A low cross-river ferry full of passengers crossing the Chao Phraya
Boat guide · our pier is at the end of the lane, ฿5 across

The Chao Phraya boat guide, made simple — which boat, which pier, how to pay

⛴️ The Tha Din Daeng–Ratchawong ferry — ฿5, about 3 minutes 🚩 Chao Phraya express boats are told apart by the flag they fly 💵 Fares are cash, in the tens of baht by distance* 🏠 The pier is at the end of our lane — walk out of the door and you are there
Illustration · Wikimedia Commons · credits

The Chao Phraya is not one boat service but several: ferries that cut straight across the river, express boats that run up and down it which you tell apart by flag colour, a tourist boat built for sightseeing, and shuttles run by malls and hotels. Once you can tell them apart, the river becomes the fastest and most reliable way to move through Bangkok. We sit on the Thonburi bank with a cross-river ferry pier at the end of our lane, so our guests ride boats as a matter of routine. This is the guide we wish everyone had before their first crossing.

Why guests on our bank use the river every single day

House of Happiness sits at 558/1 Tha Din Daeng 16 in Khlong San, on the west — Thonburi — bank of the Chao Phraya. At the end of our lane is a cross-river ferry pier: ฿5, about 3 minutes, and you step off at Ratchawong on the Chinatown side. That makes the river an ordinary road we actually use, not a tourist novelty. Yaowarat is on the far bank, while Wat Arun is on our side further upriver, Wat Pho is about 3.5 km away, and ICONSIAM is on our own bank about 2 km off, or one Gold Line stop. The one thing that confuses newcomers is that there are several kinds of boat and they do not look alike. Once you can tell which boat goes where, where you hand over the fare, and which pier to aim for, the rest of Bangkok opens up. So this page explains the whole river system, starting from our front door.

The river's boats, in seven points

  1. The cross-river ferry — the boat our guests ride daily. Low, wide boats that shuttle straight across the river and back; they do not travel along it. Ours leaves from Tha Din Daeng at the end of our lane and lands at Ratchawong on the Chinatown side: ฿5, about 3 minutes. They run often enough that you barely need a timetable — wait a moment and the next one comes. This is the boat local people take to work and to market.
  2. The Chao Phraya express boats — read the flag. Long boats that run up and down the river. Each service stops at a different set of piers, and the coloured flag flying on the boat tells you which service it is: some stop nearly everywhere, others skip piers to move faster. Since 6 October 2026 the company's timetable lists every line as Monday to Friday, so at weekends and on holidays there may be no express boat at all (see “Which flag is which” below). The easy method is to check the board at the pier for which flag colour serves your pier, then confirm with the pier staff — they point the way every time and are well used to the question.
  3. The tourist boat — built for sightseeing. A separate service from the commuter express boats: aimed at visitors, stopping only at the sightseeing piers, usually with English commentary and more comfortable seating, and sold as an all-day hop-on hop-off ticket. It costs noticeably more than the local boats. Worth it if you genuinely plan to get off at several piers in one day; for a single trip the express boat or the ferry is far cheaper.
  4. Mall and hotel shuttle boats — some free, some paid. Several riverside malls and larger hotels run their own shuttles between their pier and a pier on the opposite bank. Asiatique's boat from Sathorn Pier is free, while ICONSIAM's shuttles to Sathorn and Si Phraya piers charge a fare. Mall shuttles are open to anyone; hotel boats are usually for their own guests or diners, so ask at the pier. They are very convenient, but routes and running times change fairly often, so read the sign at the pier or message us before you set out.
  5. Paying — keep small notes handy. On the cross-river ferry you pay at the booth on the pier before stepping down to the boat. On most express boats the fare is collected on board: a conductor asks where you are getting off and tears off a ticket for you. Fares go by distance and sit in the tens of baht*. Tourist-boat tickets are sold at a counter on the pier. The simplest habit is to keep ฿20 and ฿50 notes in your pocket, and not to plan around paying by card.
  6. The piers that matter from our door. First is Tha Din Daeng at the end of our lane — our gateway to the river. Across from it is Ratchawong, a few minutes' walk from the mouth of Yaowarat. For Wat Pho, get off at Tha Tien; Wat Arun has its own pier directly opposite Tha Tien. ICONSIAM is on our bank with a pier of its own. For anything else, read the board at the pier — nearly every pier is signed in both Thai and English.
  7. Boarding and stepping off, the local way. Boats touch the pier for only a few seconds, so be ready before yours arrives. Wait at the edge of the walkway, let people off first, then step on with at least one hand free for the rail. Once aboard, move inside rather than blocking the gangway, and shift towards the gate as your pier approaches. Listen for the crew's whistle and step off on their cue — never until the boat has settled against the pier.

