Short answer
The Chao Phraya express boat is Bangkok's river bus, and in October 2026 the boat company's website lists the orange-flag fare at 19 baht, the yellow flag at 24 baht and the air-conditioned red flag at 33 baht. Orange is the line for sightseeing, and the blue-flag tourist boat is a separate hop-on, hop-off service every 30 minutes. For the old town, use Tha Chang (N9) for the Grand Palace and Tha Tien (N8) for Wat Pho. Fares moved several times in 2026 with diesel prices, so check at the pier.
What the flag colours mean
The colour of the small flag at the back of the boat tells you which service it is. Wikivoyage's Bangkok guide describes the orange flag as the best choice for visitors, because it covers the major tourist areas, and the yellow flag as a faster service that skips many popular stops, including the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. It says the green-yellow line skips many piers, and a slow "no flag" boat runs only at rush hour. Its fares and times are undated.
The red flag is the air-conditioned catamaran, which the boat company lists between Nonthaburi and Sathorn. The blue flag is the Chao Phraya Tourist Boat, a different company that has run a hop-on, hop-off service since 2003, according to its own website. Wikipedia adds that all seats on the express boats have individual life jackets. For a sightseeing trip, remember one rule: orange or blue, and avoid yellow.
Fares in October 2026
The boat company's website, in a schedule dated from 6 October 2026, lists the orange line from Nonthaburi to Rajsingkorn at 19 baht flat rate, the yellow line from Nonthaburi to Sathorn at 24 baht, and the red line at 33 baht. The green-yellow line is priced by distance: 17 baht from Pakkret to Nonthaburi, 24 baht from Nonthaburi to Sathorn and 36 baht from Pakkret to Sathorn.
These fares have moved with the price of diesel. Thairath reported a rise of 2 baht from 7 April 2026, a cut of 1 baht from 1 May 2026, and a rise of 1 baht from 25 May 2026, when orange reached 19 baht and yellow 24 baht. The website's October figures match the 25 May level. Older guides that give 14 baht for orange are out of date, so carry small notes and confirm the fare with the conductor.
The blue-flag tourist boat: is it worth it?
The Chao Phraya Tourist Boat says its boats leave every 30 minutes from piers including Sathorn, ICONSIAM, Ratchawongse, Pak Khlong Talat (Yodpiman), Wat Arun, Tha Tien, Tha Chang, Tha Maharaj, Phra Nok and Phra Arthit, with an evening extension to Asiatique. Wikivoyage, undated, lists 40 baht for a single trip and 150 baht for a day pass, with English commentary. Check both against the company's current ticket page, which we could not open.
It is worth it if you want to hop on and off at several piers and like commentary. It is not worth it for one short hop to Wat Pho. Wikivoyage warns that staff at some piers claim the cheaper orange-flag boat is not coming for a while, when it often is. You are entitled to wait at the public piers and board any express boat without a ticket first; the conductor sells tickets on board.
Which pier for which sight
The Grand Palace's official page says to take the BTS to Saphan Taksin, exit 2, walk to Sathorn Pier, take an orange-flag boat and get off at Tha Chang (N9). It also gives Tha Tien (N8) as a pier from which you walk to the palace and on to Wat Pho. Wat Pho's own trip page says something different: get off at Tha Chang or Wat Arun pier, then take a cross-river ferry to Tha Tien. Wikivoyage noted in 2022 that Tha Tien had been closed for upgrading for years, so check the pier on the day.
Wikivoyage says Phra Arthit is the closest pier to Khao San Road. Wikipedia's pier table shows orange-flag boats stopping at Sathorn, Tha Tien, Tha Chang and Phra Arthit, and lists Wat Arun as pier N7/1. The boat company marks Oriental Pier (N1) as closed for renovation. Our guides to the Wat Pho entrance fee and the Wat Arun entrance fee explain the walk and the ferry at the end of each ride.
