suvanaboom

[mascarabertha]

I landed in suvanaboom last night from Abu Dhabi at 8:30pm. I walked to the taxi stand to grab a ride to Sou 26 sukhamvit. the closer I got the more unbelievable the scene.

it was easily a 50 minute wait just to get to the curb. I waited perhaps 5 minutes and gained 10 feet. solo

I went back up to arrivals waited for a taxi to drop off a client found a very greatful driver who happily took me home. when he dropped me off I would have still been waiting in line to get a taxi

[impulse]

Bad luck on your part. I'm sure it happens, but it hasn't happened to me.

Since they put the ticket machines in the taxi lines, the longest I've had to wait in about a dozen arrivals has been 11 minutes. More often than not, the taxi line is less than a minute.

Last time I arrived, the long line looked like an hour, so I went to AOT to hire a limo and they asked me to wait 30 minutes. So I went into the ridiculous looking taxi line and I timed it. 11 minutes.

Took me longer than that to walk up to AOT and back- disappointed.

Keep in mind we're in the middle of the Chinese New Year travel debacle, and though I generally like the Chinese with all their quirks, they're not known for facilitating orderly queues.

[berybert]

You would have been home in 30 minutes had you taken the rail link and the BTS.

[impulse]

You would have been home in 30 minutes had you taken the rail link and the BTS.

That's how I do it when I have no luggage. But the walking down to the ARL station and between stations adds up to about 1 km and that's too far for an old fart with luggage- even with wheels like my old fogey luggage has nowadays.

Then there's the trip from the BTS/MRT station to the house. Eezy peezy with no bags. But trying to haul a 35lb bag and 10lb carry-on on the back of a motosai taxi is a non-starter. And I'm just 500 meters from the MRT stop. But it's 500 meters of no sidewalks and unsafe to walk it without bags, much less pulling 2 wheeled bags down a 1-1/2 lane road with cars parked illegally just to make walking it even more dangerous. Taxi? There's a small one-way section that forces taxis to take 3-4 km out of the way. Onto Sukhumvit. With a U-Turn.

Not everyone is in the same boat we are. Taxis are a much better choice for some situations. Can't tell from the OP which would be better for him.

[richard_smith237]

You would have been home in 30 minutes had you taken the rail link and the BTS.

That would have been fun after an international flight with baggage... taking the Airport link, then transferring from the Airport link to the MRT and then transferring to the BTS at Asoke, exiting at Prompong, then trying to get a taxi to your destination on Soi 26 on a Friday night...

As much as I dislike using the taxi's due to the high-ish incidence of scams, poor driving etc... its still much less effort than the Airport link - AOT is usually the best option if you want hassle free but they were empty... UBER have taxi's from the Airport.

But, in this case the Op chose the best option by taking a taxi which had recently dropped off a passenger.

[berybert]

You would have been home in 30 minutes had you taken the rail link and the BTS.

That would have been fun after an international flight with baggage... taking the Airport link, then transferring from the Airport link to the MRT and then transferring to the BTS at Asoke, exiting at Prompong, then trying to get a taxi to your destination on Soi 26 on a Friday night...

As much as I dislike using the taxi's due to the high-ish incidence of scams, poor driving etc... its still much less effort than the Airport link - AOT is usually the best option if you want hassle free but they were empty... UBER have taxi's from the Airport.

But, in this case the Op chose the best option by taking a taxi which had recently dropped off a passenger.

Yes I am aware some people are unable to carry their bags for more than a few meters without having to stop.

Getting on my feet after an 11 hour flight is something I am more than happy to do. But I do know a lot of people who need to sit down after such a flight as they are worn out from all the sitting down.

You say transferring like it is something hard to do. Stepping off a train onto another train and carrying a bag at the same time. Hard work for some.

And why would you need to use the MRT ? Take the airport link to Phaya thai then get off at Prompong.

Edited February 13, 2016 by berybert

[impulse]

As much as I dislike using the taxi's due to the high-ish incidence of scams, poor driving etc... its still much less effort than the Airport link - AOT is usually the best option if you want hassle free but they were empty... UBER have taxi's from the Airport.

At the risk of getting absolutely flamed, here's my formula for a great taxi ride home from BKK to Asoke: Hop in the taxi. Tell the guy "no meter, 500 baht" (normal fare is 220-250 + 50). Before we leave the airport, I hand him 100 baht and tell him it's for "highway."

Strangely, since I started doing that, I have had nothing but happy campers that don't seem to be driving on that last frazzled nerve in their body. No kamikazees trying to get one more run in, no mumbling under their breath about God knows what. Happy, careful drivers. If I drank, that's about the cost of 2 beers more for a pleasant (and I suspect, safer) drive.

