Public Transport To Bts

[cekipa]

Today I've caught BUS 552 (Minivan) from ground level (luckily there are good signs). The minivan then stopped at the Public Transport Station where we changed minivan (just 10 min. stop). Arrived at ON NUT BTS Station after 30 min. (total trip 40 min.). Paid 25 Baht. Minivans are quicker than normal buses with airline staff often travelling: they are a very good help if you need directions (in english 'course)

[asanee]

boring repeat posting, has been told here sonme xyz times by now.Big bus 551 also stops there, no need to go to busterminal first, and will bring you to Vict.Monument, passes subway Ram IX stop on the way.

Big bus 552 CONTINUES under skytrain viaduct as far as Asoke=many more stops, no need for change, same price, then goe via asoke/along Sirikitti cultural centre to Klong Toey busdepot.

[supalak2008]

boring repeat posting, has been told here sonme xyz times by now.Big bus 551 also stops there, no need to go to busterminal first, and will bring you to Vict.Monument, passes subway Ram IX stop on the way.

Big bus 552 CONTINUES under skytrain viaduct as far as Asoke=many more stops, no need for change, same price, then goe via asoke/along Sirikitti cultural centre to Klong Toey busdepot.

Is there any map of bus routes for Bangkok. It would be good to be able to see the bus takes because names of streets confuse me.

Thanks.

[jeffer]

Just look in the map section of any book shop that sells some English publications and you should see "Bus Routes & Map"

Only 50 baht for the English edition. I've got the 5th edition but there is probably a newer version out by now.

http://www.bangkokguide.co.th/P_Publishing.htm

[Super Hans]

How are the buses generally? Do you pay the driver or are their conductors? Will either be able to speak English?

I have never seen a farang on a bus, so I'm guessing they're not so easy to use?

[Super Hans]

boring repeat posting, has been told here sonme xyz times by now.Big bus 551 also stops there, no need to go to busterminal first, and will bring you to Vict.Monument, passes subway Ram IX stop on the way.

Big bus 552 CONTINUES under skytrain viaduct as far as Asoke=many more stops, no need for change, same price, then goe via asoke/along Sirikitti cultural centre to Klong Toey busdepot.

Can you clarify please? Do you mean "Big bus 551 CONTINUES under skytrain viaduct as far as Asoke"? You wrote "Big bus 552", which the OP says is the minivan.

Where at the airport can you catch the 551?

[Sophon]

How are the buses generally? Do you pay the driver or are their conductors? Will either be able to speak English?

I have never seen a farang on a bus, so I'm guessing they're not so easy to use?

There is a conductor who will come around and collect your fare. On the non air conditioned buses there is a fixed fare, so as long as you know where the bus is going you just hand over the 8-10 baht fare. On the air conditioned buses you will need to be able to give your destination as the fare depends on how far you are going.

Don't expect neither bus driver not the conductor to speak any English (in fact I will almost guarantee that they don't). But as long as you know which bus to take it really isn't very complicated. I take the bus all the time as do plenty of other farangs.

Sophon

[Super Hans]

How are the buses generally? Do you pay the driver or are their conductors? Will either be able to speak English?

I have never seen a farang on a bus, so I'm guessing they're not so easy to use?

There is a conductor who will come around and collect your fare. On the non air conditioned buses there is a fixed fare, so as long as you know where the bus is going you just hand over the 8-10 baht fare. On the air conditioned buses you will need to be able to give your destination as the fare depends on how far you are going.

Don't expect neither bus driver not the conductor to speak any English (in fact I will almost guarantee that they don't). But as long as you know which bus to take it really isn't very complicated. I take the bus all the time as do plenty of other farangs.

Sophon

Thank you. I take it the aircon buses are the newer, less, er, 'industrial' looking ones?

[Zpete]

How are the buses generally? Do you pay the driver or are their conductors? Will either be able to speak English?

I have never seen a farang on a bus, so I'm guessing they're not so easy to use?

There is a conductor who will come around and collect your fare. On the non air conditioned buses there is a fixed fare, so as long as you know where the bus is going you just hand over the 8-10 baht fare. On the air conditioned buses you will need to be able to give your destination as the fare depends on how far you are going.

