Bangkok Bus Etiquette

Traveling by bus in Bangkok is something I do most days. I get some strange looks when I tell people that. I get some even stranger looks from other people when I get on the bus!

These days, with apps like VIABUS, traveling by bus in Bangkok is getting easier, even if you don’t read Thai. However there are still some strange goings on which could leave you confused, or even afraid, when it comes to the Bangkok bus network.

Bus Stops

A lot of bus stops are covered and have seating in Bangkok. There are a few though which are just on their own, a metal pole in the wilderness. Most bus stops are pretty well looked after in general though. They also tend to have trash cans next to them which is an added bonus. Overall you’ll have no problems here unless of course you’re expecting to find some kind of schedule.

With the exception of a few locations most stops don’t have timetables, route listings or anything more than just a list of bus numbers that stop there. Unless you know where the buses go you could be stuck, however, as I said, check out the VIABUS app for listings in English. Google will also show you which bus to take if you use the Maps app.

The real fun and games start when a bus is about to arrive….

The Bus Is Arriving

A bus is approaching but it wont stop unless you signal it. However, it’s pretty easy to do that. You just signal it like you would a taxi, waving your arm out in an up and down motion.

The funny thing is some Thai people do this at the very last second, meaning the bus wont stop. They then glare and scowl as the bus flashes past them. Mostly these people either see it but don’t give enough signal time, are too entrenched on their phones to see it until too late or are hiding under the bus stop roof to avoid the sun and can’t see the bus until it’s a few meters away. It’s actually a bit funny when people miss their bus like this through their own fault. Especially the “too late” wavers or the ” flick their arms a little but not really like a real wave” wavers.

Sometimes, even though you signal in time the bus wont stop. I guess the driver doesn’t fancy it or perhaps they’re in the outside lane and won’t be able to cut across the traffic in time to get to you. Cue more cursing and finger waving.

Something you also need to be aware of is that some buses have multiple routes. For examples the 145 either goes to Mo Chit or Happyland, very far apart. The 156 is even more extreme splitting the journey and going miles apart. Some buses use color coded notices in their front windows but in most cases these will be in Thai. Often the ticket collector will tell you which way it’s going but you’ll need to speak a little Thai to communicate where you’re going. In short, be careful that you’re getting the right bus.

Getting On The Bus

So the bus stops and three Thai aunties, ten school kids and a pregnant woman all try to get on. Order goes out the window. People literally sprint to the bus. It’s unbelievable how these people will walk so slowly on the sidewalk but then run at full speed, elbows out, to get onto the bus. The kids push the aunties and the pregnant woman is left to fight for herself.

I’ve been told that the race for the bus is to get seats but often the bus is empty. Someone also told me that the bus driver won’t wait the extra two seconds for you if you don’t rush to get on. Either way it’s pretty funny to see.

Like pretty much all forms of public transport there will be the people pushing to get on before other passengers to get off. With a single door this just causes even more chaos. Funny to see but not fun to be involved in.

I’ve had a few instances where people have stared at me, seemingly shocked to see a foreigner on a bus. A lot of Thai people don’t like taking the bus, there’s obviously some negative stigma attached to it. Don’t be surprised if you’re gawked at a little when you first get on.

Take A Seat

If you do manage to get onto the bus then you’ll be looking for a seat. It’s like musical chairs with loads of people getting on the same time, looking for a place to sit. Cue pushing, more running and screaming at your friends to get them to follow you.

You’ll also get on some times and see one side of the bus empty. This is because it’s sunny and people don’t want to sit there. If that happens you get your pick of the seats. However, the conductor might try and get you to move to the shady side as they’ll be worried that you’ll get a tan.

Aisle seats are the way to go. Often you’ll get on and see plenty of people sitting away from the window (sun and pollution issues there) and you’ll have to climb over them to get to the window seat. Think of it as like getting into the window seat of a plane, but the bus is moving around more.

The good news is, as a foreigner, I’ve found is that Thai people will choose pretty much any other seat in the bus to avoid sitting next to you unless the bus is full. In the same way when you get on the bus they all look down from you and are seemingly praying you choose a different empty seat rather than the one next to them. This means you could end up with two seats to yourself or one of the coveted single seats.

Women, children, the disabled and elderly usually end up getting seats. However, people are often engrossed in their phones that they don’t see people more needing of a seat to offer them theirs.

Standing Room Only

In rush hour it might be standing room only. The good news is that there are plenty of rails to hold onto. The bad news is that the sight lines aren’t great from that high up and you could miss your stop if you don’t pay attention.

If you’re carrying luggage then traveling by bus in rush hour is going to make you lots of enemies. The bus lurches around so if your bag is flying through the bus it’s going to hit people.

If you do find yourself standing then you’ll be in a bit of squeeze with people pushing past to get off the bus.

