The fare will be collected on the bus by a bus conductor. Prepare small change for the fare. A 100-baht note on an air-con bus is acceptable, but not so much on regular or smaller buses (500 and 1,000-baht banknotes are a big no-no).

In 2026, paying for buses in Thailand has become more digitized, though methods still vary by the type of bus. In Bangkok, the blue and orange BMTA buses and the newer electric "Thai Smile" buses predominantly accept the Rabbit Card or contactless credit/debit cards (Visa/Mastercard). Many buses also feature a "tap-on" reader near the entrance. However, on older "red" public buses, you still pay in cash to a conductor who walks through the aisle with a metal cylinder to dispense tickets. For long-distance intercity buses (coaches), it is standard to book and pay online via platforms like 12Go or at the bus terminal's ticket counter using a QR code (PromptPay). In tourist hubs like Phuket, the "Phuket Smart Bus" uses its own card or PromptPay. While cash is still widely accepted on most local routes, having a contactless card or a local banking app with QR capability is the fastest and most convenient way to travel across the kingdom in 2026.