Long before there was an MRT, an Airport Express, or even the Suvarnabhumi Airport, there was the BTS Skytrain. Bangkok’s BTS lines serving the Sukhumvit, Silom, and Sathorn areas of the city have become immensely popular since they first opened in 1999. The BTS serves as the focal point that most of the other transit lines that have opened over the years connect to.
The busiest central hub of the BTS Skytrain is the Skytrain’s Asoke station. This is one of the points where the MRT and Skytrain cross paths and provide an unbelievably bustling yet smoothly functioning intersection during the city’s rush hour that the city couldn’t do without at this point.
Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain functions as both a necessary and convenient way for millions of the city’s residents to commute and as the gateway to three of the city’s most exciting, colorful, and popular areas.
We’ll tell you how to ride the BTS Skytrain and how and where you should transfer to the MRT and Airport Express. Are you ready to go?
How to Buy a Ticket
There are two ticketing areas in every BTS station. Single-journey tickets can be bought at ticket machines on the walls outside the gates. You simply choose your destination from a selection of buttons showing the stations. The machines accept coins and banknotes. You can also pay using a mobile banking app like PromptPay via a QR code.
For multiple journeys, you should buy a Rabbit card. These are the stored value cards for the BTS Skytrain. You can buy them at the ticketing window at the side of the entry and exit gates. Foreign visitors will have to present their passports before payment.
Hours of Operation
The BTS Skytrain operates from 6 AM to midnight. During the busy peak hours of 7-9 AM and 4-7 PM, trains arrive every 3-6 minutes. The last train leaves the stations between 11:30 PM and 11:50 PM.
Dos and Don’ts of Riding the Trains
- You’ll notice zones on the floors of the stations where the train’s doors will open. Please stand outside of these zones when the train arrives and allow the passengers on the train to disembark first before you get on the train.
- Food and beverages are not permitted to be consumed within the train stations or on the trains.
- The seats closest to the doors are marked as being priority seats for the disabled, the elderly, pregnant women, monks, and young children.
Transferring Between BTS Lines
There are two Skytrain lines, the Sukhumvit Line and the Silom Line. They have one transfer point at Siam Station. To transfer between lines, you simply disembark from one line and follow the station signs directing you to the other line. There’s no need to buy another ticket or go through separate gates. The single journey ticket you bought at the beginning of your ride should be for your final destination on the other line. Rabbit cards automatically deduct the entire fare.
Transfers Between the MRT and Airport Express from the BTS
There are several points along the BTS Skytrain lines that interconnect with the MRT and Airport Express lines. An announcement in Thai, English, and Chinese will be heard on the trains when you’re approaching a transfer station.
The transfer points for the MRT are at the Mo Chit, Lat Phrao, Asoke, and Sala Daeng BTS stations. The transfer point for the Airport Express is at the Phaya Thai BTS Station. At all the transfer stations, Thai, English, and Chinese signs help direct you to where you need to go. The MRT and Airport Express have different stations near the BTS transfer point stations. You’ll need to buy a separate ticket for each of other lines.
If you’re transferring to the MRT, their system allows you to pay with a credit or debit card in addition to cash or mobile banking apps. The Airport Express accepts only banknotes and coins.
Explore Bangkok Aboard Modern Rail Systems
Bangkok Garden Apartment has luxury apartments for rent near the BTS Chong Nonsi Station in the Silom area of Bangkok. The convenient location of our apartments makes it fun and easy to explore the vibrant and colorful city of Bangkok through the modern interconnected rail networks.
We offer spacious two, three, and four-bedroom apartments surrounded by tropical gardens and featuring pools, recreational and sports facilities, restaurants, coffee shops, and convenience stores. If you’re relocating to Bangkok, why not rent a luxury apartment in the heart of the city that offers convenient access to modern rail transit? Consider renting a luxury apartment at Bangkok Garden.