We are set to arrive in Bangkok in Late june at 11:35 PM from our international flight. We have never been to southeast asia before, so are a little apprehensive about some things. We will be staying at the Marriott Renissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel ( thanks marriott points!)
I figure it will take us around 1.5 hours to get through customs and grab our backpacks. the quesiton is at 1AM, should try to pre-arrange travel to the hotel or just grab a cab?
Late arrival in Bangkok - Transportation question
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You can just grab a cab - go to the taxi line. You will be asked if you want to use the expressway - say yes - and you'll pay the tolls about 70 baht in addition to the taxi fare. Make sure the driver turns on the meter.
BTW, that's the time I usually get in to Bangkok, and it usually takes 30 - 45 minutes to get though passport control, baggage claim and customs.
If you feel like you'd prefer to have a car waiting for you, I use AAC limo (they use sedans, Mercedes, usually). You make a reservation in advance and pay the driver in cash. www.aaclimousine.com It'll be 1000-1100 baht to your hotel. A taxi will be about 350 baht.
There will be plenty of cabs available at that time of night.
If you leave the airport after midnight, particularly midweek, it would not be necessary to take the expressway.
If there are only 2 of you, with backpacks, I would suggest going to the departure area and just grabbing a cab that is dropping someone off. This will save you the 50baht airport fee and the driver would be far more inclined to turn the meter on with minimum resistance.
To the OP:
Suggest that you ask the Marriott Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel to e-mail you a map with the details of the hotel on it. Many taxi drivers may or may not know where the hotel is,and by having a map, you make the journey with less hassle.
If you want to take a taxi, suggest you go to level 1 and get a taxi there from the rank . Yes,you will pay a whole 50 baht more,(that's about US$ 1.66 or so),and then the taxi counter can often explain the details to the driver. Grab a taxi from the departure section on top floor,and who knows what happens.
Alternately, the hotel can arrange a limo for you, but, of course,this will be more expensive that just grabbing a taxi. The limos will be smoother ride and less hassle than some of the BKK taxi drivers, who will always drive at 100km/ hour in a 60 km/hour zone (or even faster)
Money..Get some THAI BAHT before you depart the airport. Plenty of counters there and,there are some just after you go through passport control in the area where you collect you bags. There are also ATM machines there as well.
Make certain that you have some 20 baht and 100 baht notes, because, if you give the taxi driver a 1,000 baht note, you may not get any change.
Arriving at 11:35 PM, it should take you a maximum of one hour to get off the plane, get through passport control, get some $$, luggage and into a taxi. Bangkok is a big airport, and it all depends on where the plane is parked. It normally takes me 15 minutes or more sometimes just to arrive at passport control.
I usually book through sawadee.com and print out a taxi card like this...http://th.r24.org/gettaxi.html?h=620193&m=9
These never fail, but unfortunately your hotel is not booked by this site. They may be able to email you something similar.
Your hotel is so centrally located that I doubt that any taxi driver would find it hard to find.
i would hire a car service to drive you for about 1000-1200 B. AOT has several counters inside the terminal and they are very reliable... book on arrival and you will only wait a couple of minutes if at all for your car.
after a long trip the last thing you want to worry about is the short ride to your hotel in a taxi, who may or may not try to rip you off... after 14 trips to thailand from boston i still do this each arrival. it is money well spent.. great location btw...
Bob...Where's your sense of adventure???
I cant see why you would be worried about being ripped-off by a taxi charging you 500 baht for a 250 baht fare when you are happy to be fleeced for 1200 baht for the same trip?
shane...the price does not count for me when i arrive late from usa, i am beat and just want to fall into the seat of a comfortable auto and be taken to the hotel. i don't want to talk to the driver about price, i don't want to watch where he is driving, i don't want to have to be on guard...
we have had taxi drivers who are high on something from the airport on more than one occasion....they zigzag through traffic and scare you to death... others are bad drivers...others have no idea where a major hotel is... etc etc....
I also always arrive at this late hour. The estimatation of about 45-50 minutes is about right for immigration, baggage, ATM/currency exch and grabbing a taxi.
I just grabbed a cab at the arrivals area coming into BKK from Chiang Mai one week ago today. My first time doing this. It was very easy!
But, that said, Bob makes a good point about being tired when you land. It might be nice to see someone there, amongst all the touts, with a white board with YOUR name on it, waiting to assist you with your backpacks.
The Renaissance looks nice. It's right 'below' and behind the skytrain at Chitlom, I think. I believe it's pretty new. Cabbies just might NOT know where it is. I recall a cabbie not knowing the PENINSULA once!! Amazing!!
Anyway, enjoy your trip. Cabs are easy and cheap. They don't all drive like fools... haha
You should be just fine.