Jomtien daily transportation advice (no scooter)

[Bond005]

I'm moving to Jomtien (flexible) soon and will need to go to Huay Yai (south/east) on a daily basis. It looks like there are no Songthaews going to that area (or maybe just one?) and I for various reasons I would rather not drive a scooter myself. 

-Is taking a Grab/Bolt taxi every morning & evening doable? The cost would be about 120-150b one-way?

-Are there any other options? like living south of Jomtien, making a deal with a driver for a month, using some shuttle bus, or...  any ideas?

Thanks!   

[KhunBENQ]

46 minutes ago, Bond005 said:

-Is taking a Grab/Bolt taxi every morning & evening doable? The cost would be about 120-150b one-way?

Did you try the route on the Grab app?

Hard to comment without knowing exact distance/route.

[JustThisOnePostOnly]

Move to Huay Yai and go to Jomtien when needed instead?

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Bond005 said:

for various reasons I would rather not drive a scooter myself. 

-Is taking a Grab/Bolt taxi every morning & evening doable?

A long time ago when I arrived in Thailand and I saw the traffic I thought I would never ride a motorcycle myself in those conditions. And I used motorcycle taxis for years. And I got more and more used to the way they ride, the streets, the legal and illegal shortcuts, etc.

After I got used to it, I bought my first bike and rode myself and that's what I am still doing most of the time.

 

Maybe that is an option for you. And if you think that maybe you go for a few drinks after work then you still have the option to not use your bike on that day.

[Bond005]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

Did you try the route on the Grab app?

Hard to comment without knowing exact distance/route.

Yes this is the approximate figure I got from the app, but not sure about fastest route/traffic, etc. since I've never been there.

is it easy and fast to get a ride in the morning (and evening)?  

[Bond005]

21 hours ago, JustThisOnePostOnly said:

Move to Huay Yai and go to Jomtien when needed instead?

Yes I considered it but it's mostly houses there and quite isolated (countryside); I'd prefer a condo with a pool near a night market, cafes, ...

[Guderian]

You could buy a cheap, second-hand car.

[scubascuba3]

I think a Bolt is the way to go, i eould guess about 150 each way, 15 mins to Sukhumvit and 10 to Huay Yai.

 

Learn to ride a motorbike ASAP, will make life better

[Pattaya57]

Geez, OP indicates he has reasons not to ride a bike and 2 posters pushing for him to ride a bike, in one of the most dangerous countries for motorcycle deaths in the World of all places....

[VocalNeal]

6 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

and 2 posters pushing for him to ride a bike,

I think one said mocy taxi???? 

[Pattaya57]

4 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

I think one said mocy taxi???? 

And then he said ???? 

 

"After I got used to it, I bought my first bike and rode myself and that's what I am still doing most of the time. Maybe that is an option for you."

Edited April 29, 2023 by Pattaya57

[driver52]

8 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

in one of the most dangerous countries for motorcycle deaths in the World of all places....

gotta die of something........I ride a pushbike, yeah someone in a wankpanzer might get me but a needle won't......oops, soz they don't like that sorta talk in the echo chamber eh ????

PS pushbike is quite enjoyable and i just get on the paths when possible.......so Pattaya ain't killed me yet

[scubascuba3]

15 minutes ago, Pattaya57 said:

Geez, OP indicates he has reasons not to ride a bike and 2 posters pushing for him to ride a bike, in one of the most dangerous countries for motorcycle deaths in the World of all places....

It's not as bad as newbies like you think, always the non riders the most opinionated about riding

[Pattaya57]

9 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

It's not as bad as newbies like you think, always the non riders the most opinionated about riding

My "Newbie" bike history includes a Kawasaki GPZ750, Yamaha FJ1100 and a Harley 1200...plus 15 years in Thailand...

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Pattaya57

[Pattaya57]

Not sure if they do daily runs but Nams Taxi have many drivers in Pattaya/Jomtien in between airport pick-ups. Worth asking them for a regular ride?

 

https://www.namstaxipattaya.com/contact

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, Pattaya57 said:

My "Newbie" bike history includes a Kawasaki GPZ750, Yamaha FJ1100 and a Harley 1200...plus 15 years in Thailand...

