Transport in Thailand

Transport in Thailand is very different and exciting, with many ways to travel. For long trips, most people take buses. Trains have been used for a long time, especially in the countryside, but new fast train lines are being built to connect major parts of the country. Roads are very important for moving goods, and there are not as many public buses as in some other places in Southeast Asia.

For short trips, many people ride motorbikes, and in big cities like Bangkok and Pattaya, you can even find motorcycle taxis. Bangkok also has many regular taxis and a busy train system that started in 1999. Every day, over 800,000 people use these train lines, and more lines are being built.

Cars have become more popular, especially among tourists and wealthier people, and this has caused heavy traffic in Bangkok. Thailand has been building motorways, especially around Bangkok and central Thailand.

Flying inside Thailand has become easier and cheaper since 2010, thanks to budget airlines like Thai Air Asia and Nok Air. In areas with rivers and canals, boats are a common way to get around. You can also find special vehicles like tuk-tuk, shared vans called vanpool, and songthaew. In some rural places, people have even used elephants to travel!

Rail transport

Main articles: Rail transport in Thailand, List of urban rail systems in Thailand, and State Railway of Thailand

The State Railway of Thailand runs all of Thailand's national rail lines. Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal became the main station for all rail routes in 2023, replacing the older Bangkok Railway Station. Phahonyothin and ICD Lat Krabang are the main places for freight trains.

As of 2025, the State Railway of Thailand had 4,507 km of tracks, mostly meter gauge except for the Airport Link. Most tracks are single, but some important parts around Bangkok have double or triple tracks, with plans to add more. Thailand also has many more highways than rail tracks.

Thailand has rail connections to two neighboring countries. The line to Malaysia uses the same track width, as does the line to Laos across the Mekong River. The line to Cambodia is being rebuilt, while the line to Myanmar is not in use.

Bangkok has long-distance trains and some commuter trains, but not many people use them. The city also has three rapid transit rail systems.

Rail rapid transit systems

Bangkok Metropolitan Region

Main articles: List of rapid transit stations in Bangkok and Mass Rapid Transit Master Plan in Bangkok Metropolitan Region

Bangkok has four rail rapid transit systems:

• MRT, with four lines.
• Bangkok Skytrain or BTS, with three lines.
• Suvarnabhumi Airport Link or ARL, with one line.
• SRT Red Lines, with two lines.

Other Provinces

Main article: List of urban rail systems in Thailand

Several other rapid transit systems have been proposed but not yet approved or started as of 2025: Chiang Mai LRT, Pattaya LRT, Phuket LRT, Hat Yai monorail and Khon Kaen LRT.

Tram

Main articles: Trams in Bangkok and Trams in Lopburi

Thailand once had two tram systems, but they are no longer in use. Trams ran in Bangkok from 1888 to 1968, and there was a short tram system in Lopburi from 1955 to 1962.

Automated people mover

The Suvarnabhumi Airport Automated People Mover opened in September 2023. It runs between the main terminal and Satellite-1 terminal at Suvarnabhumi Airport, covering a distance of 1 kilometer. Right now, this is the only service at the airport.

Road transport

Thailand has many roads and highways, totaling about 390,000 kilometers (242,335 miles). As of 2017, there were around 37 million vehicles on Thai roads, including over 20 million motorbikes, millions of cars, and many trucks and buses.

Buses are a common way for people to travel long distances in Thailand. There are two main types: buses run by the government and those run by private companies. In Bangkok, there is a good public bus system, and some buses have special lanes to help them move faster.

Thailand is working on building more highways and expressways to help traffic flow better, especially around Bangkok. However, many people still use motorbikes, which can sometimes lead to accidents. The government is trying to make roads safer, but there is still much to improve.

Air transport

Airports

Main articles: List of airports in Thailand and List of the busiest airports in Thailand

Thailand has many airports. As of 2012, there were 103 airports with 63 paved runways, plus 6 heliports. The busiest airport is Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Major international airports

• Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) (New Bangkok International Airport, a major international hub)
• Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) (Old Bangkok International, now used mostly by low-cost carriers)
• Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
• Chiang Rai International Airport (CEI)
• Hat Yai International Airport (HDY)
• Phuket International Airport (HKT)
• Krabi International Airport (KBV)
• Samui International Airport (USM)
• Surat Thani International Airport (URT)
• Udon Thani International Airport (UTH)
• Khon Kaen International Airport (KKC)
• U-Tapao International Airport (UTP)

Airlines

Main article: List of airlines of Thailand

Thailand's main airline is Thai Airways International, which started in 1959. Bangkok Airways has been flying since 1968. Since 2003, many budget airlines have started, such as Thai Smile, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, Thai Lion Air, Thai Vietjet Air, and Nok Air.

Water transport

Thailand has many waterways that help people travel. As of 2011, there were about 4,000 kilometers of main waterways, and many smaller ones that local boats can use, like the long-tailed boats.

In Bangkok, the Chao Phraya River is very important for travel. People use ferries, water taxis called the Chao Phraya Express Boat, and long-tailed boats to get around. There are different types of boat services for everyday trips. The Khlong Saen Saeb boat service is also popular in central Bangkok because it’s fast and cheap.

Ferry services connect many islands to the mainland and cross big rivers like the Chao Phraya and Mae Khong (Mekong). There are also international ferry services. For example, a ferry service between Hua Hin and Pattaya runs for about 2.5 hours and costs 1,250 Thai Bhat.

Thailand’s Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea are also used for travel between places like Trat and Ko Chang, Surat Thani and Ko Samui, and Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands.

Important ports and harbors in Thailand include Bangkok, Laem Ngop, Laem Chabang near Si Racha, Pattani, Phuket including Patong, Sattahip, Songkhla, Ranong, and Satun.

Pipelines

Pipelines in Thailand help move large amounts of gas and liquid fuels over long distances. As of 2010, there were about 1,889 kilometres of pipelines for gas, 85 kilometres for liquid petroleum, and 1,099 kilometres for refined products.