Bangkok bus services not only let you explore the city's most important attractions onboard the hop-on hop-off bus or the food tour bus, but also can take you to any part of Bangkok and its suburbs. To prepare for your trip by bus in the capital city, discover the most important Bangkok bus routes and find the ticket prices and map of each bus route as well as points of interest along the route.
Bangkok Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Route
The route of the Bangkok hop-on hop-off bus passes by the following points of interest:
- Siam Paragon
- MBK Center
- Chinatown
- Khao San Road
- Wat Suthat
- Giant Swing
- Wat Pho
- Grand Palace
- Wat Arun
- ICONSIAM
- King Power MahaNakhon
- Patpong Night Market
The bus route is detailed below. To board this bus along the route, you need to get a Bangkok hop-on hop-off bus ticket.
Thai Bus Food Tour Route
The route of the Bangkok dining bus takes you to travel from Hua Lamphong through vibrant Chinatown, passing the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and illuminated Wat Arun across the river. On the way you also see architectural wonders like the Giant Swing and historic Phra Sumen Fort.
The bus can only be boarded at the start of the route, and you need to get a Thai food bus tour ticket for getting on the bus.
Bangkok Airport Bus Routes
There are a number of airport bus routes connecting Bangkok City with both airports - Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) and Don Mueang Airport (DMK). Currently you can use 5 special Bangkok bus routes for reaching the city directly from one of Bangkok's airports:
S1 - Bus from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Khao San Road
A1 - Bus from Don Muang Airport to BTS Mo Chit
A2 - Bus from Don Muang Airport to Victory Monument
A3 - Bus from Don Muang Airport to Lumphini Park
A4 - Bus from Don Muang Airport to Khao San Road
There's also a free shuttle bus running between two airports in Bangkok, operated by the Airport of Thailand (AOT).
At the public transportation center of Suvarnabhumi Airport, passengers can also board the following city buses:
Bus route S2 (554): Rangsit - Ram Intra - Suvarnabhumi (public bus that can be used for traveling between Bangkok airports)
Bus route S3 (559): Rangsit - Siam Park - Suvarnabhumi (bus for getting directly from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the amusement parks Siam Amazing Park and Dream World)
Bus route S5 (550): Happyland - Suvarnabhumi Airport (bus for getting from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the popular places near the airport, such as The Paseo Lat Krabang and Robinson Lifestyle Lat Krabang)
Bus route S6 (555): Krung Thep Aphiwat - Suvarnabhumi Airport (bus for getting directly from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Mochit Bus Terminal or Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal)
Bus route S7 (558): Suvarnabhumi Airport - Keha Rattanaburi (bus for getting from Suvarnabhumi Bus Terminal to Mega Bangna or Central Bangna shopping malls)
Useful Public Bus Routes in Bangkok
In addition to the tourist bus services and airport buses, you can use a wide range of Bangkok public bus routes that let you explore the city in the most affordable way.
Most of the public buses are using the new Bangkok bus route numbering in the format Z-NN, where Z is the zone number (from 1 to 4) and NN is the new route number. However, the old bus route number without a zone is usually also displayed on the bus for the convenience of passengers.
BMTA Bus Routes
Useful Bangkok bus routes operated by the governmental Bangkok Mass Transit Authority:
Bus route 1: Thanon Tok - Tha Chang (bus for getting to Bangkok Old Town from Chinatown, Silom, and the Riverside along the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River)
Bus route 2: Mega Bangna - Pak Khlong Market (bus for getting from Khao San Road to Pratunam, Sukhumvit, or even the Erawan Museum; also can be used in the opposite direction for getting from Sukhumvit or Pratunam to the Grand Palace and other attractions in Bangkok Old Town)
Bus route 3: Northern Bus Terminal Mochit 2 - Khlong San (bus for getting from Khao San Road to Mochit Bus Terminal)
Bus route 15: The Mall Thapra - Sanam Luang (bus for getting from Khao San Road to Siam, Silom, and Asiatique The Riverfront)
Bus route 16: Northern Bus Terminal Mochit 2 – Surawong (bus for getting from Mochit Bus Terminal to Silom)
Bus route 32: Pakkret Market - Sanam Luang (bus for getting from Khao San Road to Ko Kret)
Bus route 47: Khlong Toei Pier - Department of Lands (bus for getting from Khao San Road to the pier, where you can take a ferry to cross the river to Bang Kra Chao)
Bus route 49: Northern Bus Terminal - Hua Lamphong (bus for getting from Mochit Bus Terminal to Hua Lamphong Railway Station and vice versa)
