Transportation in Pattaya. What to move on

Most of Pattaya, especially if you have settled in the center, can be explored on foot. The length of the embankment in central Pattaya, where almost all the entertainment of the city is concentrated, is slightly less than 3 kilometers.

If you have settled in the north or on Jomtien, want to explore other parts of the city, visit attractions near the city or you are just too lazy to walk, you can take a taxi, motorcycle taxi, by minibus or public transport.

Taxi and motorcycle taxi

Taxis and, especially, motorcycle taxis are the fastest way to get around the city.

While the whole city is in traffic jams, bikers, ignoring the rules of the road, will take you to your destination in a moment. Sometimes it is even cheaper to travel by motorcycle taxi than by public transport, but it is also quite dangerous because they are worn like devils. Be sure to wear a helmet. Usually they ask for 30 baht for a trip, but for a short-distance trip it's worth haggling.

There are many branded taxis with a Taxi meter running around the city. But trips on them can not be called cheap: the price even for a short trip starts from 100 baht. You can use the services of "private traders&(prices are much lower, for example, for 50 baht you can get from one part of Pattaya to another), but the price should be negotiated in advance.

Minibus (Bath bus, Songthaew)

A whole flotilla of Bat-bass fixed-route taxis, sometimes also incorrectly called Tuk-tuks, are circling the streets of Pattaya almost around the clock. This is a very convenient and cheap way to get around the city. The cost of the trip is 10 baht baht (in 2012) within one district, 20 baht between districts.

The cars themselves are not buses, but small trucks converted into buses. There are two benches for passengers in the covered body, and payment is made to the driver in the cab through the window. Also inside the body there is a bell button (the stop is carried out in any place where the rules are not prohibited) and a route map with a fare table. To board passengers, minibuses also stop anywhere: you just have to look at them, and they will immediately start honking at you and inviting you to get into the back.

Route map of the Baht Bus

Minibuses travel on set routes, but their drivers are always ready and expect tourists to hire them as a taxi, even if they already have passengers. At the same time, regardless of the presence of other passengers in the back, they can easily deviate from the route to bring the "VIP passenger" to the place. If you talk to the driver before the trip and start asking him if he is going there, then he will most likely think that you are hiring him as a taxi, and will say that of course he is going there, and then he will demand money as for a taxi. Therefore, it is best to just stop the minibus, silently climb into the back and go out on a call where you need to, having paid the fare (preferably without change) and not forgetting to say: Thank you.

The most popular route is the ring route along Second road, North road, Beach road, South road. Keep in mind that they move along the ring only in one direction – counterclockwise (see the route diagram). The routes are not numbered (only the buses themselves are numbered with their service numbers).

Rent a car or motorcycle

If you are planning to rent a car or motorcycle in Pattaya, then, first of all, it is worth warning that the traffic in Pattaya is just crazy. And all this is complemented by the fact that traffic in Thailand is left-handed. Devilish bikers scurry on their scooters everywhere, literally millimeters from passing cars, not trying to particularly observe the order of passage of intersections, the direction of traffic on one-way roads, suddenly jump out onto the road from sidewalks or alleys. If that didn't scare you, then read on.

Motorcycles and scooters can be rented almost anywhere in Pattaya without any problems. Ask at the hotel reception and they will tell you the location of the nearest rental, which is likely to be located a few dozen meters from the hotel. If the price or quality does not suit you, walk along the streets and alleys away from the central ones and you will find it cheaper. The cost of renting the simplest scooter starts from 150 baht per day . A more serious motorcycle will cost 400 baht per day. If you take it for a few days, they make a discount.

Rights, as a rule, are not required for rental (for scooters), but as a pledge you will be asked to leave your passport, and in some places they will be satisfied with a photocopy. Sometimes they may require you to leave a small amount as collateral due to possible damage. Usually motorcycles are rented without insurance, and you will have to compensate for damage or stolen motorcycle out of your pocket. Do not forget to wear a helmet (they may be fined for driving without a helmet). Buy and use your lock to secure the motorcycle in the parking lot. Before you take a motorcycle, carefully check the performance and damage, mark them in the contract or take a picture together with the owner.

To drive a car in Thailand, tourists no longer need to obtain an international driver's license (IDP). On May 1, 2021, the long-awaited event finally took place - Thailand ratified the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which it initially joined back in 1968. And now in Thailand, theoretically, it is possible to manage rented transport using ordinary Russian rights. However, so far in Thailand there has not been a practice of adopting national VUS on the roads by police officers, therefore, in order not to finish off our rightness every time, we still recommend that you additionally issue an IDP. For more information about renting a transport in Thailand, read here.

The cost of renting a car in Thailand starts from 600 baht when booking for several days. You can find and book a car for rent using the search form and compare prices from different rental companies: