Domestic transfers by taxi/Grab in Thailand

Hi there,

Pretty much any hotel can arrange a taxi for you, and for longer distances, they’ll often quote a flat rate, which is way better than paying by the meter. Expect to pay around 1,500 to 3,500 baht, a bit more if it’s a larger vehicle.

For example: I recently came across a taxi company charging 1,500 baht for a 220 km trip.

It’d be more convenient to contact hotels in advance. Many aren’t very responsive over email, so try WhatsApp instead.

Thanks for the feedback.

I’ve requested a quote from a provider called "Bangkoktaxi24," which seems well-rated everywhere, for all our transfers.

I’m still waiting for their response, but I’ve budgeted a flat rate for these based on various sites.

Since we’re traveling as a family, I’ll try to prioritize a single contact for these transfers if possible, and by bundling them, get a competitive offer. Booking in advance also seems more reassuring...

I’ll post their response here for info.

Go ahead, we can let you know if it's okay.

In the same situation, for BKK-Kanchanaburi and Chiang Rai-Chiang Mai, I took the VIP bus.

These are standard routes, major lines, so there are comfortable buses. It takes about 25 to 50% longer than driving, but price-wise, it’s super economical.

Hi there,

Below are my thoughts on the transfers from Bangkoktaxi24. For some transfers, the prices seem reasonable (T2, T4), while others seem overpriced (T1, T5).

There also seems to be a mistake for TA2 at 4000 THB for the airport-hotel transfer in Chiang Rai.

We’ll likely use available trains/buses for some of these transfers instead.

I’ll also ask if a discount is possible if we book multiple transfers with them—I thought I’d seen info about that, but no luck so far.

What are your thoughts?

T1. Bangkok - Kanchanaburi City, morning departure Toyota Innova/Fortuner 3000 THB T2. Kanchanaburi City - Kaeng Krachan, departure around midday Toyota Innova/Fortuner 2500 THB T3. Kaeng Krachan - San Roi Yot, depart around midday Toyota Innova/Fortuner 2300 THB T4. San Roi Yot - Bangkok Airport (flight to Chiang Rai), departure in the morning, flight at the end of the day Toyota Innova/Fortuner 2700 THB T5. Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai, departure around midday Toyota Innova/Fortuner 4000 THB

Airport transfers if bookable: TA1. Bangkok Airport - Hotel in Bangkok City Toyota Innova/Fortuner 1000 THB TA2. Chiang Rai Airport - Hotel in Chiang Rai Toyota Innova/Fortuner 4000 THB TA3. Chiang Mai Airport - Chiang Mai Hotel Toyota Fortuner 700 THB TA4. Bangkok Airport - Bangkok City Hotel Toyota Innova/Fortuner 1000 THB TA5. Hotel in Bangkok City - Bangkok Airport Toyota Innova/Fortuner 1000 THB

No, but at every airport there are taxis—you don’t need to book those in advance.

Check each of your routes on Rome2Rio.com to get an idea of both the distance and the price. For example, CR Airport to CR CV: that’s about 9 km and under 200 baht for a small taxi. In CM, at the airport, I’m not entirely sure, but I think it’s a flat rate that went from 150 to 200 baht? Countless travelers know from experience that the trip from BKK to downtown in a small taxi (20 to 25 km) costs around 500 baht. Same for the return trip.

Of course, a larger taxi or a Toyota Fortuner will be a bit more expensive, but not by much.

For long distances, keep in mind the example I gave you.

Another tip: when you arrive at a hotel, kindly ask if they’d be willing to call your next hotel to arrange the transfer at a better rate or the price you found on Rome2Rio.

Finally, know that negotiating directly with a taxi driver usually gets you the best rate.

For buses, like BKK to Kanchanaburi, take the blue and white government buses. They’re the best deal and comfortable enough.

You now have all the info you need to save significantly.

That’s on the higher end of the price range. If budget isn’t an issue and you want to book everything in advance, why not? Otherwise… Buses are comfortable and could be fun for the family too. Taxis are available at all airports. Hotels can call taxis for you to get to train stations and airports. In touristy cities, you’ll always find agencies offering private transport.

Was today’s exercise a text summary? [;)]

What are your thoughts?

