Of all the ways to get around Bangkok, the river is my favorite. The Chao Phraya is the city’s finest highway: no traffic jams, a breeze on your face, and temples and palaces sliding past for the price of a street-food snack. The Chao Phraya Express Boat is how locals commute along it, and how you’ll most likely reach the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun.
The system looks chaotic the first time. It isn’t. Once you know what the flags mean and which piers matter, it’s one of the easiest rides in town.
How the express boat works
Boats stop at numbered piers along the river. The numbering starts at Sathorn, also called Central Pier, at the foot of BTS Saphan Taksin station. Piers to the north are numbered with an “N,” those to the south with an “S.”
For most visitors, the journey goes like this: BTS to Saphan Taksin, walk down to Sathorn pier, and ride north toward the old town.
What the flag colors mean
The color of the flag at the back of the boat tells you what kind of service it is. Check it before you board: it decides where the boat stops and what you pay.
| Flag | Service | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Orange | Regular line, serves most of the tourist piers | About 20 THB, flat fare |
| Blue | Tourist boat with commentary, stops at the main sights | About 60 THB per trip, 300 THB for a day pass |
| Yellow, green-yellow, red | Express commuter lines at rush hour, fewer stops | Varies |
| No flag | Local service, stops everywhere (weekday rush hours) | Varies |
Orange or blue?
For most trips, the orange flag is the one you want. It’s cheap, frequent enough and stops at the piers visitors actually use. The blue flag tourist boat costs more but adds commentary and stops at the main sights; its day pass makes sense if you plan to hop on and off a lot in one day.
The yellow, green-yellow and red flags are express services for commuters at rush hour. They skip piers, so make sure yours is on the route before you jump aboard.
Tip: when a boat pulls in, look at the flag first, then the crowd. If you’re not sure where it stops, ask the staff on the pier. A quick question beats an unplanned trip to Nonthaburi.
The piers that matter
You don’t need to learn all of them. These are the ones I actually use:
- Sathorn (Central Pier): connects with BTS Saphan Taksin. Your starting point.
- Si Phraya and Oriental: the Charoen Krung neighborhood.
- Ratchawong: Chinatown.
- Tha Tien (N8): Wat Pho, plus the ferry across to Wat Arun.
- Tha Chang (N9): the Grand Palace.
- Tha Maharaj: Wat Mahathat, Silpakorn and the amulet market.
- Phra Arthit (N13): Banglamphu and Khao San Road.
If you’re spending a day among the old town’s temples, my guide to Rattanakosin: the Grand Palace and Wat Pho shows how these piers fit together on foot.
Fares and hours
- Orange flag: about 20 THB, whatever the distance.
- Blue flag: about 60 THB per trip, or 300 THB for a day pass.
- Commuter flags: fares vary.
Carry small notes and coins. As anywhere in Bangkok’s everyday life, a 1,000 THB note won’t make you any friends.
Warning: the boats stop running in the early evening, around 6:30–7 pm for most of them. Don’t plan to ride back downriver after dinner. Have a plan B: the MRT from Sanam Chai, a metered taxi or a Grab.
Crossing the river: the small ferries
The express boats run up and down the river. To go across it, small cross-river ferries link the two banks at several points, for just a few baht.
The one every visitor uses is between Tha Tien (Wat Pho side) and Wat Arun on the Thonburi bank. It’s a two-minute crossing with one of the best views in the city. Once you’re over there, the west bank deserves more than a quick visit: see my guide to Thonburi, Wat Arun and the klongs, where you can hire a long-tail boat by the hour to explore the canals.
Free shuttle boats from Sathorn
Iconsiam, Asiatique and several of the big riverside hotels run their own free shuttle boats from Sathorn pier. If you’re heading to one of them, there’s no need to buy an express boat ticket.
A 20-baht sunset ride
This is the first thing I recommend to friends on their first evening in Bangkok, especially after a long flight when nobody has the energy for real sightseeing.
- Take the BTS to Saphan Taksin in the late afternoon.
- Walk down to Sathorn pier and hop on an orange-flag boat heading north.
- Ride all the way to Phra Arthit.
For about 20 THB, you glide past the Mandarin Oriental hotel, the Portuguese churches, Wat Arun and the Grand Palace, all bathed in golden light. Get off at Phra Arthit and wander into Banglamphu for a first street-food dinner.
Since the boats stop in the early evening, don’t count on riding back: head home by taxi, Grab or Bolt.
Tip: grab a spot near the side or the back of the boat for the best views and the breeze. And keep your phone strap on: the photos of Wat Arun from the water are irresistible.
One more river option: the Saen Saep canal boat
If you enjoy the express boat, try its wilder cousin. The Saen Saep canal boat races from the old town (Phan Fa pier, near the Golden Mount) to the east of the city, via Pratunam and the Siam area, for 10 to 20 THB depending on distance. It’s fast and picturesque, but something of a sport: you have to get on and off quickly, and a tarpaulin protects you (more or less) from splashes of rather unappetizing water.
Putting it all together
The river is the most pleasant link between modern Bangkok and the old town. A classic combination: BTS to Saphan Taksin, orange boat to Tha Chang for the Grand Palace, a walk to Wat Pho, then the ferry from Tha Tien across to Wat Arun. My Bangkok in 3 Days itinerary builds a whole day around this route, and the full picture of trains, boats and taxis is in Getting Around Bangkok.
FAQ
Which Chao Phraya Express Boat flag should I take?
For most visitors, the orange flag: about 20 THB flat fare and stops at most of the tourist piers. The blue-flag tourist boat costs about 60 THB per trip (or 300 THB for a day pass) and adds commentary.
Which pier is closest to the Grand Palace?
Tha Chang (N9) is the pier for the Grand Palace. For Wat Pho, get off at Tha Tien (N8), which is also where the ferry leaves for Wat Arun.
What time does the Chao Phraya Express Boat stop running?
Most boats stop in the early evening, around 6:30–7 pm. Plan your return by MRT, taxi or ride-hailing app if you’re staying out later.
To go further
Entry rules, transport, neighborhoods, food and the traps to avoid: Mr Schaka’s guidebook, Bangkok – The Practical Guide, gathers everything you need to plan your stay and find your way around the Thai capital. The English edition is out now as a PDF ebook: buy it here →
