Transport in Pattaya: Everything About Taxis, Tuk-Tuks, and Rentals with Current Prices

Most of Pattaya, especially if you're staying in the center, can be explored on foot. The length of the promenade in central Pattaya, where almost all of the city's entertainment is concentrated, is just under 3 kilometers.

If you're staying in the north or in Jomtien, want to explore other parts of the city, visit attractions near the city, or just can't be bothered to walk, you can use taxis, motorbike taxis, minibuses, or public transport.

Taxis in Pattaya: Prices, Apps, and How Not to Overpay

Taxis and, especially, motorbike taxis are the fastest and most convenient way for tourists to get around the resort and its surroundings, and sometimes the only option. However, it's not as cheap as some bloggers sometimes make it out to be.

Taxi Prices in Pattaya

• Minimum fare for a car taxi – from 100 baht (2.97 USD), even if you only need to go 1 kilometer!
• Getting from one district to another will cost from 200 baht (5.95 USD)
• Getting to one of the attractions in the outskirts, for example Nong Nooch Orchid Park – 300-400 baht (8.92-11.89 USD)
• Trip to Suvarnabhumi Airport – from 1200 baht (35.68 USD)
• Motorbike taxi ride – from 30 baht (0.89 USD)

These are minimum prices, but sometimes you have to pay more than these. For example, if you stay until closing time at one of the attractions or entertainment venues in the outskirts, it will be very difficult to get a taxi via apps or by meter from there – they might not accept your requests. Then you'll have to choose a higher fare in the app or agree on a fixed price with a driver in the parking lot instead of using the meter. You should be prepared for this, so when planning, it's better to budget one and a half to two times more for the return taxi ride.

In Pattaya, there are three taxi options:

• Metered taxis (Taxi meter). These are painted cars with checkered patterns, easy to spot. They're everywhere, and you can flag them down just like anywhere else. Just remember to remind the driver to turn on the meter (they're supposed to) before the ride, rather than taking you at a fixed price with a surprise at the end.
• Private taxis (unlicensed). Private drivers charge negotiated prices, usually cheaper than official ones. But there are very few left, and you can easily overpay if you don't know the real price. So we advise being careful with them.
• Taxi via apps. These are official drivers, but in most cases in regular cars without checkered patterns or special paint. We use these most often, so we'll tell you all about them in detail.

In Pattaya, the apps Grab, Bolt, Maxim, and InDrive work. Uber doesn't. Grab is the most reliable and has the most cars, so requests are accepted quickly. Bolt and Maxim are cheaper. But be careful with Maxim taxis if you need to get to the airport or train station on time, as you might wait 30 minutes for a request to be accepted. InDrive is good for long trips, where you can save by offering your own price. We personally use all four apps in Thailand depending on the situation and location.

To order a taxi via apps, you naturally need internet. It's best to buy a local SIM card or e-SIM – we explained how to do that without spending too much in this guide: Communications and Internet in Thailand.

If you don't have mobile internet, you can use WiFi at a cafe, hotel, or airport on a one-off basis. The fare is fixed when the request is accepted, you'll see it on the screen, and that's what you'll pay the driver (unless there are extras for toll roads) – just don't forget the amount when you leave the coverage area.

Payment is in cash at the end of the trip, or you can link a card in the app, but Russian cards don't work.

Tuk-Tuks (Songthaew) in Pattaya: Routes, Prices, and Route Map

A whole fleet of songthaew minibuses (Songthaew), sometimes also called tuk-tuks by tourists, circle the streets of Pattaya almost around the clock. This is a very convenient and cheap way to get around the city. The fare is 15-20 baht (0.45-0.59 USD).

Although we said above that they "circle almost around the clock," there's an important point. Songthaews on fixed routes with official prices only operate during the day. After dark, roughly after 7 PM, they start working as taxis. And even during the day, tourists sometimes fall for the old "scam" when they get into a stationary tuk-tuk and say which hotel or place they need to go to. The driver will gladly take the tourists to the desired location, but at taxi prices, which is already from 100 baht within one district.

How to Use Minibuses in Pattaya

Pattaya minibuses are not buses, but small trucks with a passenger compartment without doors (see photo). They all look exactly like this, there are no others. Inside the covered body, there are two benches for passengers, and payment is made to the driver through the cabin window upon exiting, or in some minibuses through a window from the body.

