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bus or taxi from airport?

Jeni86

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Hi, I arrive in Bangkok airport mid feb and i want to go straight to Khaosan road how much am i looking at paying for a taxi? im travelling alone so dont wanna get ripped off. thanks x

#1 Posted: 14/1/2012 - 10:28
Tilapia

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If you want to go by cab you've got two options ...

1) Go to the taxi stand outside the Arrivals Terminal and tell the nice people at the desk that you want to go to KSR. I think it will cost you around B400, total. Maybe B450 now. If you know where you're staying, show up with the address in hand and you can get dropped off at the door.

2) Go up to the Departures Terminal and hop into a taxi that is dropping people off. As long as the airport authorities don't see this happen, you'll be fine. Otherwise you may be asked to get out because they aren't supposed to pick people up there. Tell the driver that you want to go to KSR with the meter on. Shouldn't be a problem heading into town. It's from town when they might offer a flat rate without the meter on. It will probably cost you about B270, or so, and you will be expected to pay for the two toll roads (B40 for one and B30 for the other).

In the end, you don't really save that much. Maybe the equivalent of around U$1-U$3 if you get a cab from Departures running on the meter, as long as you don't run into heavy traffic. If you take a cab from the stand, it doesn't matter how long it takes for the trip ... you don't pay any more than the flat rate.

For what it's worth, it's unlikely that you'll get ripped-off.

#2 Posted: 14/1/2012 - 16:47
MADMAC

mahout
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It does beg the question, though, why KSR?

#3 Posted: 15/1/2012 - 02:19

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Jeni86

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thanks for your help much appreciated! MADMAC ? im staying on KSR for couple days then moving on!

#4 Posted: 15/1/2012 - 05:17
altmtl

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I would take the train, transfer to skytrain & take the river boat to KSR. I hate taxis

#5 Posted: 15/1/2012 - 05:40

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MADMAC

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Jesus altmtl - let's hope the guy just didn't get off the plane from a 12 hour flight before he begins that odysee. If the skytrain line is really open, though, it would be the way go if you can. Cheap and fast.

Jeni - KSR is freak show central. Be prepared.

#6 Posted: 15/1/2012 - 08:35

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exacto

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travelling alone, the airport train might be the best value and a good choice, as long as you didn't have too much stuff with you. but it would depend on when you arrive too, wouldn't it? afaik, the airport train isn't open 24 hours yet, so if you are arriving on the flights from north america, for example, the airport train might not be an option.

considering that i've usually just spent 20+ hours in transit when i finally arrive in bangkok, the first option Tilapia mentioned above is the one i tend to use. the cost of a taxi just isn't much as all considering what i just paid for airfare, and i like the security of having a receipt from the airport taxi stand with the plate number of the taxi written for me. after such a long trip, i like getting dropped right at the hotel door for that first night in bangkok, particularly if i'm staying in KSR area.

arriving on a shorter flight morning or mid-day and without much more than a small pack, i'd likely take the train. regards.

#7 Posted: 15/1/2012 - 15:52
MADMAC

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exacto that's a good point, which I didn't think about. Skytrain stops running at midnight. And yeah, if I just got off a long flight, I'd want to get into a bed as quick as I could.

#8 Posted: 15/1/2012 - 22:19

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n8sand

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Another good option--depending on the time of day--would be to take the shuttle offered by the airport. I think it's only around 150B and will take you straight to Khao San. The shuttles run throughout the day, starting (probably) around 8 am and finished (probably). around 8 pm.

It's cheaper than a cab (but a bit slower), and it's far easier than changing different modes of transportation (on the train, boat, bike, etc).

#9 Posted: 16/1/2012 - 00:14
goonistik

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Posts: 326

Jeni,

If you are arriving late at night, it shouldn't be a problem to take a taxi all the way to KSR as traffic will be light. You should ask your hostel/hotel for the approximate cab fare and toll fees if you decide to use the expressway.

The airport express bus to KSR stopped running around June 2011 when the airport rail link was completed.

About the airport rail link, Almtl makes it sound simple but it can a bit tricky because you will have to make several transfers to get to KSR. From what I can gather from the BTS service map, at the airport you take the City line all the way to Phaya Thai station. At Phaya Thai you get off the aiport train and transfer to the BTS line that goes to Siam Station. Get off at Siam station and transfer to the line that goes to Saphan Taksin station. At Saphan Taksin walk to the pier and take the ferry to Phra Athit pier (I think that is the closest pier to KSR). It sounds daunting but it is still a good way to get to KSR during the day.

See the service map here
http://www.bts.co.th/customer/en/02-route-current.aspx

At Saphan Taksin pier, there will be touts who will try to offer a more expensive ticket (I couldn't figure out what it was for). But try to find the regular ferry that plies the Chao Phraya river.

#10 Posted: 16/1/2012 - 04:29
mnemeth

backpacker
Posts: 18

I'm not a fan of KSR (ie, order a Pad Thai and you get stir fry, which is the least of your worries but anyway) -- that aside, taxi or train and then taxi is good. When I first started going to BKK, the taxi was perfect but though you have to lug bags around a bit more with the trains, the trains are so easy and fast, if possible, I take them and then a taxi from wherever I get off the train to my destination (KSR in your case). Hybrid solution. Faster & cheaper. Anything with four wheels in BKK is slow slow slow.

#11 Posted: 16/1/2012 - 11:20
Shoes4

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@madmac (and others) : love your comments - see you on so many posts with some very apt remarks.

So, I just wondered if KSR Circus is not the place to start a trip after landing in Bangkok, where would you recommend for a solo female traveller hoping to hook up with others to travel with?
I've got 6-7 weeks in the region from mid April to end May which I hope to spend mainly in Thailand (little idea where yet) and also include 7-10 days in Cambodia for Angkor Wat.

Nimisha

#12 Posted: 19/3/2012 - 18:55
altmtl

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I suggest here might be a good place to stay... easier for transport... Suk11 - http://www.suk11.com/
- http://www.travelfish.org/accommodation_profile/thailand/bangkok_and_surrounds/bangkok/sukhumvit/all/383

#13 Posted: 19/3/2012 - 20:45

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theChosenOne

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I would take the train and then a taxi unless you have loads of baggage.

#14 Posted: 27/3/2012 - 00:24
captainbkk

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n8sand is OUT OF date-as has been posted here more as once-this shuttlebus is no more-due to ARL altml is some trainfreak who is not scary of taxi's but unused to real life. the ay he suggests triples the total time, makes you change 3 times ansd might deposit you at some unknown spot 15 mins walk with your superheavy (after all youre a newbie with an ATM-sized bekpek) pek to reack KSR.Ohh-those people who go the extra odd miles and hours to follow some mindsetrule.
That ARL is full of people with packs-it starts/ends/turns around at that airprot after all, nah? Till 31/3 those who sue AirAsia can get discount tickets at just 10 bt for it-show original boarding pass at counter.

#15 Posted: 27/3/2012 - 07:11
busylizzy

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Could anybody actually decipher what that last post said? I could pick out the insult to altml - the rest of it is pretty much unreadable.

#16 Posted: 27/3/2012 - 14:31

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SBE

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Easypeasy Lizzy! captainbkk reminds me of a poster called BMTA who used to be on thorntree years ago. BMTA's transport information was usually very accurate... just totally impenetrable to people with normal mindestrules.

Translation (I think)

1. N8sand's information is out of date. The shuttle bus mentioned hasn't been running for a while and this fact has already been mentioned on the forum several times.

2. atml's suggestion in #5 would be a very time consuming way of getting to KSR and not at all easy if you've got a very large backpack. Taxi would be a lot easier.

3. People in possession of Air Asia boarding passes can get into town using the airport rail link for just 10 baht until the end of this month.

I didn't know about the Air Asia discount on the rail link. Useful snippet of information, even though the OP did say he/she would be landing at Suvarnabhumi in mid February and has thus probably managed to get to KSR by now.

#17 Posted: 27/3/2012 - 18:51
tezza

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Yeah, if the captain is BMTA (and he certainly sounds it) it is worthwhile deciphering his stuff because nobody knows Bangkok transport better and keeps more up to date.

Downside - he can be a bit rude and abrupt.
But nobody's perfect - I have the body of Adonis and a head like Steve Buscemi.

#18 Posted: 27/3/2012 - 20:12

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busylizzy

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Good on you., SBE. Tezza, I have no doubt that CaptainBKK knows his stuff - it is obvious in some posts. But man, he's needlessly rude.

#19 Posted: 28/3/2012 - 03:28

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As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.