 

Then you should realise riding a motorbike in Thailand isn't as bad as non riders think

[MrJ2U]

1 hour ago, Pattaya57 said:

Geez, OP indicates he has reasons not to ride a bike and 2 posters pushing for him to ride a bike, in one of the most dangerous countries for motorcycle deaths in the World of all places....

Because it's really the best option.

 

Jeez get over the fear.  You'll have a much better experience with the freedom.

 

 

[Pattaya57]

12 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Then you should realise riding a motorbike in Thailand isn't as bad as non riders think

Or maybe the opposite, riding bikes takes a lot of experience to prevent everyone from killing you. To suggest an inexperienced bike rider should start in Pattaya would never be my suggestion

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Pattaya57

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Pattaya57 said:

Geez, OP indicates he has reasons not to ride a bike and 2 posters pushing for him to ride a bike, in one of the most dangerous countries for motorcycle deaths in the World of all places....

And is it less dangerous if he sits on the back of a bike? 

[Pattaya57]

6 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And is it less dangerous if he sits on the back of a bike? 

You're the only one suggesting that, OP thread title says no scooters 

 

As for dangerous on the back, I took a bike taxi from LK Metro to my condo a couple of years ago. Only 600 metres so should be no problem. Guy thought he was in a GP and stacked it. My ankle was stuffed for 6 months because he thought he could ride fast on a scooter

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Pattaya57

[JayClay]

9 hours ago, Bond005 said:

-Is taking a Grab/Bolt taxi every morning & evening doable? The cost would be about 120-150b one-way?

So you're looking at up to 300bt per day (also remember prices go up at busy times).

 

How often will you be travelling? 5 days per week? That's maybe 6000bt per month. I guess you could probably negotiate with a taxi driver to pick you up regularly for less than that.

 

I've no experience of doing so. I could be completely wrong, but at least it gets the thread away from the topic of motorbikes!

[gargamon]

Get a girlfriend/boyfriend that is capable of driving a scooter. Buy a scooter. Have your partner drive you on the scooter. 

[HauptmannUK]

Try to make a weekly/monthly deal with a taxi/Bolt/Grab driver.  I'm assuming you're starting a job in Huay Yai. You'll maybe find a co-worker who drives to/past Jomtien and will give you a ride in exchange for a contribution to fuel. Good idea to not get a motorbike. There may be some worse places in the world than Pattaya to learn to ride (Lagos? Jakarta?), but not many...

[JoseThailand]

13 hours ago, Guderian said:

You could buy a cheap, second-hand car.

Cheap and second hand don't go together in Thailand

[ozimoron]

7 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Then you should realise riding a motorbike in Thailand isn't as bad as non riders think

I agree that it's not and there are meany quite elderly expats riding then without much concern. I don't but I can walk everywhere I want to go. It only takes one hit.

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, ozimoron said:

I agree that it's not and there are meany quite elderly expats riding then without much concern. I don't but I can walk everywhere I want to go. It only takes one hit.

Feels more dangerous walking than riding, plus I don't like being on the back of a bike so avoid it, plus plus plus you miss out, many farang restricted to only living Buakhao square mile

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, Bond005 said:

Yes this is the approximate figure I got from the app, but not sure about fastest route/traffic, etc. since I've never been there.

is it easy and fast to get a ride in the morning (and evening)?  

I think you need a regular driver, certainly trying to book Grab or Bolt each day will let you down at some point. When I was working here, living in Pattaya and working in Laem Chabang, I had a car and driver that picked myself and another guy up. Companies supply mini-buses frequently. There are white songtaews go up and down Suk, but I would not call them regular transport. Your choices seem to  be , pay for a car and driver, learn to ride a motorbike, drive yourself, find a place to live near where you want to go (maybe just for weekdays). 

[Bond005]

Thanks for all the comments and good suggestions, very helpful.

[sscc]

Your original post stated you may go on a Daily Basis. 

Once you have some kind of pattern on time and date of the trip ( daily or not ).   

Recruit a regular driver you are comfortable  and negotiate.   

30-40 % discount very much doable in your case. 

 

[Guderian]

9 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

Cheap and second hand don't go together in Thailand

That was the case 10+ years ago when the Thai second-hand car market was a fantasyland, but the used-car market is pretty much normal now. No problem at all getting a decent car for 150K-200K Baht.