Paying

There are so many different types of buses in Bangkok. Some you pay a flat rate, others a higher flat rate and some a variable fee based on distance. Basically if it’s a red bus you’ll pay the lowest amount, usually 6.5 baht. Any other non-AC buses you’ll pay 9 baht. AC buses cost between 11-23 baht depending on where you go.

Make sure you know where you’re going. I’ve witnessed a lot of foreigners, normally tourists, trying to ask ticket collectors where to get off, which station is for X hotel. It doesn’t work. If you’re lucky there might be someone on the bus who speaks English but perhaps they’re too shy to help or just can’t be bothered. My girlfriend has been in this position a few times and helped out tourists but the Bangkok bus network isn’t set up for non-Thai speakers.

Something I do is give the name of a famous stop, even if it’s a couple of stops after where I’m getting out of. For example my home bus stop is two stations before the airport link stop. I just tell the collector “Airport Link” and it’s the same price as to my stop. My stop has a really long name with an “Ng” sound which I can’t pronounce correctly. The times I tried saying my local stop just led to confusion until I said “Airport Link”. You only need to give a destination on AC buses.

The interesting thing is that some AC buses charge different amounts for the same routes. For example, my trip to work costs 13 baht in a blue 145 bus but 17 baht in a blue R26 bus. You should have seen the look of disgust and the blunt response I got from the ticket inspector on the R26 when I handed over 13 baht. It was as if I’d cursed her or kicked her kid.

Once you’ve handed over your cash you’ll be given a show by the conductor where they take a small paper ticket and use their tins to tear little rips in and fold the paper in a million ways. It shows how much you’ve paid but does seem a little OTT.

99% of the time nobody checks your ticket. On very rare occasions another collector will get on the bus and inspect every passenger. You should keep your ticket on you until the end of the ride just in case. Most buses have a bin near the doors where you can throw your used ticket.

Don’t try and pay with anything over a 100 baht note. I tried once with a 1,000 baht note and the ticket collector just looked at me, shook his head, and walked away. Fair enough really. Buses are great places to use your change though.

You might notice what looks like machine payment terminals in buses. They lasted about a week before they were shut down.

During The Ride

It seems like there are four options for entertainment during the ride. Firstly you can stick your headphones in and either listen to music or watch something on your phone. Secondly you can just play on your phone, if you don’t get motion sickness that is. Thirdly you can put your friend on speaker phone and have a shouting conversation with them to try and be heard above the bus engine. Finally you can sit at the front of the bus and join in the conversation between the bus driver and ticket collector.

Something I enjoy doing, whilst listening to music of course, is to watch people at bus stops signalling too late and the bus not stopping for them. That’s a fun game I play, it’s a bit like the yellow mini game you play on long car rides.

Buses are a great way to spot new places. They often travel routes you wouldn’t see if using other forms of public transport or cars. I’ve found great restaurants and cafes just from going past them on a bus.

Buses are also a good way to test your Thai. One of my friends uses his bus trips as a way to nose into conversations and see what he understands. Perhaps you can even start a conversation on a bus, a man at y old condo met his wife on a bus!

You should also be aware of pollution during the ride. Keep windows shut or sit in the aisle seats. My doctor asked me if I smoked at the end of my yearly checkup, I told her I didn’t. She then asked if I used the bus which I said I did. She told me my lungs looked like those of a light smoker. Perhaps stick to the AC buses if possible to avoid the pollution or wear a mask during the ride.

Getting Off The Bus

All buses have buzzers you press to get the bus to pull over at the next stop. Press it just after the previous bus stop. Some people do it too late and seemed confused at why the driver didn’t stop or stopped 100 meters after the actual bus stop. Some drivers go in the outside lane so give them a chance to get back over to the curb by buzzing early.

The bus is probably lurching a little as it travels. It makes walking to the door interesting. You’ve got to grab on to various pieces of metal and swing down towards the exit. It’s a bit like being on the monkey bars in a playground. Of course, if you wait for the bus to stop before getting out of your seat then the driver will probably just drive on.

If the bus is super busy then you might find yourself having to shove past others to get out. No amount of “Koh tod Krap” will get people to move.

Getting off becomes a bit of a race too. People do shove occasionally. Then you’ll have the inflow of people too inpatient to wait for you to get off the bus before they get on. You’ll also get the odd person who gets off the bus and just stops where they are. That’s great.

Traveling By Bus In Bangkok

It isn’t the most glamorous transport method in Bangkok but I think buses are underrated.

The new blue AC buses are as good as anything in the UK or Singapore that I’ve used. The price is cheap and, in traffic, it won’t be any slower than a taxi. With many buses now using expressways they can also be faster than using the BTS / MRT in some cases.

The buses can be a little quirky but give them a try, you might just enjoy it.