What should I pay for a 5-km songthaew trip in Koh Samui?
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What is a fair price to pay for short (say 5 km) songthaew trip during the day in Koh Samui? eg. Lamai beach to Chaweng beach.
I'm asking about a regular public songthaew, not a private charter.
public-transport thailand
edited May 25 at 12:16
dda
14.4k32850
asked May 25 at 10:40
WW.
1,99511745
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
favorite
What is a fair price to pay for short (say 5 km) songthaew trip during the day in Koh Samui? eg. Lamai beach to Chaweng beach.
I'm asking about a regular public songthaew, not a private charter.
public-transport thailand
edited May 25 at 12:16
dda
14.4k32850
asked May 25 at 10:40
WW.
1,99511745
I have a feeling that the data in the answer will be outdated soon since prices are subject to change over time. Therefore I fear this question might be off-topic. Am I missing something?
– JoErNanO♦
May 26 at 1:21
add a comment |Â
up vote
9
down vote
favorite
up vote
9
down vote
favorite
What is a fair price to pay for short (say 5 km) songthaew trip during the day in Koh Samui? eg. Lamai beach to Chaweng beach.
I'm asking about a regular public songthaew, not a private charter.
public-transport thailand
edited May 25 at 12:16
dda
14.4k32850
asked May 25 at 10:40
WW.
1,99511745
What is a fair price to pay for short (say 5 km) songthaew trip during the day in Koh Samui? eg. Lamai beach to Chaweng beach.
I'm asking about a regular public songthaew, not a private charter.
public-transport thailand
edited May 25 at 12:16
dda
14.4k32850
asked May 25 at 10:40
WW.
1,99511745
edited May 25 at 12:16
dda
14.4k32850
edited May 25 at 12:16
dda
14.4k32850
edited May 25 at 12:16
dda
14.4k32850
14.4k32850
asked May 25 at 10:40
WW.
1,99511745
asked May 25 at 10:40
WW.
1,99511745
asked May 25 at 10:40
WW.
1,99511745
1,99511745
I have a feeling that the data in the answer will be outdated soon since prices are subject to change over time. Therefore I fear this question might be off-topic. Am I missing something?
– JoErNanO♦
May 26 at 1:21
add a comment |Â
I have a feeling that the data in the answer will be outdated soon since prices are subject to change over time. Therefore I fear this question might be off-topic. Am I missing something?
– JoErNanO♦
May 26 at 1:21
I have a feeling that the data in the answer will be outdated soon since prices are subject to change over time. Therefore I fear this question might be off-topic. Am I missing something?
– JoErNanO♦
May 26 at 1:21
I have a feeling that the data in the answer will be outdated soon since prices are subject to change over time. Therefore I fear this question might be off-topic. Am I missing something?
– JoErNanO♦
May 26 at 1:21
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
31
down vote
The regular public Songthaew buses have fixed price and fixed route. One can not negotiate the price. It is 10Â Baht in rural towns up to 20Â Baht (and sometimes even 30) in crowded areas full of tourists (like Pattaya, Hua Hin, or on the islands).
Once you order where to go, it instantly turns a private charter, and you negotiate the price. This holds true even if the rest of the passengers go by the standard route¹.
The OP asks for a fair price. The fair price depends on the route: going 5Â km along the highway (e.g., Samui Aquarium to Lamai beach) would cost 100Â Baht, while going to a less populated area can be 250Â Baht or higher. Going to/from the airport is even higher. I take a (car) taxi in such cases.
The price also depends on the number of passengers²: Songthaew drivers tend to rise the price if many of you are going.
I would pay 200 or 250 for going Lamai to Chaweng³ if it were a private charter.
¹) Caveat: If you only talk about the direction, the Songthaew turns a taxi even despite the other passengers pay the regular 20 Baht. My mother reminded me an unpleasant story that happened when she visited me.
She took a Songthaew that was going by its standard route, with other passengers in the wagon. Instead of just entering the wagon, she asked the driver if the bus goes to a certain location she was going. The driver said yes, opened the passenger's door in the cabin (there are two passenger seats there), let her in, turned the air conditioner on and happily talked to her all the way.
When she arrived, she attempted to give him a standard 20Â Baht and he was very furious on her, demanding 200Â Baht or so.
