[Beer Chang]

I feel safest in trains.

[Wino]

I feel safest walking.

[lvdkeyes]

Safest walking in Thailand? You are joking!

[Wino]

I do not know the statistics on the safest mode of transportation, but I should guess flying would be the safest. For me, I feel safest when I have the most control and that is walking. Others probably do not feel the same, especially if they are unsteady on their feet and are in need of assistance.

[Beer Chang]

On boats in Thailand I think one is safest outside not inside a cabin. If a boat capsizes you want to get to the surface ASAP.

[Wino]

Beer Chang, on 05 March 2010 - 05:17 AM, said:

On boats in Thailand I think one is safest

The exception being speed boats in Pattaya bay.

[Wino]

Wino, on 07 February 2010 - 02:08 PM, said:

Another good deal is the big yellow bus from Jomtien Beach to Suvarabhumi. Last year the price was 106 baht. Limited times, though 9am, 1 pm, 4 pm, and 19:30 pm. Call 038-231142 for more information.

This service has proved to be very popular and the company has expanded their service. You may call and ask for the current schedule or if at the airport, look for their booth on the first level by exit door #8. The fare is now 124 baht and they also use newer blue and white busses.

[lvdkeyes]

The drawback I see it that it is not door to door service.

[Wino]

Not all people need door to door service. The Jomtien-Airport bus station is now across the street from Pan Pan restaurant. One can easily flag down a baht bus or motorcycle taxi.

[Beer Chang]

Their website is not up to date. There is now also a 19:00 bus from the airport. I've also been told during busy times they sometimes add exra busses.

The company verified by email that I can also get off at Sukhumvit and Pattaya Tai. Not sure if you can board there.

Lastly, make sure you walk to the main road and flag down a bus baht for 10 baht. There have been reports that the drivers who wait to meet the bus ask for 200 baht per person.

[Beer Chang]

I was very happy with the service ands the price, 124 baht for the bus and 10 baht for a Pattaya Tai baht bus.

Below is a link but note there is now also a 19:00 bus from the airport that's not on the website.

Pattaya-Airport

[Wino]

When I am traveling light, I usually do not mind taking the above bus. With heavy luggage I stick with Bell Travel Service Bus. At 200 baht it is a little more expensive, but worth the door-to-door service. Bell's Travel now has several mini vans to take customers home. Early on, they had one mini van and it was annoying taking six different people all over town. Of course, I was the last to be dropped off and it took what seemed to be forever to arrive home.

[lvdkeyes]

I have booked with Bell because of the door to door service. It saves me from hiking to the road to get a baht bus to take me the short ride to get the bus at Foodmart. It is certainly worth the 200 baht which is not a lot of money.

[Bob]

I'm wondering if somebody can comment on the Bell bus (or is it a mini-bus?). What's the legroom like and how are the seats?

A few weeks back, I took the bus from Suvarnabhumi to Jomtien and loved that bus....decent seats and lots of legroom. On the return, I ended up in a bus from the north Pattaya station that, while air-conditioned, had much worse seats and almost no legroom (I'm still wondering if I could have found a better bus there).

So, yea, the Bell deal sounds inviting if the legroom and seats are decent. Like Lvdkeyes said, I wouldn't lose any sleep over the extra 76 baht (plus I probably paid most of that for a ride to the hotel from the bus station).

[lvdkeyes]

I have used Bell many times and have never had a complaint about leg room on the bus. The mini bus is a typical 9 seat minibus. Not the best for leg room, but the ride is short.

[Bob]

lvdkeyes, on 10 April 2010 - 06:45 AM, said:

I have used Bell many times and have never had a complaint about leg room on the bus. The mini bus is a typical 9 seat minibus. Not the best for leg room, but the ride is short.

Thanks for the info. I'm sure the Bell deal is fine but, personally, I actually enjoy the ride more in one of the nice air-conditioned buses. More room, smoother ride, easier to watch the countryside, etc. But I very well may give Bell a try the next time I get the hankering to visit Pattaya (which, admittedly, is only about once every 2-3 years and then I can only handle it for 2-3 days).

[lvdkeyes]

I may have been misleading. The mini van is only from home to the N. Pattaya bus station or from the station to home. From the N. Pattaya bus station to the airport is a nice air conditioned bus.

[Bob]

lvdkeyes, on 10 April 2010 - 02:48 PM, said:

I may have been misleading. The mini van is only from home to the N. Pattaya bus station or from the station to home. From the N. Pattaya bus station to the airport is a nice air conditioned bus.

Or maybe I misread it. Thanks for the clarification - now I have no reason not to give Bell's service a try. I saw their booth/table at Suvarnabhumi and almost stopped there in the first place. Next time I will.

[Wino]

Bob, on 11 April 2010 - 04:08 AM, said:

I saw their booth/table at Suvarnabhumi and almost stopped there in the first place.

To my knowledge Bell Travel Service has no booth/table at Suvarnabhumi, unless it is something new in the last few weeks. The Jomtien bus has a booth, but all Bell has is a small sign by some chairs where people wait for the next bus.

I am not sure if this is a new policy, but a while back, I walked up to one of the representatives hovering around the waiting area. I said I would like to go on the next bus to Pattaya. He asked if I had a reservation and I said no. He went off and made a call and gave me a ticket and a business Bell card/paper with the phone numbers on it. He said next time I need a reservation.

One annoying feature, I experienced with Bell on a recent trip, is they sometime do not leave on time. At ten minutes past the hour, the ladyboy in charge kept counting the passengers and looking at his clipboard. I couldn't understand why he did this a half a dozen times, delaying our departure. Finally twenty minutes past our schedule time of departure four more passengers show up. More counting and then finally two Arabs come aboard. Thirty minutes late, we finally depart.

[Bob]

Wino, on 17 April 2010 - 09:48 AM, said:

To my knowledge Bell Travel Service has no booth/table at Suvarnabhumi, unless it is something new in the last few weeks. The Jomtien bus has a booth, but all Bell has is a small sign by some chairs where people wait for the next bus.

As I noted, I went to Pattaya via the bus at Suvarnabhumi just 5-6 weeks ago. And against the one wall was a table with a Bell sign and some Bell people there - and I got the impression that I could walk right up and buy a ticket from them to Pattaya (I didn't as I already purchased a ticket on the VIP public bus). There was some lady there with some paperwork, a cash drawer, and, if my recollection is right, a small sign reflecting the departure times and ticket prices. While I suppose it could have only been a meeting point, it didn't look that way to me (I didn't stop and ask).