It is likely that you will begin to be replaced in your eyes from a large number of colors of cars when you first find yourself on the streets of Bangkok. It is difficult to call the exact number of taxis colors, since each fleet is trying to arrange the cars in its unique color. There are green, pink, red, brown, purple, blue, there are even two -tone.
I want to go to Bangkok!
The color of the car can say whether it belongs to a private person or a taxi company. For example, a brown-green or yellow-green machine in 90% of cases will belong to a private person.
Surprisingly, a fact, a taxi trip can do cheaper than the metro if you go together and pay each for yourself. In general, a taxi in Bangkok is one of the cheapest among all megacities in the world. This is explained by the fact that the car does not go on gasoline, but on gas. To understand, the average cost of a trip around the city by taxi is 70 baht (110-120 rubles),
Just like in the Russian province. The first two days I moved to the tuk-tuk, but when I found out the cost of a taxi trip, where there is air conditioning, music and guaranteed a sober driver, I forgot about tuk-tuker.
However, at the peak hour it is better to choose a metro or mototax.
The price at the airport and from it is about 300-400 baht, if they ask for more, catch the next taxi.
Before the trip
Important:
1. Payment is only in cash, bank cards are not accepted in a taxi.
2. The colors of the cars are different, you can catch any, there is no difference in price.
The price can be fixed (for this there is a special price list) and by the counter. A fixed price is if you are going somewhere far or to the airport. In other cases, you should be conducted by the counter (landing 35 baht). But there are pitfalls.
How tourists are counted
1. The most common way is to refuse to go along the counter. Usually this happens during peak hours or if you catch a taxi in a tourist area. The way out of the situation is simple – try to agree on a trip to the meter with a smile or catch the next taxi. I left the maximum on the 5th.
2. The driver is lucky on the longest path. To avoid this, periodically monitor your GPS movement. If the driver is rolling you, then ask to follow the route, do not pay attention to the convictions and smiles of the driver that everything is “ok” (the standard form of excuses from a tourist-all). In the case when you came across just such a driver, do not hesitate to demand a discount for an unnecessary tour of the city.
3. Cursing. Sometimes they allegedly forget to give – check carefully.
4. Fast counter. Although it is extremely rare, still look at him during the trip so that he works evenly. Within the city, the cost of the trip should not much exceed 100 baht.
There are paid roads in Bangkok, this can serve as a bog to the cost of the trip, but, as a rule, the taxi driver talks about this in advance, and you yourself will see a checkpoint of such a road.
How to explain where to go
It would seem that it could be easier, but in Bangkok with taxi drivers this is the main problem. Directly of a national scale 🙂 Do not be surprised if the taxi driver does not know some large street, a large shopping center or a whole area.
There can be two explanations: either the taxi driver itself is not from Bangkok, or the name of a particular place in Thai sounds completely different.
It is useless to show cards. Most likely, there is simply no such subject as geography in Thai schools, since not a single taxi driver, when I showed him the card, could not understand anything at all.
What to do if the destination is explained still does not work
1. If you go to the hotel, it is better to have a hotel phone number with you. The driver can call the reception and clarify the location.
2. Ask for another taxi driver or passers -by to help deal with your destination point.
3. Remember a large street nearby, a shopping center or something else, so you have more chances to correctly explain where you need.
4. Show the road on your own by GPS or navigator.
If none of this worked with one taxi, then try the following:
Popular applications
1. Uber. Everything is as usual: it arrives in 5-10 minutes and the destination address is understandable, but more than one and a half times more than a regular taxi.
2. Grabtaxi. The usual taxi with the counter, only an additional commission for the fare price is 25 baht and cash payment – the cards are not accepted. During the peak hours, it is difficult to find a free car, it’s easier to catch a taxi on the street. On the first trip you get 50 baht as a gift. A trifle, but nice.
My advice – Roll a taxi around the city late in the evening, when there are few cars. Looking at the evening Bangkok, drowning in multi -colored lights, is what I advise everyone in the Asian city of angels.
