Do Bangkok buses operate on both color and number?

[thedan663]

Hello all,

 

I have a very convenient bus that can take me straight from home to work. It's Bus 44, normally a yellow, air-con bus. Today, a red, non-air con bus came with the number 44 on the outside. I figured same number, same route. Instead, everyone got off at Mo Chit BTS and the bus ride finished. 

 

Do the buses in Bangkok operate on both color and number? Do I need to make sure I take a yellow bus rather than red bus?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Buses in BKK can be a very confusing issue... But I'll take a stab at it.

 

AFAIK, the difference between the old red non-AC buses and the newer orange AC buses does not automatically mean the route will be different even for the same number buses.  But it does definitely mean the bus fare will be different: the red buses can be either free at times or lower cost, while the orange AC buses have higher fares that I think can vary by how long of a trip you take.

 

That said, buses with the same number can often have different (longer or shorter) routes, regardless of their color. Oftentimes, the buses with non-standard routes will have a colored placard in the front window in Thai language indicating where the bus route will end short of the normal end point. Sometimes, AFAIK, a bus with the same line number can have a single Thai character after the number indicating an altered route.

 

Quote

Buses with blue signs in the front window traffic the normal route. Buses with yellow signs take the expressway and do therefore not stop at at many stops.

https://www.transitbangkok.com/bangkok_buses.html

[1FinickyOne]

Stick to what works... 

[PerkinsCuthbert]

Red and cream non-a/c buses are operated by BMTA, their fare is 6.5B no matter how far you go. Yellow and some old blue/white a/c bus fares depend on distance and generally range from 11B to 23B, depending on route number.

What complicates matters is that both a/c and non-a/c may take the expressway for part of their route as a departure from the 'regular' route. As stated above, this will be made clear by a sign on the kerbside in the windshield. These are generally, but not always, colour-coded, and they will usually, but not always, have the word 'Expressway' written in English as well as Thai (ทางด่วน). Further complication may be added by the fact that the bus may stop short of the full route distance, as happened to the OP at Mochit. This will also be signalled by a sign, usually in red letters on a white board, in the same position in the windshield, which gives the destination in Thai and occasionally in English. The conductor (colloquially called the "กระเป๋าสตางค์" - "krapao satang") will sometimes be calling out the destination too at each stop, for the benefit of embarking passengers, if the bus is going to stop short of the full route.

[Cadbury]

One thing to keep in mind is that the red and blue buses have set fares so it doesn't matter where you get on or off. With yellow buses, A/C, you need to tell them where you want to get off and that will determine the fare.

Buses can sometimes be free as I found out when catching bus no. 34 at Mot Chit BTS to go to Anasawari. Big saving of 7 baht! 

Red and blue buses can be a bit cluncky and you can sometimes be tossed around if you are standing. But yellow buses are quite comfortable if you get a seat. I find them most convenient. I often catch yellow bus no, 40 in Ramkamhaeng Rd and it takes exactly to where I want to go in the city which is Ploeanchit. All for about 15 baht.

I urge people to try the buses. Can often be hassle free unlike some taxis. For relatively long distance city travelling I sometimes catch a bus for large part of the journey and then take a taxi for the last part to the door.