How to Ride A River Taxi in Bangkok

If you are planning to visit Bangkok on your holiday, you can't miss those amazing boat rides along the Chao Phraya River. Many historical monuments and temples are established within the vicinity and it will not be possible to explore each of them without a wonderful boat ride. In Bangkok, there are many boat trips that you can take and this article explains some of them. Learn about express boats, river taxis, and longtail boats and you will need this information when you are there.

Ilya Plekhanov, Bangkok river taxi, CC BY-SA 3.0

Express boat river taxis

When you have decided to take an express boat river taxi in Bangkok, you'll sometimes get confused by the flag colours they have used. Based on the colours if the flag that they carry, these express boat river taxis can be categorized into 5 types and they are namely: the local line (no flags), tourist boats (Blue flag line), Orange flag line, Yellow flag line, and Green flag line. There are differences when it comes to the features of each of these boats. For example, local line boats stop at every pier while the orange flagged ones only stop at the main piers. Their time schedules differ from each other, and their charges as well.

Long-tail boats

If you prefer a more personalized boat ride during your stay at properties such as Chatrium Residence Sathon Bangkok, here is your perfect option. Get a long-tail boat hired to explore the Chao Phraya River and also the canals on the Thonburi side. If you wonder about the costs per journey, please note that they are highly varied from time to time and from driver to driver as well. There's no set price for a ride as people have got used to negotiating with the drivers based on their time and distance requirements.

The ferries

Ferries are an integral element in a river-based destination. So, in Bangkok as well, you find river crossing ferries that provide a whole new experience. This is a way of public transportation in Bangkok, so the rates are unbelievably cheap. You will only be charged 3 baht for a ferry ride, but you'll meet big crowds of locals there. If you are someone loving this authentic experience, make sure you choose a ferry ride to explore Wat Pho Temple and Wat Arun in the early morning or an evening.

Hotel shuttle boats

Every hotel in Bangkok Sathorn tries to offer authentic experiences for its guests to delight them. This is why they provide free shuttle boat rides for their guests. It's a very relaxing and pleasant experience for the guests, and for them, this is a very wise method to avoid the terrible traffic congestions on the road especially during rush hours. Do not worry if you stay at a hotel that doesn't have a shuttle service as they offer this service for the benefit of everyone. If you want to have a personalised experience that's more romantic, you may opt for a river cruise offering music, meals, and even discos.