The Feb. 12, 2018 16:00 Bell Travel Service bus from Suvarnahbumi airport to Pattaya had only 7 passengers. This bus used to be packed with a waiting list. I guess high season is over?

 

No.

You were blessed.  It easily could have been packed with loud tourists with unique body smells from a certain part of the world.

I won't take them anymore. You go there and try to get a ticket. They'll have nothing you can get in for an hour and a half or two hours.

I understand you can't get a ticket at the airport anymore. 

Big mistake, IMO.

Apparently have to book ahead, which I won't do as too many unknowns when flying.

 

So now I'll use the other bus service which is cheaper and use the savings for baht bus instead. Still cheaper.

The demand is there; it is rather the market at work. Bell has competition for transport to the airport, and their competition is beating them badly. The bus service in Jomtien at the Food Mart market is easier, less expensive and always has room, as they routinely add a second bus to accommodate the overflow passengers -- "money talks, nobody walks". The bus at Jomtien leaves every hour, on the hour and it always leaves on time and arrives on schedule (even when the driver stops on the side of the highway to pee). Why would anyone use the rigid, inflexible and unfriendly Bell bus service? I am frankly surprised that they had 7 passengers -- it should be "0", except perhaps due to a lack of information regarding alternative service on the part of some travelers. 

2 hours ago, Fat Prophet said:

The demand is there; it is rather the market at work. Bell has competition for transport to the airport, and their competition is beating them badly. The bus service in Jomtien at the Food Mart market is easier, less expensive and always has room, as they routinely add a second bus to accommodate the overflow passengers -- "money talks, nobody walks". The bus at Jomtien leaves every hour, on the hour and it always leaves on time and arrives on schedule (even when the driver stops on the side of the highway to pee). Why would anyone use the rigid, inflexible and unfriendly Bell bus service? I am frankly surprised that they had 7 passengers -- it should be "0", except perhaps due to a lack of information regarding alternative service on the part of some travelers. 

I was going to central Pattaya, not Jomtien. 

 

To take the regular bus service (120b) from the airport, still doesn't get me to the condo. When I looked at 14:30 in the airport, that bus's next departure was at 17:30.

 

To go from the Pattaya bus station to the condo with a suitcase, one has to deal with the baht bus mafia. To get a reasonable price for the baht bus, one has to wait until the bus is full, and then it may go to multiple places before it gets to where one wants to go. So it will cost another 30-60 minutes to get to the condo. Alternatively, one could get an exclusive baht bus, costing at least 150b or more, which will depart immediately. The MC taxis charged 80b-100b per person with a small suitcase, most can't/won't handle a full size (30" -22Kg.) suitcase.

 

Let me get this straight.

 

You can afford a plane ticket to Thailand & a condo in Pattaya, but you are complaining about 150 for a taxi from the bus station in Pattaya to your condo? What am I missing?

 

Why not just book a car from BKK to the condo? I used to use Buddy Way Taxi. From Asoke to my house around Maprachan it was 1400 Bt, IIRC, including tolls. No waiting, no other passengers, no smells , fairly new Camry or similar car, driver drives like a normal person, not a maniac on speed. Walk out of the airport, they are waiting, get in the car, next stop home.

4 hours ago, Banana7 said:

I was going to central Pattaya, not Jomtien. 

 

To take the regular bus service (120b) from the airport, still doesn't get me to the condo. When I looked at 14:30 in the airport, that bus's next departure was at 17:30.

 

To go from the Pattaya bus station to the condo with a suitcase, one has to deal with the baht bus mafia. To get a reasonable price for the baht bus, one has to wait until the bus is full, and then it may go to multiple places before it gets to where one wants to go. So it will cost another 30-60 minutes to get to the condo. Alternatively, one could get an exclusive baht bus, costing at least 150b or more, which will depart immediately. The MC taxis charged 80b-100b per person with a small suitcase, most can't/won't handle a full size (30" -22Kg.) suitcase.

 

Why not just take a meter taxi from the airport to your doorstep? Cost of waiting time + bus + waiting time + baht bus may be almost the same?

