I will be arriving at the BKK international airport in the late evening.

How much does a taxi cost to go to Jomtien area in Pattaya?
How long does it take to get there?

Also, how much does it cost to take a taxi to the Silom area in BKK from the airport? How long does it take?

Thanks!

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There is a fixed price from the taxi rank of 1300 baht which includes toll fees and airport taxi tax. It is not usual to tip.

The time late evening should be under 2 hours.

Make sure that you know directions to your hotel or destination as drivers may not know Jomtien well.

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SMOKING KILLS

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I suggest 1,300Baht new airport to Jomtien is a rip-off. I'd try hard to negotiate this down to about 600/700. Pls remeber new airport to downtown Bkk, on the meter, is 150/200 Baht.

I can easily negotiate Bangkok to Pattaya/Jomtien 900/1,000 Baht. I have several time used a service located in Pattaya (they send the car from Pattaya) to take my family down to our house in Jomtien for 1,200. My Thai son uses a meter taxi operator (he found by accident) for his business trips to Pattaya, pays 850Baht, return for 800 (same operator), plus 100Baht hr waiting time.

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The airport charge has been the same since it opened over a year ago. It does include the 50 baht airport tax and the toll fees - I think 105 baht. I think it was about the same as the price from Dom Muang airport so there was a price hike but not as high a percentage as the rise in fuel costs.

Fuel costs vary but a taxi on LPG the return journey costs about 350 baht and gasoline about 700 baht.

Most taxi drivers rent their vehicles for 1000 baht for 12 hours.

Meter taxis will often get a return fare. There seem to be scouts on motorbikes on Suckhumvit Road Pattaya who drive alongside any meter taxi arriving and offer them a cheapo fee return fare. As they have to go back anyway the driver is keen to get anything he can.

For POSH friends http://www.imagelimo.com/ are the place to go.

My experience of meter taxis is variable but I have had some semi-suicidal ones and some less than reliable cars. Don't even ask about insurance cover. Once you are on the motorway you can't change.

I now prefer to use drivers that I know are careful and vehicles that are comfortable and reliable. It costs a little more but I am worth it!! I pay 1300 or 1400 for a car from Pattaya to Bangkok.

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SMOKING KILLS

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You might consider going to the Departure area and catching a taxi. Worked out well for me about a year ago. The driver had just dropped off his fare and saw me coming through the door. He remained at the at the trunk with the lid open and waited. I expedited the baggage loading and we were off to The Pinnicle at meter rate! I happily gave him B50 tip.

I am interested to read others opinions of this strategy and am mindfull that at Don Muang there were police to discourage this procedure (small donations gratefully accepted I am told).

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There are police to discourage this practice at Suvarnabhumi, too. And what's the point? To save a lousy 50 baht?

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It is not the B saving.
It is that trying to get a taxi at the arrivals at either airport can sometimes be really offputting.

Someone showed me the tip of going up to Departures where you can walk out the door and get into a taxi, who has dropped a fare, in about 10 seconds.

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I have never had to wait for a taxi at Suvarnabhumi. There always seem to be plenty of them in the rank.

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I always use the dep level method. No prolem with police .... drivers delighted to get a return fare straight away and plenty around, and that 50baht saved will be put to better use as a tip for some bar boy later!

Going to Jomtien is harder...they laugh when I suggest "neung pan baht" (1,000) and I've heard drivers ask as much as 2,000 (when they hear my laugh.) 1,200 is the best I've done there but coming back you easily get a meter cab for 800 bt. I ususally use a private car company to go to Jomtien...he charges 1,200 inc tolls whether picking up from Suvarnabumi, or Silom hotels and is very reliable and safe drivers.

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Hi Biggles69 .....would appreciate information on the private car companies that will make the trip from the aiport to Jomtien for B1,200. I have seen excessively high rates on the web. Thanks much!

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Khun Keak
keak_vr@hotmail.com (with a _ underscore after Keak)
www.pattaya-taxi.com
tel/fax 038-716349

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Khun Keak has reduced his transfer fee from Jomtien /Pattaya to Suvarnambumi airport to 1,000 Bt inc tolls.

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Since my last stay i only use bell travel. Price 150 baht. I go with the bus to pattaya and from the station they bring me with minivan to my hotel. This is value for money. Image-Limo is for me the biggest Rip-off over there.

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The bus may be fine if you happen to arrive in time to connect....but there's often 2 to 3 hours between departures from Suvarnabuhmi, and if you arrive late...no bus at all. I dont begrudge 1,000Bt to have a driver waiting with my name on a card. Last time I arrived at 11pm and was in my Jomtien condo 1 hour and 20 mins after walking through customs. You get what you pay for.

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I emailed Khun Keak to arrange for an airport pickup, expecting someone to be waiting for me. Nobody showed up at all. I ended up taking an airport taxi. Apparently I was supposed to call him once I arrrived at the airport. Well there are two problems with this scenario - one, having just arrived from America I didn't have a cell phone that works in Thailand, and didn't have Thai coins to make a call using a public phone; second, if he drives out to the airport only after I call him, how long it is going to take? I would be waiting for him, not the other way around.

If Khun Keak charges $1000 Bt for Pattaya/Jomtien to aiport, that's a good price. However, the logistics needs to be better worked out. I wanted to be his customer but he didn't give me a chance.

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