²) Caveat: Always explicitly discuss whether you pay per person (/khon la/) or all together (/duei kan/). Here's a very typical dialog (in Thaiglish):
You: "Go Chaweng Beach, how much?"
Driver: "/khon la nueng roi/" (per person one hundred)
You: (omitting/khon la/because you don't know the word) "One hundred?"
Driver: "Yes, yes, one hunlit."
After this dialog, you are convinced it is 100, and he thinks it is 200 (if there are two of you). After the arrival, you will have an unpleasant surprise and unnecessary dispute.
³) It is not 5 km. Lamai to Chaweng Noi is 7 km. If you meant the "Big" Chaweng (near Bo Put), it is 12 km — even if you stop straight on the road and never turn into small sois.
answered May 25 at 12:56
bytebuster
3,33621839
It's a bit confusing that you start off by saying that the rate is fixed on the islands, and then later on say "I would pay 200-250 for going Lamai to Chaweng". I interpret the OP as asking about the fixed price, for example if going from Lamai to Chaweng. Is the fixed price really 200-250?? I once paid something like 120 for going from Nathon pier to Chaweng, as I saw that some thais getting off a few hundred meters earlier paid around 100.
– BadCash
May 26 at 16:40
@BadCash, it might be my bad wording, I apologize. What I mean is, fixed route → fixed price; route on demand → private charter. The OP seems to be confused; they are asking about "fair price", but later on they're asking for "not a private charter". The fixed price can't be fair or not, it is non negotiable. In my answer, I covered both cases.
– bytebuster
May 26 at 16:47
I'm trying to ask for the fixed price. You say it's not negotiable, but tell a story of driver demanding 200 for a 20 baht fixed fare.
– WW.
May 27 at 2:16
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
31
down vote
The regular public Songthaew buses have fixed price and fixed route. One can not negotiate the price. It is 10Â Baht in rural towns up to 20Â Baht (and sometimes even 30) in crowded areas full of tourists (like Pattaya, Hua Hin, or on the islands).
Once you order where to go, it instantly turns a private charter, and you negotiate the price. This holds true even if the rest of the passengers go by the standard route¹.
The OP asks for a fair price. The fair price depends on the route: going 5Â km along the highway (e.g., Samui Aquarium to Lamai beach) would cost 100Â Baht, while going to a less populated area can be 250Â Baht or higher. Going to/from the airport is even higher. I take a (car) taxi in such cases.
The price also depends on the number of passengers²: Songthaew drivers tend to rise the price if many of you are going.
I would pay 200 or 250 for going Lamai to Chaweng³ if it were a private charter.
¹) Caveat: If you only talk about the direction, the Songthaew turns a taxi even despite the other passengers pay the regular 20 Baht. My mother reminded me an unpleasant story that happened when she visited me.
She took a Songthaew that was going by its standard route, with other passengers in the wagon. Instead of just entering the wagon, she asked the driver if the bus goes to a certain location she was going. The driver said yes, opened the passenger's door in the cabin (there are two passenger seats there), let her in, turned the air conditioner on and happily talked to her all the way.
When she arrived, she attempted to give him a standard 20Â Baht and he was very furious on her, demanding 200Â Baht or so.
²) Caveat: Always explicitly discuss whether you pay per person (/khon la/) or all together (/duei kan/). Here's a very typical dialog (in Thaiglish):
You: "Go Chaweng Beach, how much?"
Driver: "/khon la nueng roi/" (per person one hundred)
You: (omitting/khon la/because you don't know the word) "One hundred?"
Driver: "Yes, yes, one hunlit."
After this dialog, you are convinced it is 100, and he thinks it is 200 (if there are two of you). After the arrival, you will have an unpleasant surprise and unnecessary dispute.
³) It is not 5 km. Lamai to Chaweng Noi is 7 km. If you meant the "Big" Chaweng (near Bo Put), it is 12 km — even if you stop straight on the road and never turn into small sois.
answered May 25 at 12:56
bytebuster
3,33621839
It's a bit confusing that you start off by saying that the rate is fixed on the islands, and then later on say "I would pay 200-250 for going Lamai to Chaweng". I interpret the OP as asking about the fixed price, for example if going from Lamai to Chaweng. Is the fixed price really 200-250?? I once paid something like 120 for going from Nathon pier to Chaweng, as I saw that some thais getting off a few hundred meters earlier paid around 100.
