Arrivals new airport

[kahuna]

Maybe I have been lucky...and your number certainly trumps mine...but I haven't had a bad trip in...some horrible trips out with wantabe race drivers though...

My limited experience has been that many drivers don't want to and won't take you out to the airport because they usually have to return to the city empty unless they are lucky enough to get a fare in....but they don't let the arrival taxis linger for long at the airport...

or they will only take you out if you pay a fixed fare...plus tolls...

NOTE: For all you new travelers to Thai...taxi drivers can refuse a fare in Thailand unlike in the States where they will likely lose their license if the do...and Thai drivers refuse fares all the time...sometimes you have to stop 4 or 5 taxis to get a ride...Annoying but TIT...

[Guest]

whats the travel time to bangkok , pattaya from the new airport? any imput. thanks

[katoeylover]

Bangkok - depends on the time of day but anything from 25-45 mins (Sukhumvit)

Pattaya - 2 hrs max.

[mardhi]

(ziggystardust @ Apr. 08 2007,10:57) Guys you are missing a very critical point.

Taxis run by the airport are run by the mafia. They are often decrepid, old broken down cars with half criminal, half drunk drivers.

The taxis in the city are generally all the opposites. Clean, new, decent driver.

So the original post is correct. Try and go to departures to get a city taxi vs airport taxi. Avoiding  a queue is part of it, but the car and driver are much, much better, and you are safer this way.

I travel every 2nd week of the year, minimum. I never, ever take the arrivals taxis after many near-death experiences. My advice is get a limo or get a departures taxi which has just arrived from the city.

Just curious Ziggy - If you have a car and driver, which you have stated in other threads - why are you getting taxi's to and from the airport? Or is it that your seeing the wrecks masquerading as taxi's when your sat comfortably in the back of the car and say "home Jeeves", and enjoying a relaxing G&T served by your driver.

Personally when I used to be in and out of BKK airport, I always drove to the airport and left my car in the car park attached to the terminal.

Cheers
Mardhi

[rxpharm]

Found this in the Suvarnabhumi Airport Forum in Thai Visa, so not sure how accurate this is, but possible good news for those who take taxis into town.

Public Taxi Stands Will Relocate to The Second Floor (Arrivals Level)

SUVRANABHUMI: -- Suvarnabhumi airport is preparing to relocate public taxi stands to the second floor of the main airport building, on the same floor as the arrivals terminal, pushing out influential private limousine operators.

Suvarnabhumi airport director Serirat Prasutanond said yesterday that taxi stands would move up from the frontal road on the first floor of the passenger terminal to the second floor after the Songkran festival ends on April 17.

Passengers arriving at the airport exit from immigration and customs checks on the second floor of the new Bangkok airport building.

Mr Serirat said the new system was in line with the original plans set out for transport services at the Suvarnabhumi airport.

"I am not concerned about what was arranged before I took office, but the current objective is to solve problems systematically by focusing on providing the most convenience for passengers by returning to the original plan," said Mr Serirat who, took up his position in February.

"This may affect some groups but it must be understood for the sake of problem solving."

Buses will also be allowed to pick up passengers from the frontal road on the second floor instead of waiting at the remote bus terminal located away from the main terminal building.

Limousine services and vehicles of hotel associations and group tour operators will be relocated from the second floor down to the first floor.

Mr Serirat said the change was aimed at providing the most convenience to the majority of passengers. Limousine services are only used by a limited group of passengers, he said.

He also said the illegal but influential groups of limousine service providers were cashing in at Suvarnabhumi and that airport authorities had been catching up to 250 illegal limousine operators every day.

Passengers have complained about the difficulties of finding the public taxi stands at the new airport, prompting officials to put more signs to direct passengers from the arrivals hall.

-- Agencies 2007-04-06

As I will be arriving April 20, I will confirm if this is true or not if another board member does not beat me to the punch!