Some routes around Bangkok that are well suited for cycling. Below you can find a short description of each route as well as the corresponding GPX file for download.
Routes overview
| Ayutthaya: Rachakram Loop | ||
| Already in the Ayutthaya province there is another cycling track next to a golf course (see on Google Maps). The loop is 2.75 km long. With its many curves it is good location to practice your cornering skills. Parking and toilets are available. | ||
| Distance: 2.75 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Bangkok – Min Buri: Rice Field Loop | ||
| A loop through the rice fields north of Suvarnabhumi Airport. A good starting point is either the Skylane parking or the Suvarnabhumi Tourist Police parking just opposite of Skylane. The first and the last few kilometers are along some main roads with a lot of traffic. However, some of them have a dedicated cycling lane. The Rice Field Loop itself leads along some quiet roads and is 10 kilometer long. You can repeat the loop if you want to have a longer ride, or you can add the northern loop with 17 kilometer as well. | ||
| Distance: 35.2 km | Climbing: ~ 100 m | Download |
| Bangkok – Min Buri: Wareepirom Loop | ||
| In northern Min Buri you can use the Wareepirom Cycling Loop. The cycling track is located within the Wareepirom Park (Google Maps) in a beautiful landscape around a huge pont. The track is 4.2 km long and completely flat, but with many curves. There are plenty of parking possibilities, toilet and shower facilities and some basic bike rentals. A little bit north of the loop there is also a BMX bump track (see GPX for details). | ||
| Distance: 4.2 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Bangkok – Min Buri: Klong Saen Saep Tour | ||
| A pretty special cycling route is the route along the Klong Saen Saep. In Thai language ‘klong’ means canal. Klong Saen Saep is a canal that runs through whole Bangkok more or less parallel to the roads Phetchaburi and Ramkhamhaeng in the direction of Min Buri. For most of the canal on both sides there are elevated paths available. These can be explored by bicycle. To start the tour you can go to the end of Sukhumvit Soi 1 and access the elevated path there. However, you can also access the elevated path on many other locations. The downloadable GPX shows various access points. I reconned the route at the beginning of 2017. The route stated in the GPX file was ridable at that time. However, things may change. Some sections of the elevated path might have become blocked, broken or migh be under reonovation at the time when you pass. In such a case you will have to go back to the last bridge and try your luck on the other side of the canal. The location in the north (near Min Buri) where my recording in the GPX file ends was a huge construction site at the beginning of 2017. It looked like they were rebuilding the whole elevated path from scratch. So maybe, when you are riding this part of the path you will be able go even further north. Along the way you will see many temples, mosques, residential houses, shops, factories, ferries and other interesting things. Seeing how the people live along such a canal is fascinating. And because everything is concentrated on the narrow path you will become part of action and get many insights. When you have seen enough you can either go back the same way you came or you can choose the faster option along Ramkhamhaeng and Phetchaburi Road. Both of these roads are big roads with a lot of traffic. Ride on the far left of the road and you will remain safe. Note: The elevated path is narrow and there are many obstacles on it. Pedestrians, motorbikes, dogs, products for sale, etc. And very often the elevated path has to bridge over side-canals. At such locations you will have to dismount from your bike and carry it up a few steps in order to cross the side-canel bridge before continuing your ride. Riding on the elevated path isn’t dangerous, but it’s not recommended for someone who doesn’t have good bike handling skills. |
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| Distance: 18.6 + 19.0 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Bangkok outbound: Workpoint Loop | ||