– BadCash
May 26 at 16:40
@BadCash, it might be my bad wording, I apologize. What I mean is, fixed route → fixed price; route on demand → private charter. The OP seems to be confused; they are asking about "fair price", but later on they're asking for "not a private charter". The fixed price can't be fair or not, it is non negotiable. In my answer, I covered both cases.
– bytebuster
May 26 at 16:47
I'm trying to ask for the fixed price. You say it's not negotiable, but tell a story of driver demanding 200 for a 20 baht fixed fare.
– WW.
May 27 at 2:16
add a comment |Â
up vote
31
down vote
The regular public Songthaew buses have fixed price and fixed route. One can not negotiate the price. It is 10Â Baht in rural towns up to 20Â Baht (and sometimes even 30) in crowded areas full of tourists (like Pattaya, Hua Hin, or on the islands).
Once you order where to go, it instantly turns a private charter, and you negotiate the price. This holds true even if the rest of the passengers go by the standard route¹.
The OP asks for a fair price. The fair price depends on the route: going 5Â km along the highway (e.g., Samui Aquarium to Lamai beach) would cost 100Â Baht, while going to a less populated area can be 250Â Baht or higher. Going to/from the airport is even higher. I take a (car) taxi in such cases.
The price also depends on the number of passengers²: Songthaew drivers tend to rise the price if many of you are going.
I would pay 200 or 250 for going Lamai to Chaweng³ if it were a private charter.
¹) Caveat: If you only talk about the direction, the Songthaew turns a taxi even despite the other passengers pay the regular 20 Baht. My mother reminded me an unpleasant story that happened when she visited me.
She took a Songthaew that was going by its standard route, with other passengers in the wagon. Instead of just entering the wagon, she asked the driver if the bus goes to a certain location she was going. The driver said yes, opened the passenger's door in the cabin (there are two passenger seats there), let her in, turned the air conditioner on and happily talked to her all the way.
When she arrived, she attempted to give him a standard 20Â Baht and he was very furious on her, demanding 200Â Baht or so.
²) Caveat: Always explicitly discuss whether you pay per person (/khon la/) or all together (/duei kan/). Here's a very typical dialog (in Thaiglish):
You: "Go Chaweng Beach, how much?"
Driver: "/khon la nueng roi/" (per person one hundred)
You: (omitting/khon la/because you don't know the word) "One hundred?"
Driver: "Yes, yes, one hunlit."
After this dialog, you are convinced it is 100, and he thinks it is 200 (if there are two of you). After the arrival, you will have an unpleasant surprise and unnecessary dispute.
³) It is not 5 km. Lamai to Chaweng Noi is 7 km. If you meant the "Big" Chaweng (near Bo Put), it is 12 km — even if you stop straight on the road and never turn into small sois.
answered May 25 at 12:56
bytebuster
3,33621839
It's a bit confusing that you start off by saying that the rate is fixed on the islands, and then later on say "I would pay 200-250 for going Lamai to Chaweng". I interpret the OP as asking about the fixed price, for example if going from Lamai to Chaweng. Is the fixed price really 200-250?? I once paid something like 120 for going from Nathon pier to Chaweng, as I saw that some thais getting off a few hundred meters earlier paid around 100.
– BadCash
May 26 at 16:40
@BadCash, it might be my bad wording, I apologize. What I mean is, fixed route → fixed price; route on demand → private charter. The OP seems to be confused; they are asking about "fair price", but later on they're asking for "not a private charter". The fixed price can't be fair or not, it is non negotiable. In my answer, I covered both cases.
– bytebuster
May 26 at 16:47
I'm trying to ask for the fixed price. You say it's not negotiable, but tell a story of driver demanding 200 for a 20 baht fixed fare.
– WW.
May 27 at 2:16
add a comment |Â
up vote
31
down vote
up vote
31
down vote
The regular public Songthaew buses have fixed price and fixed route. One can not negotiate the price. It is 10Â Baht in rural towns up to 20Â Baht (and sometimes even 30) in crowded areas full of tourists (like Pattaya, Hua Hin, or on the islands).
