Bangkok BTS Skytrain and MRT Guide

Short version: the BTS and the MRT are the only reliable way to get across Bangkok during rush hour. Walk to a station, ride, walk to your destination. Everything else is taxi or Grab.

What runs in Bangkok

• BTS Skytrain – above-ground, the workhorse for tourist travel. Two lines: Sukhumvit (light green) and Silom (dark green).
• MRT – underground, more limited but expanding. Blue Line connects to the BTS at multiple stations.
• Airport Rail Link – City Line and Express. Suvarnabhumi to Phaya Thai.
• Chao Phraya river boats – the orange, blue, and yellow line boats. Cheaper than BTS, more scenic, slower.

The BTS, MRT, and Airport Rail Link don’t share a single ticket. Two stored-value cards (Rabbit for BTS, MRT for MRT) cover the bus and train system.

The BTS lines that matter

Sukhumvit Line (light green)

Runs east-west through the heart of central Bangkok, plus a long northern branch and a long eastern branch. The stops you care about:

• Mo Chit – Chatuchak Weekend Market, Don Mueang airport bus connections.
• Ari – the slow, local neighborhood.
• Victory Monument – transit hub for the boat-noodles strip.
• Phaya Thai – Airport Rail Link to BKK.
• Ratchathewi – Jim Thompson House.
• Siam – central interchange to the Silom line. Siam Paragon, Siam Center.
• Chit Lom – Central World mall, Erawan Shrine.
• Phloen Chit – Central Embassy mall, Rosewood Bangkok.
• Nana – nightlife strip.
• Asok – interchange to the MRT Blue line. Terminal 21 mall.
• Phrom Phong – the Em-District (EmQuartier, EmSphere, Emporium).
• Thong Lor and Ekkamai – nightlife and restaurants.

Silom Line (dark green)

Runs from Siam south through Silom and out to Bang Wa. Stops:

• National Stadium – Siam Square area.
• Siam – interchange to Sukhumvit line.
• Ratchadamri – Lumpini Park north entrance.
• Sala Daeng – interchange to MRT. Silom street food.
• Chong Nonsi – Sky Bar at Lebua nearby.
• Saint Louis – under-the-radar neighborhood with Mahanakhon SkyWalk.
• Surasak – Sukhothai Hotel.
• Saphan Taksin – the riverside hotels and Sathorn Pier.

The MRT Blue line

Connects to the BTS at Asok, Sala Daeng, and Mo Chit. Useful for:

• Sukhumvit – interchange to BTS Asok.
• Hua Lamphong – Bangkok’s old central train station.
• Sam Yot – Chinatown.
• Sanam Chai – walking distance to Wat Pho and the Grand Palace.

The new MRT extension across the river connects to Wat Arun without needing a boat.

How to pay

For a 3-day Bangkok trip with kids, single-ride tickets from the station machine are fine. Around 16 to 62 baht each ride.

For a longer trip, get a Rabbit Card at a BTS station counter. Load it with 200 to 500 baht. Tap in, tap out, same as any modern transit system.

The MRT uses a separate MRT Card with the same model.

There’s no real Bangkok-wide unified card yet. You can also buy a one-day BTS pass (140 baht) for unlimited rides if you’ll be using it a lot in one day.

When to take BTS vs taxi vs Grab

• Rush hour (7 to 9am, 4 to 7pm), going further than a few km: BTS or MRT, every time.
• Walking range to a station, both ends: BTS.
• Off-peak hours, not near a station: taxi or Grab.
• Late night (after 10pm): taxi or Grab. The BTS shuts around midnight.
• Heavy rain: taxi (you’ll get drenched walking to the station).

Taxis and Grab

• Taxis are colorful (pink, green-yellow, orange, blue). All are metered, all are cheap by Western standards. Get in, say “by meter please”. Don’t negotiate.
• Grab is Thailand’s rideshare app. Works like Uber. Slight premium over street taxis but no language friction, transparent pricing, and you can see the car coming.
• Tuk-tuks look fun but are usually slower and more expensive than a taxi. Ride one once for the experience. Don’t use them as a regular transport mode.

What to skip

• Songtaews in central Bangkok (truck-buses). Tourist trap most of the time.
• Bangkok buses. Slow, no English, no aircon on the older ones. Skip unless you’re an adventurous local-experience traveler.
• Motorbike taxis. Fine for locals, not worth the risk for tourists.

For the airport breakdown, see the Bangkok airport guide. For where to stay near which BTS station, see the Bangkok neighborhoods guide.