| Workpoint Entertainment are the famous Thai TV studios in the Rangsit area. It also used to be a popular place for cyclist to meet up and riding north in the direction of Ayutthaya. Hence the name ‘Workpoint Loop’. However, nowadays there are better starting points for this loop. But the name for the route remained. An excellent starting point is the restaurant ‘EAT Eat After Touring’. They offer car parking, toilet and shower facilities and some good food and coffees. The main loop is 100.0 km long, but there are many possibilities to shorten or extend the ride. Some of the shortcuts as well as some alternatives are listed in the GPX file. Most of the roads are back-country roads with relatively few traffic. However some parts of the route lead along bigger roads with a lot of traffic. If you decide to ride into the city center of Ayutthaya you will be rewarded with some awesome views of temple ruins. Note: It is also possible start the ride in Bangkok city center and ride until Ayutthaya and back. Depending on the chosen route it’s a 200 to 220 km ride. The outbound and inbound routes for Bangkok are mostly on major arterial roads. Be prepared for some heavy traffic. |
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| Distance: 100.0 km | Climbing: ~ 300 m | Download |
| Bangkok outbound: Loop of Loops | ||
| As the name suggest this route is a loop around Bangkok trying to incorporate many small loops along the way. Be warned… this route is definitely not for the fainthearted cyclist. You will ride on some of the most infamous roads of Bangkok like Sukhumvit, Rom Klao, Ramkhamhaeng, Rama IX, Rama IV, etc. At any daytime, on these roads there is always a lot of traffic. Be careful if you decide to ride this route. On the way you will ride the following loops: Rama IX Park inner and outer loop, Nongbon loop, Wareepirom loop, Huamak Velodrome loop, Rajamangala Stadium loop, Ramkhamhaeng University loop, Makkasan loops, Benjakiti Park loop and Lumpini Park loop. Note: Instead of riding along Ramkahmhaeng road you can also ride along the Saen Saep Klong elevated path. While it’s nice opportunity to see the live style along a Thai klong (canal), there are many obstacles along the way that make it a slow alternative. |
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| Distance: 105.5 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Bangkok outbound: Kanchanaburi | ||
| A nice but long ride from Bankgok to Kanchanaburi. The GPX file that can be downloaded below displays the way from Bangkok (Sukhumvit Phra Khanong) to Kanchanaburi (River Kwai Bridge). The route is quite flat and follows quiet back-country roads wherever possible. Along the way there are some interesting sights to visit such as Wat Tham Suea, Wat Tham Mangkornthong and the Bridge on the River Kwai. So, bring a lock to secure your bike while you visit these locations. If you have the stamina for a 150 km ride and if you ride between 25 and 30 km/h you will reach Kanchanaburi within 5 to 6 hours riding time. There is a train at 14:48 from the Kanchanaburi train station back to Bangkok Thonburi station. In the third class coach you can transport your bike. Be prepared for a long (3 to 4 hours) bumpy train ride… 😉 So it is possible to make a retour trip in one day with plenty of time to add some sight seeing and eating lunch if you start in Bangkok at sunrise. Note: I recommend to verify departure time and bike transport possibilities of the train connection one or two days before your trip. Call the hotline of ‘State Railway of Thailand’ on 1690 from within Thailand. The call agents do speak English. |
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| Distance: 155 km | Climbing: ~ 300 m | Download |
| Bangkok outbound: Maha Chai | ||
| This ride is a nice journey trought the farmlands outside of Bangkok. The journey starts in Phra Khanong and first leads to the Khlong Toei pier. From there you take a ferry to cross to Bang Krachao. Crossing Bang Krachao is relatively peaceful, but when you leave Bang Krachao you will have to endure some Bangkok road madness until kilometer 25. From there onwards you will cruise quieter back-country roads. At around kilometer 52 I suggest to make a small detour to the ocean. There is a nice little coffee shop and an elevated path over the ocean water that is worth to be checked out. Thereafter you continue to Maha Chai (or also known as Samut Sakhon). Maha Chai hosts one of the biggest fresh seafood market in Thailand. The whole area around the Maha Chai train station is all market place. Stroll around and enjoy the atmosphere. To go back to Bangkok you have three options. 1) ride back the same way as you came 2) Take the return route shown in the GPX file. I didn’t ride this route myself yet. However, the route should be doable, but the roads on this inbound route will definitely have more traffic than the outbound route. 3) Take the train from Maha Chai train station to Wongwian Yai train station in Thonburi, Bangkok. The official timetable for this train can be found here. As this masterpiece of a timetable is hardly readable for a human being I have created a separate PDF file that explains the most relevant information for this trip. I have never made this train trip with my bicycle. However, I have heard that it is possible to take the bicycle on the train. But as always in Thailand, I would recommend to double check a few days before your planned trip. The phone numbers of both train stations are listed in the above mentioned PDF file as well. Or you can directly call the hotline of ‘State Railway of Thailand’ on 1690 from within Thailand. |