Days, hours and the last boat
The boat company's service page says the schedule from 6 October 2026 runs Monday to Sunday and on public holidays, yet the home page labels all four lines Monday to Friday. The timetables themselves are images, so read the one posted at the pier. Wikipedia's description says weekday service runs from 06:00 to 21:30 (the last yellow-flag departure from Sathorn) and weekend service from 06:00 to 18:40, and Wikivoyage says boats run every 5 to 20 minutes from sunrise to sunset.
So plan to finish before dusk, and check the return direction before you leave. Wikivoyage, undated, describes the yellow and green-yellow lines as weekday rush-hour services and the orange line as running every day. One more date: the Tourism Authority of Thailand says the river is cleared of ferries and longtails when the Royal Barge Procession passes on the afternoon of 6 November 2026, so expect disruption then.
How to pay and board without trouble
On an express boat, a conductor walks along the boat with a long metal ticket dispenser and you pay on board, according to Wikivoyage. At some larger piers you buy a ticket before boarding and show it to the conductor. Wikivoyage says the piers are well signposted, with numbered piers and English route maps, and that Sathorn is called Central because it connects to the BTS. The tourist boat uses electronic tickets and an online booking system, says its own site.
The usual risk is touts, not the boats. Wikivoyage tells visitors to ignore river-taxi touts who say the boats have stopped, and says private canal tours cost 1,000 baht or more. If you want a canal tour, agree the price and the time before you step into a private boat. If something goes wrong, the Tourist Police hotline is 1155, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
The river on a Grand Palace day
On our Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun tour the ferry across the river is part of the price, from $75 per person with the three temple tickets, a guide and a bottle of water. The tour ends back on the river bank after about 4 hours, at around 12:30 pm, and our information says taxis and the Chao Phraya Express Boat are close by. See the full route.
You do not need a tour just to ride a boat, and ours does not suit you if the river is all you want. A simple plan is to finish the tour at the river bank, then take an orange-flag boat for the ride. For other ways to move around the city, see our BTS and MRT fares guide and the best temples in Bangkok.
Practical checklist
- Take an orange-flag or blue-flag boat for sightseeing, and skip yellow for the old town.
- Carry small notes: the boat company lists 19 baht for orange in October 2026, but fares have changed with diesel prices.
- Check which pier serves your temple on the day: Tha Chang (N9), Tha Tien (N8) or Wat Arun pier.
- Read the timetable posted at the pier, and plan the last boat back before dusk.
- Avoid 6 November 2026 afternoon on the river: the Royal Barge Procession clears the boats.
Questions and answers
How much is the Chao Phraya express boat?
The boat company's website lists 19 baht for the orange line, 24 baht for yellow and 33 baht for the red air-conditioned boat in October 2026. Fares changed several times this year with diesel prices, so confirm on board.
Which flag is best for tourists?
Orange, according to Wikivoyage, because it covers the major tourist areas. The blue-flag tourist boat is a separate hop-on, hop-off service. Yellow skips many popular stops, including the Grand Palace and Wat Pho.
Which pier is closest to the Grand Palace?
Tha Chang (N9), according to the Grand Palace's official page. The same page also lists Tha Tien (N8) for the palace, which is also the pier beside Wat Pho.
Do I buy a ticket before boarding?
Usually on board. Wikivoyage says a conductor walks along the boat with a metal ticket dispenser, and that at some bigger piers you can buy before boarding. The tourist boat sells electronic and online tickets.
What time does the last boat leave?
It varies by day and line. Wikipedia gives 21:30 on weekdays for the last yellow-flag boat from Sathorn and 18:40 at weekends, but read the timetable posted at the pier.
How much is the blue tourist boat?
Wikivoyage, undated, lists 40 baht for a single trip and 150 baht for a day pass. The company says boats leave every 30 minutes from piers including Tha Chang, Tha Tien and Wat Arun. Check the current price on its website.