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I asked the teelack when she got home from work why she likes Bell over a private hire and she said she felt safer in the bus.

 

From an older article comparing fatalities on different means of transport:

 

travelfatalities.jpg

 

Current Thailand numbers or relative safety may differ of course, but her instincts are probably right.

 

http://www.fp7-restarts.eu/index.php/home/root/state-of-the-art/objectives/2012-02-15-11-58-37/75-book-video/how-a-plane-can-fly-assuring-safety/156-the-risk-of-travel

 

 

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Bell Bus has become a victim of its own success. In the beginning, it was a fast, convenient and cheap way to get to Pattaya from Swampy. The reclining seats made it much more comfortable than a taxi. But its growing popularity has meant that the buses are often full to last seat, with a lot of passengers traveling in a group. This has caused delays because the groups often have too much luggage and there's not enough room for everyone's suitcase under the bus. Last time I used Bell from Swampy was in 2011 and the bus was delayed 30 minutes in departing because of all the hassles.

 

I still use Bell on occasion to go to Bangkok, but the premium you pay for a taxi is worth avoiding all the inconvenience of the bus.

 

 

Evil

:devil

Edited by Evil Penevil
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What a mean minded response. Just because you feel the need to belittle someone who is trying to save a bit of money when its possible. I have used them many times and there have been zero hassles. By the way, the bar beside me has Chang Export Large on special at 65 baht. A cab fare with tip starts at 1100 baht.

 

 

 

 

Fortunately I've never had the desperate need to avail of their services and save the price of a couple of large Changs. However, I believe if you ask them nicely they will make a stop on the way to avail yourself the opportunity to change your flimsy wad of currency and buy yourself a wife beater vest and a pair of flip flops. Subject to negotiation of course, you may save five Baht if you wait until your travelling attire simply gives up and disintegrates.

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Don't forget the tolls.

 

What a mean minded response. Just because you feel the need to belittle someone who is trying to save a bit of money when its possible. I have used them many times and there have been zero hassles. By the way, the bar beside me has Chang Export Large on special at 65 baht. A cab fare with tip starts at 1100 baht.

 

 

 

 

Fortunately I've never had the desperate need to avail of their services and save the price of a couple of large Changs. However, I believe if you ask them nicely they will make a stop on the way to avail yourself the opportunity to change your flimsy wad of currency and buy yourself a wife beater vest and a pair of flip flops. Subject to negotiation of course, you may save five Baht if you wait until your travelling attire simply gives up and disintegrates.

 

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

 

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What a mean minded response. Just because you feel the need to belittle someone who is trying to save a bit of money when its possible. I have used them many times and there have been zero hassles. By the way, the bar beside me has Chang Export Large on special at 65 baht. A cab fare with tip starts at 1100 baht.

Get a life.

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Does the Bell Bus have onboard toilet?

No, an off-board one!

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  • 4 weeks later...

An update today (Sun 1st Dec).

 

Arrived at the Jomtien bus desk in BKK at 10:30 hoping to get the 11:00 am bus but it was already full. Only 3 seats left for the 12:00 bus.

 

Passengers mainly falang.

 

 

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

 

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I used the 3 pm bus Pattaya to Swampy 3 weeks ago. Left on time and took 89 minutes.

 

I also took the 30 baht baht bus from the stati0n to Walking Street. Again, no issues.

 

The only problem with this service is that more often than not it is full and if you don't book you miss out.

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You overpaid and will bring the wrath of certain members here.

 

Jomtien to Walking Street is a 10 baht fare in a baht bus. :-)

 

I used the 3 pm bus Pattaya to Swampy 3 weeks ago. Left on time and took 89 minutes.

 

I also took the 30 baht baht bus from the stati0n to Walking Street. Again, no issues.

 

The only problem with this service is that more often than not it is full and if you don't book you miss out.

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

 

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Who mentioned Jomtien?

 

The standard fare from the bus station where the Bell buses arrive and depart is 30 baht to any part of Pattaya.

 

Sorry to the members who are offended but I have always paid 20 baht from Jomtien to Walking Street.

You overpaid and will bring the wrath of certain members here.

Jomtien to Walking Street is a 10 baht fare in a baht bus. :-)


posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

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If you book the Bell bus on the internet it will cost you 230 baht and they will take you direct to your hotel

 

Bus time table is 08:00/10:00/12:00/14:00/16:00/18:00.

 

The bus is very comfortable and gets into Pattaya about the same time as a taxi but there is a 15 minute wait at the bus terminal while you transfer to the mini bus to transfer to your hotel.

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Who mentioned Jomtien?

 

 

The Airport Link bus station is in Jomtien on the road to Pattaya.

 

If you use the service to Pattaya North it is more expensive but includes a van to your hotel. Why would you need a baht bus on that journey?

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

 

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The Airport Link bus station is in Jomtien on the road to Pattaya.

 

If you use the service to Pattaya North it is more expensive but includes a van to your hotel. Why would you need a baht bus on that journey?