Bus route 59: Rangsit – Sanam Luang (cheaper alternative than the A4 bus for getting from Don Mueang Airport to Khao San Road)
Bus route 60: Siam Park - Pak Khlong Talat (bus going from Khao San Road and Pratunam to Siam Amazing Park)
Bus route 71: Siam Park - Wat That Thong (bus going from the upper Sukhumvit to Siam Amazing Park)
Bus route 77: Sathu Pradit Garage - New Mochit (bus going from Mochit Van Terminal to Silom and Sathorn)
Bus route 79: Phutthamonthon Sai 2 - Ratchaprasong (bus for getting from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Khao San Road or CentralWorld and other popular spots in Siam)
Bus route 136: Khlong Toei - Northern Bus Terminal (bus for getting from Mochit Bus Terminal to Ratchada)
Bus route 145: Pak Nam - Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal (bus for getting from Mochit Bus Terminal to the places on Srinakarin Road, such as Srinagarindra Train Night Market)
Bus route 168: Siam Park - Victory Monument (direct bus going from Victory Monument to Siam Amazing Park)
Bus route 501: Minburi - Hua Lamphong (bus for getting from Hua Lamphong and Siam Area to the places along Sukhumvit Road, such as Nana, Terminal 21, EM District, and Ekkamai Bus Terminal)
Bus route 505: Pak Kret - Lumphini Park (bus for getting to the island of Ko Kret from Lumpini Area and Pratunam)
Bus route 508: Pak Nam – Ratchaworadit Pier (bus for getting from Siam and Sukhumvit to Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm)
Bus route 509: Phutthamonthon Sai 2 - Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal (bus for getting from Khao San Road to Chatuchak Weekend Market or Mochit Bus Terminal)
Bus route 510: Thammasat University Rangsit Center - Victory Monument (slightly cheaper option than the A2 bus for getting from Victory Monument to Don Mueang Airport or vice versa)
Bus route 511: Pak Nam - Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal (bus for getting directly from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Khao San Road and Sukhumvit or vice versa; can also be used for visiting the Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm)
Bus route 516: Buathong Keha Village - Thewet (another bus option for getting from Khao San Road to Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal)
Bus route 555: Rangsit - Suvarnabhumi Airport (if you are not eligible for using the free shuttle bus, use this public bus to travel between Bangkok airports)
Bus route 556: Wat Rai Khing - Democracy Monument (alternative bus for getting from Khao San Road to Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal)
A full list of Bangkok bus routes operated by BMTA can be found here: BMTA Routes. To see the most up-to-date information, use the website in the Thai language, as the English version of the website is not updated timely and is different from the original.
Thai Smile Bus Routes
A private operator, Thai Smile Group, currently operates more than 120 bus routes in Bangkok. Some of the most useful bus routes of the electric bus are the following:
Bus route 1-1 (29): Bang Khen - Hua Lamphong (bus for traveling between Chatuchak and Hua Lamphong Railway Station)
Bus route 1-17 (187): Khlong 3 Village - Victory Monument (slightly cheaper option than the A2 bus for getting from Victory Monument to Don Mueang Airport or vice versa)
Bus route 1-18E (504E): Rangsit - Bang Rak (cheaper alternative than the A3 bus for getting from Don Mueang Airport to Pratunam or Silom)
Bus route 1-24E (538E): Thaniyaburi - Priest Hospital (bus for traveling from Phaya Thai or Victory Monument to Dream World)
Bus route 1-39 (71): Siam Park - Khlong Toei (bus passing on part of Sukhumvit Road and going all the way to Siam Amazing Park)
Bus route 1-45 (115): Siam Park - Bang Rak (bus going directly from Silom to Siam Amazing Park)
Bus route 1-56 (517): SUT - Mo Chit 2 (bus convenient for travelers who stay in the Lat Krabang and Suvarnabhumi areas and want to go to Mochit Bus Terminal)
Bus route 1-63: Patthavikorn - Suan Luang Rama 8 (bus for getting from Khao San Road to MBK or Victory Monument)
Bus route 1-64: Safari World - Nawalan (bus for getting from MRT Pink Line Khu Bon station to Safari World)
Bus route 2-42 (44): Khlong Chan Housing - Tha Tien (bus for getting from Khao San Road to Chatuchak Weekend Market)
Bus route 3-1 (2): Pak Nam - Saphan Phut Pier (bus for getting from Khao San Road to Pratunam, Sukhumvit, or even the Erawan Museum; also can be used in the opposite direction for getting from Sukhumvit or Pratunam to the Grand Palace and other attractions in Bangkok Old Town)
Bus route 3-13 (507): Samrong - Southern Bus Terminal (bus for getting directly from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Khao San Road and Chinatown or vice versa)
