I visited Bangkok and was shocked how clean and orderly the city's elevated Skytrain is

Jeremy Berke

Bangkok's BTS Skytrain

I visited my girlfriend's family in Bangkok over the holidays and found that you can learn a lot about the city just by trying to get around it.

Bangkok's transportation network is as diverse as its residents. Aside from scooters, taxis, and tuk-tuks (motorized rickshaws used for traveling short distances), there's a well integrated network of buses, ferries, subways, and trains.

The local buses and ferries are the cheapest option, but they're not air conditioned and not particularly user friendly for tourists.

The most efficient (but far more expensive) way to get around the city for tourists and more well-heeled Bangkok residents is the Bangkok Mass Transit System 9BTS) also known as the Skytrain.

Opened in 1999, the BTS is essentially an elevated subway, whisking riders three stories above the Big Mango's stifling traffic jams. It has two lines, the Sukhumvit and the Silom, linking Bangkok's main commercial, nightlife, and trendier shopping districts. It also connects with the MRT subway (a complementary system that runs underground) and has a seamless airport link.

Most trips in Bangkok - that aren't toward major destinations in the city core - will involve some combination of these different options. You might take the Skytrain for three stops, switch to the ferry, and then when you get into the neighborhood, you'd probably take a tuk-tuk or a scooter taxi for the last kilometer or two of your trip.

Coming from New York, I found Bangkok's system to be much better in many ways. Without further ado, here are the things I liked the most (and least) about the SkyTrain.