River Boat Basics
The Chao Phraya River is Bangkok's original highway and still the fastest way to reach Old Town from Sukhumvit. Boats are run by the Chao Phraya Express Boat company. They use a flag system to mark which stops each boat makes.
The system: walk to the pier, watch for the flag color of the boat you want, board fast, pay the conductor on board.
Flag System Explained
| Flag | Service | Stops | Fare (THB) |
|---|
| Orange | Express | Most piers, all day | ฿16 |
| Yellow | Express | Limited rush hour | ฿21 |
| Green | Express | Far north only | ฿14-33 |
| Local (no flag) | All stops | Every pier (slow) | ฿9-14 |
| Blue | Tourist Boat | Tourist piers only | ฿200/day pass |
Orange flag is the workhorse. If you are unsure which boat to take, the orange flag goes to almost every tourist pier.
Tourist Boat (฿200)
The blue-flag Tourist Boat is hop-on hop-off, with English announcements, runs roughly 9am-8pm at 30-minute intervals between Sathorn Pier and Phra Arthit (Khao San). It costs ฿200 for an all-day pass and stops at every major attraction.
- Sathorn / Central Pier (start)
- ICONSIAM
- Wat Arun
- Tha Tien (Wat Pho)
- Tha Chang (Grand Palace)
- Phra Arthit (Khao San)
Hotel & Cross-River Ferries
Most riverside hotels (Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Shangri-La) run free shuttle boats from Sathorn Pier to their property. Cross-river ferries (Tha Tien to Wat Arun, etc.) cost ฿5 and run constantly.
Key Piers
| Pier | Number | Nearby |
|---|
| Sathorn (Central) | CEN | BTS Saphan Taksin |
| ICONSIAM | - | ICONSIAM mall |
| Tha Tien | N8 | Wat Pho, Wat Arun ferry |
| Tha Chang | N9 | Grand Palace |
| Maharaj | N10 | Maharaj Pier food, Tha Wang Lang |
| Phra Arthit | N13 | Khao San Road |
Tips for Riding
- Hold the rail when boarding - boats do not fully stop
- Sit on the right side going north for best palace views
- Avoid 5-7pm rush hour on Express boats
- The Tourist Boat is far more comfortable than Express in heat
- Have small bills (฿20, ฿50) for the conductor
Combine the Tourist Boat with a sunset Wat Arun visit. Take it up to Tha Tien around 5pm, see Wat Pho, ferry across for Wat Arun at golden hour.
River Boat Basics
The Chao Phraya River is Bangkok's original highway and still the fastest way to reach Old Town from Sukhumvit. Boats are run by the Chao Phraya Express Boat company. They use a flag system to mark which stops each boat makes.
The system: walk to the pier, watch for the flag color of the boat you want, board fast, pay the conductor on board.
Flag System Explained
| Flag | Service | Stops | Fare (THB) |
|---|
| Orange | Express | Most piers, all day | ฿16 |
| Yellow | Express | Limited rush hour | ฿21 |
| Green | Express | Far north only | ฿14-33 |
| Local (no flag) | All stops | Every pier (slow) | ฿9-14 |
| Blue | Tourist Boat | Tourist piers only | ฿200/day pass |
Orange flag is the workhorse. If you are unsure which boat to take, the orange flag goes to almost every tourist pier.
Tourist Boat (฿200)
The blue-flag Tourist Boat is hop-on hop-off, with English announcements, runs roughly 9am-8pm at 30-minute intervals between Sathorn Pier and Phra Arthit (Khao San). It costs ฿200 for an all-day pass and stops at every major attraction.
- Sathorn / Central Pier (start)
- ICONSIAM
- Wat Arun
- Tha Tien (Wat Pho)
- Tha Chang (Grand Palace)
- Phra Arthit (Khao San)
Hotel & Cross-River Ferries
Most riverside hotels (Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, Shangri-La) run free shuttle boats from Sathorn Pier to their property. Cross-river ferries (Tha Tien to Wat Arun, etc.) cost ฿5 and run constantly.
Key Piers
| Pier | Number | Nearby |
|---|
| Sathorn (Central) | CEN | BTS Saphan Taksin |
| ICONSIAM | - | ICONSIAM mall |
| Tha Tien | N8 | Wat Pho, Wat Arun ferry |
| Tha Chang | N9 | Grand Palace |
| Maharaj | N10 | Maharaj Pier food, Tha Wang Lang |
| Phra Arthit | N13 | Khao San Road |
Tips for Riding
- Hold the rail when boarding - boats do not fully stop
- Sit on the right side going north for best palace views
- Avoid 5-7pm rush hour on Express boats
- The Tourist Boat is far more comfortable than Express in heat
- Have small bills (฿20, ฿50) for the conductor
Combine the Tourist Boat with a sunset Wat Arun visit. Take it up to Tha Tien around 5pm, see Wat Pho, ferry across for Wat Arun at golden hour.