Inside the body, there's a bell button and a route map with a fare table. True, it's hard to figure out this map, as it's either all in Thai or just incomprehensible.

Passengers can get on and off anywhere where stopping isn't prohibited by signs. To board, look at the minibus driver and wave your hand. To get off, press the bell button inside the body.

After getting off, approach the driver's window and pay. If you need to pay more (not 15, but 20 baht), the driver will tell you.

All Tuk-Tuk Routes in Pattaya and How to Figure Them Out

Figuring out how to use tuk-tuks for boarding and payment usually isn't a problem even without knowing a foreign language. But when it comes to routes, that's where it gets crazy. Unfortunately, it's not all that simple and logical here, but let's try to figure it out.

In theory, all Pattaya tuk-tuks travel on designated routes (except when they take you as a taxi, but we covered that above). They don't have numbers, and there's an opinion that they differ by color. But here's how it actually works in practice:

• There's no schedule: they go when they want and when they're full.
• The number on the minibus window doesn't indicate the route. It means nothing to you at all.
• You can't determine the direction by the color of the vehicle. There's only a general distinction: white minibuses run on Sukhumvit Highway as suburban minibuses, and all other colors run in the city. But even this rule doesn't always work.
• Although there are well-known established routes (we've marked them on the map below), they aren't always followed to their exact start and end points. For example, some vehicles on Naklua Street only go to the Dolphin Roundabout and turn back, while others continue to Beach Road along the beach through the entire central district.

Why does it work this way? And why not give the routes at least some numbers or put route names on the windshield to avoid this confusion? Don't ask us, we honestly don't know. But we do know exactly how to use all this correctly. Here's our algorithm:

• Before your trip, study or refresh your memory of the geography and route map below. Download the map points to your smartphone with Organic Maps or Maps.me apps.
• Remember two important and most useful transfer points between tuk-tuks:
  • Between central Pattaya and Jomtien (terminal on the map).
  • Between central Pattaya and the Naklua area, also known as North, also known as Wong Amat (terminal on the map).
• For boarding the right route, keep in mind that many roads here are one-way, so the routes are circular. The direction of travel on a given street can be seen on the map when you zoom in.
• Before boarding, don't hesitate to approach the driver and ask if he's going where you need (it's better to name the district, street, or a major mall). You can show the place on the map on your smartphone.
• If in the hustle and bustle you didn't manage to ask the driver before boarding, don't hesitate to ask the local passengers already in the vehicle. If it turns out it's not your route, just get off without paying, wave and smile at the driver – they understand these difficulties.

Tuk-Tuk (Songthaew) Routes on the Pattaya Map

On this map, we've marked the exact songthaew routes in different colors. They travel along these streets, but remember that in practice, they can go anywhere if you ask the driver, but then you'll have to pay taxi prices. You can also open the Pattaya tuk-tuk map on a separate page.

Renting a Motorbike in Pattaya: Prices, Licenses, and Pitfalls

If you're planning to rent a motorbike in Pattaya, first of all, it's worth warning you that traffic in Pattaya is absolutely crazy. And this is all compounded by the fact that traffic in Thailand is left-hand drive. Devilish bikers weave through traffic on their scooters everywhere, literally millimeters from passing cars, with little regard for intersection priority, one-way street directions, and they suddenly jump onto the road from sidewalks or alleys. If this doesn't scare you, then read on.

Motorbikes and scooters can be rented without any problem almost anywhere in Pattaya. Ask at the hotel reception and they'll tell you where the nearest rental is, which will most likely be just a few dozen meters from the hotel. Or just walk along the street and you'll find everything.

Motorbike Rental Prices in Pattaya

• Automatic scooter 125cc – from 150 baht/day (4.46 USD)
• Automatic scooter 125cc – from 2500 baht/month (74.33 USD)
• New 150cc scooter from Russian-speaking rentals – from 400 baht/day (11.89 USD)
• Large bike – up to 1000 baht/day (29.73 USD)

If you rent for several days, they give a discount. Monthly rental can sometimes be more profitable than 20 days, for example. But all this is discussed on the spot with the rental agent: ask, calculate, and decide.

Licenses, Insurance, and Contracts: What to Know Before Renting

Licenses are almost never asked for when renting scooters, so it's entirely possible to rent without them. But on the road, you should have them, and definitely category "A." Police do stop tourists on bikes, and very often. The fine on the spot is 1000-2000 baht. Other fines for reference here.

