Ann7544

We will be spending two weeks in Thailand and I was hoping you can help me with advise on the best mode of transportation from the airport to our hotel in Bangkok (BKK), Chiang Mai and Khao Lak (from Phuket airport). My first guess would be a taxi and if so, do we just grab a cab as we leave the airport building, prearrange it, etc.? Also any idea about the approximate cost? Is it fixed, metered,...? Any tips would be welcome.
Many thanks in advance!

BillT

For BKK you can take a taxi - ignore anyone that approaches you about a ride- go outside and look for the taxi stand. Tell the attendant where you are going and they will put you in a metered cab. I recall it was about 300 Baht. You should have small 20 Baht bills as you need to pay for the highway tolls- about 35 Baht or so as I recall. I tip about 10%.
Others will chime in on limo pickup and other options.

The cabs are like Toyota corollas so we know that they can carry 2 large suitcases and 2 carry ons (assuming there are 2 of you) More luggage than that and you will need to use another option which can accommodate more luggage.

kmkrnn

They have van taxis for 700 baht from the air port into the city. At the taxi stand tell them big taxi. There are a lot of them if you are more than 2 people and the above mentioned luggage.

Khao Lak.. a again taxi is an option. Had dinner , last night, with someone who took taxi from tPhukett airport to JW in Khao Lak and it was 1800 , the hotel car was 2500. THey started higher, so bargain a bit. That gives you a place to start.

Can't tell you about Chang Mai recently, but last time there took a taxi. They are all there waiting for you, and it is not far into the city.

rhkkmk

a taxi into bkk will be 225-325 B for reg taxi plus about 70B for tolls. it will take 35-55 min on average. the reg taxi can only hold a little bit of luggage, so we opt for the SUV at 700B plus tolls and for more comfort.

for K/L i prefer to rent a car from pure car rentals as transportation around town is somewhat limited, but as noted above by my wife a taxi is about 1800B. the drive north from phuket airport is about 75 min with only about 3 turns.. well signed.

tons of taxis outside at CM...

rhkkmk

for reg taxi in bkk, insist on the meter

pinkpeony

You can take a train basement of SUV Airport to city direct. It's pretty good. Cost under 50B. 100B or bit more for airport express. It's cheap. You know BKK is very heavy traffic all the time so train is easy way.

kmkrnn

Taxi to khao lak is about 1800 b.

Hanuman

Regarding the airport train at BKK airport. Unless your hotel is within a walking distant or a short drive from the airport express station in Bangkok it is not worth it IMO. Very, very few people use the train service because of this reason and without a huge government subsidy it would have been closed a long time ago.

crellston

We used the train once. Never again!

Ann7544

Sorry for the delayed reply, I was out of town without internet access.

Thank you all so much for the information. Sounds like the taxi is our best bet in all three places. I also appreciate getting the cost so I have a point of comparison. And yes, there's two of us so regular taxi should be fine.
Many thanks again, really appreciate it!

trotsky

Three weeks ago in Chiang Mai taxi/mini van transport from the airport to city was 120 Baht. There were 3 of us & we had the van to ourselves.