Bangkok River Boats: Chao Phraya Express & Tourist Boat Times and Fares
Which Chao Phraya boat to take in Bangkok: Orange, Yellow and Red Flag express boats, the Yellow Midday boat and the blue Tourist Boat, with hours and fares.
📋 Essential Pre-Departure Checklist
- ✓Weekend or midday? Take the Yellow Midday boat or the Tourist Boat: the Orange Flag runs on weekday peaks only
- ✓For Wat Arun, the Tourist Boat stops at the temple itself
- ✓Sathorn Pier is next to BTS Saphan Taksin
- ✓Check for royal barge rehearsal closures in October
Which boat should I take?
Two operators run the scheduled boats on the Chao Phraya. Chao Phraya Express Boat runs the commuter lines between Sathorn (BTS Saphan Taksin) and Nonthaburi, each marked by a coloured flag. Chao Phraya Tourist Boat runs the blue-flag hop-on hop-off boat between Sathorn and Phra Arthit, near Khao San Road, every 30 minutes all day. For sightseeing at the weekend or in the middle of the day, the Tourist Boat or the Yellow Midday boat are the boats that are actually running.
Chao Phraya Express: the flag lines
The Orange Flag stops at all the main piers, including Tha Tien (Wat Pho), Tha Chang (Grand Palace), Rajinee, Memorial Bridge, Ratchawong and ICONSIAM, but it runs Monday to Friday at peak times only (from Wat Rajsingkorn via Sathorn 06:15–07:40 and 15:40–18:05). The Yellow and Red Flag boats are faster commuter expresses that skip Tha Tien; the Yellow Flag leaves Sathorn for Nonthaburi on weekday evenings (17:15 to 19:05). Between the peaks, and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, the Yellow Midday boat covers Wat Rajsingkorn – Sathorn – Nonthaburi about every 30–40 minutes, calling at the same main piers as the Orange Flag.
Chao Phraya Tourist Boat
The Tourist Boat leaves Sathorn every 30 minutes from 09:00 to 19:45 and Phra Arthit from 08:30 to 19:00, 22 trips a day each way. It takes 30 minutes end to end, stopping at ICONSIAM, Ratchawong, Rajinee, Wat Arun, Tha Chang, Tha Maharaj and Prannok; Wat Arun is 20 minutes from Sathorn. From about midday the boats continue beyond Sathorn to Asiatique. A single ticket is 40 THB and an all-day River Pass 150 THB.
Cross-river ferries
Short cross-river ferries link the two banks. Between Tha Chang (for the Grand Palace) and Wang Lang/Prannok (Siriraj Hospital, Wang Lang market), the Wang Lang pier’s ferry runs on demand every day from 06:00 to 19:00 for 4.50 THB and takes 2–3 minutes. From Sathorn Pier, ICONSIAM’s shuttle boats cross to the ICONSIAM mall pier daily from 09:00 to 23:00 in about 4 minutes, and the Tourist Boat also stops there.
Royal barge rehearsal days
On royal barge procession rehearsal days the river between Krung Thon Bridge and Memorial Bridge closes from 12:00. On 5, 8 and 15 October 2026 Chao Phraya Express splits its service into Nonthaburi – Payap and Wat Rajsingkorn – Ratchawong for the afternoon, and Yellow Flag boats leave Sathorn for Nonthaburi only at 18:30, 18:45 and 19:05.
Chao Phraya boats compared
From the operators’ own timetables (Chao Phraya Express effective 23 June 2026; Tourist Boat checked 4 October 2026).
| Boat | Runs | Hours | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Flag (Express) | Mon–Fri, peak times | 06:15–07:40, 15:40–18:05 via Sathorn | 18 THB flat |
| Yellow Midday (Express) | Daily | Every 30–40 min: weekdays 08:10–15:20, weekends to 17:45 | See operator |
| Yellow Flag (Express) | Mon–Fri | Nonthaburi → Sathorn 06:00–08:05; Sathorn → Nonthaburi 17:15–19:05 | 23 THB flat |
| Red Flag (Express) | Mon–Fri mornings | Nonthaburi → Sathorn 06:50–07:40 | 32 THB flat |
| Tourist Boat (blue flag) | Daily | Every 30 min, 08:30–19:45 | 40 THB; 150 THB River Pass |
Checked 2026-10-04 against: Chao Phraya Express Boat · Chao Phraya Tourist Boat. Policies change; confirm with the operator before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Chao Phraya Express boat run at weekends?
Yes, but not the Orange Flag, which runs Monday to Friday at peak times only. At weekends and on public holidays the Yellow Midday boat runs between Nonthaburi and Wat Rajsingkorn via Sathorn.
How do I get to Wat Arun by boat?
The Chao Phraya Tourist Boat stops at Wat Arun every 30 minutes; it is 20 minutes from Sathorn Pier (BTS Saphan Taksin) and 10 minutes from Phra Arthit.
How much is the boat in Bangkok?
Chao Phraya Express charges flat fares; its timetable effective 23 June 2026 lists Orange Flag 18 THB, Yellow Flag 23 THB and Red Flag 32 THB. The Tourist Boat is 40 THB a trip or 150 THB for an all-day River Pass (checked 4 October 2026). Fares change from time to time, so check at the pier.