Khao San Road is a lively backpacker hub of Bangkok, known for its vibrant nightlife and street food scene. It is located in the historic old town of Bangkok and is close to the east bank of Chao Phraya River.
The 400 m long road is very lively from late afternoon to late night with street food vendors, bars, clubs, and live music performances. It is quieter from morning to early afternoon with more focus on shopping, dining, or arranging travel plans (like booking tours or buses).
If you are a solo traveler, party goer, or backpacker who wants to meet other fellow travelers, you can consider staying in and around Khao San Road. Otherwise, you can visit this area to see how it looks.
In this article, I will show you some popular ways to get to Khao San Road for several locations in Bangkok like Suvarnabhumi Airport, Sukhumvit, Siam, and Pratunam. I will also share how to reach Khao San Road by some public transportation like MRT trains, buses, and boats.
4 Ways to get to Khao San Road Bangkok
1. By River/ Canal Boat
Khao San Road is located within 10 minutes walk from Phra Athit Road. If you are somewhere along the Chao Phraya River, you can take a boat to Phra Athit Road, then walk to Khao San Road.
If you are somewhere along the Saen Saep Canal like in Pratunam, Siam, and Sukhumvit, you can take a boat to Panfa Leelard Pier near the Golden Mount then walk for 10 minutes to reach Khao San Road.
2. By MRT underground train
The closest MRT blue underground train is Sam Yot Station, located around 20 minutes walk from Khao San Road. If you don’t like to walk, you can use tuk tuk or motorbike taxi for a few minutes’ ride.
I used this MRT train line to get to Khao San Road from Silom and Sukhumvit. I also used it to get to Bang Khun Non Station, then walk to Jaran Sanitwong for the local train to Kanchanaburi and Hua Hin.
There is no BTS skytrain in the Khao San Road area. You can take a short 10-20 minutes Grab Bike ride to National Stadium, which is one of the closest BTS stations to Khao San (4km away). Another way is to take a boat ride to Sathorn Pier, then walk for a couple of minutes to Saphan Taksin BTS Station.
3. By Bus
There are several public buses running though and near Khao San Road. Lots of bus stops are located on Ratchadamnoen Klang Road and the Democracy Monument area. Depending on your location, you can easily walk to Khao San Road from Ratchadamnoen Road in just a few minutes.
I don’t prefer using the bus to get around Bangkok because other modes of transport, like trains and taxis, are more efficient. However, The direct Airport Bus S1 to Khao San is a good choice for budget travel and those who stay in Khao San Road.
4. By Taxi, Grab, Bolt
Taxi and Riding share services like Grab and Bold are plentiful in Bangkok. I recommend using a metered taxi or agreeing on the price before getting in the car. You can also install Uber-like services such as Grab or Bolt. These apps offer upfront pricing, which is convenient and you don’t have to bargain the price.
From Suvarnabhumi Airport
If you are a budget traveler, you can take a direct bus from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Khao San Road. The S1 bus runs every 30 minutes from 6am to 8pm from Gate 7, Level 1. The journey is around 1 hour and the ticket is 60 baht.
Another popular way to get Khao San Road from Bangkok airport is by taking a private taxi. The metered taxi will cost from 400-500 baht and you can order it easily at Level 1, from Gate 4 to Gate 7 at Passenger Terminal. If you ask for a private transfer from your hotel, it will cost more, around 800-1000 baht.
You can also use the combination of Airport Rail Link Train and taxi. The train ride from Bangkok Airport to Phaya Thai Station is around 30 minutes and it costs 45 baht. From Phaya Thai, you can use Grab Taxi to Khao San, located 4 km away. The taxi ride is 10-20 minutes depending on traffic.
From Bangkok Old Town
Khao San Road is located on the northern part of Bangkok Old Town (Rattanakosin). You can easily walk or use a short tuk tuk ride to get from your accommodation in Old Town to Khao San Road.
From Chinatown
Chinatown is a popular area to try authentic street food. It is located around 4km away from Khao San Road. The ride is from 10-20 minutes depending on the traffic.
You can use Grab Bike or tuk tuk to get to Khao San Road from Chinatown. I prefer to use Grab Bike because I don’t have to negotiate the price and the motorbike taxi can beat the traffic.
From Sukhumvit
Sukhumvit is a vibrant nightlife and shopping district in Downtown Bangkok. This area is known for its shopping malls and nightlife areas like Terminal 21, Naza Plaza, and Soi Cowboy. Lots of visitors choose to stay in Sukhumvit due to its well-connected transport and central locations.
Taxi/ Grab
Sukhumvit is quite a big area, and depending on your location, you can use various forms of transport to reach Khao San. The most convenient and hassle-free way to reach Khao San Road is by taking a private taxi or booking a ride through Grab.
My taxi ride from Sukhumvit Road near Phra Khanong Station to Khao San Road was 300 baht. I tried to order the ride from Grab and Bolt, but got canceled several times as it was a rush hour. I flagged down a taxi from the side of the road and agreed on the price before the trip.
Canal Boat + Walk
You can consider taking a boat ride to get to Khao San, especially if you stay within walking distance from Saen Saep Canal, which is located on the north side of Sukhumvit. The canal boat runs every day from 5.30 am to 7-8pm.
You get off at Panfa Leelard Pier near the Golden Mount, from there you walk for 10 minutes along Ratchadamnoen Klang Road to get to Khao San Road.
BTS Skytrain + River Boat
If you are close to the BTS Silom line, you can use this train line to get to Saphan Taksin BTS Station. From Saphan Taksin, you can walk for a few minutes to Sathron Pier (Central Pier) for the hop on hop off boat.
These boats will take you to Phra Athit Pier, from where it’s about a 10-minute walk to Khao San Road. Traveling by boat along the river is one of the best things to do in Bangkok to enjoy stunning river views and the cityskyscape.
From Siam/ Pratunam
Siam and Pratunam are two Bangkok’s famous shopping districts, located around 5-7km from Khao San Road. You can easily use metered taxis or Grab/ Bolt Taxi for around 100-200 baht per ride.
You can take a boat rim from the Saen Saep Canal to the Wat Saket then walk to Khao San Road. Saen Sap Canal, particularly Pratunam Pier, is within a few minutes walking distance from Platinum Fashion Mall and Pratunam Market. It is also close to CentralWorld and Siam Paragon.
Another longer option is to take the Silom BTS line to Saphan Taksin Station, then transfer to Central Pier by boat to Phra Athit Pier near Khao San Road and Soi Rambuttri Road.
From Silom
Silom is located around 7km from Khao San Road. You can use a private taxi to reach Khao San, but be aware that traveling in the peak hour can take 1 hour to get to your destination.
To avoid the road traffic, you can use the Silom BTS line to Saphan Taksin Station, then take a boat at the Sathorn Pier to get to Phra Athit Pier, and finally walk for a few minutes to Khao San.
I hope you know how to reach Khao San Road by now after reading my article. It is one of the many popular areas in Bangkok and easily accessible by both public transportation and taxi. See more: Best places to Stay in Bangkok.