Bangkok is a large city that possesses only the beginnings of a mass rapid transport system such as can be found in Singapore or Hong Kong. Traffic in Bangkok is also notoriously bad, and it is often impossible to ascertain just how much time is needed to go from point A to point B if you are travelling by road. There are ways to get around the city however, and the best method of transport can very much depend on the time of day, or other circumstances such as start and end points of travel. Although not expensive in any case, cost can also be a factor in selecting the best method of transport.
The colourful taxis that dominate the traffic in Bangkok are cheap and plentiful, and these days they are all fitted with meters. Nevertheless, some unscrupulous drivers will refuse to turn on the meter and quote you a flat, inflated price. This particularly happens in certain tourist areas. In this situation, it is best to get out of the taxi and flag another one down. In order to try and avoid this situation completely, it is usually better to walk just a short distance away from the tourist spot and flag down a moving taxi. It is normally the case that it is the stationary taxis who most frequently behave in this manner, although it has to be said that the vast majority of taxis will turn on their meters straight away without you having to ask. For short trips, outside of rush hour, a taxi is probably easiest and quickest, and is particularly economical if you are a group of 3 or 4. It also has the advantage of taking you from door to door. In rush hour, you will probably find that the taxis will, in any case, refuse to take you to certain areas because they don’t want to be sat in a traffic jam either. Taxis are also good for longer journeys at weekends when traffic is usually much lighter.
The ubiquitous and photogenic tuk tuk is probably something every tourist wants to try once, but as a regular way to get around the city they are to be avoided. They are often involved in scams with the intention of taking you to specific shops where they get free petrol and you get ripped off. The usual approach, is to quote you a very low price per hour, and then to take you on a tour of places where they get their commissions and kickbacks. Don’t be fooled! Even if there is no scam, they will almost always quote you a price more expensive than a normal taxi. Add to this, the fact that they are dirty, noisy and just a little dangerous, then there is little reason
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