Once you order where to go, it instantly turns a private charter, and you negotiate the price. This holds true even if the rest of the passengers go by the standard route¹.
The OP asks for a fair price. The fair price depends on the route: going 5Â km along the highway (e.g., Samui Aquarium to Lamai beach) would cost 100Â Baht, while going to a less populated area can be 250Â Baht or higher. Going to/from the airport is even higher. I take a (car) taxi in such cases.
The price also depends on the number of passengers²: Songthaew drivers tend to rise the price if many of you are going.
I would pay 200 or 250 for going Lamai to Chaweng³ if it were a private charter.
¹) Caveat: If you only talk about the direction, the Songthaew turns a taxi even despite the other passengers pay the regular 20 Baht. My mother reminded me an unpleasant story that happened when she visited me.
She took a Songthaew that was going by its standard route, with other passengers in the wagon. Instead of just entering the wagon, she asked the driver if the bus goes to a certain location she was going. The driver said yes, opened the passenger's door in the cabin (there are two passenger seats there), let her in, turned the air conditioner on and happily talked to her all the way.
When she arrived, she attempted to give him a standard 20Â Baht and he was very furious on her, demanding 200Â Baht or so.
²) Caveat: Always explicitly discuss whether you pay per person (/khon la/) or all together (/duei kan/). Here's a very typical dialog (in Thaiglish):
You: "Go Chaweng Beach, how much?"
Driver: "/khon la nueng roi/" (per person one hundred)
You: (omitting/khon la/because you don't know the word) "One hundred?"
Driver: "Yes, yes, one hunlit."
After this dialog, you are convinced it is 100, and he thinks it is 200 (if there are two of you). After the arrival, you will have an unpleasant surprise and unnecessary dispute.
³) It is not 5 km. Lamai to Chaweng Noi is 7 km. If you meant the "Big" Chaweng (near Bo Put), it is 12 km — even if you stop straight on the road and never turn into small sois.
answered May 25 at 12:56
bytebuster
3,33621839
The regular public Songthaew buses have fixed price and fixed route. One can not negotiate the price. It is 10Â Baht in rural towns up to 20Â Baht (and sometimes even 30) in crowded areas full of tourists (like Pattaya, Hua Hin, or on the islands).
Once you order where to go, it instantly turns a private charter, and you negotiate the price. This holds true even if the rest of the passengers go by the standard route¹.
The OP asks for a fair price. The fair price depends on the route: going 5Â km along the highway (e.g., Samui Aquarium to Lamai beach) would cost 100Â Baht, while going to a less populated area can be 250Â Baht or higher. Going to/from the airport is even higher. I take a (car) taxi in such cases.
The price also depends on the number of passengers²: Songthaew drivers tend to rise the price if many of you are going.
I would pay 200 or 250 for going Lamai to Chaweng³ if it were a private charter.
¹) Caveat: If you only talk about the direction, the Songthaew turns a taxi even despite the other passengers pay the regular 20 Baht. My mother reminded me an unpleasant story that happened when she visited me.
She took a Songthaew that was going by its standard route, with other passengers in the wagon. Instead of just entering the wagon, she asked the driver if the bus goes to a certain location she was going. The driver said yes, opened the passenger's door in the cabin (there are two passenger seats there), let her in, turned the air conditioner on and happily talked to her all the way.
When she arrived, she attempted to give him a standard 20Â Baht and he was very furious on her, demanding 200Â Baht or so.
²) Caveat: Always explicitly discuss whether you pay per person (/khon la/) or all together (/duei kan/). Here's a very typical dialog (in Thaiglish):
You: "Go Chaweng Beach, how much?"
Driver: "/khon la nueng roi/" (per person one hundred)
You: (omitting/khon la/because you don't know the word) "One hundred?"
Driver: "Yes, yes, one hunlit."
After this dialog, you are convinced it is 100, and he thinks it is 200 (if there are two of you). After the arrival, you will have an unpleasant surprise and unnecessary dispute.
