Bangkok's city buses are the cheapest way across town: 8 baht on an old fan bus and 13 to 25 baht on an air-conditioned one (fares reported in September 2025). They are slower than the BTS and MRT and confusing at first, but the free ViaBus app shows routes and live bus positions in English, which makes them usable for visitors.
Buses reach places the rail lines do not, such as the old town around Khao San Road and many neighborhoods between the lines. The trade-off is traffic: a bus sits in the same jams as a taxi. Use the bus for short hops, for trips the trains do not cover, or when you want to save money and have time.
This page is about buses inside Greater Bangkok. Long-distance buses and the city's three bus terminals are covered in our guide to long-distance buses in Thailand.
Bangkok city buses at a glance
- Main operator
- Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), 107 routes
- Other operators
- About 25 private companies on the remaining routes (2025)
- Fan bus fare
- 8 baht flat (BMTA, September 2025)
- Air-con bus fare
- 13–25 baht by distance (BMTA, September 2025)
- Payment
- Carry cash in small notes and coins
- App
- ViaBus, free, private (Via Group), not run by BMTA
- BMTA hotline
- 1348
Who runs the buses: BMTA and the private lines
The state-owned Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, known as BMTA (in Thai Khor Sor Mor Kor), runs the largest single fleet. In September 2025 it had 2,883 buses: 1,520 ordinary fan buses and 1,363 air-conditioned ones, carrying 500,000 to 600,000 passengers a day.
A route reform has split the network between BMTA and private companies. According to a February 2025 paper published by Japan's JTTRI, 107 routes went to BMTA and the rest to private operators, with 25 companies in service. The two largest were Thai Smile Bus with 72 routes and Smart Bus with 31. The same paper notes that private-company fares are higher than BMTA's because the buses are of a different standard.
For a visitor this means that two buses at the same stop can look completely different and charge different fares, even on similar trips. The route number on the front is what matters, not the color of the bus.
Fan buses and air-conditioned buses
The classic Bangkok bus is the cream-and-red BMTA fan bus, the "hot bus" (rot ron), with open windows and a flat 8-baht fare. Air-conditioned buses charge by distance, from 13 to 25 baht on BMTA. You pay more for the cool air and usually a newer bus.
The fan buses are being replaced. BMTA has leased 1,520 air-conditioned electric buses, and the delivery deadlines run from 30 March to 30 May 2027, so fan buses are still on the road in October 2026. What the new electric buses will cost has not been settled: the transport minister promised an 8-baht flat fare in September 2025, while a report in September 2026 spoke of distance fares of 15 to 25 baht. Check the fare when you board.
| Bus type | Fare (BMTA) | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Fan bus, cream and red | ฿8 flat | Open windows, older vehicles, being phased out by 2027 |
| Air-conditioned bus | ฿13–25 by distance | Closed windows; ask the conductor for the fare |
| New electric bus | Not announced (October 2026) | Deliveries due March–May 2027 |
| Private operator bus | Set by the operator | Usually newer; fares higher than BMTA's |
Paying on board
On most buses a conductor walks down the aisle collecting fares. Tell them where you are going, pay, and keep the paper ticket until you get off. On a fan bus the fare is the same wherever you go; on air-con buses the conductor works it out from your destination.
Carry coins and 20-baht notes. A 500 or 1,000-baht note for an 8-baht ride is a problem for the conductor and holds up everyone else. We could not confirm on an official BMTA page which buses take cards or QR payment in October 2026, so do not count on paying by card. Bangkok's rail payment options, including the Rabbit card, are explained on our page on paying for Bangkok's trains; the Rabbit card also works on the BRT express bus between Sathorn and Ratchaphruek.
You may also read about a 20-baht flat fare on Bangkok's rail lines. We found nothing that says it applies to buses, and it was reported as a scheme for registered Thai users.
The new route numbers
Bangkok renumbered many routes in January 2024 as part of the reform, and it confused almost everyone. Under the new system the first digit shows the service zone, a dash separates the route number, and an "E" marks a route that uses the expressway. The best-known example: bus 59 became 1-8.
After complaints, the Transport Ministry said in February 2024 that it would drop the dash, so that 1-15 would become 115, but no date was given. BMTA's own website still lists routes in the dashed form alongside the old numbers in October 2026. In practice you will see both: an old number painted on some buses, a new one on others, and both in the apps.
