Shoeless Joe Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Hi, arriving at Phuket airport at around 12.30pm and will need a taxi for 2 to Kamala beach. We only have hand luggage. Does anybody have any idea of the likely cost and which company is best (Grab, metered taxi service etc)? Regards, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grin Grasser Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 I arrived last week. Before arriving, I did a google search for taxi, airport to Patong Beach. Several companies offered about the same rate. Drawback was that most wanted to be paid via Paypal. At the airport's international arrival lobby, there were two mini-bus stands offering the same prices to various locations on the island of Phuket. Much cheaper, but probably takes several more hours. Outside there were various people and at least one taxi counter offering metered taxi rides. All quoted the same estimated price. I guess they were all looking for business because May - October is the low season on Phuket. I booked and pay in advance via credit card for a standard car giving my arrival time about one hour after scheduled arrival (to allow for time for deboarding and time for checked suitcase to arrive). The company claimed that it provided for an hour of free wait time. No indication of the cost after one hour. I got my checked suitcase and went out the exit. I was 10 minutes early. A long walkway outside had waist-high fences with signs bearing names and people on the other side of the fences holding signs bearing names. I did not see my name. For the next 30 minutes, I walked up and down the walkway looking for my name. My cell phone received a text sent the day before from the taxi company. The phone number was outside of Thailand. I checked the taxi company's web site. It had phone number outside of Thailand. I checked the email confirming my booking. It gave no local or Thai name, Thai company, or Thai phone number. I re-entered the terminal through another door as directed by a guard. Another guard let me thru the door into the international arrival lobby. Inside there is a Tourist Assistance Center. I explained my situation. Two ladies went outside to search. About 10 minutes later (about 5 minutes before my grace hour was over), one of the ladies said that she found my name sign. We went outside. I saw my name sign. It was NOT there when I had looked earlier. The lady behind the fence seemed irritated with me. She said that she would call the driver and he would be there in 10 minutes. He showed up on time. The vehicle was a 9-person van. I guess another indication that they were prepared to provide taxi service. I got to Patong an hour later. The next day,, I complained to the company via Chat. The agent said that I should email my complaint in order for it to be a formal complaint. My advice is not to book an airport taxi in advance during low season. Exception might be arriving during the hours shortly after midnight. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChasingTheSun Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Just use the fixed rate car service at the airport. No need to arrange in advance. Price to Kamala should be about 700 baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psimbo Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 meter taxi should be no more than B650 to Kamala. Booth outside arrivals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Croc Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 https://phuketsmartbus.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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