Bus route 3-35 (1): Central Rama 3 - Tha Tien (bus for getting to Bangkok Old Town from Chinatown, Silom, and various destinations along the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River, such as Asiatique The Riverfront)
Bus route 3-53: MRT Hua Mak - Giant Swing (bus for getting from Sukhumvit areas Nana and Asok to Chinatown and Giant Swing)
Bus route 3-8 (38): Ramkhamhaeng University 2 - Victory Monument (bus for getting from Victory Monument to Ekkamai Bus Terminal and other destinations along Sukhumvit Road)
Bus route 4-1 (6): Phra Pradaeng Pier - Charoen Nakhon Road - Bang Lamphu (bus for getting from Khao San Road to ICONSIAM and other Riverside destinations along the western bank of the Chao Phraya River)
Bus route 4-13 (75): Phutthabucha - Hua Lamphong (bus for getting from Hua Lamphong Area to Asiatique)
Bus route 4-3 (17): Phra Pradaeng - Victory Monument (bus for getting from Pratunam and Siam areas to Asiatique)
Bus route 4-38 (28): Southern Bus Terminal - Changrakasem Rajabhat University (bus for getting to Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal from Chatuchak and Victory Monument)
Bus route 4-39 (40): Southern Bus Terminal - Ekkamai Bus Terminal (direct bus connection between the eastern and southern bus stations in Bangkok)
Bus route 4-41 (57): Taling Chan - Thonburi Circle (bus for traveling between Taling Chan Floating Market and Wat Arun or Khlong San station of the Gold Line Train near ICONSIAM)
Bus route 4-47 (89): Southern Bus Terminal - Rajamangala University (bus for getting from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to ICONSIAM)
Bus route 4-51 (124): Salaya - Sanam Luang (bus for getting from Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal to Bangkok Old Town)
Bus route 4-53 (149): Borommaratchachonnani - Ekkamai Bus Terminal (another bus option for traveling between Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal and ICONSIAM or Ekkamai)
Bus route 4-61 (515): Central Salaya - Victory Monument (bus for getting to Sai Tai Mai Bus Terminal from Victory Monument)
Bus route 4-68: Suan Phak Bus Terminal - Thanon Tok (bus for getting from Khao San Road to Lumpini Park or Patpong)
A full list of Bangkok bus routes operated by Thai Smile Group can be found here: Thai Smile Group Routes (Thai language only).
There are more Bangkok bus routes operated by private companies, but almost all the most important ones are covered by BMTA and Thai Smile Bus.
Bangkok Bus Route Map
To find your way to travel from your location to the desired destination by public bus, you can use one of the applications with a Bangkok bus map, check the official bus route map provided by the bus operator, or rely on the route map found at the bus stop (if you will be lucky enough to find one).
Both main public bus service operators in Bangkok have their own websites, where the routes operated by their companies are presented. Every bus route listing on the websites of BMTA and Thai Smile Bus displays the route map. Route maps are available here:
However, the information there is provided in Thai only, so it might not be suitable for most foreign travelers.
Otherwise, you can use one of the apps with Bangkok bus routes:
- Google Maps
- ViaBus
- TSB Go Plus
Google Maps
The easiest way to find a required Bangkok bus route for your journey is using the Google Maps app, as it works quite well with the Bangkok public transport system. Just search for your desired destination, click “Directions,” choose public transport, and the best route will be presented to you.
However, you can't rely on the schedule and the length of the proposed journey presented on the app. Traffic is unpredictable in Bangkok, and your waiting time and journey time might vary significantly depending on the traffic.
ViaBus
ViaBus is one of Thailand's apps that is a must-have for public bus riders. The app is very useful when traveling by Bangkok bus, as with the use of it, you no longer have to stand and wait for the bus without knowing when it will come. The new buses are equipped with GPS, so you can check the current location of each bus, bus route, and bus stop.
While it has the most comprehensive Bangkok bus route map, the app works the best with BMTA bus routes, as it doesn't get real-time GPS data from the bus routes operated by Thai Smile Bus.
TSB Go Plus
If you are only interested in using the electric buses of Thai Smile Bus, then their own app called TSB Go Plus could be the best choice for a Bangkok bus map. The app features all bus routes of the company and displays GPS data from all their buses.
The app lets you find bus stops and lines, see stops near you, track buses, and get notified when they arrive. You can also get a recommended route to your destination. However, this Bangkok bus map app displays Thai Smile Bus routes only.