Airport run from Patong

[xylophone]

Has anyone travelled to the airport and back in recent days, and who can tell me if the roadworks are causing delays?

 

 

[LivinginKata]

I've been out to airport a couple of times last month - make that September 2017. What  road works are you talking about ? I can think of some construction before and at the airport turn off.  Not so bad.

 

 

[xylophone]

6 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

I've been out to airport a couple of times last month - make that September 2017. What  road works are you talking about ? I can think of some construction before and at the airport turn off.  Not so bad.

 

 

Yes LiK, had heard that at one time the construction work near the airport turn off was causing huge snarl ups, both going to and from the airport?

[madmitch]

3 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Yes LiK, had heard that at one time the construction work near the airport turn off was causing huge snarl ups, both going to and from the airport?

You can cut it out by taking the left towards Nai Thon Beach and return the same way, hence cutting out the u-turn.  

 

 

[xylophone]

11 minutes ago, madmitch said:

You can cut it out by taking the left towards Nai Thon Beach and return the same way, hence cutting out the u-turn.  

 

 

Good thinking madmitch, and I believe that is the turning off by the traffic lights (the ones that drivers often drive through!) on the dual carriageway?

[madmitch]

3 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Good thinking madmitch, and I believe that is the turning off by the traffic lights (the ones that drivers often drive through!) on the dual carriageway?

That's the one. There's actually a sign just before the turn-off pointing out this route. 

 

Though every time I've taken a taxi it goes the old way. I have no idea why!

 

[stevenl]

15 minutes ago, madmitch said:

That's the one. There's actually a sign just before the turn-off pointing out this route. 

 

Though every time I've taken a taxi it goes the old way. I have no idea why!

 

I also take the old way, normally faster and more convenient than the 'shortcut'.

Edited November 5, 2017 by stevenl

[madmitch]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

I also take the old way, normally faster and more convenient than the 'shortcut'.

I've gone through quickly a couple of times, I've also been held up for twenty minutes. The 'shortcut' might take five minutes longer but I've never been held up there.

[Psimbo]

I cross country onto  the 'old ' airport road and cut out the construction area. There's a new road just been paved that makes it even shorter (and not many know about it).

 

 

 

After Cherng talay head towards Thalang- turn on the sharp bend after a few km as if going to Laguna (4018). After a couple of hundred meters turn right onto Alley three then after about 500m turn right onto the new paved road. Follow that and you get spat onto the backroad from Thalang to the airport. Turn left and its around 2km to the old airport road. GE playing up at the moment so can't do a map.

 

Edit: not much use for people in the south but a handy shortcut for those further north

 

Edited November 5, 2017 by Psimbo

[madmax2]

Avoid peak periods, took us nearly 2 hours to get from the airport to Rawai just over a week ago leaving the airport at 1830, traffic very slow with a huge tailback at the monument circle

A friend took 5 hours to get to the airport when there was heavy monsoon rains from Rawai, missed her flight and had to pay for a new later flight, that was about a month ago 

[LivinginKata]

2 hours ago, madmax2 said:

Avoid peak periods, took us nearly 2 hours to get from the airport to Rawai just over a week ago leaving the airport at 1830, traffic very slow with a huge tailback at the monument circle

A friend took 5 hours to get to the airport when there was heavy monsoon rains from Rawai, missed her flight and had to pay for a new later flight, that was about a month ago 

 

Mosty agree with that although 5 hours seems extreme/unusual. I had to fly 2 times up to Bangkok for new UK passport. I try to plan flight times for ease of Phuket traffic. Like 08.00 departure. I allow 60 minutes for drive, 60 minutes for check-in. Leave Kata 06.00.  Journey was easy, about 45 minutes each time. Construction no problem out bound. Coming back later in the day not so easy, better to take the old airport road and completely miss the road construction. Indeed later evening I prefer to take the back road to Bang Tao/Kamala/Patong. Might be slower but much more relaxing than the fast whacky races on the main road. To Kata it might take 10 minutes longer and I had a nicer drive.  

[madmax2]

14 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Mosty agree with that although 5 hours seems extreme/unusual. I had to fly 2 times up to Bangkok for new UK passport. I try to plan flight times for ease of Phuket traffic. Like 08.00 departure. I allow 60 minutes for drive, 60 minutes for check-in. Leave Kata 06.00.  Journey was easy, about 45 minutes each time. Construction no problem out bound. Coming back later in the day not so easy, better to take the old airport road and completely miss the road construction. Indeed later evening I prefer to take the back road to Bang Tao/Kamala/Patong. Might be slower but much more relaxing than the fast whacky races on the main road. To Kata it might take 10 minutes longer and I had a nicer drive.  

Mate at 6am there is never any traffic, peak periods are about 0830 to 1030 and 1700 to 1900 and sometimes later, you can expect traffic tailbacks at Chalong circle, at the first set of lights after the bypass road, heroines monument and the airport turn of

When we came back the only major tailback was at the monument at about 1900 hours and that was about 2 km long and it still took nearly 2 hours to get to Rawai

On a bad day at Chalong circle in peak periods the tailback on Viset road can go almost as far back as the petrol station, its quicker to go by the coast road and thru Patong