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

The question was about Bell, not Airport Link. I have used the bus station in North Pattaya Road for other than Bell Airport service and in these instances you need to pay 30 baht for a local baht bus.

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In which case, if your destinations is Walking Street and you don't want to use the provided van to your hotel, I suggest you may be better served by taking the hourly service to Jomtien at 134 baht followed by a 10 baht Songthaw ride to the bottom of second road.

 

Both bus services are operate by the same company with adjacent counters at BKK airport.

 

I am simply trying to save you time and money.

 

[ quote data-cid=1052871' name='teelack' timestamp='1385925917' post='1052871]

The Airport Link bus station is in Jomtien on the road to Pattaya.

 

 

If you use the service to Pattaya North it is more expensive but includes a van to your hotel. Why would you need a baht bus on that journey?

 

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

The question was about Bell, not Airport Link. I have used the bus station in North Pattaya Road for other than Bell Airport service and in these instances you need to pay 30 baht for a local baht bus.

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

 

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In which case, if your destinations is Walking Street and you don't want to use the provided van to your hotel, I suggest you may be better served by taking the hourly service to Jomtien at 134 baht followed by a 10 baht Songthaw ride to the bottom of second road.

 

Both bus services are operate by the same company with adjacent counters at BKK airport.

 

I am simply trying to save you time and money.

 

[ quote data-cid=1052871' name='teelack' timestamp='1385925917' post='1052871]

 

The question was about Bell, not Airport Link. I have used the bus station in North Pattaya Road for other than Bell Airport service and in these instances you need to pay 30 baht for a local baht bus.

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

I have to say that I think that this is confused and confusing advice. I am unsure what baggage the average person has but for me its a 20 kg suitcase, a 7 kg carry on and a laptop, The point about Bells is that it gets you to and picks you up at the front door of you accommodation. Why would you suggest that someone go from Swampy to Jomtien when they are staying in say Naklua or even Soi Buakhao? It would be a nightmare getting to any place other than an address actually in Jomptien or on the Jomptien - Pattaya highway or Second Road. You would have to end up taking a taxi and that would blow any saving.

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In which case, if your destinations is Walking Street and you don't want to use the provided van to your hotel, I suggest you may be better served by taking the hourly service to Jomtien at 134 baht followed by a 10 baht Songthaw ride to the bottom of second road.

 

 

Both bus services are operate by the same company with adjacent counters at BKK airport.

 

 

I am simply trying to save you time and money.

 

 

[ quote data-cid=1052871' name='teelack' timestamp='1385925917' post='1052871]

 

 

 

The question was about Bell, not Airport Link. I have used the bus station in North Pattaya Road for other than Bell Airport service and in these instances you need to pay 30 baht for a local baht bus.

 

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

I have to say that I think that this is confused and confusing advice. I am unsure what baggage the average person has but for me its a 20 kg suitcase, a 7 kg carry on and a laptop, The point about Bells is that it gets you to and picks you  up at the front door of you accommodation. Why would you suggest that someone go from Swampy to Jomtien when they are staying in say Naklua or even Soi Buakhao? It would be a nightmare getting to any place other than an address actually in Jomptien or on the Jomptien - Pattaya highway or Second Road.  You would have to end up taking a taxi and that would blow any saving.

 

Please explain again why you got a songthaw from Pattaya Nua bus station to walking street at a cost of 30 baht and its relevance to arriving from the Airport. Perhaps your original post caused the confusion?

 

You are absolutely correct in recommending the Bell bus and its connecting vans for areas in North or Central Pattaya but I was trying to help you with your Walking Street connection and offering an alternate solution specifically to you.

 

I wasn't expecting thanks but certainly didn't expect the above negative response.

 

 

 

posted from my Samsung using Tapatalk 2.

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Bell bus is a great service and for a few minutes longer than a taxi well worth it IMO, personally I NEVER take Taxi’s in LOS, nothing to do with being a cheap Charlie, had a near miss when a taxi spun out few years ago in the wet, spooked me big time plus near enough every driver I had used seemed to think it was a race against time to get to or from Swampy or Bangkok in often dodgy looking taxis (private cars) that are driven at high speed, so savings aside I use the Bell Bus as I feel safer.

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I usually take the Jomthien bound airport bus but and get off at Sukhumvit and North Pattaya Rd juntion, walk across the road and take a songthaew 10 baht down North Pattaya Rd to the beach and get off at the Mike Shopping Mall and walk up along the artists lane to Second Rd and cross the street and walk up Soi Dianna to Soi Bua Khao.

I used to take the regular songthaew that leaves from the North Pattaya bus-station for 20 baht, but lately they take a long time to go anywhere as many tourists uses it as a taxi and pay the driver extra to take them directly to their hotel.

 

Doing it this way is ofcourse not for everyone, but since I only have a backpack with less than 10 kg weight it's not that heavy and I always arrive just after sunset in January so the weather is pleasant and not too warm.

I enjoy the walk as well after the long and cramped flight to stretch my legs and once again soak in the sights, sounds and smells of Pattaya after a 7 months absence!

 

Plahgat

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