AOT car service at Bangkok Airport

[TotallyOz]

These guys are crooks and BS artists. Each booth gives different rates and they are nuts! I asked for a single cheapest car to Pattaya last week and the group said 2800 baht. I told the lady she was fucking nuts. Then, she asked how much will you pay? We can go lower.

 

I went to other kiosks and got other prices and all willing to negotiate.

 

If this is run by the Airport Authority, why are prices not set? Why is this a rip off? Why do they allow this?

[PeterRS]

I believe it's called corruption! It's known that corrupution is rife at the airport. That taxi service enjoys special privileges. It is the only one allowed desks inside the baggage carousel area and immediately outside customs. So thousands of first-time visitors are no doubt conned into paying up thinking it will save them time in a taxi queue outside. Their fare to SIlom used to be 1200 baht. The regular taxi costs around 330 - 350 including tolls and the 50 airport surcharge. But as beachlover pointed out in one post, savvy travellers can go up to the departures area and flag down a taxi as it drops off its passengers. That brings the price down to around 300.

[Moses]

Fixed price for taxi to Pattaya from Suv airport is 1050 Baht incl. toll fee... but at departure level you can hire taxi for 1000 Baht and even for 900.

[Guest]

I went to General Taxi stand where you wait to get your ticket and was told 1300 for taxi. Not 1050. How do you know this? Did it change?

[Moses]

I went to General Taxi stand where you wait to get your ticket and was told 1300 for taxi. Not 1050. How do you know this? Did it change?

 

In BKK all taxi have table with fixed prices for destinations outside of BKK. Some drivers who is working in Suv.Airport take it out, but while you are in BKK you will see it in each car - they must have it like they must have table with photo and name in car..

 

And yes, I use normally 1000 Baht when I arrive at deep night when Bell's buses don't working... usually I use Bellservice coz time and result is the same (door to door) for 200 baht...

[Guest beachlover]

1,300 for a taxi to Pattaya? Go up to the departures level, grab an incoming taxi and you should be able to get it for 800-900 baht (can't remember if this includes tolls though... anyone?). For 2,800 you can get Image Limos.

 

1,200 to get to Silom is one big piss take...

[Moses]

1,300 for a taxi to Pattaya? Go up to the departures level, grab an incoming taxi and you should be able to get it for 800-900 baht (can't remember if this includes tolls though... anyone?).

 

could you please to read my message again? I wrote "fix price is in table"... In fact you can get even less than 800... lowest fare I got from private car - it was 500 Baht (in July)... but I think it isn't possible to get this price from taxi...

[Guest beachlover]

Sorry, was responding to GT's post above yours.

 

500 is pretty low for a lift to Pattaya. I'd be wary of "private cars" though. I hope this isn't just some random Thai offering you a lift. Risky. If you're just referring to a taxi/transport service than that's a good deal.

[Guest]

I think a taxi from Pattaya to the airport is about 900 baht. Surely a Pattaya taxi driver would jump at the chance to get another 900 for the return leg?

 

If I do wander up to the departures area, is there any easy way to spot which taxis are from Pattaya?

[Guest beachlover]

Some of them go back empty and may accept as little as 400-500 (what they get from touts) for the return leg. But you need to find one of these yourself. Otherwise you pay a tout 900 to find one for you.

 

Coming back from Hua Hin, I was lucky. I happened to walk past a big mercedes and the driver offered to take me for maybe half (forget what I paid) what I paid to get there in a meter taxi. He'd just dropped off a client and was going to go back empty if he didn't find someone quickly.

[Jason1988]

The last time I came in around midnight on a Delta flight from Tokyo they quoted me 3000 Baht to Pattaya.

I did get a reduction to around 2000 Baht but that was a bit high. Does anyone know a service that is less expensive. And, did you book online or what?

[Guest beachlover]

For 2,000-3,000 you should expect a premium limo service, nice car, leather seats etc.

 

There are plenty of ordinary BKK Airport-Pattaya hire car/taxi services you can book for 1,100 to 1,300 baht. They'll drive you there in a Toyota, Honda Accord or Chrysler or something normal. Can't think of any off top of my head. Anyone?

 

You can also get a meter taxi for 800-900 baht. If you don't mind them (some people do) there's no reason you can't just turn up and grab one and not bother to book.

[Guest]

Only Bangkok has legit world class taxi service. Anyone that uses other means of transportation is an idiot.

 

I do not find Bangkok taxis to be world class. Those at the airport are frequently battered, grubby & the rear seatbelts may be removed or concealed. Therefore, using the clean & probably safer airport rail link is a good option to Bangkok.

 

As for Pattaya, on my last short haul arrival to BKK airport, I got on a 124 baht bus which departed within 5 minutes & dropped me off in South Pattaya. This is a good option if you have just done a short flight & don't really mind if it takes an extra 30~40 minutes.

[Guest fountainhall]

Only Bangkok has legit world class taxi service. Anyone that uses other means of transportation is an idiot.

A legit world class service? That's nonsense, with respect. I have lost count of the number of taxis with malfunctioning air-conditioning, virtually broken suspension, with no seat belt buckles in the back seats even though they have the straps, to say nothing of the number of drivers who have no idea where to go even when my Thai when explaining directions is not bad and I always have the directions in Thai and a map . . . I could go on, but won't. I live here and use taxis almost daily. I go to and from the airport at least once a month. Taxis here may not be as bad as in Phuket or Pattaya, but they are pretty dreadful if you compare them to taxis in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo and a few other regional cities I could mention. They are cheap, though - I grant you that.

[TotallyOz]

Only Bangkok has legit world class taxi service. Anyone that uses other means of transportation is an idiot.

 

I guess I am an idiot then as I much prefer the skytrain when I am in Bangkok. Faster. Easier. Cleaner.

 

As for taxi's in Thailand, it is a shame that the metered ones don't stick by the meter. I never have an issue in Bangkok but I can't seem to find one cab in Pattaya that uses the meter. It really is a shame.

[Guest]

Don't even get me started on the idiot taxi drivers who try to drive their customers to the wrong airport, those who refuse to use the meter or those who do use the meter & deliberately take a few wrong turns.

 

Bangkok has a lousy taxi service, but thankfully the MRT & Skytrain work well. Sadly, the airport rail link seems to be run by the idiots at Thai railways, but still seems preferable to a taxi.

[Guest fountainhall]

Don't even get me started on the idiot taxi drivers who try to drive their customers to the wrong airport, those who refuse to use the meter or those who do use the meter & deliberately take a few wrong turns.

Like you, I use the Skytrain and MRT whenever I can. They're great for getting around. But I need a taxi to get to the nearest stations as live in an area with absolutely no public transport, apart from motorcycle taxis which I won't use as I do not have a helmet. I don't use the airport link. The cost of getting to a station in the rush hour when I usually have to leave for the airport, means it ends up costing the same as taking a taxi all the way - and often takes longer!

 

As for getting where I want to go, I find it helps if you can tell the driver the name of a major landmark that is near your destination - a temple, big hotel, shopping mall etc.