Nimble minibuses - tuk-tuk in Thailand. Tuk Tuk Pattaya - how to use tuk-tuks (Songthaew), public transport in Pattaya Tuk-tuk routes in central Pattaya

First, let's be clear. Tuk Tuk is a three-wheeled auto rickshaw.

A type of transport common in Bangkok and other cities and countries in Asia, but not in Pattaya.

Tuk Tuk in the correct understanding of the word, in Pattaya - one, two and miscalculated. Basically, they transport guests of hotels to which these same tuk-tuks belong.
And what is public transport in Pattaya are covered pickup vans called Songthaew.
But this is so, a moment of tediousness. For me, what's the difference? Tuk Tuk, Songteo, especially since the Thais themselves also call them Tuk Tuk.

Tuk Tuk route map (songthaew) in Pattaya

If you are traveling for the first time, it is almost useless to tell you how and where to sit down. You will get lost and end up in the wrong place. Not because they are not smart, but because
here everything looks the same, without knowing the layout of the streets and turns, it’s difficult to orient yourself right away.
Moreover, city transport, Tuk Tuk (songthaew), not occasionally, but most often, runs as it sees fit.
All attempts to reason with Tuk Tuk (songthaew) drivers, oblige them to stop and pick up people only at stops, were doomed to failure.

If you have already been to Pattaya, then you probably know the Tuk Tuk (songthaew) routes.
If not, for information, I will try to explain in my fingers how to get from point A in Pattaya to point B for 10 baht.

If you live on Jomitien, everything is clear. I now mean the first Jomitien, by the beach.
Here, 10-baht Tuk Tuk (songthaew) go in both directions from morning until night (after 12 suddenly turning into a taxi).
That is, you can travel all over Jomitien for 10 baht, if you move away from the center.
Or, sit down and drive to the center of Pattaya, turning from Jomitien onto Thappraya Street, turning under the bridge at the Bali Hai Pier, and further along the second (Second Road).

In this way you can get to the Dolphin Square (where there is a fork towards Sukhumvit, on Beach Road, to the North, Naklua), and then depending on your luck.

The Tuk Tuk will take one of these routes and ask you to pay again as the route starts over.

It turns out that Tuk Tuk (songthaew) walk in a circle. If we talk about the center, then there is a Tuk Tuk (songthaew) for 10 baht on Beach Road, Second Road, on South Street, Third,
on Thappraya, Thepprasit, Jomitien, Sukhumvit. On the streets of Pattaya Thai, Nua, Naklua, etc.

On Beach Road and Second Road, Tuk Tuk (songthaew) traffic is one-way. That is, if you need to go to some place on Bichka, or Volkin Street, you shouldn’t go all the way to the dolphins.
Second Road is a through street, you just get off at the right place and walk right through it.

To go back to Jomitien from the center, you need to know that the final Tuk Tuk (songthaew) is located at the intersection that connects Volkin Street, South and Second Road.
It's hard not to notice. There are many Tuk Tuk (songthaew) standing in a row all the time, and people take turns sitting down. When the car is full, it leaves and the next one comes up.

The ultimate tuk tuk. From here you can go towards Jomitien. If you look at the photo, on the right are South Street and Tuk Kom, on the left is Walking Street. Directly - second road

How to use Tuk Tuk (songthaew) in Pattaya?

When I arrived for the first time, it never occurred to me to use Tuk Tuk (songthaew) as public transport. This is understandable, we lived in the Pratamnak area, in a hotel
, and in those parts there were no tuk-tuks, except perhaps as taxis. These, yes, these stand guard at the entrance to the hotel for days to take a stupid tourist for 300-400 baht towards the center.

A minute's retreat. If you live in a hotel, then most likely you have a service that will take you to the city for free. You just need to ask at the reception.
For example, there is also a bus that takes you to the city center and back, free of charge. But I found out about this by chance and while already in Russia.

If you're lucky enough to live close to the city's Tuk Tuk route in Pattaya, then it's simple. To drive like a breeze in Pattaya for 10 baht, you need to go out onto the road,
Raise your hand and wait for a tuk tuk (songthaew) to stop next to you.
But, not everything is so simple!

I usually never stop an empty Tuk Tuk (songthaew), even in the city center where there are many of them. Why? Because if Knock Knock
empty, he most likely, having seen a white madam with two children, will want to transport her not for 10 baht, but for very much 200-300.
Therefore, as soon as you stop an empty Tuk Tuk and take a step into the cabin (without negotiating with the driver), it immediately starts to take off,
not letting you sit down.
I'm already tired of this trick, and I don't recommend it to you either.

What do you mean agreed? This means that if you approached the driver, asked him something, clarified it, that’s all - good luck, he’s driving you like a taxi.
Therefore, there is no need to negotiate. After stopping at the Tuk Tuk (songthaew), you silently climb into the back of the car on a bench and drive to the stop you need.

To stop a Tuk Tuk (songthaew), you need to press the bell button, which is located throughout the pickup truck, on top. Tuk Tuk (songthaew) will immediately stop at the right place,
(sometimes creating emergency situations for road users), and all you have to do is pay.

How much does a Tuk Tuk (songthaew) cost in Pattaya?

The official fare for the route is 10 baht. Mostly. Since depending on the route, the price may vary.
For example, white Tuk Tuk (songthaew) that drive along Sukhumvit Road cost 20 baht.

How will Tuk Tuk (songthaew) drivers try to scam you?

Never give a bill that requires change. We've been through this a hundred times.
As soon as you give 20 baht instead of 10, the driver turns stone-faced and you won’t see any change. He will persistently prove that the fare costs 20 baht. Or will give you
less from 100, 500 and so on.
Get a special wallet with change so you can always be ready. After stopping on the street, it will no longer be very convenient to find out something.

It happens, I just sat down, drove 200-300 meters, that’s it, madam, finish! The route doesn't go any further.
There is no point in arguing. You will have to pay the same 10 baht. At least I didn’t want to find out what would happen if I didn’t pay.

If you are traveling from afar along the city route by Tuk Tuk (songthaew), for example, from Jomitien to the center of Pattaya, then they may try to charge you
20 baht for travel. Do as you wish, the fare is 10 baht.

How to understand where you are going on a Tuk Tuk (songthaew) and where you will arrive?

It's almost always a lottery. I have already said that the Tuk Tuk (songthaew) driver may suddenly stop and change his mind about driving along the route.
Or turn into an alley, since in his opinion there is no prospect of going further (there are not enough people).
It's almost impossible to fight this. Almost, because in principle, you can write down the number of the Tuk Tuk (Songthaew), the driver’s license plate (it is there and visible in the photo),
and complain to the transport police.
Will you be willing to do this during your vacation? Hardly. But it’s worth remembering that you can find a council, because you never know. Robbed, hit, insulted or something else.

What should those who live in Pratumnak and other areas without Tuk Tuk (songthaew) do?

There aren't many options. Walk, take a taxi, do not stay in a hotel or condo where there is no public transport. Also, rent a car or bike.
If you're on Pratumnak, it's not so bad. Depending on the location, you need to walk either to Thappraya Street (after 6 Soi Pratumnak and Pattaya Park),

Here is an intersection where you can go from Pratamnak and catch a Tuk Tuk towards the center or towards Jomitien. Two houses is a Nirvana condo

or in the opposite direction, if you live in the Cozy Beach area, then it’s closer to you to go to the pier and catch a Tuk Tuk (songthaew) for 10 baht where it leaves Thappraya on Second Road.
Landmark - Manita Boutique Hotel.

I don’t know if I managed to tell you something clearly or if I confused you even more, but if you open a map of Pattaya, then everything becomes quite simple.

Yes, about the white Tuk Tuk (songthaew) that are on Sukhumvit. They can take you to many attractions, for example, Nong Nooch Garden, Mimosa, Military Beach.
This is especially true for people who have stayed at the Ambassador Hotel. Yes, it takes a very long time to get from there, especially now that a tunnel is being built on Sukhumvit.

Tuk Tuk (songthaew) as a taxi – prices

You can also use Tuk Tuk (songthaew) as a taxi. You stop the empty one and come to an agreement. Explain where to go, usually this happens without problems, just name the hotel or the desired place.
Usually the price for a Tuk Tuk (songthaew) as a taxi ranges from 150 to 300 baht. Of course it is more profitable to go with someone. At the same hotels in Cozy Beach or neighboring ones, people make an agreement and go together to the center, for example.

tuk tuk in Pattaya - photo. Some people like to ride on this step

The same thing happens at night. After 12 at night it can be problematic to leave by Tuk Tuk (songthaew) for 10 baht. They want to make money, go empty-handed and rarely agree to carry along the route.
From Friday to Sunday, when it works, Tuk Tuk (songthaew) magically stop driving there for 10 baht. But it’s also easier to agree to go somewhere,
since many of our compatriots also travel from there towards the center.

That's about it. If you have any questions, ask!

How to save money on a hotel or apartment on vacation?

I'm looking on the Rumguru website. It contains absolutely all discounts on hotels and apartments from 30 booking systems, including booking. I often find very profitable options, I can save from 30 to 80%

How to save on insurance?

Insurance abroad is required. Any appointment is very expensive and the only way to avoid paying out of pocket is to choose an insurance policy in advance. We have been applying for many years on the website, which gives the best prices for insurance and selection along with registration takes only a couple of minutes.

Public transport in Pattaya is something the resort can really be proud of. Personally, I have not yet met a single city in which the transport system would be more convenient and accessible than in Pattaya. When talking about convenience, I first of all mean the ability to quickly get from point A to point B without any long delays or waits at stops. During my first visit to Pattaya, I, like perhaps all unprepared tourists, was somewhat shocked by the chaotic traffic and knew almost nothing about local transport, except that it goes along the First (Beach) Street from north to south, and along the Second - in the opposite direction. At the end of December 2016, local authorities established new tuk-tuk routes in Pattaya. A detailed article with maps is being prepared!

THE CONTENT OF THE ARTICLE (you can click on the link for a quick transition)

However, just a few days at the resort with active movement through city streets and districts convinced me that transport in Pattaya is organized in such a way that without any problems you can get from one end of the city to the other for ridiculous money (less than $1). In this article I will describe in detail the routes of public transport in Pattaya and tell you how to get from one area to another as quickly and cheaply as possible. It will help me with this, which is published along with other city maps in the corresponding section of the site and duplicated here. The convenience of this map lies primarily in the fact that it shows tuk-tuk routes in Pattaya, the city’s main public transport, in color.

Map “Tuk-Tuk Routes in Pattaya” (click to enlarge)

What is a tuk-tuk like in Pattaya?

Unlike the three-wheeled tuk-tuks in Bangkok, the tuk-tuk in Pattaya is a more serious form of transport, which is actually called songthaew (or songghthaew), which means “two benches” in Thai. This is what the Thais themselves and experienced tourists call the vehicle, so I advise you to remember this word. Songthaews, or tuk-tuks in Pattaya, are Japanese pickup trucks converted for passenger transportation, in the cargo compartment of which there are benches for passengers along the sides, a roof and handrails. At the back of the songthaew there is a small platform-step, which makes it easier to climb into the vehicle and on which several people can ride while standing if there are no empty seats on the benches.

Songthaew (tuk-tuks) on the Sukhumvit highway

The indicated route is the longest and is marked in orange at the top of the map. The cost of travel within Pattaya on one of the main highways of the country is 20 baht, regardless of the distance. A distinctive feature of Sukhumvit tuk-tuks is their white color. The route lies far from most popular hotels and tourist areas, so you will most likely have to use a white songthaew to independently visit some of the attractions of Pattaya, to travel to individual shopping centers and large supermarkets of the city, to travel to the North and simply to quickly move between districts of the city.

Tuk-tuk routes in Pattaya, perpendicular to the Sukhumvit Highway

Songthaew routes, marked on the map in lilac, pink, dark blue and dark green, run along North Rd., Central Rd., South Rd. and Thep Prasit streets, perpendicular to the highway. which is located on the border with the administrative district of Pattaya Jomtien. The first three named streets connect Sukhumvit with the second street of Pattaya (Second Rd.) and divide the city into districts. Traveling by tuk-tuk along these streets costs 10 baht, but if after the final route the transport continues moving, you need to be prepared to pay 20 baht, because It turns out that you drive two fixed sections of 10 baht each.

Tuk-tuks in Pattaya on Beach Road and Second Road

Songthaew, which move along the main city beach of Pattaya, i.e. along Beach Rd. are marked in blue on the map. The initial stop of the route is the sculptural composition “Dolphins” (a flowerbed with a fountain at the intersection of North and Second streets), and the final stop is the gate at the beginning of Walking Street (hereinafter referred to as WS). Due to the fact that the route is, in principle, circular, i.e. After stopping at Walking Street, the tuk-tuk continues along Second Rd. (light green route on the map), sometimes you can sit in the center of the beach street and get to the same “Dolphins” in just 10 baht. But this is not always convenient or possible, because... A certain amount of free transport often accumulates near the WS, and the songthaew can stand for a considerable time before the previously arrived tuk-tuks are filled with passengers.

Tuk-tuks to Jomtien and back

One of the most popular routes, marked in brown on the map, allows you to travel directly from numerous hotels in the Pattaya Jomtien area to WS, as well as with one or two transfers to other facilities in the central and northern parts of the city. The cost of the route is fixed and is 10 baht. Please note that when moving a tuk-tuk beyond the final point of the route marked on the map in the Jomtien Beach area, you often need to pay an additional 10 baht. Likewise, if you drive from Jomtien to the end of the brown route at the intersection of South and Second streets and continue along the latter, the cost also increases to 20 baht.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

WITH November 12, 2014 year, one-way traffic is partially introduced on Jomtien Beach Road (the street along the Jomtien Beach embankment) for a period of one month (an experiment to relieve congestion on the street). More detailed information about the movement of tuk-tuks in this area of ​​Pattaya will be posted a little later after the information is clarified. Keep in mind when looking for a hotel in this area or when planning a visit to the local Pattaya beach that there will be a little confusion with transport for some time, and getting to the center and back will not be as convenient as before :)

Currently (December 2014) The route from South Pattaya to the Jomtien area follows the old route, i.e. One way traffic on Jomtien Beach Road cancelled.

Tuk-tuks on Naklua Street

The route of the songthaew along Naklua Street is marked on the map in yellow (please do not confuse it with the yellow strip of sand on). The final destinations of the route are stops at Naklua Beach and at the “Dolphins” already mentioned in the article. As in previous cases, a tuk-tuk can continue moving in the direction you want even after the end of the segment, but you need to add another 10 baht to the fare. This option is much more convenient than transferring to another tuk-tuk, but the tuk-tuk route may not always lead to where you need to go.

How to plan your route around Pattaya by tuk-tuk

When you need to quickly get from a point A to point B with minimal cash outlay, a better option than tuk-tuk in Pattaya does not exist. In the first days of your vacation, you may still need a map of Pattaya with transport routes, but after a few days you will finally remember the routes and use them like a native resident of the city. How to create a route convenient for yourself? Just look on the map for the place you need to get to and the place where you are at the moment. Next, look for the nearest songthaew routes and figure out how to get to the desired place with a minimum number of transfers. For example, you bought groceries at the Big C supermarket (red letter “C” on a green background in square K4 on the map) and you need to take your purchases to your hotel near Jomtien Beach.

As you can see, the cheapest and most convenient option would be to go a little to the left of the store, take a tuk-tuk to the end of the “blue route” and immediately transfer to a tuk-tuk, which will take you to the hotel along the “brown route”. Total 1 transfer and 20 baht (10+10). Here’s another option: you can take a white tuk-tuk and ride it to the intersection of Sukhumvit and Theprasit Street, then transfer to a songthaew that goes along the “dark green route”, where at the end you make another change to the “brown route” » In total, it turns out to be two transfers and 40 baht (20+10+10). It is clear that this option is more expensive and complex. But I haven’t yet mentioned that due to left-hand traffic in Thailand, you will have to cross the Sukhumvit Highway twice, through which there are elevated pedestrian crossings with a large number of steps...

I hope the principle of drawing up routes is clear to you and does not cause any difficulties. At the end of the article, I will note two points: transport in Pattaya also runs on other routes, i.e. Some Songthaews turn from the streets described in the article into alleys and other streets. It is not easy to distinguish them externally from those that need to be used without knowledge of the Thai language (writing). But, as I noticed, such tuk-tuks usually move closer to the center of the road, do not honk at tourists, and are almost always driven exclusively by local residents.

The second point is the routes I have designated. In real life tuk-tuks in Pattaya from different routes do not have any color difference (with the exception of white ones from Sukhumvit). This means that the designations “brown route”, “blue route”, etc. mentioned in this article. For better orientation, I provide it exclusively on a specific map located at the beginning of the article. It is quite possible that while in Pattaya you will find map with tuk-tuk routes, where a completely different color will be used. I also think it necessary to warn that for the cheapness of this type of transport you sometimes have to sacrifice comfort: the benches in the songthaew are sometimes quite hard, and you can accidentally hit your head on the metal handrails during the process of boarding and disembarking.

I talked about moving around the city using more expensive modes of transport in the article, but in the meantime, thank you for your attention, I hope the information was useful and you, while at the resort, will be able to successfully use it.

The word “knock-knock” is translated from Thai as “cheap”, although in reality it cannot be called inexpensive. Prices start from 100 baht for a few kilometers. In fact, this is a taxi, where the fare is negotiable.

Tuk-tuks can look different in different cities: sometimes they are a three-wheeled vehicle (as in Bangkok), sometimes they are a small pickup truck (as in Pattaya or Koh Chang). Accordingly, two people or a dozen can ride in it at the same time. Below we will describe and show photos of tuk-tuks in Thailand at each of the resorts. You will not find such a detailed guide to this type of transport with photos anywhere else on the Internet.

This transport is convenient to use to get from the airport or bus station to the hotel and when you have a lot of luggage. In other cases, it will be cheaper (2-2.5 times) to travel by motorbike taxi, especially when you are alone. But for a large group, it is still better to ride a tuk-tuk, since the price of travel is announced by the driver for the entire vehicle, and not for each person. That is, if there are five of you and the fare is 150 baht, then each person will get 30 baht. However, this option will not work in Bangkok, since only two people (plus one or two children) can fit in a tuk-tuk there. But in Pattaya you can travel with ten people - there will be enough space.

Songthaew in Thailand

Sometimes the word “knock-knock” is called “songthaew”, which is completely wrong. Songthaew in Thailand is a public one that runs along a strictly defined route and the fare is fixed. Another thing is that if the songthaew is empty (travels without passengers), then it can be hired as a tuk-tuk. Drivers who have a fixed government salary are always happy to earn a little more and take you wherever you want. Naturally, the price will already be negotiable. At night, all songthaews operate as taxis.

Songthaew is not available everywhere in Thailand. They are absent in Bangkok, since there are a lot of government ones there. There are none in Phuket, Lanta, Phi Phi, Koh Tao, Chiang Rai, Mahogson.

Tuk-tuks in the cities of Thailand

In Bangkok

Tuk-tuk in Bangkok is a symbol of the capital of Thailand. They have changed little over the past half century and some people want to ride them simply because they have heard about it. This is a three-wheeled vehicle converted from a motorcycle. The driver sits in the front and there is seating for two passengers in the back. They are good to ride once or twice as an exotic ride, but they are not suitable for regular trips.

Firstly, it’s not very pleasant to ride along the dusty streets in an open “carriage”, and secondly, travel in tuk-tuks in Bangkok is the most expensive in the city: 1-2 km - 20 baht, across the whole city - 200 and more. It will be cheaper and more comfortable to travel in air-conditioned ones (according to the meter). And if you don’t want to stand in traffic jams, then use the metro.

In Pattaya

This is a small truck or otherwise it can be called a converted pickup truck. From the front it looks like an ordinary car, and at the back there are two parallel benches under the roof. There is no glass. Travel starts from 120 baht for 3-4 km (for example, from to). At night, prices can double.

There are also a lot of songthaews that look the same as tuk-tuks. Travel to them costs 10 baht and they run along certain routes. You can enter at any part of the route; there are no specific stops. To do this, you just need to wave your hand and it will stop. You can also get out anywhere, just press the bell in the salon. To pay the fare at the end of the trip, prepare the amount without change.

In Phuket

Tuk-tuk in Phuket is something! They are compact and have a very unusual shape (see photo). It can fit 4-6 people, no more. Some are equipped with stereo systems that play music during the ride. You can find them on any beach, near shopping centers, large and. Travel is very expensive: to the neighboring beach they ask for about 300 baht.

There is no Songthaew in Phuket; their function is performed by buses, which can be ridden for 10-50 baht (depending on the final destination).

On Koh Samui

On Lanta

Tuk-tuks on Lanta look very original - they are a motorcycle with a sidecar (see photo). Can fit two people. Prices are average: from the northern beaches to the central ones you can bargain for 200 baht (distance about 15 km). There are no buses or songthaews on Lanta yet. Apart from a tuk-tuk, you can only travel by motorbike.

To Krabi

Tuk-tuks in Krabi are the same as in Phuket. They are located in crowded areas and near the coast. Sometimes you can find single specimens, the same as on Lanta.

Songthaews operate between the bus station, Krabi Town and Ao Nang. Similar to Pattaya (pickup trucks with benches). The fare from the bus station is 60 baht.

Tuk-tuks on Koh Larn, as in nearby. There are several near the piers.

In Ayutthaya

Tuk-tuk in Ayutthaya (the old capital of Thailand) looks very unusual (see photo). It is a three-wheeled pickup truck with two parallel benches at the rear. Can fit 6 people. It is best to rent them for the whole day to see the main ones. Drivers know the area well and can suggest a route themselves.

On Koh Phangan

Tuk-tuk on Koh Phangan is the same as on Koh Samui. The main stop is at the pier in Thongsal, there are several cars at. You can hardly find them in the west and north of the island. Those that stand on the pier have a fixed price; the trip starts from 100 baht and depends on the distance.

A tuk-tuk on Koh Tao can be absolutely anything. Local residents who have cars offer their services as taxi drivers. So you can ride in an ordinary passenger car of various shapes and sizes. But there are several pieces, the same as on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. There are no Songthaews on the island.

There are two types of tuk-tuk in Chiang Mai. The first one is the same as in Bangkok, a three-wheeled rarity. The second is an enclosed pickup truck with windows (so when it rains you don't get wet). This option is more typical for Songthaew, although the price is negotiable rather than fixed (remember that a tuk-tuk differs from a Songthaew not in appearance, but in the negotiable fare).

Songthaews in Chiang Mai usually run from the bus station to the Old Town and the zoo. The price starts from 20 baht for 1-2 km. If it comes from the bus station and crosses the Old Town (or stops next to it), the driver will charge you 40 baht.

Pattaya is a fairly large city in Thailand, so large that you can’t walk from one end to the other. Fans of hiking will, of course, be indignant, they say they didn’t walk such distances, but most of the tourists come to Pattaya specifically to relax. This means that the maximum marathons they are counting on are 300 meters to the sea and 200 to the restaurant, so as not to damage their shape, acquired by long hours of office life. Therefore, in this article we will talk about how to reduce the amount of walking to a minimum, without going broke if possible.

As for me, Pattaya is very similar to some popular Black Sea resort, for example, Adler, Gelendzhik, Anapa or Kabardinka. I even compared Pattaya with the latter in one of my essays. Many people. There are a lot of people: in the city, in cafes, in restaurants, on the beach, on the streets in transport. In the central part of the city, the sea is dirty and the beaches are crowded, so many people want to scatter to the outskirts. The bus station, market, large supermarkets cannot be reached on foot, so you have to study the features of local transport, which you begin to get used to over time.

Why did Pattaya remind me of Kabardinka? There are also a lot of Russian or Russian-speaking people here, the entire local population is employed in the service sector, and the conditions are far from a tropical paradise, such as on the islands. For comparison, read a couple of articles; you may notice noticeable differences:

Transport in Pattaya is represented by the following types, I will try to list them as the cost of traveling around the city increases:

• Sangteo (knock-knock) in Pattaya. These are pickup trucks converted into city transport, with two-row seats in the back. By mistake, tourists often call them tuk-tuks, but this is not entirely true. There are about 10 sangthaew routes in the city, most of them cost 10 baht per person.
• Knock-knock in Pattaya. It is a three-wheeled moped or scooter with a passenger sofa in the back. Seen only a few times, serves more as a decorative form of transport, the cost of the trip usually depends on your bargaining ability.
• Motorcycle taxi in Pattaya. A fairly popular type of transport, consisting of a bike and a driver, with whom you sit as a passenger. There is an official taxi service with fixed prices starting from 60 baht per person in the city, but as in all of Asia, you can try to catch a private taxi driver, which will often be even cheaper.
• Hornbeam and Uber internet services in Pattaya. Not many people know, but there are a couple of taxi drivers in the city who work with international services, the price of which is lower than generally accepted standards in Pattaya. On average, the price of a trip is 30 baht per 1 km of basic amenities, this is the ability to pay by card, use of additional bonuses, as well as clearly indicating pick-up/drop-off points on the map
• Sangteo in the form of a taxi in Pattaya. For a large company, it may be quite profitable to rent a sangteo instead of a regular taxi. The price of the trip will be 300-400 baht per car, and its capacity is about 10 people, although you can pack it up if you wish. Well, you yourself saw how 20 girls climb into a Cossack, but the pickup truck has a much larger body
• Taxi around the city. There are two options for traveling by taxi in Thailand and Pattaya in particular: “by meter” or “by agreement”. As a rule, the second option turns out to be more expensive, except in cases where the taxi driver, not knowing where to go, wanders around the city, turning up the meter. The average cost of a taxi trip is 250 - 400 baht, but Sangthaeo taxis cannot boast of the capacity. One of the advantages of a taxi is air conditioning, so the trip will be cool, without noise and dust
• Buses in Pattaya. Judging by old records, there used to be two regular routes around the city with a trip price of about 5 baht, but they were canceled a long time ago. Therefore, buses to Pattaya either bring tourists from the airport or take them to the airport. Buses can be divided into three types: scheduled, express, and transfer. The first two go from the bus stations, of which there are also two in Pattaya and differ in route and travel time. The latter type is used for the delivery of package tourists, which is why it is not available to many people.

As you can see, transport in Pattaya is quite familiar, with the exception of Sangteo and motorcycle taxis, so I will only dwell on them in more detail.

Among other things, in Pattaya, and throughout Thailand, you can rent or buy: a bicycle, a motorbike or a car, but they deserve a separate article. The main thing to remember is that in Thailand they are stricter about following traffic rules, and it is easy to go to jail for drunk driving, so most tourists prefer to use public transport.

Features of renting a bike and car in Thailand

How to use a tuk tuk in Pattaya sangthaew routes

As I wrote just above, Sangthaeo is often called tuk-tuks in Pattaya. Tourists generally like to call any unusual type of transport a tuk-tuk. A sangteo is a pickup truck with two rows of seats opposite each other, while a tuk-tuk is just a moped with one sofa (sometimes two) for passengers. In Pattaya, sangthaews are used as an urban mode of transport, the fare for which in most cases costs 10 baht, with the exception of particularly long routes. There is one caveat: if the driver asks where to take you, it means he wants to act as a taxi and will not charge you 10 baht for it, so you should refuse such a sangteo and take the next one, where there are people.

At first, it seems that the tuk-tuks (sangteo) scurrying in all directions around Pattaya move chaotically and it is extremely difficult to guess the one you need. However, this is not quite true. There are about 10 regular routes in the city that are followed by the sangthaew. The main question remains: how to understand where a particular pickup truck is going?

The route is written on the front visor of the tuk-tuk (sangteo), unfortunately, in most cases it is written in the local language, completely incomprehensible to tourists, but there are exceptions. In addition, the route number is indicated on the visor. In Pattaya, city maps are distributed on every corner, including sangthaeo routes.

The trouble is that all the names look similar: Naklua - Jamtien, Naklua South Pattaya, but drivers drive around them as they please. I noticed that the same sangteo numbers prefer to travel along the same route. So, the 209th tuk-tuk regularly runs near my house. For ease of movement, it is advisable to have an idea of ​​the end points on each tuk-tuk route in Pattaya, in this case it will be much easier to choose the right direction and get to the right place with a minimum number of transfers, and therefore with a minimum amount of costs.

How to use a tuk tuk (sangteo) in Pattaya

In order not to overpay for using public transport, I will briefly tell you about the basic rules for traveling by tuk-tuk (sangteo) in Pattaya. Once again, large blue or white jeeps (passenger pickups) are correctly called sangteo, but for convenience I will sometimes call them tuk-tuks; anyway, the latter are extremely rare here.

It is important to remember that sometimes such sangtheos can stand empty in unusual places; most likely, they earn extra money by working as a taxi. Therefore, I recommend boarding an empty sangteo only when moving along the route or when it is at the end point of the route.

• Another equally important rule for traveling by tuk-tuk in Patatya is the principle: “if you go the wrong way, get out.” Sometimes drivers can change routes at their own discretion, in the hope of collecting more passengers, so it is not always possible to accurately guess where he will go next . For example, on one of the forums I read interesting news regarding travel:

The girl at the “info service” said this:

“They themselves don’t know where they will go next, wherever they want, they will turn there. Or to the North, towards Sukhumvit, or further to Nyklya, or left, to Beach Road, ”to the second circle. Depends on his mood and the number of passengers, i.e. where it seems to him now would be more profitable to travel.”

• The opening hours of the sangthaeo in Pattaya depend on the routes; on the most popular of them, cars run around the clock, only the number of vehicles is reduced. While the less popular ones begin to move strictly according to the needs of tourists, for example from 5:30 – 6:00
• Last but not least important rule. When boarding a Sangthaew tuk-tuk in Pattaya, watch your pockets. There are plenty of virtuoso pickpockets here, they often act according to proven international schemes: they sit down in a crowd, press you from all sides, and at some point empty your pockets. Therefore, always be on alert when using city transport

Happy holidays, and have fun riding around the city of Pattaya, in fact, it’s quite fun here, and not as dangerous as they like to scare us. Come and see for yourself.

Transport in Phuket: what to get around on, how to get from the airport to the resort, where to rent a moped or bicycle. As well as tuk-tuks, songthaews, buses and other types of transport in Phuket.

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Phuket is not just large (about 50 by 20 km), but also a relief island, covered with many hills and mountains, which means long serpentine roads winding between hills and bays. And if you haven’t flown to Phuket to lie by the hotel pool for two weeks, the issue of transport will arise very soon. So what do we have? Three and a half city buses, a dozen minibuses, a municipal regular bus to the airport, an excursion pseudo-tram, ferries and boats, taxis, motorcycle taxis, tuk-tuks and rentals. The list may seem impressive, but let's see if first impressions are deceiving.

City buses

There are many towns and villages scattered around the island, but Phuket Town is considered the administrative, cultural, commercial and general center. City buses run along its streets.

It is difficult for an unaccustomed person to identify a bus in Phuket - it is a converted pink truck with a tin roof, the body of which is equipped with three long benches, the windows are covered with tarpaulin or film only in case of bad weather, and there are no doors at all - the open entrance door is located at the back.

The fee is collected by the conductor in the cabin: regardless of the number of stops, they will charge 25 THB, the ticket may or may not be issued. There is no need to worry about this: no one here will expose you to fines.

There are bus stops in Phuket, but sitting there waiting for transport is not the best option. When you see a pink truck, wave your hand and attract attention in every possible way. Stops - on demand: press one of the bell buttons on the roof or handrails. The bus will stop as soon as traffic regulations allow.

