Tag: Bangkok

Grab, best option from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok City Center on a busy day

Grab Taxi option from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok City Center

During the New Year holiday, I traveled back to Ubon Ratchathani to visit my grandmother and flew back to Bangkok on December 31. This time, I didn’t drive my car to the airport, so I had to take a taxi home. Normally, the taxi queue isn’t too long, but this time was completely unexpected—the line was the longest I’ve ever seen! (Although, to be fair, I don’t often take taxis because I usually drive myself. 😅) Since it was the New Year holiday, the crowd was understandable. However, seeing such a long queue made me think of other transportation options—how could I get home as quickly as possible? There are 3 options If you’re visiting Thailand for the first time or planning a trip, here are your options for traveling from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok’s city center: Public Taxi – Managed by the airport and available on the 1st floor. Airport Rail Link – Located on the basement floor (Level B) of the terminal. Grab Taxi – Accessible on the 1st floor. Public Taxi I usually rely on public taxis because they’re convenient. You just queue up, use the self-service kiosk to get a ticket, and then match the car registration on your ticket to your assigned taxi. It’s simple, safe, and straightforward. The taxi fare is charged based on the distance traveled, and there’s an additional 50-baht fee for the driver, as regulated by the Ministry of Transport. However, on December 31, the situation was completely different. The crowd was overwhelming, and the taxi queue was so long that I estimated at least a two-hour wait. So, I decided to go with option two: the Airport Rail Link. Airport Rail Link But—surprise, surprise! When I got there, the line was also incredibly long. As I looked around, I noticed something interesting: there were two queues. The one on the left was significantly longer, while the one on the right seemed much shorter. Naturally, I joined the shorter queue and thought to myself, Why is everyone standing in the long line when there’s a shorter one right here? After about 10 minutes of waiting, I realized why. My queue barely moved—only 2 or 3 people had been served in that time. There were still at least 30 people ahead of me. Meanwhile, the long queue on the left, despite being massive with over 100 people, was moving much faster. The difference? The left queue had 4–5 ticket machines and also offered counter service, while the shorter line on the right had just a single self-service machine. And, let’s be honest, even for locals, these machines take a bit of time to navigate. For first-time tourists unfamiliar with the system, it’s even more time-consuming. I eventually gave up on the Airport Rail Link. Even if I managed to get on the train, it wouldn’t take me close to home, and I’d still have to grab a taxi afterward. In the end, it felt like it would take even longer. Grab Taxi So, I walked back to the public taxi area on the 1st floor, resigned to the fact that I’d have to join the long queue. But then, I noticed the Grab Taxi pick-up point nearby. I decided to give it a try, opened the app, and booked a ride. I waited anxiously for 5 minutes, and when a driver finally confirmed, it was like winning the lottery! The car arrived at the pick-up point within just 15 minutes. I was absolutely thrilled—no need to endure a public taxi queue that would’ve taken hours (and maybe even longer). At the Grab Taxi pick-up point, there are staff members managing the queue and helping to organize everything. They call out the taxi queue in English, using the car registration number of the arriving vehicles. However, you can also keep track of your ride yourself by checking the app to see when your taxi has arrived. I noticed not many tourists and locals were booking Grab rides, the majority didn’t seem aware of this option and were stuck in the long public taxi queue. So here’s my tip On days when the public taxi queue is insanely long, Grab Taxi can be a much better alternative. Just keep in mind that the fare is about 50% higher than a regular public taxi. But honestly, skipping a 2-hour wait is worth every baht! 1) Choose your ride >>> 2) Get confirmed >>> 3) Wait >>> 4) Hop in

Taxi Fare in Bangkok

Taxi Fare in Bangkok

Bangkok Taxi Meter pricing is based on personal experiences. Taxi scams you should be aware of. How to avoid being cheated.

