Pattaya - Don Muang

[naamjai]

i have to catch a international flight at 7.00 am!!

therefore i should be at the airport at about 5.00 am!!

any ideas, recommendations how to get there at this time?

safety, reliable and for a reasonable price ....

[chippie]

Taxi!!

[Artisan]

Taxi!!

That's the best way. However, you could go to Morchit by public bus the evening before and stay in a room near to the airport....or catch the last bus from Pattaya and sleep in the airport.

[Mighty Mouse]

Option 1: Pack your bags and take 'em to your favourite Pattaya bar, drink there till about 2am, catch a taxi to the airport......don't buy the driver a beer before you leave and don't be tempted by that good sort working behind the bar.

Option 2: Take a bus to Bangkok the day before flying, book a comfortable hotel room in a handy location, have a huge meal, a few beers, get to bed early, don't forget to book an early wake up call from the reception. Catch a taxi from the hotel to the airport.

Option 3: Don't worry too much whether you make the airport by 5am, and don't worry about missing your plane at 7am.........indulge yourself with that good looking sort at your favourite Pattaya bar and spend the rest of the day thinking up a believable excuse to tell your family and your boss back home.

[visarunner]

book a taxi from these popular THB 800.- stands and let yrself picked up @03.00-03.30am. This ensure you get there on time.

[Thaiquila]

The trouble with a flight at that time is that if you book a taxi and he doesn't show, there is no way to run out and get a backup ride to the airport.

There are no street taxis in Pattaya and I don't think most baht bus trucks are game to do that trip.

The best you can do is make sure you have a cell phone contact number of the booker, assuming they will have the phone on at that hour.

All in all, there is a lot to be said for going into Bangkok earlier.

[Artisan]

The trouble with a flight at that time is that if you book a taxi and he doesn't show, there is no way to run out and get a backup ride to the airport.

All in all, there is a lot to be said for going into Bangkok earlier.

Agreed. There's no way that I would put any reliance on a pre-booked taxi to get you to Don Muang for 5 a.m...unless it was the evening before.

[Kerryd]

The trouble with a flight at that time is that if you book a taxi and he doesn't show, there is no way to run out and get a backup ride to the airport.

All in all, there is a lot to be said for going into Bangkok earlier.

Agreed. There's no way that I would put any reliance on a pre-booked taxi to get you to Don Muang for 5 a.m...unless it was the evening before.

Yeah, better to go to Bkk the afternoon before, get a room and a wake-up call, then hit the bars there. Lot's of taxis in Bkk to get you from your hotel (or bar stool) to the airport.

I use my land-lady's brother-in-law when ever I need a ride. More expensive than the 800 baht taxi, but more reliable too, and it keeps the quid within the "family" (though I'm not related to any of them, we all live in the same building).

[Maigo6]

Like some other guys have suggested, maybe best to go there the previous evening and get a room in a Hotel, at least you can get some sleep and there are many taxis in Bkk to get you to the Airport.

[britmaveric]

Stay in BKK the night before, then no worries!

[visarunner]

Britmaveric is proberly right. Get to BKK the day before and all option are open to you.

Less risk as there will always be a taxi/transport from any place in BKK to the Airport.

[Artisan]

Britmaveric is proberly right. Get to BKK the day before and all option are open to you.

Less risk as there will always be a taxi/transport from any place in BKK to the Airport.

Haven't we all said that?

[RAZZELL]

Change your flight...

[JSixpack]

The trouble with a flight at that time is that if you book a taxi and he doesn't show, there is no way to run out and get a backup ride to the airport.

All in all, there is a lot to be said for going into Bangkok earlier.

Agreed. There's no way that I would put any reliance on a pre-booked taxi to get you to Don Muang for 5 a.m...unless it was the evening before.

Also agreed. I've been stood up before in exactly that situation--early morning taxi pickup--and it was Panic City. Not again!

[Gary74]

The trouble with a flight at that time is that if you book a taxi and he doesn't show, there is no way to run out and get a backup ride to the airport.

There are no street taxis in Pattaya and I don't think most baht bus trucks are game to do that trip.

The best you can do is make sure you have a cell phone contact number of the booker, assuming they will have the phone on at that hour.

All in all, there is a lot to be said for going into Bangkok earlier.

I had a 6AM flight trom BKK to the States. So I hired a taxi for 3AM pick-up at my hotel. It took about 2 hours to get there from Pattaya but it was a hair raising scary experience which I refuse to go through again. The driver fell asleep FEW times, missed few turns and I had to keep waking him up and I stayed alert to make sure I get to the airport in one piece.

[mrbojangles]

The trouble with a flight at that time is that if you book a taxi and he doesn't show, there is no way to run out and get a backup ride to the airport.

All in all, there is a lot to be said for going into Bangkok earlier.

Agreed. There's no way that I would put any reliance on a pre-booked taxi to get you to Don Muang for 5 a.m...unless it was the evening before.

I understand the concern, if the Taxi doesn't show but (touch wood) it's never happened to me. Me and the mrs had to get to the airport for 6am on monday just gone. We went into our fav bar on Soi Buakhao (The Butcher's Arms, great little english Pub BTW) and drunk all the way through the night. Taxi arrived and got us there in plenty of time

[Weho]

I once had a similar situation, and I spent the night before at the ASIA AIRPORT HOTEL, which was reasonably priced, I think around 1,200 baht... the directly connected Amari Airport Hotel is like 5,000 baht... the ASIA AIRPORT hotel is just a few minutes away and has 24 hour free shuttle to/from the airport. Ask for a room with a view of the planes landing... it is quite spectacular.

I would not be comfortable with a taxi driving showing up at 3 AM, with no backup plan. Not smart.

[h5n1]

if i have early flt i always go up the night before. take a taxi to ap 3hrs ahead of flt. im early bird like that.

if you have time you can take bus to morchit and taxi to ap for total 225+/-

all this will chg with new ap

yeah - never book a taxi ahead (im always fearful of the no show as well). there are so many and you dont want to wiat about. when you come out of your place you want to GO. so many taxi 25 hrs a day in bkk.

Edited March 21, 2006 by h5n1