Bangkok’s traffic is a ridiculous annoyance. Once you’re familiar with the morning and evening rush hour, specific roads to avoid, and alternative transport options such as the BTS and MRT, you’ll be able to get around the city quickly and efficiently.
The Worst Roads in Bangkok for Traffic
Not all roads in Bangkok are congested, even during rush hour. For the most part, congestion in Bangkok is limited to a few large roads that run through densely populated parts of the city, with some spillover effect on nearby streets (usually small sois) and surrounding areas.
Below, we’ve listed some of Bangkok’s worst roads and areas for traffic. If you’d like to avoid the traffic as much as possible, it’s best to avoid travelling by taxi on any of the following roads:
- Sukhumvit Road, which is almost always congested during daytime hours and the early evening. Since most of Sukhumvit Road is covered by the BTS Skytrain, you will always save time by taking the BTS instead of catching a taxi.
- Petchaburi Road, which runs parallel to Sukhumvit Road several blocks north isn’t quite as bad as Sukhumvit, but it’s almost always crowded in the morning and evening rush hour.
- Rama IV Road, which connects Sukhumvit Road with the Silom/Sathorn business area, is perpetually congested during daytime. Since this area is served by the Silom Line of the BTS, you’ll always save time by taking the Skytrain.
- Silom Road is often the site of a slow traffic crawl, especially in the morning and early evening as people commute to and from work. As a major BTS/MRT interchange area, you can save a lot of time by travelling around the Silom area using the MRT.
- Sathorn Road, which is a short distance from Silom Road, is also a major traffic spot, especially during rush hour. Since it’s accessible by BTS and MRT, the easiest way to avoid the traffic is to use public transportation.
- The Ratchaprasong area is almost always jammed, even during the daytime. The best way to get around here is to use the BTS, which provides direct access to most of the malls in the area.
- Ratchadamnoen Road and other streets around Khao San Road can get seriously backed up with traffic in the morning and evening, making it easier to get to and from central Bangkok using the Saen Saep Express Boat.