Taxi rates up in Chiang Mai?

[kalbo123]

I did not use taxi service from the airport to my house for a few years, but if I recall it right it was always 200 Baht, yesterday nobody could pick me up from the airport and the new rate was 250 Baht, a 25% increase.

Also I saw signs with "TAXI DOWNTOWN" 160 Baht, I thought that was always 120 Baht.

Still no taxi's to be found that use a meter in Chiang Mai as well....

Looks like time for a clean up like in Phuket?

In Bangkok taxi's still only charge 35 Baht to get in... from there the meter goes slow....

From the airport (BKK) to my destination about 25 k from the airport, less then 200 Baht (that includes the 50 Baht airport fee)

Edited September 9, 2014 by kalbo123

[Diplomatico]

It used to be 120 baht from the airport to the Old City....it went up to 150 baht on 1 September (or 160 baht, depends upon which of the two companies you choose.) If you walk outside of the airport into the parking lot, there is a sign that says "meter taxi" that gives you the option to either pay flat rate 150 or pay meter - but the meter taxi adds a 50 baht "airport fee" on top of whatever the metered fare ends up being.

No argument from me that, compared to Bangkok, the prices for a taxi here are too high (compared to my home country, though, still a bargain.) Then again, I don't know of anyone here who uses a taxi unless they are going to the airport.

[Chicog]

I think the fare from the airport into town is extremely reasonable compared to other cities (I think Bangkok is ridiculously cheap to be honest).

But around town I've never once used a metered taxi, not sure I've even seen one other than dropping off an airport passenger.

[sfokevin]

Yes it has gone up... But still a steal by Phuket standards... You get a clean reliable taxi with no forced upsell at a confirmed price before you leave the airport with a driver that knows where you are going via a translator at the airport... Great value...

You can't get a tuk tuk driver off his ass for anything near that price...

Edited September 9, 2014 by sfokevin

[kalbo123]

Yes it has gone up... But still a steal by Phuket standards... You get a clean reliable taxi with no forced upsell at a confirmed price before you leave the airport with a driver that knows where you are going via a translator at the airport... Great value...

You can't get a tuk tuk driver off his ass for anything near that price...

250 Baht for a 15 minute trip is not that cheap, think they just should use meters...

Tuk Tuks are only obstacle's in traffic in my opinion I stopped using them about a decade ago...

[Sparkles]

I think the fare from the airport into town is extremely reasonable compared to other cities (I think Bangkok is ridiculously cheap to be honest).

But around town I've never once used a metered taxi, not sure I've even seen one other than dropping off an airport passenger.

All CM taxis carry a sign atop the car "Metered taxi" and a meter which never get turned on.Have to have installed by law but never used.

We get then from our village to the airport,bus arcade ,hospital and prices have steadily risen over time.Twice the price you would pay in Bangkok.Their day will come.

[Berkshire]

I rarely use a taxi from the airport, but recall a couple of years ago it was 150 bt into town. I thought that was dirt cheap. Was wondering when they would increase the price. Even 250 bt would be reasonable. Only wish they would be available 24 hrs, but then I just don't use it that frequently.

[slapout]

Not sure about this, but I understood that transport fees increase for people had to have government approval prior to taking place.

This was susposed to be to counter the virtually monopoly that some people seem to have dropped on them.

[Chicog]

Well considering they've just slashed the cost of Songthaews, I wonder if they are looking at taxis as well.

[northernjohn]

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I think the fare from the airport into town is extremely reasonable compared to other cities (I think Bangkok is ridiculously cheap to be honest).

But around town I've never once used a metered taxi, not sure I've even seen one other than dropping off an airport passenger.

All CM taxis carry a sign atop the car "Metered taxi" and a meter which never get turned on.Have to have installed by law but never used.

We get then from our village to the airport,bus arcade ,hospital and prices have steadily risen over time.Twice the price you would pay in Bangkok.Their day will come.

There day has come. Bangkok taxies are asking for more money.

[Chiengmaijoe]

I think the fare from the airport into town is extremely reasonable compared to other cities (I think Bangkok is ridiculously cheap to be honest).

But around town I've never once used a metered taxi, not sure I've even seen one other than dropping off an airport passenger.

All CM taxis carry a sign atop the car "Metered taxi" and a meter which never get turned on.Have to have installed by law but never used.

We get then from our village to the airport,bus arcade ,hospital and prices have steadily risen over time.Twice the price you would pay in Bangkok.Their day will come.

Irrespective of what the law says they have to be able to make a living and I wonder whether they have enough business to be viable, considering the number of alternatives - songthaews and tuktuks. At a guess I would say that because of the difference in the two economies, and the prevalence of songthaews, there is very little demand for a taxi in Chiang Mai as compared to Bangkok. Chiang Mai is not Bangkok, and on the whole most things are cheaper here, so if a taxi costs more, so be it. They do need to make a living, and there are usually alternatives. If you're stuck out in the sticks without many alternatives, then you could move into town, or just accept it as a price of the choices you made.

Just curious, but the taxi you get from the village, is that a local taxi, or one that's had to drive out there to pick you up?

Edited September 9, 2014 by Chiengmaijoe

[Mapguy]

Another complaint about getting ripped off! Who needs it! What's this one about? You just got off an airplane? Thirty baht more than you are used to to get where you are going!

Get a life!

[Chicog]

I think the fare from the airport into town is extremely reasonable compared to other cities (I think Bangkok is ridiculously cheap to be honest).

But around town I've never once used a metered taxi, not sure I've even seen one other than dropping off an airport passenger.

All CM taxis carry a sign atop the car "Metered taxi" and a meter which never get turned on.Have to have installed by law but never used.

We get then from our village to the airport,bus arcade ,hospital and prices have steadily risen over time.Twice the price you would pay in Bangkok.Their day will come.

It's not bang up to date but:

Cost of a 3-kilometer ride in April, 2011

*All prices converted into US dollars on April 16, 2011

The left price reflects little to no waiting in traffic, the right price reflects high-traffic situations plus night or weekend surcharges.

$0.90 – $1.58 Delhi, India

$0.97 – $1.29 Mumbai, India

$1.01 – $1.68 Cairo, Egypt

$1.15 – $1.73 La Paz, Bolivia

$1.16 – $1.85 Manila, Philippines

$1.25 – $3.00 Panama City, Panama

$1.27 – $1.73 Kuta, Bali, Indonesia

$1.28 – $1.91 Fez, Morocco

$1.29 – $2.14 Mexico City, Mexico

$1.32 – $1.98 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

$1.43 – $1.91 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

$1.53 – $3.06 Beijing, China

$1.53 – $1.91 Hanoi, Vietnam

$1.66 – $2.32 Bangkok, Thailand

$1.69 – $3.38 Kathmandu, Nepal

$1.84 – $2.76 Shanghai, China

$1.91 – $3.19 Marrakech, Morocco

$2.00 – $4.00 Quito, Ecuador

$2.06 – $2.94 Sofia, Bulgaria

$2.11 – $3.69 Montevideo, Uruguay

$2.13 – $3.19 Lima, Peru

$2.46 – $2.95 Buenos Aires, Argentina

$2.72 – $3.27 Dubai, UAE

$2.82 – $4.23 Amman, Jordan

$2.84 – $4.27 St. Petersburg, Russia

$2.94 – $5.51 Seoul, South Korea

$3.23 – $6.45 Singapore, Singapore

$3.35 – $5.16 Hong Kong, China

$3.80 – $6.33 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

$3.84 – $6.52 Athens, Greece

$4.09 – $6.04 Moscow, Russia

$4.24 – $5.93 Santiago, Chile

$4.39 – $8.77 Tel Aviv, Israel

$4.64 – $6.22 Istanbul, Turkey

$5.47 – $9.12 Krakow, Poland

$5.33 – $7.99 Beirut, Lebanon

$5.73 – $8.33 Vancouver, Canada

$5.80 – $8.70 Lisbon, Portugal

$5.80 – $9.42 Tallinn, Estonia

$5.70 – $8.29 Budapest, Hungary

$5.75 – $7.90 Cape Town, South Africa

$5.95 – $8.33 Prague, Czech Republic

$6.20 – $8.26 Taipei, Taiwan

$6.52 – $10.14 Barcelona, Spain

$6.56 – $9.84 Edinburgh, Scotland

$7.00 – $12.00 New York City, USA

$7.25 – $10.14 Madrid, Spain

$7.50 – $10.00 Los Angeles, USA

$7.95 – $13.26 Reykjavik, Iceland

$8.41 – $14.49 Rome, Italy

$8.70 – $14.49 Brussels, Belgium

$8.70 – $14.49 Paris, France

$9.38 – $12.50 Toronto, Canada

$9.38 – $12.50 Montreal, Canada

$9.47 – $12.63 Melbourne, Australia

$9.60 – $12.00 Auckland, New Zealand

$9.80 – $15.69 Zagreb, Croatia

$10.14 – $14.49 Vienna, Austria

$10.53 – $13.68 Sydney, Australia

$11.22 – $14.12 Copenhagen, Denmark

$11.48 – $14.75 London, England

$11.59 – $15.94 Berlin, Germany

$11.59 – $17.39 Munich, Germany

$11.59 – $17.39 Dublin, Ireland

$12.64 – $15.66 Tokyo, Japan

$12.92 – $16.16 Stockholm, Sweden

$13.04 – $17.39 Nice, France

$14.06 – $20.29 Helsinki, Finland

$14.49 – $14.49 Amsterdam, Netherlands

$15.94 – $20.29 Monaco, Monaco

$18.62 – $24.21 Oslo, Norway

$20.22 – $26.97 Zurich, Switzerland

[Beetlejuice]

Luckily I have my own transport and rarely in a situation where I have to use a taxi in Chiang Mai.

Keep in mind that knowing how to speak even some basic Thai will gain a farang passenger a much better deal. Those who cannot speak enough Thai to haggle the fare with the driver will in most cases certainly get ripped off every time, as the taxi drivers will consider them as naive tourists ripe for over charging.

Speaking in the same language as the taxi driver is certainly beneficial for the passengers.

[elgordo38]

I avoid Tuk Tuks like the plague they are over priced and at age 76 I have get on my hands and knees and turn into a pretzel to get into the back of one. When stopped at a traffic light the pollution from the exhaust floats up and into the back. They always want 20 to 30 bahts more than a comfortable Songtaew.