Top Ten things to know about the Bangkok Skytrain (BTS)

By The Thaiger

 

 

Bangkok Transit System, better known by locals and tourists as the ‘Skytrain’, is as ubiquitous in Bangkok as good street food and fake Viagra.

 

It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTSC), a subsidiary of BTS Group Holdings, under a concession granted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

 

The system consists of 43 stations along two lines: the Sukhumvit Line running northwards and eastwards, terminating at Mo Chit and Kheha respectively, and the Silom Line which serves Silom and Sathon Roads, the central business district of Bangkok, terminating at National Stadium and Bang Wa.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/top-ten-things-to-know-about-the-bangkok-skytrain-bts

 

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-05-13

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They forgot to add one important warning to all BTS users.....take a wollen with you as it's a freezer at some hours in the trains !!

1 hour ago, observer90210 said:

They forgot to add one important warning to all BTS users.....take a wollen with you as it's a freezer at some hours in the trains !!

And to bring your own foldable chair....

3. Beware of gates slamming your balls!

11. Beware of idiots standing and blocking the carriage doors.

12. Beware of doors opening during transit!

13. Carry coins to avoid long queues at stations.

14. Be prepared to get some nasty smell from some commuters.

At some BTS stations be prepared to walk from the street to the second level- purchase your ticket- and then walk again up to the train platform.  Some stations do not have escalators or lifts making it difficult  for the disabled or  elderly to use the BTS.

They keep increasing the price by the minute but they still fail to understand how to make the service more user friendly and efficient ! Apart from lifts not working  and hardly any existent disables ramps I wonder when they will install coins change machines, which will reduce the queues at the windows, still a long way to go before becoming fully efficient ! The attendants hardly speak a word of english and needless to say they never answer the questions that you ask ???? useless ..

The most annoying thing is all the brainless people standing by the doors obstructing incoming and out going people ! I reckon it easer to train animals to talk than these useless folks ????????‍♂️

6 minutes ago, Ramdas said:

They keep increasing the price by the minute but they still fail to understand how to make the service more user friendly and efficient ! Apart from lifts not working  and hardly any existent disables ramps I wonder when they will install coins change machines, which will reduce the queues at the windows, still a long way to go before becoming fully efficient ! The attendants hardly speak a word of english and needless to say they never answer the questions that you ask ???? useless ..

The most annoying thing is all the brainless people standing by the doors obstructing incoming and out going people ! I reckon it easer to train animals to talk than these useless folks ????????‍♂️

Get a rabbit card and get rid of all those problems. Its so easy. 

Just need to know one fact that covers everything ... it sucks!!!


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They keep increasing the price by the minute but they still fail to understand how to make the service more user friendly and efficient ! Apart from lifts not working  and hardly any existent disables ramps I wonder when they will install coins change machines, which will reduce the queues at the windows, still a long way to go before becoming fully efficient ! The attendants hardly speak a word of english and needless to say they never answer the questions that you ask [emoji849] useless ..
The most annoying thing is all the brainless people standing by the doors obstructing incoming and out going people ! I reckon it easer to train animals to talk than these useless folks [emoji2359]

You cant blame these brainless idiots, most of them never used mass rapid transit before. Thats why people that have money and time still prefer to sit in their cars instead.

i just got my Rabbit Card and just swipe and go. no lines, no coins.

 

I don't live in Bangkok but I needed this to ride the all important Asok-Nana route.   

 

the new BTS train car was nice. the flatscreen that replaced the old maps over the door can be read across the car.    

 

it was however packed full like prisoners being taken to death camps.   

If you’re lucky enough to live close to a station it’s a absolute godsend. It’s fast, cheap and cool in the summer. Sure, there are queues sometimes but generally I think it’s a wonderful service. 

32 minutes ago, robblok said:

Get a rabbit card and get rid of all those problems. Its so easy. 

Got it already thanks ????

Almost always chokka now, compared to, say, 5 years ago.

 

The price of success. And of failure to continue investing & upgrading.

 

Modernity continues to evade Thailand's best efforts ...

30 minutes ago, shady86 said:

41 minutes ago, Ramdas said:

They keep increasing the price by the minute but they still fail to understand how to make the service more user friendly and efficient ! Apart from lifts not working  and hardly any existent disables ramps I wonder when they will install coins change machines, which will reduce the queues at the windows, still a long way to go before becoming fully efficient ! The attendants hardly speak a word of english and needless to say they never answer the questions that you ask useless ..
The most annoying thing is all the brainless people standing by the doors obstructing incoming and out going people ! I reckon it easer to train animals to talk than these useless folks

You cant blame these brainless idiots, most of them never used mass rapid transit before. Thats why people that have money and time still prefer to sit in their cars instead.

