Bell Travel Service - Huge PIA

[tomcat76 327]

Now that they have revised their website, and require prepayment, reservations with BTS can be a real pain. Twice I've gone to submit a booking request, gotten some kind of error, and been thrown out of the process without knowing whether there was a booking or not. If you then call them, they won't be able to help you unless you can either give them a booking no. ( which you won't have 'cause naturally you won't have rcvd the email they're supposed to send you), or your credit card info (so you'll have to call your credit card co. to find out if they've billed you). In my case, the 1st time around a cpl of weeks ago, they HAD. Have to call my credit card co. again now to find out.

 

'Think I need a new way to get back & forth. 'Don't need the aggravation...

[teelack 10,315]

For some reason or other I have never been able to contact then ussing my laptop but have no issues when I use a PC in a cyber cafe! Thanks for the update re charging. This was supposed to come in in September but they had not introduced it in November so I thought that they had quietly dropped the silly idea. Fear not some one else will see an opportunity and pick up the ball.

[tomcat76 327]

Their website just isn't ready for primetime, and they won't accept reservations over the phone.

[bigdelta 46]

I have had issues since last Fall with the website.

[tomcat76 327]

'Doesn't seem to be hurting their business (based on what I saw a cpl of weeks ago).

[papillon 695]

I don't prebook. I just turn up and pay cash. If they don't have a seat there is another bus service right next to them. I have always managed to get a seat on one of the two busses without having to wait too long.

[tomcat76 327]

I don't prebook. I just turn up and pay cash. If they don't have a seat there is another bus service right next to them. I have always managed to get a seat on one of the two busses without having to wait too long.

 

You talking about Suv. or here in Pattaya? Yeah I guess here in Pattaya you could walk right next door to the bus station - I assume they have busses to Suv. although I wouldn't know how often...

[papillon 695]

You talking about Suv. or here in Pattaya? Yeah I guess here in Pattaya you could walk right next door to the bus station - I assume they have busses to Suv. although I wouldn't know how often...

 

No, I mean at the airport. There's another ticket sales desk right next to the Bell Bus one.

[The Mook 105]

From Suvarnabhumi I always take the shuttle to the public bus and then down to Pattaya.

 

It's easy and you can stock up on goodies at the convenience store next to the ticket windows.

 

Go to the 4th floor and you will see the shuttle bus markings.

 

 

 

 

{The public bus is a breeze; then you're quickly on a baht bus that runs along beach road.}

[tomcat76 327]

I was ambiguous, wasn't I? Sorry. I was talking about going from Pattaya to the airport. Going the other way I wouldn't bother with prebooking either.

[The Mook 105]

Took Bell once from PTY to Airport. Never again.

 

Driver haggled with a group on Indian tourists regarding how to load the luggage for 1/2 hour, getting us off ~40 minutes late.

Then he bashes into a car on freeway trying to make up the time. That damn bus was constantly jerking back and forth as he

pressed down on the accelerator and brakes. Wound up in the back of a dirty pick-up (cost a group of us 250 baht each)

with no seats and barely made my flight. Now I hire a taxi and hope he is a better driver. I leave way early too. So it's my

schedule and not the bus service's.

[teelack 10,315]

Took Bell once from PTY to Airport. Never again.

 

Driver haggled with a group on Indian tourists regarding how to load the luggage for 1/2 hour, getting us off ~40 minutes late.

Then he bashes into a car on freeway trying to make up the time. That damn bus was constantly jerking back and forth as he

pressed down on the accelerator and brakes. Wound up in the back of a dirty pick-up (cost a group of us 250 baht each)

with no seats and barely made my flight. Now I hire a taxi and hope he is a better driver. I leave way early too. So it's my

schedule and not the bus service's.

 

In fairness I have been using them for about 10 years and no issues other than one missed pick-up. Sounds to me that the one trip that your basing all your comments on was an abberation.

[biggles 509]

I go to their pattaya office and book myself and from the airport I nearly always use the "other" bus service as my place is quite close to suk road and pattaya klang. Bell tend to stop running a bit too early for me so the other bus is better.

 

I also used them for many years without a problem but the new booking arrangement online sounds like a pain. I often had similar problems with cebu pacific air trying to book.