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The Skytrain

The Skytrain was opened on the 5th December 1999, the King's 72nd birthday, and consists of two metro lines on elevated concrete pillars along three major routes covering central Bangkok. The two lines intersect and offer interchange at Siam Centre, a popular shopping area not far from the Central World Plaza and National Sports Stadium. The lines are named after the main streets they serve, ie. Silom and Sukumvit.

Better late than never, and not yet comprehensive enough to have much effect on car-commuters, the air-conditioned Skytrain is a relief to thousands able to afford the higher fares, and otherwise condemned to strap-hanging on packed city buses. It is also a boon to able-bodied tourists able to scale the steps up to the platform from street level, since escalators and elevators are not yet featured at all stations. The most popular stops for visitors are as follows:

Siam Square: Trendy shopping centre. Close to cinemas, bookstores.

Chidlom: Linked to the Central department store, close to Gaysorn Shopping Plaza, Erawan Shrine, World Trade Centre, and the US/Swiss/British Embassies.

National Stadium: Close to the sprawling Mah Boon Krong shopping centre, and the closest to Jim Thompson's house, located in a small lane opposite the Stadium.

Phrom Pong: Linked to a large elegant department store - the Emporium - which offers hours of shopping and recreation possibilities.

Victory Monument: Busy, crowded shopping area mainly used by locals.

Morchit: The stop for the huge weekend market of Chatuchak, with its extraordinary kaleidoscope of products. Go early to beat the heat.

Saladang: Linked to Central Department store's Silom Road branch, this business and commercial centre offers a wide variety of shopping by day, and is packed with roadside stalls at night. It is the closest station to Pat Pong night market and entertainment area.

Saphan Taksin: This terminal station links to ferries on the Chao Phraya River, with convenient connections to the "Chaophya Express" boats that go northwards to the jetties serving the Grand Palace area (Tha Maharat, Tha Tien, Tha Chang or Tha Phra Chan) Alighting at Thai Tien jetty gives you access to a smaller ferry boat to visit Wat Arun across the river.

There is a current three-day Tourist Pass promotion which permits visitors to enjoy unlimited use of the Skytrain for three consecutive days for 280 baht.

To further assist public transportation, a 20 km long underground line is currently under construction.

Bangkok's major sightseeing attractions and enjoyable pursuits can be categorised as follows:

• The Grand Palace Area
• Other Temples
• Markets
• Museums & Interesting Places
• Chinatown
• The River
• The Canals (klongs)
• Eating
• Shopping
• Nightlife
• The Skytrain
• Sports
• Daytrips in Bangkok
• Activities in Bangkok

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