Which flag is which, when it runs, what it costs

Lines, operating days and fares above were checked against the Chao Phraya Express Boat company's official site on 15 October 2026 (timetable in effect from 6 October 2026) · first and last boat times are published only as timetable images, so we don't print them · Oriental pier (N1) is closed for renovation · express-boat fares can move with the fuel price · always check the board at the pier before you travel.

Pick a boat by what you're doing

Photos from the route

A Chao Phraya express boat coming past the pier — read the flag colour before you get ready to board.A Chao Phraya express boat coming past the pier — read the flag colour before you get ready to board. ICONSIAM is on our bank, about 2 km away, with its own pier and shuttle boats across the river (fare applies).ICONSIAM is on our bank, about 2 km away, with its own pier and shuttle boats across the river (fare applies). Wat Arun from midstream — the view that comes free with every ฿5 ferry crossing.Wat Arun from midstream — the view that comes free with every ฿5 ferry crossing.

Illustration · Wikimedia Commons · credits

Small tips from us

Common questions

Which boat do I take from the hotel?

Start with the cross-river ferry at Tha Din Daeng, the pier at the end of our lane — ฿5, about 3 minutes, across to Ratchawong on the Chinatown side. That is the boat most of our guests use every day. To travel further along the river, say to Wat Pho or the piers further upstream, change to a Chao Phraya express boat: check the pier board for which flag colour stops where you are going, or simply ask the pier staff.

What do the boats cost, and can I pay by card?

Our cross-river ferry is ฿5 a trip. The Chao Phraya express boats charge by distance, in the tens of baht. The tourist boat is sold as a day ticket and costs noticeably more, and mall shuttles vary — Asiatique's is free, ICONSIAM's charges a fare. Rates are adjusted from time to time, which is why we do not print fixed figures here — check the board at the pier before you board, or look up the current rates on the Chao Phraya Express Boat company's site, and bring cash, because not every boat takes a card.

How late do the boats run, and what if I miss the last one?

The boats do not run all night — every service stops in the evening, and the final departure differs by route and gets adjusted from time to time. The reliable move is to read the pier board on your way out, and the official timetable is published on the Chao Phraya Express Boat company's site. If you do miss the last one, getting home is still easy: a Grab or taxi over Phra Pok Klao Bridge to Khlong San takes around 10 minutes, or ride the BTS Silom Line to Krung Thonburi and change to the Gold Line for Khlong San if trains are still running.

Related guides

The green-and-gold tiled chedis of Wat Pho against a deep blue sky⛴️ Three temples in half a day by riverPut this guide to work: Wat Pho, Wat Arun and Wat Kalayanamit, then home again. Wat Chaiwatthanaram in Ayutthaya, the main prang and its satellite prangs at dusk🏛️ Ayutthaya in one dayOut and back from Khlong San (~80 km): leave early, see the main temples, sleep by the river ICONSIAM to Asiatique by boat🛍️ ICONSIAM to Asiatique by boatA riverside mall in the afternoon, then the boat to the night market The Grand Palace lit up at night, seen across the Chao Phraya🏯 The Grand Palace by boat฿5 ferry then the blue-flag boat, at the gate by 08:30

The stops on this route in Google Maps

Tap a name to drop a pin in Google Maps. We use the English spelling Google recognises.

📍 Tha Din Daeng Pier 📍 Ratchawong Pier 📍 Wat Arun 📍 ICONSIAM
Open the whole route from the hotel →
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* The lines, operating days and fares under “Which boat is which” were checked against the official site on 15 October 2026 (see the note under that section) and are adjusted from time to time · for the tourist boats and the mall shuttle boats we give no fares or times · always read the board at the pier before boarding, or ask the pier staff · to plan before you arrive, the current timetable and fares are on the Chao Phraya Express Boat company's own site, which is the source that actually gets updated · the ฿5 Tha Din Daeng–Ratchawong ferry fare is what our guests pay today · if you would like us to check anything before you set out, message us on LINE or WhatsApp.

Written by the House of Happiness team · Last updated