Bargain to leave some baht instead). An International Driver's Permit may be used for a maximum of 90 days; having one might lead to requesting your passport to see the entrance stamp, another reason not to leave your passport at the renting company. Helmets are normally included, but are usually ultra-basic models with very flimsy chin-strap fasteners. If you're intending to travel by motorcycle and have a good quality helmet at home, then bring it with you. If supplied a helmet with a chin-cup (many cheap rental helmets are), slide the cup up the strap out of the way and securely fasten the bare strap directly under the jaw, as this is much safer.

Insurance is usually not included (or even available), so try to ensure in advance that the insurance you leave home with is going to cover you; alternatively, arrange cover with an insurance broker locally in Thailand. If you rent a vehicle without insurance and it's damaged or stolen (take photos of the bike at the time of rental!), the bottom line is that you will be required to pay in full the cost of repairing or replacing it. Furthermore, some travel insurance policies will only provide medical cover in the event of an accident if you hold a motorcycle license in your home country.

Police enforcement varies widely in sense of quantity and arbitrariness, but in tourist areas spot checks for helmets and/or licenses are commonplace. However, even if everything is in place, police might try to extort money from you. If you are sure you are in the right, stand your ground. Otherwise, most tourist will just happily pay the fine to continue their travels and avoid any hassle. Fines are light (typically 500 baht), and usually you will get a ticket allowing you to continue driving for another 3 days before you can be fined again. While you might feel like it's worth standing your ground, the inconvenience can be considerable as offender's vehicle and/or driver's license is impounded until the fine is paid, and the queue at the police station can be lengthy. There exist many blogs and groups on the internet dedicated to up-to-date information regarding checkpoint locations. But in addition, it will help if you don't look like the typical tourist if you want to avoid being stopped, i.e. wear long and inconspicuous pants and sleeves, a helmet with darkened visor, and avoid having a large backpack on your back.

Some border crossings allow motorcycles through. At those which do, documentation including proof of ownership must be produced (with the possible exception of day visits to Payathonzu, Myanmar via Three Pagodas Pass).

Driving your own car in Thailand is not for the faint-hearted, and many rental companies can supply drivers at a very reasonable price. Prices without insurance for a self-driven car start from around 800 baht/day for small cars, and from as little as 600 baht/day for open-topped Jeeps. Cars with insurance start at just under 1,000 baht/day, and come down to around 5,600 baht/week or 18,000 baht/month.

Most international companies can be found in Thailand. Also check guides to particular cities for reputable local car rental companies, which are often a little cheaper. You can choose among international companies such as Budget, Avis or you can choose to book with local company like www.thailandcarsrentals.com. Check the documentation and make sure that everything is done according to rules. Perform required checks and notify the car company about any damage before using the vehicle.

Driving is (usually, but not always!) on the left hand side of the road. Fuel at large petrol stations is 37-45 baht/litre. Small kerbside vendors who pump by hand from drums and/or pour from bottles charge a few baht more.

Cars can be rented without difficulty in many locations. It's worth paying a little more than the absolute minimum to use one of the international franchises (e.g. Avis, Budget, and Hertz) to minimize the risk of hassles, and to ensure that any included insurance is actually worth something.

More reputable agencies require that valid licences be produced. Foreigners who do not have a Thai driving licence must carry a valid International Driving Permit unless their licence is from an ASEAN country and written in English. Even if you manage to rent a car without an IDP, not having one will invalidate the insurance and count against you in the event of an accident.

A common rental scam involves the owner taking a deposit, and then later refusing to refund it in full on the basis that the customer is responsible for previous damage; the Tourist Police (dial 1155) may be able to help. Another common scam involves the owner having someone follow the rented vehicle and later "steal" it, using a set of spare keys. Always report thefts: a "stolen" vehicle may mysteriously turn up as soon as the police become involved.

One of the Thais' many names for themselves is jao naam, the Water Lords, and from the river expresses of Bangkok to the fishing trawlers of Phuket, boats remain an indispensable way of getting around many parts of the country.

Perhaps the most identifiably Thai boat is the longtail boat (reua hang yao), a long, narrow wooden boat with the propeller at the end of a long "tail" stretching from the boat. This makes them supremely manoeuvrable even in shallow waters, but they're a little underpowered for longer trips and you'll get wet if it's even a little choppy. Longtails usually act as taxis that can be chartered, although prices vary widely. Figure on 300-400 baht for a few hours' rental, or up to 1,500 baht for a full day. In some locations like Krabi, longtails run along set routes and charge fixed prices per passenger.

Modern, air-conditioned speedboat services, sometimes ferries (departure every 30 min) also run from the Surat Thani to popular islands like Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan. Truly long-distance services (e.g., Bangkok to any other major city) have, however, effectively ceased to exist as buses, planes, and even trains are faster. Safety measures are rudimentary and ferries and speedboats do sink occasionally, so avoid overloaded ships in poor weather, and scope out the nearest life jackets when on board. As of November 2018, ferry service is available between Hua Hin and Pattaya, a 2.5-hour journey for 1,250 Thai Baht on a catamaran with a maximum capacity of 340.

Also, the Seahorse Ferry runs between Sattahip and Songkhla, but it has been in "annual conditioning" since July 2023. Supposedly, it will resume service as quickly as possible.

Thailand is an easy country to hitch-hike in and a great way to experience the non-touristy side of the country. While train is generally quite cheap, compared to other modes of (tourist) transport this can be a good way of travelling on a shoe-string. Sometimes you won't even have to out up you thumb, locals seeing some Westerners walking in the scorching sun the Buddhist attitude will often have them stopping and trying to help.

In general, you should avoid large highways though where it is hard for people to stop. Also, it seems two people (even guys) are more likely to be picked up than one.

Note, it is not unusual for people to invite you to ride on their (sometimes dirty) pickup's load area and you will see many Thais doing the same. If this is an issue for you, it's better not to hitch-hike in Thailand.