Bolt Taxi in Pattaya

[scorecard]

On 12/17/2022 at 12:14 PM, Doctor Tom said:

So largely a waste of space then? No point in using a new taxi app, if the drivers are idiots and/or unreliable, and not available at peak times when customers need them .  

Maybe depends on the location, here in Chiang Mai they are switched on, reliable, polite, punctual. 

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, NONG CHOK said:

I've never had any problems using Bolt in Pattaya but I've learn't one thing. That is never call a Bolt taxi in a crowded area. Because as they're unmarked, you can't see them and how do they know who ordered their cab. So just walk around any corner to an area where it's no parking or the people are scattered and you will be picked up promptly.

You are given the plate number when you book.....and usually the make and colour.

Edited December 18, 2022 by jacko45k

[thaitero]

Has anyone tried to to use BOLT to go to Suvarnabhum airport from Pattaya ?

Good for this also ..??

[Guderian]

It's not only the taxis that are busy. Last night I was feeling lazy so I ordered some KFC via the Grab app. I prefer cooking for myself, so I doubt if I've used Grab Food more than five times in the last three years, and then mostly for the GF. Anyway, I selected my meal and the order was accepted, the app said it would take between 30 and 45 minutes to arrive. I'd left it a bit late as I like to eat around 8:00 and now it looked like I'd be getting the delivery at 8:45, but no matter. Then 15 or 20 minutes later, I get a message from Grab saying that they can't find a rider to deliver the food, so they've cancelled my order. Please select something else. I could see that this game might go on all night, so I gave up, defrosted a frozen chicken breast, and just did a chicken sandwich. Cheaper and healthier anyway. The NHS may be buckling back in Britain, but here it's the food delivery services that are falling apart, lol.

[Phoenix Rising]

6 hours ago, thaitero said:

Has anyone tried to to use BOLT to go to Suvarnabhum airport from Pattaya ?

Good for this also ..??

Me and a couple of friends were politely asked to leave during a Bolt ride within Pattaya as the driver just picked up a fare to Swampy so it's definitively something that's done.

The driver was very apologetic and quickly ordered another ride for us so while not ideal no one threw a fissy fit.

[treetops]

On 12/18/2022 at 1:02 PM, TheAppletons said:

Odd that they would be in CM, BKK, and Phuket but not in Pattaya....then again, there are so many local fiefdoms in Thailand, who knows.

inDrive works in Pattaya too.

[Blue Muton]

On 12/17/2022 at 12:20 PM, pomchop said:

never had a bad experience with any bolt driver in past 3 months

Neither have I.

 

Perhaps because I live in Suphanburi, drive or ride wherever I go and have never used them.

[Jumbo1968]

I have had problems with Bolt, you order then they cancel possibly because they a closer pick up, they don’t like the airport not unless they have a return trip, think it’s around 1500 baht, you can get a taxi from Pattaya for just over a 1000 baht.

[Deserted]

Never had a problem with them once. 

[Lizzy Duang]

Good drive from a town near BKK with  an academic on his day off from usual work. Chatted the whole time in English. You should sit in front, so police will assume you know each other. Otherwise fine for Bolt drivers is 1000 Baht.

[Lizzy Duang]

3 hours ago, Guderian said:

I'd left it a bit late as I like to eat around 8:00 and now it looked like I'd be getting the delivery at 8:45, but no matter. Then 15 or 20 minutes later, I get a message from Grab (...)

Some Grab drivers become normal motorbike taxi drivers when there are a lot of customers, it pays better. I once tried 5 different Dairy Queen for an icecream cake without success in the evening.

[VBF]

Slightly but how does one pay for Bolt, Grab and Indrive in Thailand?  In UK I have Uber and Bolt linked to my PayPal account but I'm led to believe that wouldn't be an option in Thailand???

[hioctane]

On 12/17/2022 at 2:19 AM, Guderian said:

I use Bolt quite a lot, and they do have some problems. Their app points the driver down a dead-end street rather than into the village where I live, which has caused a lot of problems. Then as the OP says, often a driver accepts the fare but stays where he or she is, maybe finishing up their Pad Thai, I don't know, but I give them a few minutes and if they're still not moving then I cancel it. Just leave plenty of time is my advice, it's far from perfect but you'll get there in the end, cheaply and safely, if you have a bit of patience.

Their map is not perfect (no map is) especially for out of the way locations. You have to play around with pickup points that avoid the dead end street.

 

As for them not moving. It usually means they are "finishing up a ride." There should be a notice. They can't show you where they are due to privacy reasons. A "hello" let's the know you are waiting.

[Jumbo1968]

1 hour ago, VBF said:

Slightly but how does one pay for Bolt, Grab and Indrive in Thailand?  In UK I have Uber and Bolt linked to my PayPal account but I'm led to believe that wouldn't be an option in Thailand???