Worth every baht. Still half of what an AOT limo costs, and the only time I took one of those, it was a white knuckle ride with a Mario Andretti wannabe behind the wheel.

Edited February 13, 2016 by impulse

[smokie36]

Let me just get the popcorn in the microwave.

[SoiBiker]

As much as I dislike using the taxi's due to the high-ish incidence of scams, poor driving etc... its still much less effort than the Airport link - AOT is usually the best option if you want hassle free but they were empty... UBER have taxi's from the Airport.

At the risk of getting absolutely flamed, here's my formula for a great taxi ride home from BKK to Asoke: Hop in the taxi. Tell the guy "no meter, 500 baht" (normal fare is 220-250 + 50). Before we leave the airport, I hand him 100 baht and tell him it's for "highway."

Strangely, since I started doing that, I have had nothing but happy campers that don't seem to be driving on that last frazzled nerve in their body. No kamikazees trying to get one more run in, no mumbling under their breath about God knows what. Happy, careful drivers. If I drank, that's about the cost of 2 beers more for a pleasant (and I suspect, safer) drive.

Worth every baht. Still half of what an AOT limo costs, and the only time I took one of those, it was a white knuckle ride with a Mario Andretti wannabe behind the wheel.

Cunning plan. Preempt the ripoffs by ripping yourself off.

[richard_smith237]

As much as I dislike using the taxi's due to the high-ish incidence of scams, poor driving etc... its still much less effort than the Airport link - AOT is usually the best option if you want hassle free but they were empty... UBER have taxi's from the Airport.

At the risk of getting absolutely flamed, here's my formula for a great taxi ride home from BKK to Asoke: Hop in the taxi. Tell the guy "no meter, 500 baht" (normal fare is 220-250 + 50). Before we leave the airport, I hand him 100 baht and tell him it's for "highway."

Strangely, since I started doing that, I have had nothing but happy campers that don't seem to be driving on that last frazzled nerve in their body. No kamikazees trying to get one more run in, no mumbling under their breath about God knows what. Happy, careful drivers. If I drank, that's about the cost of 2 beers more for a pleasant (and I suspect, safer) drive.

Worth every baht. Still half of what an AOT limo costs, and the only time I took one of those, it was a white knuckle ride with a Mario Andretti wannabe behind the wheel.

Do you install your own seatbelt and carry out standard vehicular maintenance on the taxi too ?

[mascarabertha]

As much as I dislike using the taxi's due to the high-ish incidence of scams, poor driving etc... its still much less effort than the Airport link - AOT is usually the best option if you want hassle free but they were empty... UBER have taxi's from the Airport.

At the risk of getting absolutely flamed, here's my formula for a great taxi ride home from BKK to Asoke: Hop in the taxi. Tell the guy "no meter, 500 baht" (normal fare is 220-250 + 50). Before we leave the airport, I hand him 100 baht and tell him it's for "highway."

Strangely, since I started doing that, I have had nothing but happy campers that don't seem to be driving on that last frazzled nerve in their body. No kamikazees trying to get one more run in, no mumbling under their breath about God knows what. Happy, careful drivers. If I drank, that's about the cost of 2 beers more for a pleasant (and I suspect, safer) drive.

Worth every baht. Still half of what an AOT limo costs, and the only time I took one of those, it was a white knuckle ride with a Mario Andretti wannabe behind the wheel.

i do the same thing. good thinking

[impulse]

Do you install your own seatbelt and carry out standard vehicular maintenance on the taxi too ?

No. I have an amulet for the 30-40% where the seat belts are buried too deep to pull them out without risking major diseases getting cut by the chogies down in the crevices.

I figure it's still safer than taking scooter taxis, which I do regularly.

And over the years, more and more taxis have functional seat belts. It used to be amulets for 90%. Now, just 30-40%

Small steps.

[impulse]

i do the same thing. good thinking

Don't ever mention that in real life here in LOS. You'll be ostracized at best, and more likely lynched. A lot of guys will never trust you, ever again. Ever.

And they'll start to forget their wallet each time it's their turn to buy lunch or drinks. (Even if they haven't pulled that one yet)

[TheAppletons]

Always just go up to level 4, Departures, and grab a taxi that's dropping someone off. Hassle free, no airport surcharge, and the drivers are happy to have a fare going back to the city. Win-win.

[smokie36]

I can understand any taxi drivers desire to make an extra hundred Baht here or there so I get the gist of the approach by impulse and others.

For myself I just get in and tell them where I want to go in Thai.

Probably it helps that the location is a condo that's not on Sukhumvit or Khao San.

The only time I had an issue with a cab...and I mean a scary incident.....was coming from Pattanakarn into town.

The guy was definitely on something and babbled nonsense all the way.

Luckily nothing horrendous happened but this guy was agitated....not fun.

One incident in thousands of taxi rides.