Travelling in Thailand

Travelling in Phuket, Pattaya and Bangkok in Thailand

General Info
The main roads in Thailand are in good condition with road signs in Thai and English. If you drive away from the main roads, most signs are in Thai only. In Thailand they drive on the left.

From Bangkok to Phuket

By Car :

Take Route 4 from Bangkok to the south. Along the way pass the provinces of Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap-Khirikan, and at Chumphon go right to Ranong. From Ranong, go south through Kraburi and Kapoe Districts to Phang-nga Province.
In Phang-nga the road passes through Kuraburi, Takuapa, and Thai Muang Districts before reaching the town of Kok Kloy. Then, cross the Sarasin Bridge to Phuket Island.  The distance is 867 kilometers.

By Sea : 

The Deep Sea Port (Port of Phuket) at Puket is visited by both cargo and cruise ship from Thailand and from abroad. Contact your travel agent for information about the many different ships that stop at Phuket.

By Bus : 

If you come to Phuket overland, the bus connection is the only means of travel, since there is no existing railway connection to the island. The only land connection to the island is a 1200 meters long causeway, used by cars and busses.
The bus ride from Bangkok takes 14 hours or more for the nearly 900 kilometers, leaving there from the Southern Bus Terminal. The fare is around THB 600 to 800.
There are also regular mini-bus trips from Singapore and Penang which are reasonably priced.
Both air-conditioned and non air–conditioned buses leave the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok daily.

Southern Bus Terminal Tel. (02) 4347192, 4345557-8
Phuket Central Company Tel. (02) 4355019
Phuket Travel Tel. (02) 4355018
Phuket Bus Terminal Tel. (076) 211480.

By Air : 

Thai Airways International operates flights to Phuket daily. 
The travel time is 1 hour 20 minutes. 
Bangkok Airways operates flights from Samui to Phuket daily. 
The travel time is 50 minutes. 

From Airport
There is a minibus and also a airport limousine taxi service at the airport. The standard rate for the mini bus is 150 Baht per person but you can get up to 12 persons in it so many stops .

From the airport to various location in Phuket by limousine taxi the fare is from 400 – 600 Baht one way.

Before you arrange with your hotel a taxi to the airport check what vehicle they use because they vary in type and quality.

Tuk Tuk (Thai mini taxi the most common way to get around Phuket.

Tuk Tuk operate in the entire tourist locations and depending on your negotiating skills – will charge from 100 Baht to 400 Baht depending on the distance.

Advise! Get the price before you start your journey.

If you want to look around on the island you may hire a driver for half or full day and negotiate a good price, generally around 400 – 1000 Baht.

Be aware he may take you to places that will pay him commission, if he wants to show you around. It's better to tell him where you want to go and no were else, so you don't waste time seeing places you don't want too.

Bus ( Songthaew )
Buses run daytime (6:00 – 18:00) between the beaches and Phuket Town and cost 10 – 30 Baht. However these buses do not travel from beach to beach, instead you must go to Phuket town then change bus to your final destination.

To stop a bus on the street you should wave your hand or wait for the bus at one on the stops long the road.

Motorbike Taxi
Motorcycle drivers are usually dressed in green or orange vest and are available for short trips. Just wave one to stop and ask for the fare to your destination. The price is normally 20 - 30 Baht each way.

Never use someone without a vest, because they may have no insurance, especially at night time.

Motorbike
Motorbikes are the most common transportation on the island and the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Most travel agencies recommend tourists NOT TO RENT A MOTOR BIKE due to the many accidents in Phuket.

Rent if you feel safe and comfortable with a motorbike and the traffic in Thailand . It's the easiest way to get around the Island and explore without spending too much money.

Be aware that vehicles may turn left and right without using there indicators and don't trust the traffic lights look carefully yourself and proceed only when you feel it's safe to.

The rental fee is normally 150 – 250 Baht per day for a standard motorbike. A big bike, may be 600 – 1000 Baht / per day

Car / Jeep
Renting a car / jeep would be a good idea for a group of friends or if you plan to drive long distances. There are insurances available but make sure you read the small print before signing.

The rental fee is normally 900 – 1300 Baht / day, if you rent longer then the price maybe reduced.

Long boats and Speed boats
Long boats and Speed boats are available on most beaches. It's great way to see other beaches and sight seeing. Rental prices average around 400 Baht per hour for a short trip and up to 1200 Baht for a round trip but always ask the price before you leave.

Travelling in Pattaya

Getting to Pattaya :

For those who prefer to arrive with more comfort and style, Taxies and limos are available direct from the Bangkok airport 24 hours a day.

The easiest and most popular way to reach Pattaya is by bus. From the Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai) on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, there are departures every 30 minutes by air conditioned bus from 5 am until 10 pm. The one-way fare is Bt 100.
From the Northern Bus Terminal (Morchit II) there are departures again every 30 minutes from 5 am to 7 pm with a one way fare of Bt 105.

Few visitors to Pattaya are aware that the city does have a railway station. It is north of Sukhumvit Rd close to Siam Country Club. One train a day leaves Bangkok's Hualamphong station at 7 am and takes up to five hours to reach Pattaya stopping at many stations along the way.

U-Tapao Airport, which is located near Sattahip, has very few scheduled flights. Most visitors travelling this way are on chartered flights.

Baht Bus (Thai mini taxi the most common way to get around Pattaya.)

For getting around the main bay area, the minibuses / baht buses charge a flat fare of 10 Baht. The run to Naklua is also 10 Baht and to Jomtien 30 Baht. Drivers usually ask for 40 Baht to travel up the hill to Royal Cliff Beach Resort.

Travelling in Bangkok

Bangkok has many sorts of transportation for Bangkok City. The Sky Train (BTS) and metro are available only in the city centre. Bangkok's Skytrain &  Bangkok's Metro - Subway  ( See Attached Route Map )

Taxis operate everywhere in the city and are a quick and comfortable way to get around town, at least if the traffic is flowing your way. All taxis are now metered and air-conditioned: the hailing fee is 35 baht and most trips within Bangkok cost less than 100 baht.
There are no surcharges (except from the airport), even at night. A red lit sign on the front window means that the taxi is available.
The most common is the yellow and green but now you get taxis in orange, pink and various other colours.

Bangkok would not be the same without the much-loathed and much-loved tuk-tuks?

The three-wheeled taxis blaze around Bangkok leaving a black smoke in their wake. For anything more than a 5-10 minute jaunt or just the experience, they really are not worth the price.

Always negotiate the price before you ride.  If you let them get away with it, the price will usually be 4 or 5 times what it should pay for any other transport.

In Busy times and rush hour and the traffic slows to a crawl and there are no mass-transit alternatives for your destination, by far the fastest mode of transport is a motorbike taxi.

The "motosai" cabbies. They typically wear colorful fluorescent yellow or orange vests and wait for passengers at street corners and near shopping malls. Prices are negotiable, and always negotiate the price before you ride.

Local buses operate everywhere in the city., mostly operated by the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), are cheapest but also the most challenging way of getting around, as there is a bewildering plethora of routes, usually marked only in Thai.

If you can speak Thai you can call 184 Bus Route Hotline. Bus stops usually list only the bus numbers that stop there and nothing more. They are also subject to Bangkok's notorious traffic, often terribly crowded, and many are not air-conditioned.

Express Boats along the Chao Phraya River with transfers via water taxis down major klongs.