Taxi in Bangkok
Photo by Marcin Konsek (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Bangkok Taxis

Meter, fares & finding one

Taxis in Bangkok are cheap, comfortable and available 24 hours per day.

They are a lot more comfortable than tuk tuks, and they are the best choice when there is no MRT subway or BTS Sky Train station in the area.

Taxis in Bangkok are Japanese sedans or SUV’s, most are Toyota Altis (Corolla) sedan cars.

Taxi colors

Bangkok taxis come in many different colors like yellow-green, red-blue, pink, orange, blue and red. There is no difference between them, the color shows the company the taxi belongs to.

Finding an available taxi

Taxis are available across Bangkok 24 hours per day. There are over 100,000 taxis in the city, and it is usually easy to find one. Only when it rains and demand is very high, you could be in for a long wait.

Every taxi has a neon red vacant sign at the windshield. When the light is on, the taxi is available. You can flag one down anywhere by raising your arm.

When you have arrived at your destination, be careful when opening the door. Motorbikes often swirl through traffic at high speeds.

Getting a taxi at the airport

The easiest way to get a taxi at Suvarnabhumi airport or Don Muang airport is by going to the official taxi stand.

Get a taxi at Suvarnabhumi airport.

Get a taxi at Don Muang airport.

The driver won’t take you

When the driver refuses the ride, it’s not because he doesn’t like you. Usually it’s because he doesn’t know the address you want to go to, doesn’t understand you or because the way to it is very congested.

Communicating with the driver

Most Bangkok taxi drivers speak very little or no English, which can make communication difficult.

When the driver doesn’t understand where you want to go use your phone to either show the location on Google Maps or when it’s a well known landmark like the Grand Palace, show a photo.

You can also have hotel staff write down the address in Thai or call the hotel to have reception staff talk to the driver.

Taxi fares

Taxis in Bangkok are cheap, a short ride in the city will cost some 50 to 70 Baht.

Taxi meter

The meter always starts at 35 Baht. The total fare is increased depending on distance and time.

Always make sure the driver switches on the meter. If the meter is not used, you might be charged a very high fare for the ride. Some drivers, especially those waiting at tourist attractions, will sometimes refuse to use the meter. In that case, just get another taxi.

Highway tolls

Using the elevated toll highways will usually take a lot of time off your trip. You will have to pay the toll, which is between 20 to 80 Baht depending on distance. Pay the driver in cash at the toll booths.

If you prefer not to use the toll highway, tell the driver before leaving.

Bring change

When using a taxi make sure to bring change, like some 20, 50 and 100 Baht banknotes. Some drivers may pretend not to have change if you pay with a 500 or 1,000 Baht banknote.