³) It is not 5 km. Lamai to Chaweng Noi is 7 km. If you meant the "Big" Chaweng (near Bo Put), it is 12 km — even if you stop straight on the road and never turn into small sois.
answered May 25 at 12:56
bytebuster
3,33621839
edited May 26 at 16:48
answered May 25 at 12:56
bytebuster
3,33621839
answered May 25 at 12:56
bytebuster
3,33621839
answered May 25 at 12:56
bytebuster
3,33621839
3,33621839
It's a bit confusing that you start off by saying that the rate is fixed on the islands, and then later on say "I would pay 200-250 for going Lamai to Chaweng". I interpret the OP as asking about the fixed price, for example if going from Lamai to Chaweng. Is the fixed price really 200-250?? I once paid something like 120 for going from Nathon pier to Chaweng, as I saw that some thais getting off a few hundred meters earlier paid around 100.
– BadCash
May 26 at 16:40
@BadCash, it might be my bad wording, I apologize. What I mean is, fixed route → fixed price; route on demand → private charter. The OP seems to be confused; they are asking about "fair price", but later on they're asking for "not a private charter". The fixed price can't be fair or not, it is non negotiable. In my answer, I covered both cases.
– bytebuster
May 26 at 16:47
I'm trying to ask for the fixed price. You say it's not negotiable, but tell a story of driver demanding 200 for a 20 baht fixed fare.
– WW.
May 27 at 2:16
add a comment |Â
It's a bit confusing that you start off by saying that the rate is fixed on the islands, and then later on say "I would pay 200-250 for going Lamai to Chaweng". I interpret the OP as asking about the fixed price, for example if going from Lamai to Chaweng. Is the fixed price really 200-250?? I once paid something like 120 for going from Nathon pier to Chaweng, as I saw that some thais getting off a few hundred meters earlier paid around 100.
– BadCash
May 26 at 16:40
@BadCash, it might be my bad wording, I apologize. What I mean is, fixed route → fixed price; route on demand → private charter. The OP seems to be confused; they are asking about "fair price", but later on they're asking for "not a private charter". The fixed price can't be fair or not, it is non negotiable. In my answer, I covered both cases.
– bytebuster
May 26 at 16:47
I'm trying to ask for the fixed price. You say it's not negotiable, but tell a story of driver demanding 200 for a 20 baht fixed fare.
– WW.
May 27 at 2:16
It's a bit confusing that you start off by saying that the rate is fixed on the islands, and then later on say "I would pay 200-250 for going Lamai to Chaweng". I interpret the OP as asking about the fixed price, for example if going from Lamai to Chaweng. Is the fixed price really 200-250?? I once paid something like 120 for going from Nathon pier to Chaweng, as I saw that some thais getting off a few hundred meters earlier paid around 100.
– BadCash
May 26 at 16:40
It's a bit confusing that you start off by saying that the rate is fixed on the islands, and then later on say "I would pay 200-250 for going Lamai to Chaweng". I interpret the OP as asking about the fixed price, for example if going from Lamai to Chaweng. Is the fixed price really 200-250?? I once paid something like 120 for going from Nathon pier to Chaweng, as I saw that some thais getting off a few hundred meters earlier paid around 100.
– BadCash
May 26 at 16:40
@BadCash, it might be my bad wording, I apologize. What I mean is, fixed route → fixed price; route on demand → private charter. The OP seems to be confused; they are asking about "fair price", but later on they're asking for "not a private charter". The fixed price can't be fair or not, it is non negotiable. In my answer, I covered both cases.
– bytebuster
May 26 at 16:47
@BadCash, it might be my bad wording, I apologize. What I mean is, fixed route → fixed price; route on demand → private charter. The OP seems to be confused; they are asking about "fair price", but later on they're asking for "not a private charter". The fixed price can't be fair or not, it is non negotiable. In my answer, I covered both cases.
– bytebuster
May 26 at 16:47
I'm trying to ask for the fixed price. You say it's not negotiable, but tell a story of driver demanding 200 for a 20 baht fixed fare.
– WW.
May 27 at 2:16
I'm trying to ask for the fixed price. You say it's not negotiable, but tell a story of driver demanding 200 for a 20 baht fixed fare.
– WW.
May 27 at 2:16
add a comment |Â
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I have a feeling that the data in the answer will be outdated soon since prices are subject to change over time. Therefore I fear this question might be off-topic. Am I missing something?
– JoErNanO♦
May 26 at 1:21