16 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I understand you can't get a ticket at the airport anymore. 

Big mistake, IMO.

Apparently have to book ahead, which I won't do as too many unknowns when flying.

 

So now I'll use the other bus service which is cheaper and use the savings for baht bus instead. Still cheaper.

 

 

You can, but you take the risk of the bus you want to get on being full.

You can simply book it on the spot.

 

Tip: They have an iPad at hand if you ask nicely.

7 hours ago, saakura said:

Why not just take a meter taxi from the airport to your doorstep? Cost of waiting time + bus + waiting time + baht bus may be almost the same?

 

What is this?

 

Cost of waiting time?  How do you quantify that? 

Baht bus? There is no baht bus in the equation.

Perhaps we should include and quantify the cost of pointless posts on Thaivisa....

 

The topic concerns the Bell Travel Service transfer to your door for 250 baht.

 

2 hours ago, JamJar said:

 

What is this?

 

Cost of waiting time?  How do you quantify that? 

Baht bus? There is no baht bus in the equation.

Perhaps we should include and quantify the cost of pointless posts on Thaivisa....

 

The topic concerns the Bell Travel Service transfer to your door for 250 baht.

 

Read the post i quoted. Read slowly. I am not a retired pensioner so time is not free

18 hours ago, Banana7 said:

I was going to central Pattaya, not Jomtien. 

 

To take the regular bus service (120b) from the airport, still doesn't get me to the condo. When I looked at 14:30 in the airport, that bus's next departure was at 17:30.

 

To go from the Pattaya bus station to the condo with a suitcase, one has to deal with the baht bus mafia. To get a reasonable price for the baht bus, one has to wait until the bus is full, and then it may go to multiple places before it gets to where one wants to go. So it will cost another 30-60 minutes to get to the condo. Alternatively, one could get an exclusive baht bus, costing at least 150b or more, which will depart immediately. The MC taxis charged 80b-100b per person with a small suitcase, most can't/won't handle a full size (30" -22Kg.) suitcase.

 

Bell Bus costs over 200 baht, including transfer to condo, so using regular bus and the baht bus is not 150 baht more than the Bell Bus price. I'm a cheap Charley, and would sit in a baht bus till it was full, but if you won't do that it's your choice to pay extra.

Used to take over 4 hours to go from Bkk to Pattaya, so even spending 30-60 minutes in a baht bus is still faster.

7 hours ago, JamJar said:

 

 

You can, but you take the risk of the bus you want to get on being full.

You can simply book it on the spot.

 

Tip: They have an iPad at hand if you ask nicely.

I could not book it at the airport last time I wanted to. There was no one to book it with.

I took the other bus service.

the 'other' bus being Rueng Reung's blue coach to Jomtien is all under the same company

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I could not book it at the airport last time I wanted to. There was no one to book it with.

I took the other bus service.

 

There is always someone around is a bus is due or leaving. Poor planning on your part.

But since you had the option of the 389, no harm done.

5 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Bell Bus costs over 200 baht, including transfer to condo, so using regular bus and the baht bus is not 150 baht more than the Bell Bus price. I'm a cheap Charley, and would sit in a baht bus till it was full, but if you won't do that it's your choice to pay extra.

Used to take over 4 hours to go from Bkk to Pattaya, so even spending 30-60 minutes in a baht bus is still faster.

 

He is referring to a 'to the door' service.

Does the baht bus from North Pattaya/Thappraya take you to your accommodation regardless of where it is situated?

10 hours ago, saakura said:

Read the post i quoted. Read slowly. I am not a retired pensioner so time is not free

 

I read the post. It is from the originating poster. The one who utilised the Bell Travel Service shared transfer to the door for 250 baht.

So "Cost of waiting time + bus + waiting time + baht bus may be almost the same?" makes no sense.

 

It is from/to your door service.

 

I'm not a retired pensioner either, so what has that to do with anything?? Do you equate every moment of your waking life with a monetary value?

You should stop.

