River and Canal Boats, Bangkok

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The Chao Phraya river cuts right through Bangkok, and it is a central element of the transportation system. A fleet of swift taxis ply the river up and down all day long, cutting off around nightfall. But it is a terrific way to get close to the downtown area (and all the shopping and culture that it holds), as well as move up to the sights of the King's Palace and Wats Pho and Arun.

It is not necessarily the most luxury of ways to travel, as it is used by Thai residents on their daily commutes. To accommodate as many people as possible, the ticket takers try to pack you in, and during the rush hours it can be overflowing with people. But, it is a slice of real life of Bangkok, away from taxis and air conditioned rides, you are traveling amongst kids going to school, business men on their way to the office, families to the market.

Beyond a means of transportation, a trip up or down the river is a travel experience of itself, a highlight reel of the sights from the banks of the Chao Phraya. If you can grab a seat, relax and let the smell of the river and the skyline of the city wash over you. And for about 7-20 bhat, you can't find much better of a deal in the city.

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One of the most fun and cheapest ways of getting around central Bangkok is by express boat along the Chao Phraya River. The 21km route is served by 65 boats and operates between 6:00 am to 7:30 pm on weekdays and 6:00 am to 6:40 pm on weekends and holidays. Current prices are from 9 baht (Local line for distance within one zone) to 30 baht (for green-yellow flag trip on its entire route from Pakkret to Sathorn), depending on the type of boat and the distance travelled. I took the service a couple of times from the BTS Skytrain station at Saphan Taksin which is near the Sathon pier to Phra Pin Klao Bridge pier in order to get to the Southern Bus Station instead of getting a taxi through the centre of Bangkok. It's also a very scenic trip as you pass by the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, churches, Wichai Prasit Fort and some temples along the way.

But the location is fantastic for transport... I chose this hotel specifically to avoid buses and taxis. The hotel is slap-bang next to the Phra Athit pier, the express boats go quickly down the river to link with the Saphan Taksin BTS station. How more convenient could that be?

http://www.chaophrayaboat.co.th/routemap_fare_e.htm#

The Chao Phraya Express is a good way of getting around many of the main sights in Bangkok. From Tha Tien Pier (8) near Wat Po we used to local line to get to Khao San Road. Using the local line to can jump on the boat to Phra Arthit (13) which is the nearest pier to Khao San, this is a more effective way of getting there rather than tuk tuk or taxi.

The maps at the piers are relatively easy to use and each is named and numbered. Wait on the pier for your boat, wait for people to get off and hop on quickly before the whistle is blown in your ear! When you pull up alongside the piers look out for the sign and number if the pier you want because they are not announced on board and do not spend long at each one so you have to be real quick. They can get quite busy too with locals so it can be a hectic ride but lots of fun.

Tickets are bought on board when the conductor comes round. Our journey from Tha Tien to Phra Arthit was 20 bahts each, although this just seems to be the standard prices for every journey no matter what it is!

It is madness and still not quite sure I know what to do but the staff are helpful if you looking lost. Or just jump on and hope for the best.

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The Chao Phraya Express Boats are a cheap and efficient way to travel to various sights along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river.

There are several lines, connecting various piers along the river, and you can find a definitive route map here:

ROUTES

I was staying in Chinatown during my visit to the city in September 2007, so my nearest ferry pier was Pier #5: Ratchawong (also called Ratchavongse). All of my journeys on the express boats either began or ended here.

Usually, I would catch the boat from Ratchawong to either Pier #8: Tha Tien (the pier to disembark at if visiting Wat Pho) or Pier #9: Chang Luang (for visiting the Grand Palace). From Pier #8 it is possible to catch a connecting cross-river ferry to Wat Arun, a crossing which takes just two minutes.

I could never quite understand the pricing system of the boats. I was always charged 13 Bahts (approx. 0.20 GBP) when travelling from Pier #5 to Pier #9, but charged 18 Bahts (approx. 0.30 GBP) when traveling the shorter distance between Pier #5 and Pier #8. Either way, the fares are very cheap.

The journey time between Pier #5 and Piers #8 and #9 was roughly 10 minutes.