Search the app by destination, not by the bus number a friend gave you. A number from an older guidebook or forum may have changed. Enter where you want to go and let ViaBus or Google Maps show the current route number and the stop.
ViaBus: the app that makes buses usable
ViaBus is a free app from Via Group (Thailand), a private company. It shows bus stops, routes and real-time bus positions, and plans trips from A to B. It covers more than 70 cities, including Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Udon Thani, and includes metro, train and boat lines as well as buses.
It is not BMTA's own app; BMTA appears on the ViaBus site as a supporter and partner. If the app shows no bus for a long time, check Google Maps as well. Our list of travel apps for Thailand covers the other apps worth having.
To use it well, turn on location, pick your stop on the map and watch the bus icons approach. That tells you whether to wait or walk to the nearest BTS or MRT station instead.
Catching a bus: stops, signals and getting off
Bus stops have signs with route numbers, but many have no timetable. When your bus approaches, step to the edge of the curb and wave it down with your hand low and palm down; drivers do not stop for everyone at a busy stop. Board quickly, often by the front door.
To get off, press the bell before your stop and move to the rear door. Buses often stop in the second or third lane, so look back for motorbikes before you step out. With the app open you can see your position and will not miss the stop.
Some rules are worth knowing. Since 3 May 2023 you may not carry durian on BMTA buses, under a ministry directive against strong-smelling items. Offer your seat to monks, older passengers and pregnant women, as you would on the trains.
Useful routes for visitors
A few bus routes are especially handy, and all of them have their own pages on this site:
- From Suvarnabhumi airport: bus S1 runs to Khao San Road and Sanam Luang. Our guide to Suvarnabhumi airport to Bangkok compares it with the train and taxis.
- From Don Mueang airport: the A1 to A4 buses go to Mo Chit, Victory Monument, Lumphini and Sanam Luang. See Don Mueang airport to Bangkok.
- Between the two main train stations: city bus 49 links Krung Thep Aphiwat and Hua Lamphong, according to Seat61. Our Krung Thep Aphiwat station guide has the other options.
For the old town, combine modes. The Khlong Saen Saep canal boat runs from Pratunam to Phan Fa Lilat near the Golden Mount, and the Chao Phraya Express Boat serves the riverside temples. Both avoid the traffic that slows buses near the Grand Palace.
Bus, train or taxi?
For most trips that the BTS or MRT covers, take the train: it is faster and easier to use, and our guide to using the BTS Skytrain and MRT explains the network. Take the bus when the rail lines do not go where you want, when you are on a tight budget, or for short trips along one road.
Late at night, or with heavy luggage, a metered taxi or a ride-hailing car is easier; our comparison of taxis and Grab in Bangkok explains when each makes sense. We could not verify BMTA's night routes or last-bus times, so do not rely on a bus late at night without checking the app.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a bus in Bangkok?
On BMTA buses the fan bus costs a flat 8 baht and the air-conditioned bus 13 to 25 baht depending on distance (September 2025). Private operators set their own fares, which are usually higher. Pay the conductor in cash.
Is ViaBus the official Bangkok bus app?
No. ViaBus is a free app made by a private company, Via Group (Thailand). BMTA is listed as one of its partners, but it is not BMTA's own app. It shows routes and live bus positions in Bangkok and more than 70 other cities.
Can I pay for a Bangkok bus with a credit card?
Do not count on it. We could not confirm which buses accept cards or QR payment in October 2026, so carry coins and small notes. The Rabbit card works on the BRT express bus but is mainly a BTS card.
Why do Bangkok buses have two different numbers?
Many routes were renumbered in January 2024 under a zone system, for example bus 59 became 1-8. Old and new numbers are still shown together, so search by destination in an app rather than relying on an old number.
Sources
- Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) – home page, hotline and route list (checked October 2026)
- MGR Online – BMTA at 49: fleet and fares (26 September 2025) (checked October 2026)
- Naewna – BMTA electric bus deliveries and fares (6 September 2026) (checked October 2026)
- ViaBus – Via Group (Thailand): about the app (checked October 2026)
- JTTRI – Bangkok's public bus services after the route reform (February 2025) (checked October 2026)
- Pattaya Mail (NNT) – Bangkok to revamp bus numbers after complaints (4 February 2024) (checked October 2026)