Pattaya, Thailand

Getting around Pattaya

How to travel around Pattaya — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-08

1. Baht bus (songthaew)

Blue pickups circling fixed loops; press the buzzer to stop and pay at the window.

Cost: 10–20 THB on the standard loop

Watch outBoarding an empty one and stating a destination turns it into a private charter at many times the fare. Just get on and pay at the end.

2. Motorbike taxi

Numbered vests at most corners, quickest for short hops along the beach road.

Cost: 40–100 THB locally

3. Rented scooter

Widely available and heavily policed for helmets and licences.

Cost: 200–300 THB per day

Watch outPassport-as-deposit plus damage claims at return is the standard problem here as elsewhere in Thailand.

4. Ferry to Ko Lan

Public ferry from Bali Hai pier, far cheaper than the speedboats sold on the beach.

Cost: 30 THB public ferry
Tip: Runs to a fixed schedule; the speedboat touts will tell you it has stopped.

5. Grab

App booking with fares fixed in advance.

Tip: Usually cheaper than the beach-road taxi ranks for anything over a couple of kilometres.

Booking apps in Thailand

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Grab

The dominant ride-hailing app across Southeast Asia, covering cars, motorbike taxis, food and parcels.

Coverage: Nationwide in Thailand, strongest in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Pattaya.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Bolt

European ride-hailing operator, usually priced below Grab where it operates.

Coverage: Bangkok and a handful of larger cities; patchy elsewhere.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

InDrive

Fare-negotiation model where you propose a price and drivers accept or counter.

Coverage: Growing in Bangkok and larger provincial cities.
Why it helps: The price is agreed in-app before pickup, so there is no roadside negotiation to lose.

Bangkok MRT

Official metro app with route planning and QR ticketing for the underground network.

Coverage: Bangkok only.

12Go

Books trains, buses and ferries across Thailand and the wider region, including island routes.

Coverage: Nationwide, plus cross-border services.
Why it helps: Avoids street agents selling tickets for services that are overbooked, downgraded, or do not run.