Whether an International Driving Permit is needed for tourists is a debatable question. On one hand, Thailand has signed the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic and undertakes to recognize IDPs. On the other hand, in practice, fines are issued. In our experience, we've shown local police only national licenses (when we had IDPs), sometimes it worked, but more often they require the IDP specifically and don't accept national ones. So our recommendation remains the same: it's better to get an IDP at home and ride calmly without conflicts with police on the road. By the way, keep in mind: getting some shady translations or fakes from local stalls for Russian or other IDPs won't always work – police even have samples. Read more about licenses in Thailand, how and where to get an IDP here.

There's no uniform practice for deposits for rentals in Thailand. Somewhere they ask you to leave your passport (which is very dangerous), somewhere they ask for a cash deposit and take photos of your license and passport, and somewhere they'll just ask to see your hotel key and its name. But in Pattaya, it's strict on this, primarily because of dishonest tourists, so it's hard to get a bike without leaving a document as collateral. As an option, you can leave your old or second international passport, or your domestic passport.

A simple written contract is drawn up for the rental, practically "on the knee." Nevertheless, we advise you to read it carefully to make sure the amount, dates, and phone numbers are specified.

And here are some more tips:

• Take photos and video of all existing damage.
• Always ride with a helmet. Without a helmet, you'll immediately attract police attention and will definitely get a fine.
• Park carefully, watch for prohibition signs and road markings (red-white and yellow-white curb markings, zebra crossings on the asphalt). Parking fine in the wrong place – 500 baht, they put a locking chain on the motorbike.
• Near attractions, there are free parking lots or paid ones from 20 baht.
• At night, it's better to park in safe places in the hotel parking lot under camera surveillance. There are paid night parking lots for 30-50 baht.
• There's usually no insurance for the motorbike, so you cover any damage yourself.
• Standard tour insurance or the cheapest separately purchased insurance doesn't cover damage or injuries on a motorbike. Get a policy with an extreme sports option.

This is only the most basic stuff you need to know. If you've never rented a motorbike in Thailand before, we recommend reading our detailed guide with video: renting a motorbike in Thailand – everything you need to know. And if you've never ridden this kind of vehicle at all, check out this themed video:

Renting a Car in Pattaya

Car rental in Pattaya is also very common and affordable. What's nice is that car prices in Pattaya are among the lowest, so it's also an excellent starting point to pick up a car and head to other regions from here.

• Small car for a few days – from 600 baht (17.84 USD)
• Small car for a long term – from 400 baht (11.89 USD)
• SUV or crossover – from 1000 baht (29.73 USD)

As for traffic, licenses, and rental terms, basically we've covered everything above. Regarding deposits, large international rental companies traditionally require a credit (not debit) card, and an embossed one (with raised letters and your name). Of course, Russian cards aren't suitable for this.

But there are options for tourists from Russia. Many local rental offices accept a cash deposit of 5,000-10,000 baht. Moreover, in reviews, we've even seen information that some managed to use UnionPay cards from Russian banks for the deposit, but we can't confirm this personally.

If you decide to rent a car, below is a list of international companies and aggregators for online booking. And if that doesn't work, look for rental on the spot or arrange booking directly via messengers using contacts from searches or Google Maps.

We also have a full guide with video: car rental in Thailand: a complete guide to prices, licenses, traffic rules, and life hacks. If you've never rented a car before, we strongly recommend studying it in detail.

Ferries

The only regular ferry runs from Bali Hai pier in central Pattaya (Bali Hai pier on the map) to Koh Lan island. This island is very popular among tourists and locals as a weekend getaway destination and for a day trip to the best beaches in Pattaya.

The ferry runs on a schedule:

• Departures from Pattaya: 07:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30, 17:00, 18:30
• Departures from Koh Lan: 06:30, 07:30, 09:30, 12:00, 14:00, 15:30, 17:00, 18:00

The schedule has been unchanged for many years, but sometimes ferries may depart earlier than scheduled if they fill up with passengers, so it's better to arrive at the pier early, at least half an hour, and preferably an hour in advance.

The fare is 30 baht (0.89 USD), and the journey takes 40 minutes. The boat rocks significantly, and if you're prone to seasickness, take a motion sickness pill just in case.

In addition to the slow ferry, fast boats run from the same pier and from the beaches for 150-300 baht/person, getting you to the island in 15-20 minutes, but they operate without a schedule, departing when they fill up with passengers.