T1. Bangkok - Kanchanaburi City, morning departure Toyota Innova/Fortuner 3000 THB T2. Kanchanaburi City - Kaeng Krachan, departure around midday Toyota Innova/Fortuner 2500 THB T3. Kaeng Krachan - San Roi Yot, depart around midday Toyota Innova/Fortuner 2300 THB T4. San Roi Yot - Bangkok Airport (flight to Chiang Rai), departure in the morning, flight at the end of the day Toyota Innova/Fortuner 2700 THB T5. Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai, departure around midday Toyota Innova/Fortuner 4000 THB

Airport transfers if bookable: TA1. Bangkok Airport - Hotel in Bangkok City Toyota Innova/Fortuner 1000 THB TA2. Chiang Rai Airport - Hotel in Chiang Rai Toyota Innova/Fortuner 4000 THB TA3. Chiang Mai Airport - Chiang Mai Hotel Toyota Fortuner 700 THB TA4. Bangkok Airport - Bangkok City Hotel Toyota Innova/Fortuner 1000 THB TA5. Hotel in Bangkok City - Bangkok Airport Toyota Innova/Fortuner 1000 THB

On a lot of these routes, the prices are totally outrageous—I think they’ve found what they think is the perfect sucker. Forget ‘em and just follow Sawadeebaht’s solid advice, which I’ve got nothing to add to.

Thanks for the feedback.

For airport-hotel transfers from Bangkok, we’ll take the Airport Link to Phaya Thai and then a Grab. Cheaper and faster.

I did notice that the prices for Chiang Rai seem excessive, but the rates for T1 to T4 don’t seem overpriced to me. I compared them on other airline sites and 1-2 times on Grab at the same time, and I’m not finding anything 500 THB cheaper. Plus, for the Kanchanaburi-Kaeng Krachan-Sam Roi Yot routes, there aren’t tons of Grab options. The agency we contacted is based in Hua Hin, which probably explains the price difference between the southern part of Bangkok and the northern part of the country.

Traveling with family for our first time in Thailand, a private transfer with a "reserved" departure and a private vehicle—with all its perks—seems worth the cost to me.

Kanchanaburi to Kaeng Krachan at 2,500 THB is about 62 CHF for a 2h40/170 km "theoretical" trip for 4 people. That doesn’t seem like a total rip-off to me.

As for "checking with the hotel," I’m open to it, but the Sam Roi Yot to Bangkok Airport route was quoted at 3,500 THB by the hotel—800 THB more than the taxi company... It’d be surprising if the hotel *wasn’t* taking a little cut...

BKK - Kancha, take the blue and white government buses. Best fare and comfortable enough.

It's the air-conditioned first-class bus 81, the most convenient option if you have large luggage like suitcases. Currently around 140-150 Baht per person, with a small bottle of water provided. Over the years, I must have taken it at least twenty times in each direction before switching to minivans once they were introduced as an additional option on the route.

During the bus ride, it sometimes happens that groups of three or four schoolgirls interview foreign passengers in English with basic questions about themselves (usually one or two asking questions, one taking notes on a pad—since they’ll later have to present a report in class—and one just observing). It’s not common at all in Thailand for kids to approach tourists, but these girls do it (always in small groups) because their school program at Kanchananukro School in Kanchanaburi requires them to practice English by chatting with tourists from time to time. Why no boys? Because at Kanchananukro, 95% of the students in English classes are girls.

Bus 81 at Kanchanaburi bus terminal:

from Bangkok, we’ll take the Airport Link to Phaya Thai then

With your two 25 kg suitcases each, I’d strongly advise against that option.

I love living dangerously... and I didn’t say they were taped together...

A train every 10/15 minutes and a 30-minute journey—we just survived 13 hours sitting down... Plus, after watching tons of videos and chatting with other travelers who’ve done it, the challenge seems doable for us. But like everything, it’s busier during peak hours and quieter during off-peak times—if there even *are* off-peak hours in Bangkok...

Try to negotiate some prices, especially if you keep them busy. It’ll also stop them from overcharging the next travelers. Most services in this country cost 3 to 4 times less than back home—don’t forget that. You won’t regret these personalized rides in comfortable vehicles. They offer trips in great conditions, as long as you can afford it.