I believe the voice over the speaker keeps telling them to go further in the carriage only every time they open the doors, still they ignore even though it’s in their language, as I said it’s easer to teach animals to talk than these savages wether rich or poor they behave the same way, the latter are the worst !

The BTS used to be great, but now it's an overcrowded mess pretty much all day long. They desperately need to add capacity.

3 hours ago, Youlike said:

And to bring your own foldable chair....

and just where would one "unfold the chair" silly comment.....

24 minutes ago, TEFLKrabi said:

If you’re lucky enough to live close to a station it’s a absolute godsend. It’s fast, cheap and cool in the summer. Sure, there are queues sometimes but generally I think it’s a wonderful service. 

You obviously don’t know better ..and no it’s not cheap at all ! Considering that you can’t even get in at peak hours ????

do whatever is necessary - to make your knees too uncomfortable for someone else to sit on them

if that does not work, then also place wrists on knees, fingers upturned - to tickle the booty of whoever tries to sit on them

1 hour ago, shady86 said:

3. Beware of gates slamming your balls!

11. Beware of idiots standing and blocking the carriage doors.

12. Beware of doors opening during transit!

13. Carry coins to avoid long queues at stations.

14. Be prepared to get some nasty smell from some commuters.

you forgot to add, fast, efficient, clean and a hundred, maybe even a thousand, times better than the Underground/subway in either London or New York. Never seen or experienced any of the things on your list in BKK . 

Don't make the assumption I did that Morchit Bus Station and Morchit BTS are on the same site. I was nearly late for an important appointment at UK Embassy by thinking I could hop off the bus and quickly step into a train. Morchit BTS is mis-named as the bus station was built first.

Edited May 13, 20197 yr by joebrown
correct spelling mistake

BTS best thing to happen to Bangkok. Wouldn't live here without it.

Lots of stupid farang cant seem to figure out when peak hours are

12 minutes ago, Ramdas said:

You obviously don’t know better ..and no it’s not cheap at all ! Considering that you can’t even get in at peak hours ????

It is not cheap, but not expensive either.

Depends on which part and how you are travelling.

From the start to the end, it is much much cheaper then taxi and more convenient then bahtbus.

On shorter distances I go walking or hop on the bus, even in high traffic hours.

 

 

you forgot to add, fast, efficient, clean and a hundred, maybe even a thousand, times better than the Underground/subway in either London or New York. Never seen or experienced any of the things on your list in BKK . 

I'm a daily user of Bts during rush hours and comparing to subways In Singapore, China and Japan which is cheaper, more efficient and user friendly.

Why compare to the West, they are way behind Asia in terms of connectivity. Always compare to somewhere who is better if you want improvement.

9 minutes ago, joebrown said:

Don't make the assumption I did that Morchit Bus Station and Morchit BTS are on the same site. I was nearly late for an important appointment at UK Embassy by thinking I could hop off the bus and quickly step into a train. Morchit BTS is mis-named as the bus station was built first.

Always called Morchit 2 for the busstation, and so are the busses to the station.

BTS Morchit most call it BTS Jatuchack, even if the name is BTS Mo Chit.

Has to do with the MRT Chatuchak Park which is right under it and the park itself.

Just now, shady86 said:

I'm a daily user of Bts during rush hours and comparing to subways In Singapore, China and Japan which is cheaper, more efficient and user friendly.

Why compare to the West, they are way behind Asia in terms of connectivity. Always compare to somewhere who is better if you want improvement.

Japan better, you have got to be kidding me? I tried it a few times, never again, cattle have it better.  Singapore I agree with, but Bangkok is good too. 

...and please take off your backpack. 

If you are traveling in a group, sometimes taking a taxi is cheaper and more convenient.

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Get a rabbit card and get rid of all those problems. Its so easy. 

is 'rabbit card' the 150thb DAILY card ??? or is there an weekly/monthly card ??

Japan better, you have got to be kidding me? I tried it a few times, never again, cattle have it better.  Singapore I agree with, but Bangkok is good too. 

Look at their number of train carriages and ticket gates. Coverage and connectivity is superb. Bts is still stuck with 4 carriages and 5 ticket gates for most of the stations. They prefer to rent the space to kiosks selling drinks rather to invest in more gates and train carriages. You can see people queuing until BRT station at Chong Nonsi during rush hours due to the 5 ticket gates (not sure if increased).

Just now, murraynz said:

is 'rabbit card' the 150thb DAILY card ??? or is there an weekly/monthly card ??

The rabbit is a prepaid card, topup with cash and the fare is deducted when you check out trough the gate.

 

The daily card is for unlimited usage on one day.

There is/was a week unlimited card too.

 

And you can buy a pack (15 trips) and put it on the Rabbit card.

Which is only usefull if you make long distances on the BTS regulary, for this an second rabbit card come in handy.

For short distances, use the one way fare method.