The BRT

I got to ride a new form of Bangkok's public transport the other day: the BRT!

We finished our walking tour at the David Beckham temple, and ended up way out in the outskirts of Bangkok. To get back to the city, we had to ride Bangkok's least-known form of public transport.

BRT station

After six years in the city, I finally got to see and ride the BRT for the very first time! Unlike other buses in Bangkok, the BRT has its own private lane, ticketing system, and dedicated stations, making it more a street car than a regular bus.

the BRT

The Bus Rapid Transit is the forgotten sibling of the Metro (MRT), Skytrain (BTS), and Airport Rail Link (ARL) in Bangkok. The rapid bus service operates only one line, but it serves a valuable service in a part of Bangkok not reached by train.

I kind of wish all of the buses in Bangkok were like the BRT! It was clean, well air-conditioned, and they announced which station you were arriving at. The regular buses require you to hop on and hop off in the middle of the street and to more or less know where you are trying to go. The BRT is a more reliable and trustworthy public transport.

I won't ever have very many opportunities to ride it, but it's good to know that it exists.

the BRT terminal station which intersects with the Skytrain line in downtown