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| Distance: 67.0 + 59.0 km | Climbing: ~ 300 m | Download |
| Nakhom Pathom: Phutthamonthon Park | ||
| Phutthamonthon Park is a park dedicated to the life of Buddha. It covers an area of 2’500 Thai rai (approx. 400 hectares). You can enter the park with the car. There are several parking areas available. It’s also possible to cycle inside the park. Most paved roads are open for cycling. The downloadable GPX files suggests a loop of approx. 6.7 km within the park. But you can also cycling around the park on a public road. This road sees very little traffic and is therefore safe for cycling. Inside the park there are many toilets and shops available. | ||
| Distance: 14.0 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Nakhom Pathom: Uthaya Loop | ||
| Just near the entrance of Phutthamonthon Park is a loop on a public road that is also often used by cyclists. The loop is 7 km long and on a completely straight and flat road. The only change of direction you have to do are at the two ends of the loop where you perform a U-turn. This public road doesn’t see a lot of traffic, so it’s also quite safe for cycling. Parking is available in the Phuttamonthon Park, at the local football complex (see GPX file) or at one of the many coffee shops along the road. | ||
| Distance: 7.0 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Pak Kret: Irrigation Dept. Cycling Lane | ||
| Just opposite of the Koh Kret there is a cycling lane along ‘Khlong Bang Talat’ (side canal of Chao Phraya river) of about 3.8 km. Nothing special, but ideal if you need to practise U-turns with your time-trial or triathlon bike. Parking is available near the starting point. See the GPX file for details. | ||
| Distance: 3.8 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Pak Kret: Koh Kret Loop | ||
| Kho Kret is an island in the Chao Phraya river in northern Bangkok (Nonthaburi). Not really a cycling track. But if you want to explore the island it’s possible to do so on a bike. To get on the island you will need to use the ferry which is located direclty behind the Wat Saman Nuea (Google Maps). The transfer fee is just a few THB. When I visited the island I didn’t pay attention for rental bikes. However, I have read on other websites that near the arrival pier on the island there are some bike rental shops. During weekends there is a very popular market around the island pier. So be prepared to push your bike until you have reached the end of the market. After that you can have a easy ride around the island through small villages while passing many farms and temples. You will have plenty of possibilities for taking photos and snacking along the way. |
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| Distance: 5.5 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Rangsit: Solar Track | ||
| In the Rangsit area there is a small running and cycling track around a solar panel field. The loop is 1.9 km long. Parking and toilets are available. The track is only open in the morning from 06:00 to 08:00 and in the evening from 17:00 to 20:30. For more details check their website. | ||
| Distance: 1.90 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Samut Prakan: Assumption Loop | ||
| In the Samut Prakan area (east of Bangkok) there is a good stretch of road to practice your time trial skills. It’s a public road with relatively little traffic. It’s completely flat. The loop passes the entrance to the Assumption University. Don’t miss out to enter the university campus. It’s very impressive. | ||
| Distance: 11.00 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |
| Samut Sakhon: Sinsakhon Loop | ||
| Inside a modern industry park this loop in Samut Sakhon sees very little traffic. It’s a good place to practise time-trial as the road is of very good quality. Parking near the start of the loop is available at the football sport complex. I didn’t check when I was there, but I guess you could even ask to use the shower facilities if you need to. | ||
| Distance: 6.5 km | Climbing: ~ 0 m | Download |