Airport Transfers

[n0mad]

Hi,

I'm visiting Chiang Rai in Feb and will be arriving on the Air Asia flight at 9pm, is it relatively easy to get a taxi or tuk tuk etc from the airport to the city? I'm just wondering if i should organise an airport transfer with my hotel but would much prefer a taxi or tuk tuk due to savings.

thanks in advance

[kandahar]

I don't go to the airport much but here is what I have found. It is easy to get a taxi. The office and waiting drivers are inside the airport, near your arrival gate. The price is quoted before you leave their desk. I have never heard of any taxi problems with the airport group.

Welcome to the city.

[keeniau96]

The touts at the arrival gates are for overpriced transfer services, the ticket booths inside the ariport are for the limousine services and are perfectly legit but pricey. Look for the overhead signs for Taxi, and follow them to the proper exit. Join the queue and get the free ticket for taxi from dispatcher who will ask you where you are going. Within a few minutes or less you will be directed to a taxi and go. Make sure the meter is turned out; upon arrival at hotel pay the meter plus 50 baht for airport fee. Trip to downtown meter reading should be about 200-250 baht. A 10% tip will be appreciated.

[dindong]

Trip to downtown meter reading should be about 200-250 baht. A 10% tip will be appreciated.

Metered taxi in Chiang Rai.......................................well I never?

[n0mad]

thanks for the information, will be a great help come Feb

[chang35baht]

Nomad, check with you hotel. Maybe they can arrange to pick you up for free.

C35B.

Edited December 30, 2009 by chang35baht

[dabhand]

My experience of CR airport.

Had a 4 day family trip to CR last week.

Arrived at CR airport with no advance booking of transport to hotel (Wiang Inn) and had expected a hotel shuttle bus to be available.

After arrival asked some of the other hotel meeters whether Wiang Inn transport available. i could see one of the guys make a call and he then advised that no shuttle bus available. He indicated that a taxi service was an option - I could see what appeared to be a few taxi drivers gathered just outside the exit door.

I apprached them and one guy directed me back into the terminal building so that I could buy a coupon for the taxi service.

Paid 200bt at one of the booths (to the left of the exit door) obtained a coupon, went outside and gathered up the family (wife + 2 boys) and headed out to the carpark with a driver. Had a large bag plus a couple of small ones and all fitted into an old model Camry. 10-15mins later arrived at the hotel.

Excellent service, absolutely no hassle and everyone extremely helpful.

For the trip back to the airport I arranged for the hotel shuttle bus - given the number of bags/boxes we had accummulated. That was Bt400 (being Bt100/person). Again no hassle.

In fact the whole 4 day trip to CR and the surrounding area passed by with no problems - a world apart from the current Phuket transport topic.

[n0mad]

thanks Dabhand, really informative.

i haven't booked a hotel yet but will see if they do a pickup as well, either way seems like it'll be hassle free.

[sceadugenga]

I must confess I've never seen any alternative transport to the taxi booth at Chiang Rai airport.

If 200B seems a little steep it eases the pain somewhat to convert it to dollars then work out what a taxi from your local airport to the city centre or home would cost.

[pomchop]

The touts at the arrival gates are for overpriced transfer services, the ticket booths inside the ariport are for the limousine services and are perfectly legit but pricey. Look for the overhead signs for Taxi, and follow them to the proper exit. Join the queue and get the free ticket for taxi from dispatcher who will ask you where you are going. Within a few minutes or less you will be directed to a taxi and go. Make sure the meter is turned out; upon arrival at hotel pay the meter plus 50 baht for airport fee. Trip to downtown meter reading should be about 200-250 baht. A 10% tip will be appreciated.

you must be talking about bangkok...poster was asking about Chiang Rai....never saw a tout or a metered taxi or an airport fee in Chiang Rai......flat fee of 200 baht for private car to most anywhere in downtown CR....easy, simple, no hassles.