Taxi At Don Muang

[TRIPxCORE]

Just during this past year, 2004, did this happen with Taxis at the airport. It used to be that all the taxis waited for people at the taxi stands. Now, just recently, only some of them do and others just drive along looking for people not waiting in the taxi line. The taxi lines are always really long now too. What happened?

[mbkudu]

Yes Tripxcore, you are right about that. These floaters won't turn on their meters either. It's weird; you'd think the 'taxi mafia' would close them off. I take the airport bus. Can't beat 100 baht to downtown.

[Jockstar]

Yes Tripxcore, you are right about that. These floaters won't turn on their meters either. It's weird; you'd think the 'taxi mafia' would close them off. I take the airport bus. Can't beat 100 baht to downtown.

If you speak Thai to them then they are less likely to try and charge you more. Sometiimes they will still try and get the extra 50 baht out of you on top of the meter price. Dont pay that. Only pay it if you get a taxi from the rank.

[brianbrain]

Yes Tripxcore, you are right about that. These floaters won't turn on their meters either. It's weird; you'd think the 'taxi mafia' would close them off. I take the airport bus. Can't beat 100 baht to downtown.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you are feeling particularly frugal, or want to practise your Thai, take a quick walk to the main road and take one of the numerous and very cheap city buses. Probably not a good idea if you are tired or have lots of luggage, but if you are travelling light or just seeing someone off you'll probably get back home for no more than 10 - 30 baht.

[ProfessorFart]

If you are feeling particularly frugal, or want to practise your Thai, take a quick walk to the main road and take one of the numerous and very cheap city buses. Probably not a good idea if you are tired or have lots of luggage, but if you are travelling light or just seeing someone off you'll probably get back home for no more than 10 - 30 baht.

If you are feeling even frugaller (?) then you can get the train for 5B!!

[mbkudu]

Yes Tripxcore, you are right about that. These floaters won't turn on their meters either. It's weird; you'd think the 'taxi mafia' would close them off. I take the airport bus. Can't beat 100 baht to downtown.

If you speak Thai to them then they are less likely to try and charge you more. Sometiimes they will still try and get the extra 50 baht out of you on top of the meter price. Dont pay that. Only pay it if you get a taxi from the rank.

It's too bad we're even having this dicussion because it's like the airport is going back to the old days with the 'shark pool.' When they finally got the organised taxi que with the coupons I thought they had finally got things right. Now they are slowly letting things slip back again.

[singa-traz]

Just during this past year, 2004, did this happen with Taxis at the airport.  It used to be that all the taxis waited for people at the taxi stands.  Now, just recently, only some of them do and others just drive along looking for people not waiting in the taxi line.  The taxi lines are always really long now too.  What happened?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmmm ... you are not the only one to have noticed this ... maybe it's an incentive to take the 600-700 THB "Limo" ...

I like the small notice they put sometime at the Taxi Booth, where they explain in English that the small number of Taxi available is due to traffic jam ...

Where to complain ? TAT or the Airport ?

[califdann]

OK, so if I show up with more luggage than I want to carry on a bus.... Do I still go to the taxi stand? What is the current price of the taxi out to Sukhumvit?

[mbkudu]

In the taxi line you pay a 50 baht surcharge and get a coupon for the driver. From there you pay whatever the meter says when you get out. You will also pay for any expressway tolls. Altogether it's about 250-300 baht to town.

[kenk3z]

Hmmm... I don't remember paying the 50 baht to get the "coupon". And the coupon just seems to be a piece of paper to translate where you are going into Thai for the driver.

In some cases I have had the driver ask for the 50 baht. In other cases what I thought I was doing as a tip actually covered that 50 baht. Once I tried going upstairs to the departure area to try to skip the 50 baht charge - that's a rather hit-and-miss idea, because there were not many departures as I arrived - late at night.

The line seems a little long but moves along fairly well. Maybe a 10 minute wait? And during that time you get the "sharks" walking down the line trying to negotiate a direct non-meter ride. Like 600-800 baht into town.

The really tough part is knowing to walk past the "limo" people on your first trip into Thailand - keep going outside to the sidewalk where the taxi stand line is located.

What I really dislike is all the Asian-route flights I can find from the USA arrive rather late, like midnight. Hasn't caused any problem whatsoever with either taxi or hotel, but generally the taxi sharks seem to be more prevalent at night.

Hope this helps and is currently accurate.

kenk3z

[Dr. Seuss]

The Don Muand taxi rank is where old taxis go to die. I hate skimming down the expressway in a car that has never been serviced. The TAT should learn about first impressions.

[brianbrain]

If you are feeling particularly frugal, or want to practise your Thai, take a quick walk to the main road and take one of the numerous and very cheap city buses. Probably not a good idea if you are tired or have lots of luggage, but if you are travelling light or just seeing someone off you'll probably get back home for no more than 10 - 30 baht.

If you are feeling even frugaller (?) then you can get the train for 5B!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I heard it's a nice walk from Don Muang to the city centre...

[brianbrain]

In the taxi line you pay a 50 baht surcharge and get a coupon for the driver. From there you pay whatever the meter says when you get out. You will also pay for any expressway tolls. Altogether it's about 250-300 baht to town.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have never paid any surcharge at the taxi line, nor can I recall being asked to pay more than the meter reading plus the expressway tolls. Maybe I did something wrong?

