One of the most visited tourist destinations in Bangkok and the most visited market is Chatuchak Weekend Market.
Held every Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday, Chatuchak (also known as Jatujak in Thai) has more than 15,000 stalls and a large air conditioned mall.
Getting to Chatuchak, 10 miles north of downtown Bangkok in the city’s suburbs, can be a bit confusing for visitors to the city. It doesn’t have to be.
With several options of transportation, getting to Chatuchak is easy and convenient.
Take the Sky Train (BTS) — One of the easiest ways to get to Chatuchak Weekend Market is by skytrain.
Get onto the Mo Chit northern bound train either by the main station, Siam, or from any station on that line. The Mo Chit station is the last station on the line.
When you arrive at the station, follow the signs for the market (and the crowds). The market is on the right hand side of the street, just behind the large Chatuchak Park.
Related: How to survive Chatuchak Weekend Market — it is enormous
The fare each way will be 45 baht or less, depending on which station you start at.
Returning to downtown Bangkok, you should take the train heading back to Siam station.
Take the Underground Train (MRT) — Another easy way to get to Chatuchak Weekend Market is by underground train, and there are two options here.
Take the underground train (MRT) from any station on the northern line.
Stay on the train, and either disembark at Chatuchak Park station or at Kamphaeng Phet.
If you disembark at the Chatuchak Park station, when you come up out of the underground you will find yourself at the entrance of the park.
The easiest way to get to Chatuchak Weekend Market from here is to walk through the park to the far entrance (follow the crowds) and, across the small street you will come out in, you will see a small alley into the market.
Related: How to take Bangkok’s MRT underground train system
The even easier underground station to Chatuchak Park, however, is the Kamphaeng Phet station as this comes up right at the entrance to the market. Exit via escalator and, at the top of the escalator, you will immediately see some of the 15,000 stalls, cafes and restaurants.
When leaving the market, get back on the underground train at either Chatuchak Park or Kamphaeng Phet stations, and head south. Fares are around $1-$1.50 per trip depending on how many stops on the line you will be traveling.
Take a Taxi — You can take a taxi from anywhere in Bangkok to Chatuchak Weekend Market. Although more expensive than both the sky train and underground, it is a convenient form of transportation if you are coming a long way and don’t want to be bothered changing modes of transportation.
A typical taxi ride to Chatuchak Weekend Market can be anything from 70 baht (just over $2) to 500 baht($15.5) or more, depending on distance. Still much cheaper than western taxis though, if there is a group of four of you it can even be cheaper than the sky train.
Related: How to take a taxi in Bangkok, Thailand
Taxis too are wonderful to take when you leave Chatuchak as, if you have tons of shopping, who wants to carry it on the sky train or underground when a taxi will drop you off at your hotel.
The only drawback is that traffic can be horrendous around the Chatuchak area on the weekends. So a 15 minute trip into downtown Bangkok via sky train or underground could take you an hour or even longer via taxi.
Take a Bus — Taking the bus from downtown Bangkok to Chatuchak Weekend Market is the cheapest way to go. It is also a fun way to see the city on your travels.
Fares are usually no more than 15 baht (around 55 cents), but they can be slow if traffic is bad. To make it easier, buy a bus map at any Bangkok 7-11 or bookstore. The map shows all the bus routes in the city and which number of bus you will need to take, depending on where in downtown Bangkok you are traveling from.
The stop you need is “Talad Chatuchak” (Chatuchak Market in Thai).
As you can see, there are many ways to get to Chatuchak Weekend Market from downtown Bangkok. Choose the easiest or most fun for you.