Getting to Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) by BTS/MRT

Wat Arun sits on the opposite bank of the Chao Phraya River from the Grand Palace side — which means getting there always involves a boat, whichever station you start from. Here’s the two realistic routes.

Why the boat crossing isn’t a downside

Wat Arun’s riverside position is exactly why it photographs so well — and the short ferry crossing to reach it is part of the experience, not an inconvenience. Most visitors pair it with Wat Pho and the Grand Palace as a half-day loop.

Getting there

Getting to Wat Arun

Route	From	Mode	Time	Notes
Fast route	MRT Sanam Chai (Blue Line), Exit 1, via Tha Tien Pier	Cross-river ferry	~5 min crossing	5–10 THB per person, boats run frequently through the day
Scenic route	BTS Saphan Taksin (Silom Line), via Sathorn Pier	River boat	45–75 min total	Chao Phraya Express or a tourist boat, with river views along the way

Picking between the two routes

Short on time or already near the Old City? Take the MRT to Sanam Chai, walk to Tha Tien Pier, and cross directly — the whole trip from station to temple can take well under 20 minutes.

Want the river as part of the experience, not just a way to cross it? Start from Saphan Taksin instead and ride the Chao Phraya Express boat upriver — it takes longer but shows you the riverside skyline, other temples, and daily river traffic along the way.

Practical tips for the visit

•          Best light is early morning or late afternoon, when the sun isn’t directly overhead on the temple’s porcelain-inlaid spires.

•          Same dress code as other temples: covered shoulders and knees.

•          The central prang (tower) has steep steps you can climb partway up — worth it for the view, but take them slowly, especially in flip-flops (which aren’t allowed inside the temple itself anyway).

•          Cross-river ferry boats don’t run on a fixed schedule — they simply leave once reasonably full, which is usually every few minutes.

Our take

If you’re already doing the Grand Palace and Wat Pho, the MRT-to-ferry route from Sanam Chai is the easy add-on — it barely extends the trip. If Wat Arun is a standalone outing, take the scenic boat from Saphan Taksin instead; it turns a single temple visit into a proper river experience.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I combine Wat Arun with the Grand Palace and Wat Pho in one day? Yes, easily — the short ferry crossing from Tha Tien Pier makes it a natural add-on to that route.

• Do I need to book the cross-river ferry in advance? No — it’s a pay-as-you-board local ferry, not a scheduled tourist boat.

• Is Wat Arun worth visiting at sunset despite the name “Temple of Dawn”? Yes — despite the name, many photographers actually prefer it at sunset, when the light hits the spires from across the river.