© Maksim Romashkin・Pexels License

Thailand

Bangkok

Temples and skyscrapers share the skyline. To escape the traffic, ride the elevated BTS or the river boats.

City bus (rot mae / รถเมล์)

Buses still run on cash and conductors - hop on first, then pay with small change. Don't count on tapping a credit card. The separate-lane BRT is the exception: cashless, paid with a Rabbit card or a LINE QR ticket.

Updated on July 30, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Get small change ready
    Cash to the conductor is the default. 500 and 1,000 THB notes often can't be changed - stock up on 20 THB notes and coins.
  2. 2
    Find your bus and flag it down
    Buses skip the stop unless you raise a hand. If bus and app numbers disagree, check the destination sign or ask the conductor.
  3. 3
    Pay the conductor on board
    When the conductor comes round, tell them your destination and pay. Keep the paper ticket until you get off.
  4. 4
    On the BRT, pay at the onboard machine
    On the BRT, pay at the machine by the door - tap a Rabbit card or scan a QR ticket bought in LINE. Stations sell no tickets.
  5. 5
    Track your location and press the buzzer
    Follow your location in a maps app and press the buzzer before your stop. Buses pause only briefly - move to the door early.

Fares

Single fares4

Non-air-con bus (red bus, flat fare)
All-night services charge 9.5 THB, expressway routings 10 THB.
8 THB ≈ $0.2
Air-con bus (BMTA, by distance)
Cream-blue 12-20, Euro II 13-25, NGV 15/20/25 THB; +2 THB on expressways
12〜25 THB ≈ $0.4–0.7
Thai Smile Bus (blue EV bus, by distance)
15 THB up to 4 km, 20 up to 16 km, 25 beyond. +2 THB on expressway sections.
15〜25 THB ≈ $0.4–0.7
BRT (flat fare)
Since November 2024 (11 THB for seniors)
15 THB ≈ $0.4

Fare caps1

HOP card daily cap (Thai Smile Bus only)
Ride all day for at most 40 THB (50 THB including TSB boats).
40 THB ≈ $1

Card itself1

HOP card purchase (Thai Smile Bus)
Includes 40 THB of credit. The Bangkok Smile version is 118 THB with 50 THB credit.
60 THB ≈ $2

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026

A Thai Smile Bus electric bus — dark blue is the livery to look for Taken Feb 2024 © S5A-0043・CC BY 2.0

Payment

Tap to ride
Only some BMTA conductors' card readers, and they often fail. Not on TSB or BRT
IC card
Separate systems - HOP on TSB, Rabbit on BRT; red buses take neither
App tickets
QR ticketing
TSB takes PromptPay/TrueMoney; the BRT sells QR tickets via LINE
Paper tickets
Issued by the conductor - keep it until you get off
Cash
Pay the conductor on BMTA and TSB buses; the BRT is officially cashless

Quick facts

Hours
5:00-23:00 approx.
Frequency
Every 5-20 min (varies)
Fares from
8 THB+

Heads-up

  • Old and new route numbers coexist, with more to come

    Route numbers are mid-reform - old and new coexist (e.g. old 71 = new 1-39), with some buses showing both as "1-39 (71)". If Google Maps and the bus disagree, check the destination sign or ask the conductor. Further renumbering has been announced, so expect more changes.

Timetable

Operating hours 5:00-23:00 approx.
Typical duration Traffic can double journey times - mix with the BTS/MRT when in a hurry
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka