The Sky-train (BTS) is ingenious and super modern. Click onto the link and take a look at the homepage, one will also find a network plan and a price calculator.
 

The reason why it’s ingenious is because even if there are bad traffic jams one is still able to travel around and reach ones destination quickly, safely and in a fully air-conditioned atmosphere for not much money at all. For example, from the Sukhumvit Area „NANA“ Station to Patpong (“SALA DAENG” Station) in nine minutes including changing trains once for only 25 Baht. A taxi would cost 50 to 60 Baht and would take 15 to 20 minutes (that’s if there is no traffic jam). A motorbike taxi costs about 80 Baht and takes about 10 minutes. There are also tickets with larger amounts of credit for example 100 Baht meaning that one doesn’t always have to buy a new ticket and in addition to this day tickets are also available.
 

The card with the chip can be obtained from ticket machines, this being quite easy due to the procedure to do so being well described. It is also possible to get tickets from the friendly assistant at the ticket window, money can be changed there too or questions answered.
 

Apart from that, one has an impressive view from high above the streets of Bangkok, even from the two storey station (don’t worry there are escalators) one is able to get a good and interesting view of the area. Some of the views however are of demolition work, building sites or the motorways with their huge amounts of concrete; these of course leave a more uncomfortable impression of the Thai metropolis. They’re not just carrying out the odd job here, these are huge projects.
 

It is also interesting to just observe people, apart from tourists and expats (there are foreigners living there) even the more well off Thais and many school pupils and students use the train. Those with just small wages cannot afford to use the “heavenly” train built by Siemens, they use the numerous Baht-busses, they only cost 5 Baht each way. Even though they are not acclimatised, the routes are pretty much inscrutable for us and the only way of keeping them cool is to open the windows, this in fact is the only way many Thais are able to get to and from work.
 

Photos: Taken along the stretch between „NANA“ and “SALA DAENG” (Patpong). Change trains please, let’s work an appetite up. The trains and stations are clean and tidy and even though one is in the middle of Bangkok one still meets many friendly smiling people. Of course here and there the odd (not so bothersome) beggar such as the small girl who has been placed where she is because of the tourists. Never give the kids anything at all and don’t buy anything from them, they don’t profit themselves and are only exploited; the best thing to do is buy them a lemonade.
 

The “spick and span” (typical Thai) personnel standing around on the platforms make sure that everyone stands back as the trains come in and leave by the minute and that nobody videos the facility, – don’t know why – on the other hand photos are allowed. Word doesn’t seem to have got around all that much that nowadays all digital cameras also take videos.
 

By the way it is also possible to catch the sky-train to get to the Ekkamai Bus Station, from here it is possible to get to all destinations in Thailand in good, regular, punctual, comfortable, acclimatised and reasonably priced busses. For example it only costs about 100 Baht to get to Pattaya, the journey takes about two hours.