The boats arrive and leave from the piers very quickly. You have to get straight on and off or the boat will be gone before you get chance! The boats can seat perhaps 70 or 80 people, but all the seats were taken on all of my journeys, so I had to stand up at the back of the boat. There is a special standing section at the back right hand side which is reserved for monks.

At Pier #5, tickets are purchased from a small desk prior to boarding the boat. However, when traveling back from Pier #9, I paid a conductor who came around the boat collecting fares.

The Chao Phraya Express Boats are an efficient means of transport to many major sights, and a great, cheap way to see the city from the river!

I would readily admit that taking the Chao Phraya Express Boat along Bangkok's famous Chao Phraya River was kind of confusing to me at first. But once I sorted that out, it was actually a very convenient manner of travelling along the river.

You will first need to know that there are actually a few different lines, denoted by their flag colors. The basic local line (no flags) will stop at every pier, while the colored ones will skip over some piers. Details can be found here.

For example, if you are planning to get from the Central Pier (also known as Sathorn Pier, where Saphan Taksin BTS Station is located) to Tha Tien Pier (where Wat Pho, Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is located) you can either take the local line, or the Orange Flag Express Boat.

Based on the fare chart, it cost 11 baht on the local line, and a flat 13 baht for the Orange Flag Express Boat. The return trip however, will cost 13 baht on the local line, while still remaining 13 baht for the Orange Flag Express Boat. You can also time manage your trips in advance as they keep a pretty accurate schedule.

Note that there will be 2 platforms at the piers. If you are going leftwards, then please wait on the left platform and conversely, on the right platform if you are planning to go rightwards along the river. Otherwise, if there is nobody on the correct platform, the boat heading towards your intended direction will not stop and will bypass the pier.

Another thing to note is that there are 2 kinds of piers. One is for the Chao Phraya Express Boats that move along the river, and another is for you to take the 2 baht ferry boat across the river. You can identify which is which quite easily, since the ones for the Chao Phraya Express Boats will have 2 distinct side-by-side platforms for the purpose mentioned above.

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We took Chao Phraya Express to visit Wat Phra Keow, because it helps you to avoid traffic jams (although they are even worst at afternoon hours). We arrived at Saphan Taksin by Skytrain and from Sathorn Pier, we took, almost by chance, Chao Phraya Express. We were hurried to take it, so I was afraid that we had got into some of those very expensive touristic boats that go up and down the river. The men at the desk tried that we paid a ticket for the whole day (it cost 100 bahts), but we were planning to do a single trip, so we declined this fare. Single ticket cost 18 baths and you buy it at the boat. There is a person who gives indications through a loudspeaker about the sites at each stop (in English). Be aware of what you see around, and set your camera ready.
Cogimos el Chao Phraya Express para visitar Wat Phra Keow, porque ayuda a evitar los atascos (aunque son peores por la tarde). Llegamos a Saphan Taksin en Skytrain y desde el Muelle Sathorn cogimos, casi por casualidad, el CPE. Nos metieron prisa para que subieramos, asi que me temi que nos habiamos metido en alguno de esos barcos turisticos carisimos que van rio arriba y abajo. Los hombres del mostrador intentaban que comprasemos un ticket de todo el dia por 100 bahts, pero teniamos pensado hacer solo un viaje, asi que no aceptamos esta tarifa. El billete simple cuesto 18 bahts y lo compras dentro del barco. Hay una persona que va dando indicaciones por un altavoz (en ingles) sobre los sitios a los que se accede desde cada parada. Ve mirando el paisaje desde el barco y ten la camara preparada.

You can visit some of Bangkok's most charming riverside attractions by Chao Phraya Tourist Boat...It's special boat service to travel unlimited trips along the Chao Phraya River with boat guide who gives the information of piers and attraction places ...This trip'll begin at the Sathorn Pier near the Saphan Taksin Station and proceeds up the river to Phra Arthit Pier...and stopping at 10 major piers such as Visit the Grand Palace across from Chang Pier....(Ticket price ::: 100 Baht)

note ::: service is available daily from 9.30 to 15.00 hrs.