Pattaya Beach Bus

[Stekmer]

Greetings,

I have noticed the signs going up for the Pattaya Beach Bus over the past year and a bit, but (being only a twice a year visitor), have never used it.

I've read that one route (yellow) has been cancelled, another saying that it was to be developed further with links to major tourist interest spots - but - can't find any actual comments about what its like to use.

Any comments would be most appreciated.

[britmaveric]

waste of time, no one rides it.

[keenok]

everybody seems to prefer the extremely frequent ,very convenient ,reasonably cheap,extremely unpredictable ,very rude,reasonably dangerous sawngthaews(baht buses to most here)why would they catch a bus

[wpcoe]

Last time I used it, the air con was not working (I assume it was broken, but maybe it was simply not turned on?). The windows on the bus do NOT open for ventilation, except the one beside the driver. Riding the bus in mid-afternoon sun was not pleasant. Dark red does NOT reflect heat very well.

Two weeks later I saw the same bus cruising around with the doors open, so assume the air con was still not working.

I only use the bus when I happen to see one when I'm ready to go. In the past I would wait and wait and wait. In the beginning the bus was proclaimed to be running every 20 minutes, and I would wait 45 minutes for a bus to come just to see how long it would take.

If you take a bus from North Pattaya heading into Jomtien, you normally stop across the street from Tesco on Sukhumvit whle the driver refills his water bottle and takes a break. Then when you approach the Soi Chiyapruek intersection, the bus makes a U-turn and pulls into that hotel and again the driver takes a break. THEN, you finally continue on your way to Jomtien.

Also, the buses only run one way on the circuit around Pattaya/Naklua/Jomtien, even though there are big bus stops on BOTH sides of the streets.

[begsaresponse]

When the service started at first we used the Green and the Red routes. Then it was impossible to predict when a bus would come our way! But the air con bus made the wait worthwhile.

They then took off the Green bus and the Red bus became the bus to cover the origional route and the green route!!

So we stopped using the service.

They had spent a load of money on bus stop signage, purchasing the buses, employing staff, advertising. We did see on one occasion a Yellow bus but that was it. And from time to time we see a red bus. But we have not been tempted to use the service again.Best to forget about it.

[MichaelMF]

The RED Line bus is finally making profit. Therefore the company has restarted the GREEN Line service, and will launch a new YELLOW Line route from March 1.

There is a special summer promotion in which unlimited-use tickets can be purchased for 90 baht.

More details:

http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd6

[bmanly]

Why would I use this bus if I have to wait 25 minutes for it when I can get a songthaew in a few seconds for a 3rd of the price and be at my destination in a couple of minutes?

[Pattaya_Fox]

Why would I use this bus if I have to wait 25 minutes for it when I can get a songthaew in a few seconds for a 3rd of the price and be at my destination in a couple of minutes?

Well I won`t be waiting in the heat for the coloured bus and neither will I be running to the bustop for the priviledge of boarding one when the baht bus is so convenient.

[Stekmer]

Thanks for posting the link MichaelMF - most appreciated.

The dilema - wait for AC comfort or jump the baht bus cheapie ..... guess its worth trying the Bus for novelty value if nothing else.

I got back from Spain a couple of months back and found the 'Bus Turistic' in Barcelona a great way for a first time visitor to get orientated and take in the main sights. (I’m sure this approach is common in many other places - eg Singapore)

They use open topped buses and sell one or two day passes. The fare includes maps, discount vouchures for admission to places of interest as well as junk food outlets. I could see the same deal working well in places such as Pattaya..... bound to be a market amongst a certain group of visitors.

[Gary A]

The bus companies have always failed because even the "I hate baht bus" crowd refuse to use the service. Those people who think the baht bus drivers are scum talk out of both sides of their mouth.

[Jingthing]

I have tried those buses once. Their PR is very bad. They need to post a map of their exact routes EVERYWHERE. That is the advantage they have over the baht buses. They cover a wider area without the need for changing buses, but if the public doesn't know EXACTLY what those route are, so its kind of wasted.

Edited February 17, 2007 by Jingthing

[chris2155]

i travel on the red bus line now and again just to see the changes they have made with out informing their prospective passengers.

it seems to me that the big problems this line has its

1. no time tables, can wait more than 1 hour for a bus.

2. the driver seem to change the bus route at will.

3. no real advertising for the newby on the red bus line, even though there is a lot of newbyts looking with interest.

4. the driver horning farangs along the route but when the farangs respond break down in lingo, results in no sale.

so in summing up i still catch the bus just for the fun of it, but if i wanted to go somewhere within a time limit i would catch a baht taxi.

why would i catch a bus, firstly to wait a hour or more for, pay twice the price for small journey, and not really be sure if it is still going the way it did, last time i caught it. IMHO regards

[Pattaya_Fox]

i travel on the red bus line now and again just to see the changes they have made with out informing their prospective passengers.

it seems to me that the big problems this line has its

1. no time tables, can wait more than 1 hour for a bus.

2. the driver seem to change the bus route at will.

3. no real advertising for the newby on the red bus line, even though there is a lot of newbyts looking with interest.

4. the driver horning farangs along the route but when the farangs respond break down in lingo, results in no sale.

so in summing up i still catch the bus just for the fun of it, but if i wanted to go somewhere within a time limit i would catch a baht taxi.

why would i catch a bus, firstly to wait a hour or more for, pay twice the price for small journey, and not really be sure if it is still going the way it did, last time i caught it. IMHO regards

Sounds like the same fiasco as it was before, going wherever the driver has a mind to go and long waits not even knowing if the bus is going to come your way or not........you are right why bother with it? Novelty value only.