The main train station is Hua Lamphong or Bangkok Train station located on Rama 4 Road in the center of the city with easy access to areas such as Silom, Chao Phraya River, Chinatown and Sukhumvit. The station connects to the MRT (subway) system and the Chao Phraya River Taxi is a short walk through Chinatown to Tha Ratchawong Pier. Taxi stands are located at the left of the platforms and bus stops can be found next to and across from the station.

The city of Bangkok is surprisingly easy to navigate your way around with many forms of modern public transportation. The easiest and most convenient ways to get around the city are taxis, the Skytrain, buses, Uber and tuk tuks.

Taxis in Bangkok are brightly colored and can be found around hotels, shopping malls and other tourist attraction, a glowing red vacant light shows when they are available for a ride. Fares start at 35 baht ($1), the meter should show this amount when you get on board. A taxi is the best means of transport after midnight as the Skytrain and Subway do not operate at this time.

The BTS Skytrain is an efficient rail system offering a convenient way to navigate around the city connecting the main shopping, entertainment and business areas of the city. Train stations are well marked throughout the city, the trains run frequently with little or no wait times. However the train does not go everywhere so you may still need to grab a taxi or a tuk tuk to connect to your final destination. There are two lines that run BTS - Silom line runs west to south and Sukhumvit line runs north to east from Mo Chit to Bearing, the lines meet at Siam Station. Fares start around 15 baht (.15c) for one stop or a single day pass for multiple stops for a single day costs approximately 120 baht ($3.50).

The MRT network (Mass Rapid Transit) is fast and efficient subway service with over 18 stations covering over 12 miles of track and runs from Hua Lamphong in the south (near Chinatown) to Bang Sue in the north and also connects to the BTS Skytrain at Sukhumvit and Silom stations. The trains run every 5 - 7 minutes.

There are many buses available in the city and the routes can be very extensive and confusing to first time riders. Be sure to get a copy of the MBTA map (available from most bus stations) as it will come in handy and be sure to pay attention to the bus number, the type of bus and the color. Buses run from 5am - 11pm daily and cost anywhere from 7 - 20 baht (.60c) depending on the type of bus and the distance traveled.

The Chao Phraya Express boats is a great way to experience Bangkok the boats run along the river in both directions and leave every 20 minutes during non peak hours and about every 5 minutes during peak hours. The Orange flag boat is the only boat that runs from morning till evening and is a great way to get to Grand Palace at Ta Change Pier.

Tuk Tuks are a fun way to see the city but are not recommended to use as a form of daily transportation as they are not a practical way to get around. But it is worth at least one trip experience to ride of one of Bangkok`s most recognizable transportation features. Normally a short trip will cost approximately 30 baht (.85c) and haggling is a must as drivers tend to inflate the rates if you are a tourist!

The city itself is not a great walking city due to the extreme temperatures and humidity, busy traffic, crammed and poorly constructed sidewalks and pollution! You can walk to certain destinations and walking around the popular streets and markets is doable but it is recommended to use public transportation to get to the bigger destinations located around the city.

The city is one of the most visited destinations in the world with a very high level of safety but travelers should be aware of certain scams that take place in the city with tourists as the main target. Use precautions and common sense pickpockets are found in high traffic areas and tend to strike if you are not paying attention, be sure to secure your valuables and remain aware of your surroundings when you are out sightseeing.

A common scam is the `pen` scam where an individual will start a conversation with you, asking for information and will ask you for a pen, a second thief will then attempt to snatch your bag when you reach in for a pen, take caution with strangers that approach you and start up conversations. Do not keep your wallet in your back pocket, be sure to have a purse with a zipper and keep it secured under your arm or over your shoulder with a strap in case anyone tries to snatch it.

Beware of another scam that takes place in the city and especially outside of the Golden Palace, a perpetrator will try to sell different jewels to male tourists advising them it is part of the Thai custom to buy the woman in his life different jewels these are fake gems and jewels.

Another common scam is when someone approaches you and says that `this attraction is closed today` for some fake reason, they will then proceed to offer to show you other attractions and take you there for a certain price.

When using taxis in the city remember that no matter what color or time it is the taxi should always have the meter on, if a driver offers you a fixed rate it is not a scam but will be a much higher price than the metered price.

A common scam in the Pat Pong area at night is geared towards taking advantage of male tourists in the gogo bar area. A man approaches you with `The Menu` which offers a list of services offered and tells you to follow him, this is a scam and you will normally be lead upstairs to a no name establishment and charged an arm and a leg for a drink & no entertainment.

Bangkok is by far a shopper`s paradise with so many different shopping malls, markets and streets offering a wide variety of goods and souvenirs throughout the day and night there is a shopping experience for everyone in the famous shopping city. Central World, MBK and Terminal 21 are just a few of the big shopping malls. If you are looking for markets the Chatuchak Weekend Market is the ultimate place to be! The sprawling size and variety of goods here will amaze you! Nighttime markets are popular in the city they say never sleeps, Khao San Road and the Patpong Markets come alive at dusk! Also popular and a something to experience are the floating markets where you can witness little boats filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, local food cooked on floating kitchens! Damnoen Saduak and Chan Market are a few of the popular ones. Bangkok also has a flower market (Pak Klong Talad) which is the biggest market of its kind in the city, where you can find many varieties of beautiful fresh flowers for amazing prices.

The Thai Baht is the currency used in Bangkok and you will need to exchange your dollars to Baht. Try to avoid major banks and popular tourist areas as you tend to get the worst exchange rates. Super Rich is the most famous money exchange company in Bangkok with several branches across the city; you must have your passport with you to exchange money in Bangkok. Tipping is not a common practice in Thailand and is not customary. There is no requirement to tip but small gratuities for great service are appreciated, and most restaurants and hotels will include a 10% service charge on your bill.

For more detailed information, consult our guide to tipping in Thailand by clicking here Thailand

Visitors should dress conservatively particularly women, it is advised to wear long skirts or pants, be sure to cover your shoulders and knees. When entering temples always remove your shoes and do not sit with your feet toward a Buddha, sit either with your legs crossed or with your feet tucked under you. Feet are considered the lowest, dirtiest part of the body. Woman should never touch a monk.

A traditional Thai meal consists of soup and a curry dish, salad, a fried dish and desserts. It is normally served all at once not in courses like we do in America. Thai people commonly eat spicy foods for breakfast and most prefer a quick and easy lunch like grilled pork with sticky rice which is their equivalent to a sandwich. They eat three main meals a day and have a habit of `gin len` snacking between meals. Bangkok offers a plethora of dining options from the illustrious street food vendors, markets with food options and fresh produce to supreme international cuisine at posh restaurants or junk food to remind you of home! The city is fanatical about its food.

Bangkok used to be known for its notorious naughty night life featuring go-go bars, clubbing and lady boy shows! The city has evolved over the years and offers a chic cosmopolitan glow! It emphasizes on more swanky establishments such as rooftop bars, slinky jazz lounges, hip cocktail bars and romantic river cruises.

The spoken language in Thailand is Thai. Most Thais in Bangkok can speak and understand English especially those working in the service industry.

The two major hospitals are Bumrungrad Hospital and Bangkok Nursing Hospital. Numbers for emergency services are: Ambulance, 1669. Police, 191, Tourist Police 1155