Can I beat the taxi queue at Summanapum?

[mangoman007]

I used to go to the departures level to snag a taxi. Easy and always on the meter. They seem to have cordorned that off, thereby forcing everyone to the queue downstairs. Is there a way around it? Can one walk down the ramp a bit to get one? Any ideas?

[ExpatOilWorker]

You just go to the car parking area and take the lift to the departure level.

I think you will find that there is not much of a queue at taxi area.

[MMarlow]

You just go to the car parking area and take the lift to the departure level.

I think you will find that there is not much of a queue at taxi area.

Unless the lift you refer to opens on to the road area outside the airport building you will still be behind the turnstiles that have been installed to stop passengers picking up taxis on the departures level.

[ExpatOilWorker]

You just go to the car parking area and take the lift to the departure level.

I think you will find that there is not much of a queue at taxi area.

Unless the lift you refer to opens on to the road area outside the airport building you will still be behind the turnstiles that have been installed to stop passengers picking up taxis on the departures level.

The lift is in the parking area just opposite the terminal building. The lift has free access to all floors.

[impulse]

Stop at the AOT booth and get one of their limos. Or hop on the Airport Rail and forgo the roads altogether.

Otherwise, suck it up, do it legal, and take your turn with the rest of us unwashed masses.

I've never waited more than 10 minutes for a taxi at Swampy, but that may just be luck. On my one trip into DM, the taxi line took over half an hour.

Edited February 8, 2014 by impulse

[Digitalbanana]

I was watching several people (Thais and foreigners) getting across the one-way arrival level taxi gates the other day. One Thai guy simply legged it over the top with hand carry bags and the other foreigner with heavier bags walked through the gates. If the rotating gates are opened at a certain angle then they can be walked thro in both directions without turning. The security guards there don't care.

[dabhand]

Must have used the Public Taxi desks approaching 50 times since it moved to it's current location. Normally walked straight up to a desk with no queue, can't recall any time when I have had more than a couple of passengers ahead of me.

Maybe just lucky with the timings - I tend to arrive early mornings (around 7 to 8) but also late evenings on occasion.

I don't doubt that the experience of others differs from mine. Maybe I should start buying lottery tickets!

[Nemesis7]

Where are you fom mate? Is that's a common practice in your home country?

[Minnehaha]

Glad for the Airport Rail link. I take it to Ramkamhaeng, depending on final destination and then hail cab there. I think it is generally faster and comparing 30 Baht fare with 300 Baht plus the queue headache plus never knowing the quality of taxi I prefer the train almost all the time.

Not sure how they do it but seems like the taxis that get in the line at the airports tend to be older. Must be the companies that pay to have access tend to have old cars. Also prevalent at the airport are the dreaded minivan taxis which miraculously have LESS leg room and space than the Toyota Corolla 4 door taxis.

Thank god you can still get taxis easily at Don Muang departure level if the queue is long.

[josho86]

Just swing some baht to one of the security guards. They will look the other way

[Sydebolle]

You're talking big bucks for AoT and they certainly will put in all possible stops to avoid smart asses like us outsmarting their scam!

[Jasun]

Cross to long term parking, take the parking station lift, then cross back to departures.

[Mudcrab]

You just go to the car parking area and take the lift to the departure level.

I think you will find that there is not much of a queue at taxi area.

Good luck I got stopped doing just that. Can't go up from arrivals apparently. Not according to the uniformed lady anyway. What the hell I had to wait a whole five minutes for a taxi anyway.

[Rinrada]

Came down to Suwanna on Thursday late on Bangkok Airways from CM and the said gate/s were open and lots of free taxis about.,,just walked through.

Our Bangkok house is in Paknam S.P.so only takes about 20 minutes to get there from Airport.

Incid..re Flight ...Great....First time I have flown BK Airways in about 20 years but definitely my No 1 from now on.

[peacenow]

Take the Airport Link, very simple, no waiting.

Edited February 9, 2014 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[unanimosity]

Take the Airport Link, very simple, no waiting.

Sometimes there is a few-minute wait and it doesn't run in the wee hours. But, when it is running, take it to Lat Krabang, get off and grab a taxi there.

[unanimosity]

You just go to the car parking area and take the lift to the departure level.

I think you will find that there is not much of a queue at taxi area.

Good luck I got stopped doing just that. Can't go up from arrivals apparently. Not according to the uniformed lady anyway. What the hell I had to wait a whole five minutes for a taxi anyway.

Yeah, there are so many taxis out there and the system is so well managed that a wait hardly ever occurs.

[MMarlow]

Take the Airport Link, very simple, no waiting.

Not so simple if you are loaded up with luggage or want to be sure of being able to sit down travelling into Bangkok. I believe the express link has more luggage space but you may have to wait. I was there last week and was told there was a 37 minute wait for the train.

[HerbalEd]

What's so terrible about the taxi queue on the lower level?? I've taken taxi's there dozens of times and my wait is almost always zero to three minutes. A couple of times I had to wait eight or ten minutes ... and I survived.

[hstamm]

What about joining the cue and be a good member of society? For a change!

[Farma]

For the sake of 50B it's quicker and easier just to use the official taxi queue downstairs. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes.

Last time I was there I watched numerous people turned back at the turnstiles upstairs.

One large group of Indians managed to squeeze one of their luggage trolleys through a turnstile before it closed but the others didn't make it in time. The guard just stood there watching. After 20 minutes of them trying to pass suitcases over the turnstile but not being able to get themselves past they gave up and all went downstairs.

After that the guard shift changed and no one was allowed past.

[Bantex]

Must have used the Public Taxi desks approaching 50 times since it moved to it's current location. Normally walked straight up to a desk with no queue, can't recall any time when I have had more than a couple of passengers ahead of me.

Maybe just lucky with the timings - I tend to arrive early mornings (around 7 to 8) but also late evenings on occasion.

I don't doubt that the experience of others differs from mine. Maybe I should start buying lottery tickets!

I've arrived @ all times of the day & never had more than 3 people in front of me with 5 minute wait. Longest wait I ever had was in 2010 when protestors closed the airport & approach roads which slowed the taxis getting to the airport - then I waited only 25 minutes, but it was nice to streach the legs after a long haul flight.

[fire2rescue99]

I have never taken the airport link. Where is tHe statio located inside Swampy? Does walking to the airport link train station take longer than the few minutes you might stand in a taxi queue?

[thailandbeachisland]

Security guards let people pass because taxi drivers give them 20 thb

[stevie403]

Go to arrivals cross the rd to the smoking area and there are entry taxis there I do it every month

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[solstan]

If I do, as I usually am, travelling with the maximum weight thats makes choose via taxi, mostly. Hauling 30 kg or more to or from the train isnt nice. Better now then before but still, use it to gain maybe 15 minutes - nope. When I arrive, about 5 or 6 am, there has never been more then 5 minute in line ...

When I do domesic travelling that is another deal as that usually take place during rush hours. Then the half hour travel easily turns into an hour or more ...

If youre really looking for a special treat, look a bit lost and say yes to the touts running around inside the gates at taxi level. Special for you, only 500

During rush hours I would consider the train or jumping the taxi line as it might delay me for at least 10 minutes he he he - just joking. Taxi is one of the things that has worked every time for me. Well maybe not that time when the driver was chanting and singing along to his special high pitched mantra all the way. Me I thanked my god for my handsfree mp3 player

[F4UCorsair]

What's so terrible about the taxi queue on the lower level?? I've taken taxi's there dozens of times and my wait is almost always zero to three minutes. A couple of times I had to wait eight or ten minutes ... and I survived.

Of course we survive, and while we want to get home/to a hotel, etc., it's a part of travel.

I hate those pricks who think their time is more important than mine and feel it's their right to jump the queue, wherever that is.

It's ignorant, arrogant, inconsiderate, and downright stupid, because it takes only one 'roid raged muscle head in the queue to be offended, and you're horizontal, or worse, dead.

Edited February 8, 2014 by F4UCorsair

[bangarang]

You will save yourself so much time sitting in traffic if you just take the Airport link, especially the express... only 17 minutes to the end at Phaya Thai. Get off at whatever stop is closest to the hotel and get a cab from there. You save yourself sooooo much time.

[impulse]

You will save yourself so much time sitting in traffic if you just take the Airport link, especially the express... only 17 minutes to the end at Phaya Thai. Get off at whatever stop is closest to the hotel and get a cab from there. You save yourself sooooo much time.

I like the Airport Rail. But saving time isn't the reason. Typically, I take a taxi if I'm in a big hurry. I can be home around Asoke in a taxi, often before the next ARL express train even shows up in the airport terminal.

If you do happen to walk onto the terminal just before the train arrives, you win. If you arrive just after the train leaves, count on a long, boring wait, sitting on cold granite.

Who came up with the idea of putting totally flat granite pedestals to torment people waiting for the train? And, not even enough of them- so most people have to stand and wait- just what you want when you're exhausted after a 12 hour flight.

Taking the city line may get you on a train quicker, but it certainly won't get you into town quicker than a taxi. And you'll be packed like a sardine if it's busy, with people climbing all over your luggage to move about the train.

I do take the express if I'm not in a hurry, because I figure my chances of getting killed in crazy BKK traffic are lower.

Edited February 8, 2014 by impulse

[Ajaan]

Haha, you gotta love it, many of the cranky farang Thai-haters on TV love to bitch and moan in other posts about how "lawless" the Thais are...yet they can't accept and obey a simple law themselves (like the taxi queue).