1. How much does on average a taxi charge for airport to a hotel in Patong ?

2. Are metered taxis available on the airport exit, like we can find them on Suvarmbhumi aiport in BKK ?

Andrep

Have a look at http://www.1stopphuket.com/getting_here/airport/

That site is out of date

There are meter taxis at the airport. They are outside of arrivals to the right as you exit ... the fee is Meter+100

I'd expect the total to run between 350 and 450?

I fly back down from BKK tmw and can tell you what the fare is to Kamala then (I never can remember)

1. How much does on average a taxi charge for airport to a hotel in Patong ?

2. Are metered taxis available on the airport exit, like we can find them on Suvarmbhumi aiport in BKK ?

Andrep

It's 450 to 500 baht. The booth is just outside the glass doors when you exit the customs/baggage area to the right (a small waiting area and mini-mart is on the left). Or that could be closed and the booth could be located to the far right, but there's only one open at one time and they both seem to be run by the same company. The prices are posted in clear sight so there's no ripoff there.

Get a taxi (a car); not a limousine and not a group van.

Two swindle attempts to watch out for:

(1) "It will take a long time to call for a taxi; if you take the minivan it's available now". Don't do it. Wait 15 or 30 minutes if you have to; this happens most often late at night but don't fall for it; not only are you getting ripped off in price but it takes a lot longer (the van will be packed with people and stop at every person's hotel) and leads to swindle #2:

(2) In the group van, it will stop at a shophouse because the driver has to go to the bathroom or pick up something (wink-wink), then you get bombarded like sitting ducks to get sucked into some tourist trap offer. Not only is it very time-consuming but they can get pretty nasty at times.

Just pay the damned 450 or 500 baht and be done with it. It takes you door to door. Every time, I'm totally amazed watching people (for some reason, mostly Aussies) haggle and bargain and complain over 50 or 100 baht and they are going on vacation and going to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars/euros.

Iggy

Another tip:

If you know where you are staying, many of the hotels/guest houses have

their own regular drivers. Just let them know your arrival time and they will

arrange to have you picked up.

Certainly can lessen the stress levels!

Oh yeah, always sit in the back seat and never speak English until you arrive

at your place of stay.

1. How much does on average a taxi charge for airport to a hotel in Patong ?

2. Are metered taxis available on the airport exit, like we can find them on Suvarmbhumi aiport in BKK ?

Andrep

It's 450 to 500 baht. The booth is just outside the glass doors when you exit the customs/baggage area to the right (a small waiting area and mini-mart is on the left). Or that could be closed and the booth could be located to the far right, but there's only one open at one time and they both seem to be run by the same company. The prices are posted in clear sight so there's no ripoff there.

Get a taxi (a car); not a limousine and not a group van.

Two swindle attempts to watch out for:

(1) "It will take a long time to call for a taxi; if you take the minivan it's available now". Don't do it. Wait 15 or 30 minutes if you have to; this happens most often late at night but don't fall for it; not only are you getting ripped off in price but it takes a lot longer (the van will be packed with people and stop at every person's hotel) and leads to swindle #2:

(2) In the group van, it will stop at a shophouse because the driver has to go to the bathroom or pick up something (wink-wink), then you get bombarded like sitting ducks to get sucked into some tourist trap offer. Not only is it very time-consuming but they can get pretty nasty at times.

Just pay the damned 450 or 500 baht and be done with it. It takes you door to door. Every time, I'm totally amazed watching people (for some reason, mostly Aussies) haggle and bargain and complain over 50 or 100 baht and they are going on vacation and going to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars/euros.

Iggy

Its hard really to understand if you convert the 500baht into uk £ its £7 ish for a 25+ K trip -----in the uk you would not travel 5K, Yes I know there is a difference in values but but whose values ??

My fare from the airport to Kamala tonight was 230 baht PLUS the 100 baht fee for the airport

in a metered taxi

so 330 all in ....

using the same route it would not be over 450 to Patong

Think I paid 230baht + the 100baht airport tax thing for a meter taxi to Patong last oct.

Not including the airport tax thing it cost me about twice as much getting a fixed price taxi from Patong to Phuket Town which is a rip off seeing as it's about half the distance.

Last trip from the airport was in april and they have a laminated card showing the fixed costs to various places at the taxi kiosk at the far end of the terminal. To be honest, I was being cheap when I took the cab. I should have paid the extra 150B and taken the grey "limo". For 500B you get working a/c. Seriously, 150B is like 2 quid or $4us and I was worried, my g/f would give me grief for spending too much. At least the Grey cars are fairly new and you don't get a spring up your posterior as I did in the cab, (my friend was amused and called it my katoey experience....)

airport to patong IS 450 baht,meter taxi or was in feb.

Just returned from Phuket last week, when i arrived at Phuket Airport i could not locate any metered taxis or any signs indicatinf their location. Paid 500bt in private taxi to patong which i consider reasonable for a 40km journey. If you want ripped of in a taxi go to Samui, metered taxis will not switch their meter on and for a 10km journey you will be asked for 400bt.