Don't expect neither bus driver not the conductor to speak any English (in fact I will almost guarantee that they don't). But as long as you know which bus to take it really isn't very complicated. I take the bus all the time as do plenty of other farangs.

Sophon

Thank you. I take it the aircon buses are the newer, less, er, 'industrial' looking ones?

I am confused as to why people want to leave buses at ON NUT.

Stay on and get where you are going, instead of the hassle of carting baggage up to Skytrain.

If you must get Skytrain/BTS or Underground/MRT, leave the bus at Asoke, both systems meet there, Asoke for BTS, Sukumvit for MRT.

Best of all stay on till Victory and get a Taximeter if you are unsure of exacty where to go.

The I have heard of the Airport Express buses putting people off, supposedly near, their lodgings/hotels, but finding themselves stranded.

First timers, get Taximeter from anywhere outside airport, lots safer, save frustration.

AE, never first time.

[Sophon]

Thank you. I take it the aircon buses are the newer, less, er, 'industrial' looking ones?

Yes, the air conditioned buses are the, as you put it, "the less industrial looking ones". The non air conditioned buses are cream+red, blue+white (with a little bit of yellow) or red+white (private companies) while the air conditioned buses are blue+cream, yellow or orange. The easiest way to distinguish if probably that the non air conditioned will always (except when it's raining) have open windows. The numbers of the air conditioned buses are also generally in the 5xx interval.

You can get more information about fares and bus routes here http://www.bmta.co.th/en/index.php. However, this only covers the buses run by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority. The fares for the private non air conditioned buses (including the small green mini buses mostly servicing the side sois) are slightly different, but we are only talking about a baht or so.

Personally I love the buses, and will be sorry if they in fact end up replacing the non air conditioned buses with new air conditioned buses, as they have recently decided to do.

Sophon

[Sophon]

I am confused as to why people want to leave buses at ON NUT.

Stay on and get where you are going, instead of the hassle of carting baggage up to Skytrain.

The reason I normally get off the bus at On Nut is because I live there However, coming from the airport I always take a taxi. After a long flight I don't want to deal with buses just to save baht 100.

But I guess the reason why some people change for the BTS (especially people travelling light) at On Nut is because of the time of day they arrive. If you are going to lower Sukhumvit during rush hour traffic you can save quite a lot of time by changing to the Sky Train. It is not unheard of for the bus trip from On nut to lower Sukhumvit to take a couple of hours, especially if it's raining (although, admittedly, 30-45 minutes would be more normal). However, if you arrive early morning or late night then I agree that would save little by changing to the BTS.

Sophon

[Super Hans]

Thanks, most useful.

[supalak2008]

I am confused as to why people want to leave buses at ON NUT.

Stay on and get where you are going, instead of the hassle of carting baggage up to Skytrain.

The reason I normally get off the bus at On Nut is because I live there However, coming from the airport I always take a taxi. After a long flight I don't want to deal with buses just to save baht 100.

But I guess the reason why some people change for the BTS (especially people travelling light) at On Nut is because of the time of day they arrive. If you are going to lower Sukhumvit during rush hour traffic you can save quite a lot of time by changing to the Sky Train. It is not unheard of for the bus trip from On nut to lower Sukhumvit to take a couple of hours, especially if it's raining (although, admittedly, 30-45 minutes would be more normal). However, if you arrive early morning or late night then I agree that would save little by changing to the BTS.

Sophon

Does the bus which goes to On-Nut also go to Nana ???

Thanks.

[THAILIBAN]

Just look in the map section of any book shop that sells some English publications and you should see "Bus Routes & Map"

Only 50 baht for the English edition. I've got the 5th edition but there is probably a newer version out by now.

http://www.bangkokguide.co.th/P_Publishing.htm

this map is indeed a gift from heaven, and it's in fact the best map of greater Bangkok u can get. I never leave the house without it, when going downtown or to any area I am not familiar with.

5th edition still recent and up-to-date.

by the way, nowhere else you can mix with the locals better than in a public buc in BKK. avoid rush hours, though, unless u r able to hop-on at the point of departure, or unless you are into sardine cans combined with Sauna-like conditions (the non-airconditiones buses, that is...)

