Travel from Khao San Road to Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal

There are a number of different ways you can travel from the Khao San Road to Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal:

1. Take a taxi or a tuk tuk
2. Take a bus
3. Take a river boat, then a train, and then a motorbike taxi

In terms of cost, speed and the pleasantness of the journey, the best way to travel from Khao San Road to Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal is take a river boat, then a train on the MRT network, and finally a motorbike taxi.

Step 1: Walk to the Boat Pier

Bangkok has a commuter riverboat service called the Chao Phraya Express Boat. The nearest Chao Phraya Express Boat pier to the Khao San Road is the Phra Arthit Express Boat Pier on the Phra Arthit Road.

The Phra Arthit Road is the riverside road that run north along the Chao Phraya River from the Phra Pinklao Bridge to the Phra Sumen Fort. From the middle of the Khao San Road it’s an 800 walk to the Phra Arthit Express Boat Pier. The best route to take is to walk along the northern section of Soi Rambutri and then turn right down the Chana Songkram Alley, with leads on the Phra Arthit Road. At the northern end of the Chana Sonkram Alley you need to cross over the Phra Arthit Road and turn right.

As you are walking up the Phra Arthit Road you need to keep a look out for the entrance to the Phra Arthit Express Boat Pier on your left. The Phra Arthit Express Boat Pier is at the end of a narrow alleyway and the sign pointing the way from the main road to the pier is small and easy to miss.

Step 2: Travel on a Chao Phraya Express Boat

The Chao Phraya Express Boat service has 5 different lines, one of which is a tourist boat service. The different lines are identified by the colour of a flag on the rear of the boat. The boat you need to take is an Orange Flag boat. Orange Flag boats stop at Bang Pho Pier which is where you need to alight.

Tickets for the Chao Phraya Express Boat service are available for purchase on the boat after you board. However, the people in the ticket booth at Phra Arthit Express Boat Pier are insistent that you buy your ticket before you board the boat. The ticket price, 16 THB, is the same at the ticket booth at the pier as it is on the boat so there is no point arguing about where you buy the ticket with the very determined staff at the pier.

Bang Pho is the sixth stop after Phra Arthit Express Boat Pier. The journey take around 15 minutes.

There is seating on Chao Phraya Express Boat and the scenery on route is very interesting and includes some historic buildings, some of which are very grand, and others dilapidated. At 16 THB per person this is one of the world’s cheapest river cruises, and very enjoyable, and that’s why we recommend travelling via this route to Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal rather taking a slow bus or a very overpiced taxi. Taxi drivers rarely use their meters when picking people up in the vicinity of the Khao San Road.

Step 3: Join the MRT at Bang Pho

After alighting from the boat at Bang Pho Chao Phraya Express Boat Pier you need to walk to Bang Pho MRT Station. Bang Pho MRT Station is very easy to find as the steps up to the connecting elevated walkway are straight in front of you as leave from Bang Pho Chao Phraya Express Boat Pier.

Tickets for the MRT are available from either a ticket machine or the ticket booth in the entrance to the station before the ticket barriers. From Bang Pho MRT Station you need to travel to Kamphaeng Phet MRT Station. The one way fare from Bang Pho MRT Station to Kamphaeng Phet MRT Station is currently 21 THB (August 2022) per person.

It’s only 3 stops from Bang Pho MRT Station to Kamphaeng Phet MRT Station, travelling in the direction of Bang Sue Railway Station. This section of the MRT network is entirely above ground on elevated railway tracks and offers the opportunity to see more of Bangkok during your your jouney.

Step 4: Take a taxi from Kamphaeng Phet MRT station

When you arrive at Kamphaeng Phet MRT Station you need to leave the air-conditioned comfort of the MRT network and find a motorbike taxi, or normal taxi, to take you the last part of the journey to Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal.

The easiest option for finding onward transport from Kamphaeng Phet MRT Station is to follow the signs for the exit to Chatuchak Market. Near the Chatuchak Parket exit to Kamphaeng Phet MRT Station there is a motorbike taxi stand. The fixed fare from Kamphaeng Phet MRT Station to Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal is 40 THB. Tell the driver you want to go to ‘Morchit’ (Morchit Bus Station is the alternative name for Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal and is the name used locally).

Motorbike taxis and normally taxis will take you to the main front entrance to Bangkok Northern Bus Terminal, unless you you tell the driver a different destination within the bus station, which may be difficult if you don’t speak Thai. From the main entrance to the bus station it’s easy walking distance to any of the bus platforms and just slight slightly further reach to Morchit New Van Terminal, which is where minivans and some bus services to destinations such as Kanchanaburi and Hua Hin depart from.

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