Snap at the Bangkok Skylane

A couple weeks ago, after getting my new bike, I took an early morning trip out to Survarnabhumi Airport of all places to check out the fantastic Bangkok Happy and Healthy Bike Lane, also known as the "Skylane".

Bangkok Bike Lane

It's about a 40-minute ride to the airport from where I live. We took a taxi out east of the city early in the morning to beat the traffic, arriving to find a surprisingly lively and busy area, despite the fact that it was a weekday morning!

they monitor the air quality every day

Cycling is actually quite popular in Bangkok (the King of Thailand himself is an avid cyclist, as a matter of fact!).

at the biking lanes

There are a bunch of facilities at the Skyland, and I was actually kind of surprised to see how modern and efficient everything was! There were a bunch of small restaurants, shops, and cafes (though mostly closed due to the pandemic).

shops and restaurants for cyclists

the bike lane

If you don't have your own bike, don't worry! Bikes are available to rent for the day from the on-site bike shop. Prices start at 400 baht and go up to 900 baht (about $12-$30) depending on the model and material of the bike.

bicycles for rent

bike shops

There's also a small on-site emergency clinic in case of illness or injury.

small clinic and an ambulance for emergencies

It was a beautiful, sunny morning! We weren't quite ready to go out on the big bike trail this time, but really just wanted to check out the Skylain to plan our future adventures.

beautiful sunny morning at the bike lane

Since it's at the airport, some of the architecture and installations are inspired by aviation. This inflatable shelter in the photo below is reminiscent of an aircraft's wing.

airport bike lanes

aviation-inspired designs

The coolest thing about the Skylane is the Snap system. Snap is a sort of digital wallet programmed into a wristwatch-type device which is used to pay contact-free for access to the bike lanes or at any of the shops or restaurants. Technically, it's a small private bank account at Siam Commercial Bank, so in order to get set up, you need to bring your passport or ID card.

SNAP

A Snap account is free, but you do need to load a few hundred baht onto it to get started.

we registered our SNAP, ready for adventure

And when your account is running low, you can just topup with cash at these handy stations!

SNAP top-up

exploring the areas around the bike lanes

blue skies at the airport

ready for a cycling adventure

I still haven't been biking out at the airport, but I'm really hoping to go soon once things get a little safer here Covid-wise. I'm hoping to take my new bike out on a big adventure at the airport sometime in the near future!