[dumball]

boring repeat posting, has been told here sonme xyz times by now.Big bus 551 also stops there, no need to go to busterminal first, and will bring you to Vict.Monument, passes subway Ram IX stop on the way.

Big bus 552 CONTINUES under skytrain viaduct as far as Asoke=many more stops, no need for change, same price, then goe via asoke/along Sirikitti cultural centre to Klong Toey busdepot.

Can you clarify please? Do you mean "Big bus 551 CONTINUES under skytrain viaduct as far as Asoke"? You wrote "Big bus 552", which the OP says is the minivan.

Where at the airport can you catch the 551?

Was at the airport 2 weeks ago , no 552 mini-bus at door 6 , sent down to the far end where i found a large board with bus numbers on it , number 552 had been scored out .Took the free bus to the bus terminal and caught the 552 bus but was informed it does not continue on to Asoke , had to get off and take the BTS , times have changed i guess . Bus 551 goes to victory monument , leaves from the airport .

[tartempion]

boring repeat posting, has been told here sonme xyz times by now.Big bus 551 also stops there, no need to go to busterminal first, and will bring you to Vict.Monument, passes subway Ram IX stop on the way.

Big bus 552 CONTINUES under skytrain viaduct as far as Asoke=many more stops, no need for change, same price, then goe via asoke/along Sirikitti cultural centre to Klong Toey busdepot.

As you can see reading previous post, no more 552.

Things change all the time in LOS, but you did not know that, don't you?

I would think twice before making stupid statements as you do

[lomatopo]

For those buses which may pick up at the main passenger terminal building, perhaps the 551, do they also go to the transportation center after, or did they originate there? I've taken the 551 bus four times and I've always just hopped the free bus to the transportation center (some go directly there, while others make a fairly circuitous route through the various on-airport facilities and buildings), then boarded the 551 bus which is docked in a clearly signed spot. Then the 551 bus left for the city without going to the main passenger terminal building. Note that sometimes the 551 bus has used the expressway, and sometimes the surface (Rama 9) road. The former is quite quick, ~ 30 minutes or less while the latter is closer to 60 min. (to Victory Monument) depending on the number of people getting off.

I've only taken the 552 bus two times, as far as On Nut, and both times I had to go to the Transportation Center. The 552 bus makes frequent stops on the surface road underneath the Bang Na-Trad Expressway(s).

I escort family/friends to the airport when they depart Thailand via a taxi but then like to take the bus back just for the experience.

According to this link the 552 bus appears to originate at the Transportation Center, and does go all the way up Sukhumvit Road to Rathada Pisek (Asoke), where it turns left and goes down to a terminal of sorts in Khlong Toei. Who knows if that link is accurate or up to date? I think originally, September, 2006, the 552 bus turned off at Rama 4, and went up to Khlong Toei.

Does the 5th edition of that bus map have all the airport buses (549-559)? Note that there is also a 552A bus.

[Super Hans]

As of last week, the 552 does go down Rama 4. Not sure where it goes after that - I always assumed it went down Sukhumvit to Asoke, then went left to the turning for Rama 4, and then past carrefour/tesco and on to wherever. The bus stop outside carrefour has the airport sign next to the 552 number, and says "inbound". I've never worked out whether that's inbound to airport or to city, and am still no clearer after reading the link provided. I was going to get it the last time I went to the airport, but chickened out, not least because I've jumped on buses going away from the airport before, and it's not a pleasant feeling when it slowly dawns on you that you're in the middle of, say, downtown Macau, and not merrily ploughing your way towards the airport as desired.

[cekipa]

boring repeat posting, has been told here sonme xyz times by now.Big bus 551 also stops there, no need to go to busterminal first, and will bring you to Vict.Monument, passes subway Ram IX stop on the way.

Big bus 552 CONTINUES under skytrain viaduct as far as Asoke=many more stops, no need for change, same price, then goe via asoke/along Sirikitti cultural centre to Klong Toey busdepot.

Ladies and Gentlemen, now you know whom you need to ask to about travelling and probably many more things especially on the subject "how-to-be-polite-and-good-mannered" . The funny side of it is that Asanee wasted time to write down her arrogance and being soon after denied by someone who had difference experience from what she writes , something which adds stupidity besides arrogance ... : We all are waiting for further lessons ... Asanee ?.. .