I want to be a certified backpacker; well at least I’m trying to be one. I want to experience exploring in a new place with all my things just packed in my backpack.
Thailand is a popular destination for backpackers and I thought this will be a good start for me to be one.
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| Suvarnabhumi Airport |
TRAVEL TIP: Ride all the local transportation as much as possible, be closer to the local people, and get acquainted with the place’s culture, up close.
I want to share with you how transportation system is like in Thailand’s capital city,
Bangkok. It’s good to see that even though Bangkok has progressed greatly over the years, they still haven’t seized their early mode of transportation, the
Bangkok State Railway. Now I agree with the ideas I've known before that train systems are the city’s road to industrialization.
I’m amazed of Bangkok’s State Railway because it is still fully operational and still offers a lot of train routes heading to various places of Thailand.
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| Bang Sue [bang-soo] Train Station |
For instance visiting
Ayutthaya City on the northern part of Thailand, you can ride a train from Bangkok’s
Hua Lamphong Station via the
Northern Line. The trip takes around 90 minutes and costs around
THB 20 for a 3
rd class yet a comfortable seat. The train regularly departs everyday from 6:30 AM so no need to be worried not to catch a train ride. :)
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| Ayutthaya Bound Train Station |
When you are a first time traveler in Thailand just like me, arriving Bangkok’s airport and going to the city central is very convenient. After passing through the Thai Immigration and getting your luggage, exit the arrival area and go to the main lobby.
Then
head down to the Basement to which the
Airport Rail Link (SARL) is located.
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| SARL Train at Bangkok Airport |
From the airport going to the last train station of SARL,
Phaya Thai Station, it will only take around 30 – 45 minutes and costs around
THB 40 –
THB 50. Not only you will pay less, you will still have equal comfort!
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| Train token vending machine |
TRAVEL TIP: Roaming around Bangkok, there are a lot of transportation options to choose from. It depends on what area you want to go and what’s the cheapest and safest option to have. If the place you wanna go is near the Bangkok
MRT Stations or
BTS Stations, I highly suggest riding the Bangkok Trains. It is fast, convenient, highly-organized and safe. Well the downside is that it is a bit expensive.
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| Train turnstile using contactless token |
Petchaburi Station Bang Sue Station
If the place is not near the train stations, the
TAXI should be your next option. There are a lot of “
colorful” taxis in Bangkok. Yes, I did mean it is colorful. Always politely ask the driver to use the taximeter rather than them dictating the price. If they don’t agree with this suggestion, put on your smile, get out of the taxi, and politely say thank you. There are a lot of taxis available in the city so it would not be a problem.
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| There it is, the PINK Taxi! |
TRAVEL TIP: The taxi’s flag down rate is
THB 35 and increments regularly depending on the distance and time it takes for you to arrive at your destination. You may find some online Bangkok Taxi Calculator to have an idea prior.
Crossing the famous
Chao Praya River, you can easily go to
Wat Arun from Tha Tien Pier, near
Wat Pho Temple, through their express ferry. The ferry operates regularly until 8PM and it only costs
THB 3.
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| Tha Tien Pier |
Last mode of transportation I would recommend is the
Tuk-Tuk. Tuk-Tuk is very and cheap but some tuk-tuk drivers tend to fool you around especially when you’re new in Bangkok.
Yes, I am a living casualty of their “
tuk-tuk moves”. It may cost you cheaper but be mindful though because they might bring you to some places first such as the Information Center, expensive River cruise trip, and other places to which they can earn referral commissions.
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| Yes, he did his "Tuk-Tuk moves"! |
Visiting
Cambodia from Bangkok, there are a lot of options to choose from heading to the border,
Aranyaprathet; bus, taxi, and train. Well, what are the pros and cons? Check out my “
opinion table” below about the transportation options:
| TRAIN | BUS | TAXI |
Availability | Departs Bangkok's Hua Lamphong twice everyday (5:55 AM and 1:35 PM) | A lot of buses available going to Aranyaprathet | Available anywhere and anytime |
Travel Time | 5 - 6 hours | 4 – 5 hours | 3 – 4 hours |
Comfort | 3rd class non-airconditioned seats | Air-conditioned seats | Air-conditioned seats |
Safety | SAFEST | Somehow safe
(but takes a lot of stops) | Very Safe |
Price | THB 48 (cheapest!) | THB 230 | THB 2,000 |
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| Hua Lamphong Station |
I highly recommend riding the train because it is very safe, heads directly to
Aranyaprathet without detour stops, passes the rural areas of Thailand, and the best of all - you will surely meet fellow tourists and backpackers alike! :)