[brianbrain]

The Don Muand taxi rank is where old taxis go to die.  I hate skimming down the expressway in a car that has never been serviced.  The TAT should learn about first impressions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So true! And that's why I don't like waiting in a queue to be "assigned" some crappy old taxi held together with bunjee straps.

[lopburi3]

In the taxi line you pay a 50 baht surcharge and get a coupon for the driver. From there you pay whatever the meter says when you get out. You will also pay for any expressway tolls. Altogether it's about 250-300 baht to town.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have never paid any surcharge at the taxi line, nor can I recall being asked to pay more than the meter reading plus the expressway tolls. Maybe I did something wrong?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You do not pay at the taxi booth but you receive the paper with instructions to add 50 baht to the total price from them/complaint information/cab number. Perhaps you paid a total price that included the meter fare/tolls/fee. If not the driver had to absorb the fee from his meagre earnings.

[brianbrain]

In the taxi line you pay a 50 baht surcharge and get a coupon for the driver. From there you pay whatever the meter says when you get out. You will also pay for any expressway tolls. Altogether it's about 250-300 baht to town.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have never paid any surcharge at the taxi line, nor can I recall being asked to pay more than the meter reading plus the expressway tolls. Maybe I did something wrong?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You do not pay at the taxi booth but you receive the paper with instructions to add 50 baht to the total price from them/complaint information/cab number. Perhaps you paid a total price that included the meter fare/tolls/fee. If not the driver had to absorb the fee from his meagre earnings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are right about being given that piece of paper. Sure I must have looked at it at the time, and if it said pay 50 baht I would have done exactly that, but right now I can't remember doing so. Early dementia....

[cdnvic]

I heard it's a nice walk from Don Muang to the city centre... 

20 Kratindeng to make the trip, thats only 600bt

cv

[samran]

The Don Muand taxi rank is where old taxis go to die.  I hate skimming down the expressway in a car that has never been serviced.  The TAT should learn about first impressions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sort of. I asked a taxi driver about this once. Apparently all the taxi drivers who enter the ranks are specially licenced, having passed simple tests to communicate in English as well as the 'knowledge' of all Bangkoks major hotels and tourist destinations.

The demographic of those taxi drivers tend to be people who are owner operators, and they tend to want to run their taxi's as long as possible. Agreed, that it is not always the best first impression looks (and sometimes safety) wise, however the regulations were put into place to help ensure that tourists get to their destination without getting ripped off, and with the peace of mind that their journey is a registered trip should the tourist not be happy with the journey.

[bkkbound04]

Yes Tripxcore, you are right about that. These floaters won't turn on their meters either. It's weird; you'd think the 'taxi mafia' would close them off. I take the airport bus. Can't beat 100 baht to downtown.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you are feeling particularly frugal, or want to practise your Thai, take a quick walk to the main road and take one of the numerous and very cheap city buses. Probably not a good idea if you are tired or have lots of luggage, but if you are travelling light or just seeing someone off you'll probably get back home for no more than 10 - 30 baht.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's where u get a taxi from

just walk past the bus stop a few feet so a taxi driver can see you and give them a thai wave, and they'll pull into the kerb-i always get a cab there in a couple of minutes :tup:

[jef]

Just during this past year, 2004, did this happen with Taxis at the airport.  It used to be that all the taxis waited for people at the taxi stands.  Now, just recently, only some of them do and others just drive along looking for people not waiting in the taxi line.  The taxi lines are always really long now too.  What happened?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I arrived evening of Loy Kratong 26 nov 2004, had to wait 30 min before getting taxi, thought it was due to Loy Kratong. Every 5 minutes one or two taxis arrived.

Never seen this before, always had taxi immediately.

Have things changed that much with the taxi maffia?

[pnustedt]

I was at DM on Sunday and noticed a queue of taxis in a remote part of the airport with attendants speaking into hand held radios. It appears that the taxis go to this area and are called to the respective terminal when required.

[mbkudu]

In the taxi line you pay a 50 baht surcharge and get a coupon for the driver. From there you pay whatever the meter says when you get out. You will also pay for any expressway tolls. Altogether it's about 250-300 baht to town.

I have never paid any surcharge at the taxi line, nor can I recall being asked to pay more than the meter reading plus the expressway tolls. Maybe I did something wrong?

You do not pay at the taxi booth but you receive the paper with instructions to add 50 baht to the total price from them/complaint information/cab number. Perhaps you paid a total price that included the meter fare/tolls/fee. If not the driver had to absorb the fee from his meagre earnings.

You are right about being given that piece of paper. Sure I must have looked at it at the time, and if it said pay 50 baht I would have done exactly that, but right now I can't remember doing so. Early dementia....

Lopburi is exactly right (as usual). I should have made it clear that no money is handed over at the que, but that coupon you are handed says on it that 50 baht is added to your meter amount at the end of the ride plus expressway tolls.

Edited January 5, 2005 by mbkudu

[rickvan]

I am use to go upstair to the departure ,there you have the choice of taxis, new ones. And no surcharge.

[lopburi3]

I am use to go upstair to the departure ,there you have the choice of taxis, new ones. And no surcharge.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And cause traffic congestion. Ignore that it is illegal. Do not have security check/registration of drivers. All to save 50 baht.