Buses run along three very confusing routes, as intricate as the traffic on the streets of Town. All routes call at the old bus station in the city center or stop nearby. Route No. 1 passes by the popular Central Festival shopping center. The second one can be reached from the old bus station to the new one on the northern outskirts of the city, from where most intercity bus services depart. Bus number 3 will take you from Phuket Town to the southwestern outskirts of Koh Sira. There are several marinas with ferries to the nearest islands; you can rent a boat or dine on fresh seafood in a restaurant right on the seashore.

Having climbed into the cabin, check with the conductor whether the bus is going in the right direction, clearly and clearly naming the desired point of arrival.

The main disadvantages of city buses are the lack of a clear schedule between cars on the route and limited operating hours: from 6:00 to 19:00.

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Songthaew and minibuses

A person without personal transport to see all the main beaches of Phuket will have to seriously spend money on a taxi or shuttle between his hotel and Phuket Town. It is from the old center that blue trucks and songthaew pickups (literally: “two shops”) disperse to the distant areas and beaches of Phuket. The fare is 40-60 THB depending on the distance. You need to pay the driver by approaching the cab at the exit. Just like on a bus, notify the driver if you want to get off. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

There are no conductors in the songthaew - do not try to give money to your seatmates. They might take it.

The main disadvantages of songthaew are its small capacity, as well as the complete absence of any schedules or schedules. Often the driver will not move until he has the optimal number of passengers in his opinion, so the wait can be lengthy. And vice versa - on weekends, the last songthaew can leave a distant and popular beach as early as 14:00, leaving unlucky tourists to be torn to pieces by taxi drivers. When you arrive at the beach, ask the driver several times, or better yet, two times, when the last songthaew leaves for Town. Practice shows that they will not deceive you, even if it can harm your business.

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Routes passing through major villages and areas of Phuket operate from approximately 7:00 to 18:00. The small capacity of songthaew pickup trucks is good when you are waiting for departure at the terminal, but keep in mind that this transport is actively used by local residents, sometimes carrying an incredible number of trunks, basins and bags. So it’s not enough to catch the right songthaew on the highway, you also have to squeeze into it.

The only really big bus, similar in coloring to its younger Songthaew brothers, runs from Town to Patong. It has enough seats and departs according to a schedule, which can be checked with the driver or his assistant.

Also, recently, comfortable minibuses with air conditioning have been running from the old bus station in Town to Patong. Unlike private buses on Songthaew, white and green minibuses run strictly on a schedule: every hour from 7:00 to 18:00 from the bus station and from 6:00 to 18:00 from Patong. Tickets cost from 30 to 50 THB.

Bus "Airport - Phuket Town"

A city orange bus runs daily from the old bus station to Phuket Airport. Departures from the bus station are from 6:00 to 18:30, from the airport - from 8:00 to 20:30. A detailed schedule can be found on the bus website. This type of transport does not necessarily need to be considered just as a bus to the airport: it can take you to the Phuket outlet, the Heroines Monument or the Thalang area. As with other buses on the island, stops are possible upon request. The cost of a full trip is 100 THB; there is no separate fee for luggage.

Knock-kuk

In Phuket, you can hardly find tuk-tuks based on motorcycles. Fashionable, freshly painted micro-trucks in red, blue, yellow and green colors, designed for a company of 6-8 people, are common here. The main difference between a tuk-tuk in Phuket and its counterparts from other cities and resorts in Thailand is the price. A Phuket tuk-tuk driver will not undertake to give you a lift for less than 300-500 THB, even if we are talking about moving within the same beach. This type of transport is good for a large, cheerful company led by a person who knows how to bargain. But for two it’s a little expensive. As a result, tuk-tuks often sit idle near beaches or drive empty along the streets, luring tourists with colorful lights and loud music.

Excursion tram

In the fall of 2015, an excursion tram, or rather a car stylized as a tram, passed through the streets of Phuket Town for the first time. Departure point - park named after. Queen Sirikit's 72nd birthday. The "tram" makes a circle around the historical center of the city. No ticket needed, travel is free. It makes 6 flights per day: at 9:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00.

Taxi

Taxi drivers in Phuket are intractable and greedy. Especially in tourist places remote from the center and at a time when songthaew can’t wait. And if you are careless and communicate the urgency of the trip, the price may “suddenly” increase. Prices as a guide: a trip from Karon to Patong will cost 400-500 THB, for delivery from Patong to Town they can ask for 500-800 THB, from Naiharn and Rawai to the airport up to 1500 THB.

To understand the prices for trips between different points, you can play with the calculator on the website of any of the companies offering online taxi ordering. Armed with this knowledge, try to negotiate with the driver on the street: include room for bargaining in the amount, but stick to your price until the last minute.

If you want to comfortably spend several hours exploring the island, stopping for memorable photographs at viewpoints, it makes sense to negotiate with a representative of your hotel, condo, or just a Thai friend about renting a car with a driver. Any of them will probably have a relative who will take you for 3-4 hours along the chosen route for 1000-1200 THB.

Mototaxi

On the first day of your trip to Phuket, you will see moped riders wearing vests of different bright colors. This is a common, fast and affordable way to get around the island. The cost of the trip depends on your persistence and willingness to bargain: where a taxi driver in a car will charge 500-600 THB for the opportunity to stand in a traffic jam (and they cannot be avoided even on a paradise island), a motorcycle taxi will cost 100-200 THB, avoiding traffic jams on the side of the road and motorcycle lane. Short distances within one area will cost 30-50 THB.

These taxi drivers are not picky, accommodating and will even take two people with bags and backpacks. You don’t even need to catch them - they will catch you themselves. And don’t be disdainful of the helmet offered: washing your hair is easy, and in the event of an accident, it’s better to break your helmet than your head. Be sure to hold on to the driver or the handles of the moped, and if you are afraid, ask in advance not to go too fast.

Water transport

There is no centralized water communication between the regions of Phuket, but on any beach you can rent a spacious Thai boat - a longtail. Such boats are usually designed for 8-10 people. The price is negotiable, depending on the friendliness of the boatman, the size of your company and the season. For example, on Bang Tao beach, for an hour of walking and snorkeling at the nearest unnamed island, they may ask for 1000-1200 THB, masks, life jackets and fins are a bonus. And on one of the Koh Sireh piers they will charge 3000-4000 THB for a 4-5 hour walk along the island.

There are several large marinas and piers scattered along the eastern side of Phuket, from which ferries regularly depart to the nearest islands, and private boatmen also offer their services there. Prices depend on the distance: from 15-30 THB for a place on a boat to the nearest island to 100-200 THB for a ferry to one of the remote islands.

Bicycle rental

There are very few bike rental offices on the island: Phuket’s mountainous terrain, lack of respect for cyclists from drivers of mopeds and cars, the lack of special paths and the heat can turn a 5-kilometer bike ride into a real test even for a seasoned triathlete. In fact, the overwhelming majority of cyclists you will meet on the island will be athletes, exhausting themselves before the official races. You can ride relatively comfortably only within a developed tourist area, such as Karon or Kata. Focus on 100-120 THB per day rental.

Rent a moped

Renting a moped in Phuket is not difficult at all. Rental offices are literally on every corner; bikes are rented out by hotels and workshops; rental advertisements can even be seen on the gate of a private home. Depending on the season, model and condition of the equipment, per day rental will cost 150-300 THB, per week - 1000-1500 THB, per month - within 2000-3500 THB. They may be asked to show a driver's license, but this is a rare case; they may also ask for a passport and a certain amount of money as collateral. And if the money issue can be resolved, then never give your passport to anyone. Maximum - scan. Before renting, carefully inspect the bike, photograph everything, even the smallest damage and scratches, in the presence of the owner, make sure that the technical inspection is not expired and that you have insurance. You will be given a helmet along with the bike, we recommend spending 500-600 THB and buying something more serious instead of a rental bowler hat. Then they will pick it up for half the price at any rental office.

And now the most important thing. If you do not have sufficient experience driving a moped and motorcycle, if this is your first time in a country with left-hand traffic, if you feel insecure or, on the contrary, are absolutely not afraid of anything, and even more so if you like to drink, refuse to rent a bike. Thailand is one of the top three countries in traffic fatalities, and a significant part of this statistics is made not by Thais, but by tourists. And even if you are lucky enough to escape with scratches in an accident, remember the main rule of the Thai police: the farang is always to blame. The Internet is replete with stories about foreign tourists forced to give tens and hundreds of thousands of baht to a Thai “victim” in an accident. You shouldn’t add to this sad list and ruin your vacation, and possibly your life.

If you do decide to rent a bike, remember to wear a helmet (this also applies to the passenger), do not exceed the speed limit, follow the rules and behave politely on the road. The Phuket traffic police are very friendly to foreigners as long as they stay within the bounds of decency. But the absence of the same helmet is a signal to the policeman to stop you, and then a full check cannot be avoided. Driving without a helmet will result in a fine of THB 400-500, driving without a license of the required category will cost even more, and several hundred baht will probably be added for incorrect stopping or maneuvering. Driving while intoxicated is not worth mentioning: detention, detention center, trial, large fine. If an accident occurs while drunk, then a large fine can become very large, and the penitentiary transforms into a prison. By the way, the requirements for the police in Thailand are becoming more stringent, the ranks of employees are constantly being cleared of corrupt officials, which means that if you try to slip a couple of bills to a local traffic cop as a bribe, you can get into serious trouble.

Car rent

Renting a car would be a good choice for a large company or a family with children, provided that the driver has an international license and decent driving experience. The larger size of the vehicle does not give the car driver any legal privileges over mopedists - the demand for traffic violations is just as strict. The dimensions and weight of the car even impose additional responsibility: cases of collision with scooters often end tragically.

There are several times fewer companies engaged in car rental in Phuket than their colleagues specializing in bikes. However, the choice is more than worthy. The market includes such giants as Auto Europe and Rentalcars, there are many small Thai and island companies, the websites of many companies support the Russian language, and practically have an English version. So you can book a suitable car in advance via the Internet, the car will be delivered to Phuket airport or to your hotel at the appointed time. A small jeep with a manual transmission will cost 700-750 THB per day and about 16,500 THB per month rental. Honda Jazz or Toyota Vios - 1000-1200 THB per day, 24,000 THB per month. Family minivan - from 2000 to 3000 THB per day.

Pay special attention to insurance: it should cover all possible and impossible troubles. When driving, pay attention to the markings and signs, or better yet, solve the Thai exam papers for applicants for a driver's license in advance, this will help you understand the essence of left-hand traffic in advance.

Recently, a real war has been going on in Phuket against parking violations. Recklessly leaving a car in the wrong place can result in a fine of 500 to 1,500 THB. And don’t forget about mopedists - there are a lot of them, they drive in oncoming lanes, fly through red lights, are not puzzled by turn signals and are not afraid of anything.