Bangkok Travel Guide: Great Temples & Khao San Road

Thailand Trip - Thailand Travel Guide for Bangkok Temples

What To Do in Bangkok – Day 2 This Bangkok Journey & Itinerary is part of the Bangkok Travel Guide, which you can download for FREE. I believe the plan is straightforward, but in order to gain a better grasp of the infographics, you might want to read the first journey first: Bangkok – Siam Square Zone & Chinatown, which explains how to read the Journey & Itinerary. On the second day of your trip to Thailand, you will have the opportunity to visit some of the country’s most iconic temples. In the evening, you can enjoy a riverfront meal with a stunning view of the sunset over the Chao Phraya River, followed by a night out on Khao San Walking Street. This itinerary is designed to help you make the most of your time in Bangkok and to help you navigate the city with ease. However, you can also customize it to suit your own travel pace. Bangkok Itinerary Temple Day and Khao San Road Strict Dress Code !!! First of all, today you will visit several royal temples that required a strict dress code. So, you must wear appropriate attire in order to enter the temples. These are the prohibited clothes: sleeveless shirts, torn shirts, very short blouses, spaghetti-strap blouses, see-through clothes, skin-tight pants, shorts three quarter length pants, and culottes. This signage is at the main entrance of the Grand Palace (Wat Phra Kaew). To be honest, I think we need to improve this signage! Huh… However, if you don’t wear the right clothes (according to the sign), you can buy new ones at the inner gate. The price is around 200 baht per item, but the clothing rental is no longer available. Perhaps, as a result of the COVID outbreak, the Grand Palace no longer offers the rental option to engage in hygiene practices. Let’s Start the Journey The Grand Palace, also known as Wat Phra Kaew, is Thailand’s most famous, most popular, and most important temple. The Grand Palace should be seen first because it closes earlier (3.30 PM) than the other temples. It’s an iconic Thai temple that’s a must-see for anyone visiting Thailand. After the Burmese forces completely destroyed Ayutthaya, King Taksin had no choice but to abandon it because it was impossible to rebuild Ayutthaya. He relocated the capital to Thonburi, but he died 15 years later. The new king, Rama I, decided to relocate the capital again to Bangkok in 1782. One of the reasons is that Bangkok has a stronger strategic location and the Grand Palace was built since then. That marked the end of the famous Ayutthaya Kingdom and the start of a new era, which we now call the Rattanakosin Kingdom or Bangkok. Back to the present, taking a taxi to the Grand Palace is the most convenient way, but if you encounter many taxi drivers who refuse to turn on the meter, then take the MRT (subway) instead. You can get off at MRT Sanam Chai Station and walk to the Grand Palace in around 10-15 minutes. The main entrance for tourists is Viseschaisri Gate only, which is located on Na Phra Lan Road. I recommend you to arrive at the palace around 8.30 AM. To find the entrance, type Viseschaisri Gate into Google Maps. You’ll notice that you’ll go through Wat Pho first, but I wouldn’t recommend stopping there just yet because you’ll return to this area later to explore other attractions and have lunch. So just head right to the Grand Palace. The Grand Palace (Wat Phra Kaew) After you finish exploring the Grand Palace which should be no later than 11 AM, then walk to Tha Tian Market (which is near Wat Pho). This market is very old, selling dried seafood and surrounded by many local restaurants and cafes. So it’s the right place for you to grab some quick lunch here. A list and a map of recommended eateries and cafes are provided in the FREE TRAVEL GUIDE. Tha Tian Market Wat Pho is the next stop, suggesting to start about 1 PM. The famous giant Reclining Buddha is located in this temple. Wat Pho is one of Bangkok’s top attractions because its architectural style makes it different from others. If you finish Wat Pho before 2 PM, you might want to try an hour of traditional Thai Massage in Wat Pho. The parlor in Wat Pho was considered an ordinary Thai Massage because its origin was back in the reign of King Rama III, 150 years ago. However, the last time I visited the temple was in Oct 2020, and the massage was closed because of the Coronavirus. However, there are other parlors open at Tha Tian Market, which you have to walk back to the market anyway to catch the ferry to Wat Arun. It’s fine if you don’t have time for the Thai Massage. I believe you can find many Thai Massage parlors nearby your hotel. So prioritize visiting all the temples first. Wat Pho Beautiful ceramic flower decorations Giant Reclining Buddha Then go to the pier at Tha Tian Market. Take the ferry from Tha Tian Pier to Wat Arun Pier. You will reach Wat Arun in a few minutes because it is located just right across the Chao Phraya River and the ticket costs only 4 baht! You should arrive at the temple around 3.30 PM and leave before 5 PM. The highlight of Wat Arun is its beautiful massive spire with over 70 meters of height standing by the river. Wat Arun is known as Temple of the Dawn, but you will get an amazing river view at sunset from the opposite bank of the river. That’s why your next destination is the riverside restaurant. Wat Arun Return to Tha Tian Market via the same pier (do not confuse the nearby pier). As I previously stated, this market is surrounded by a number of restaurants. I strongly advise you to dine at one of the riverside restaurants