 

Yesterday on the 06.00 service to the airport there were only 2 unsold seats...probably a no show. Last evening on the 18.00 there were 7 revenue passengers and 2 non-revs. It maybe simply flight arrival times that affect the evening flight. Most of the flights from the sandpit carriers arrive in the morning and are very popular with European visitors.

On 15/02/2018 at 4:32 PM, Banana7 said:

I was going to central Pattaya, not Jomtien. 

 

To take the regular bus service (120b) from the airport, still doesn't get me to the condo. When I looked at 14:30 in the airport, that bus's next departure was at 17:30.

 

To go from the Pattaya bus station to the condo with a suitcase, one has to deal with the baht bus mafia. To get a reasonable price for the baht bus, one has to wait until the bus is full, and then it may go to multiple places before it gets to where one wants to go. So it will cost another 30-60 minutes to get to the condo. Alternatively, one could get an exclusive baht bus, costing at least 150b or more, which will depart immediately. The MC taxis charged 80b-100b per person with a small suitcase, most can't/won't handle a full size (30" -22Kg.) suitcase.

 

It's not really jomtien. Its Thapraya Rd. The Baht bus goes straight to pattaya a minutes walk  over the Road. As for D2D service thats sounds dreadful. So many stops if the bus is busy and more change of getting your luggage stolen.

On 2/13/2018 at 3:49 PM, newnative said:

No.

 

 

What do you mean with your single word  two letter reply?

 

High season is not over or WHAT!!

 

Please elaborate if you can or are so inclined.

 

Thanks..

 

 

 

Edit:   I just recently told a friend who arrives soon about the Bell Bus service.   Has it undergone changes in the last couple of years?

 

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

What do you mean with your single word  two letter reply?

 

High season is not over or WHAT!!

 

Please elaborate if you can or are so inclined.

 

Thanks..

 

 

 

 

  The OP asked if high season is over.  I answered, no.  

10 minutes ago, newnative said:

  The OP asked if high season is over.  I answered, no.  

 

 

Fantastic reply..    555

 

 

On ‎2‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 5:27 PM, JamJar said:

 

He is referring to a 'to the door' service.

Does the baht bus from North Pattaya/Thappraya take you to your accommodation regardless of where it is situated?

If you are referring to the North Bus Terminal the baht bus will take you wherever, but as it will have lots of other people it may take a while to drop them all off, unless you are close to the terminal. They will also make you pay a lot to be delivered to the door. Cheaper if you can walk from a main road to your accommodation.

On ‎2‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 5:23 PM, JamJar said:

 

There is always someone around is a bus is due or leaving. Poor planning on your part.

But since you had the option of the 389, no harm done.

I'll be sure to notify the airline that their schedule inconveniences my bus connection.

3 hours ago, watcharacters said:

 

 

Fantastic reply..    555

 

 

Thank you.  Sometimes a short answer does the trick.  Is it raining outside?  No.  Is high season over?  No.

22 hours ago, newnative said:

Thank you.  Sometimes a short answer does the trick.  Is it raining outside?  No.  Is high season over?  No.

 

 

On 18/02/2018 at 7:50 AM, The manic said:

It's not really jomtien. Its Thapraya Rd. The Baht bus goes straight to pattaya a minutes walk  over the Road. As for D2D service thats sounds dreadful. So many stops if the bus is busy and more change of getting your luggage stolen.

 

 

What a load.

There aren't any stops before the bus station in North Pattaya for the D2D service. No chance of losing luggage.

Post from a position of knowledge or not at all. You just end up making yourself look ignorant.

 

 

On 18/02/2018 at 8:39 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

I'll be sure to notify the airline that their schedule inconveniences my bus connection.

 

?

Didn't you write earlier that the reason you didn't use them was that you thought there was no one around. Nothing to do with your airline schedule.

 

On 18/02/2018 at 8:38 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

If you are referring to the North Bus Terminal the baht bus will take you wherever, but as it will have lots of other people it may take a while to drop them all off, unless you are close to the terminal. They will also make you pay a lot to be delivered to the door. Cheaper if you can walk from a main road to your accommodation.

So in others words, no.

They just drop you off on the general route, unless you charter the songthaew.