How Bad Is The Traffic?

[bkkexplorer]

I'm currently looking for a new place to move in to and would like any experiences TV members have in regards to this as it would effect my decision.

I could be moving to Srinakarin very near Seacon Square soon. I would like to know how long it takes to get from there (Srinakarin) to Sukhumvit Asok during peak hours and non peak hours. Please give travelling time and time of day. Oh yes, I drive so that would be mode of transport.

Thanks in advance.

[causticme]

I'm currently looking for a new place to move in to and would like any experiences TV members have in regards to this as it would effect my decision.

I could be moving to Srinakarin very near Seacon Square soon. I would like to know how long it takes to get from there (Srinakarin) to Sukhumvit Asok during peak hours and non peak hours. Please give travelling time and time of day. Oh yes, I drive so that would be mode of transport.

Thanks in advance.

Very bad take a taxi to the nearest sky train.They start the extenson of the skytrain train soon(to soi107).If you drive you wll be sorry,better you than me(retired).

Edited August 9, 2006 by causticme

[OldAsiaHand]

.... Please give travelling time and time of day....

It doesn't work that way in Bangkok. One day it could be an hour and a half. The next day, at exactly the same time and on exactly the same route, you might make it in fifteen minnutes.

As the prior poster said, the traffic from around Seacon Square into central Sukhumvit is, on the whole, awful. You're nuts to drive it on a regular basis unless you have absolutely no choice. If you absolutely don't want to be late, you must allow an hour every trip (and, even then, occasionaly you'll be late).

[jdinasia]

i lived within view of Seacon for 2 years ...

depends on the days etc ... but there are no fast ways in during Biz hours.

Rama9

Bangnatrat/expressway to Rama4 ....

Onnut to Suk (at 77)

truly best to drive in to Onnut and use tha park and ride at Onnut Station

[Plus]

Srinakarin is often bumper to bumper, or flooded, Onnut to Sukhumwit is ok only if you travel against the normal flow (i.e. to Sukhumwit in the evening). Around Asoke is bumper to bumper, too. You can drive up to Pattanakarn Jusco, then down to Phetburi, but you'll get stuck around Ital-Thai tower for ages (even if you can clear Tonglor in less than 20 min).

Or you can drive up to Rama 9 and take expressway to Ratchada. From there it's barely an hour to pass two traffic lights into Asok. Still I think it's the best way and getting to expressway from Seacon is relatively easy at any time of the day.

[Tippaporn]

. . . I would like to know how long it takes to get from there (Srinakarin) to Sukhumvit Asok during peak hours . . .

555555555555555555555555!

Sorry, that wasn't very helpful but should give you a pretty good idea nonetheless.

[Heng]

From around midnite to 3-4am, usually takes about 20 minutes.

[jdinasia]

my partner goes in at 8am daily and arrives on Ratchada in about 1 hour ... park there and skytrain in? another option?

[petecooper]

I live just near Asoke station and work a bit further down Srinakarin from Seacon Square, and make this journey every day. To get to the office in the morning, I take a taxi all the way - usually takes me about 45 minutes, the traffic isn't usually so bad. However, coming home again is a different story. It's possible to take a cab all the way from Srinakarin to Asoke after about 8pm, if it hasn't been raining, but earlier than that I wouldn't bother.

What I do most days is catch a cab from the office to On Nut BTS and then BTS it from there to Asoke. Those 5 or 6 stops on the BTS would take at least another hour, or more, if trying to make the same journey on Sukhumvit Road. Most cab drivers will refuse to do it, anyway.

BTW, the taxi ride from my office (which is about 5km south from Novotel Banga, which I guess is about another 5km south from Seacon Square) will take me anywhere from 40 mins to an hour just to get to the On Nut BTS. If it's been raining it's easy for that journey to take an hour and a half if not longer.

If you're going to be doing this every day I recommend a laptop computer with wireless internet access, it keeps me sane on the otherwise long and boring journey! It's a great time to catch up on emails, ThaiVisa forum etc without interruption.

I love living in Bangkok but I must admit that without the BTS it would unbearable!! Looking forward to the new extension of the Sukhumvit line heading south, I must admit. Details are here for anyone that's interested: http://www.bts.co.th/en/btstrain_04.asp

Edited August 10, 2006 by petecooper

[visarunner]

Very bad .

Try to look at another residence.

I live in Bang Na and I specially avoid the area around Seacon .

If you drive and are prepared to use/pay the Expressway Rama9 you might be able to get to Asoke within 30-45min , provided you leave @06.00am in the morning , after that even the exit ramps of the expressway get jammed.

[Plus]

Note that Petecooper lives in Asoke and works in Bangna, not the other way around. Try to travel from Bangna to Asoke in the mornign and you'll see the difference.

Sorry about travelling back home in the evening, Pete, maybe you should try going through Onnut and not Sukhumwit itself, or maybe even Udomsuk.

Bangkok becomes a really small place after midnight - you can get anywhere in less than half an hour.

[thaiintokyo]

if you leave home before 6 am. back home after 8 at night. it will be ok.

their is a lot of small soi linked between sukhumvit and Srinakarin. this small soi will help you save some traveling time.

[bkkexplorer]

Thanks for the input.

I already knew before hand that the traffic was horrendous but nevertheless needed specific timelines. Other than driving myself to test it out (who would be crazy enough to do that?), I asked for your experiences and got informative replies.

Travelling before 6am wouldn't work, however I often finish after eight. In any case, maybe a different location would be better. We all hate being stuck in traffic and I'm no exception. But that's one of the things that comes with the package of living here.

OK, I got another location that I'm looking at and would like more input. From Saphan Sung to Asok. Any takers??

[steveromagnino]

Driving yourself will be a royal pain, and you can count on at least an hour even using the express way along Rama9.

Take a boat, and it will be a consistent 10-15 minutes depending on where you want to go in Sukhumvit; Saen Saeb klong. I know that if I was smart, I would boat it from work to my campus out near that way and it is about 10min.

Otherwise, motorcycle + taxi + sky train faster than driving yourself. Good luck when it is raining.

Any chance you can live somewhere closer to the skytrain/underground?

[Heng]

This may or may not apply to your work or business, but a lot of folks "shrink" their driving time by hiring drivers -only 6,000-10,000 a month depending on experience/appearance/workload/etc.-. You do about an hour of work (usually phone/email related work) to and from the office. Some people nap or have meals. I work at home so it doesn't really apply much, but am able to do so on my weekly Bangkok-Pattaya commute.

[jdinasia]

Strangely ....

If you want a decent area to live in ... near Seacon/Seri is a great area ... a great park ... (Rama9) an unknown reservoir .... great movies and food and shopping.