About Chao Phraya River
Before roads, Bangkok got around by water, and the Chao Phraya still plays that role. The express boat has 34 stops and carried, on average, nearly 20,000 passengers a day in 2023, a mix of commuters and tourists trading the stalled taxi for the river breeze. From the water, the temples appear one after another along the bank.
For the historic center, the key pier is Tha Tien, a few minutes' walk from the Sanam Chai metro station. From there the little ferry leaves for Wat Arun, crossing in about two minutes, and the orange-flag boats link Sathorn Pier to the same stretch of the river.