Bolt is cash only in Pattaya, currently Bolt are not taking commission.

[Jumbo1968]

8 minutes ago, hioctane said:

Their map is not perfect (no map is) especially for out of the way locations. You have to play around with pickup points that avoid the dead end street.

 

As for them not moving. It usually means they are "finishing up a ride." There should be a notice. They can't show you where they are due to privacy reasons. A "hello" let's the know you are waiting.

When Bolt pick me up their map directs them 60/70 metres away from my house, I have to stand outside and direct them to my house. 

[TheAppletons]

14 hours ago, VBF said:

Slightly but how does one pay for Bolt, Grab and Indrive in Thailand?  In UK I have Uber and Bolt linked to my PayPal account but I'm led to believe that wouldn't be an option in Thailand???

Bolt and inDrive are cash only in Thailand, AFAIK.

 

You can add (some) credit cards to a GRAB account.

[treetops]

2 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

When Bolt pick me up their map directs them 60/70 metres away from my house, I have to stand outside and direct them to my house. 

Can't you adjust the pick up point using the map pin or add a note for the driver to guide him?

[Jumbo1968]

1 minute ago, treetops said:

Can't you adjust the pick up point using the map pin or add a note for the driver to guide him?

Lazada never have a problem delivering goods, straight to the house, I put my full address house number etc in for Bolt but they stop 30 metres down the road

[treetops]

2 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Lazada never have a problem delivering goods, straight to the house, I put my full address house number etc in for Bolt but they stop 30 metres down the road

But if they continually get it wrong then using the map pin and/or a note to the driver may help.

[Jumbo1968]

28 minutes ago, treetops said:

But if they continually get it wrong then using the map pin and/or a note to the driver may help.

No big deal, we are always waiting outside for them so we just wave to them.

[Stefan J]

Its a kind of a Lottery. I had some very good Bolt drivers, and some really bad ones.

Calling and asking where I am, or where I'm going.  Watch your order mate..  the good ones always get some good tip. 

The lousy ones..no tip.

But..you get what you paying for.

[bobbin]

3 out of the last 4 rides were pickup trucks.. even 1 with those funny half doors..

 

Too hard to get in and out of compared to a car.

 

And no way to reject the ride when you see it's a pickup truck..

 

Cheap enough though.

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, bobbin said:

3 out of the last 4 rides were pickup trucks.. even 1 with those funny half doors..

 

Too hard to get in and out of compared to a car.

 

And no way to reject the ride when you see it's a pickup truck..

 

Cheap enough though.

Now that would be a first for me....those types of pickup are not meant to have passengers in the rear.

[JackGats]

On 12/18/2022 at 5:29 PM, Phoenix Rising said:

Googled it and it looks like they only operate in Pukhet.

I got an inDrive in BKK. I proposed 105 baht from Sukhumvit 11 to Ekkamai. I got a 150-baht couter-proposal, which I accepted.

[JackGats]

On 12/20/2022 at 7:53 AM, thaitero said:

Has anyone tried to to use BOLT to go to Suvarnabhum airport from Pattaya ?

Good for this also ..??

Careful there, you get quoted a price that doesn't include the tolls !

[Jumbo1968]

4 minutes ago, JackGats said:

Careful there, you get quoted a price that doesn't include the tolls !

I have used taxis from Pattaya to the airport for nearly 10 years, 1000/1100 baht including tolls.

[bbi1]

On 12/18/2022 at 8:25 PM, Onerak said:

"InDrive" is it a new taxi hailing service? Is it available in Pattaya? Grab prices in Pattaya are more than bolt but accepts CC whereas bolt is only cash. My max bolt charge for a month in Pattaya was approximately 6,000 baht and the minimum as 2,000 baht. I use bolt for all my travels inside Pattaya. Wanted to buy or rent a car, but found bolt is far cheaper that any other alternatives for in-town travel. 

Bolt and InDrive are the only 2 apps you need as they're the cheapest. Grab is a ripoff. 

[Onerak]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

Bolt and InDrive are the only 2 apps you need as they're the cheapest. Grab is a ripoff. 

I have not tried InDrive yet. Will give it a try next time I visit Pattaya for my 6-month sojourn in starting in March. Is InDrive as popular as Bolt and available promptly? Have not used Grab for a longtime since I discovered Bolt. 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Onerak

[bbi1]

12 hours ago, Onerak said:

I have not tried InDrive yet. Will give it a try next time I visit Pattaya for my 6-month sojourn in starting in March. Is InDrive as popular as Bolt and available promptly? Have not used Grab for a longtime since I discovered Bolt. 

Not as popular, plenty of drivers and sometimes a tiny bit cheaper than Bolt.

[luckyblock token]

hello, 

does anybody know the fare pattaya, naklua to Nana with bold, 

cheaper than the regular taxis??

thanks