© Maksim Romashkin・Pexels License

Thailand

Bangkok

Temples and skyscrapers share the skyline. To escape the traffic, ride the elevated BTS or the river boats.

Ride-hailing & taxis (แท็กซี่)

Grab, Bolt and inDrive are all government-licensed. Locking the fare in an app up front is your best protection against overcharging. Only Grab runs on cards alone - carry cash for Bolt, inDrive and street taxis.

Updated on July 30, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Set up your apps before you land
    Your home Grab account and card work as-is. Add Bolt and inDrive for price comparison.
  2. 2
    At the airport, use the designated zones
    At Suvarnabhumi head to Level 1 - Grab picks up at Gate 4; for official taxis take a queue ticket at the kiosks between Gates 4-7.
  3. 3
    Compare apps before you book
    Compare quotes across two or three apps before booking. Bolt usually lands cheapest; inDrive lets you name a fare and drivers bid.
  4. 4
    Match the car before you get in
    Match the plate and model against the app before boarding. In a street taxi, make sure the meter starts as you pull away.
  5. 5
    Pay in-app or in cash
    Grab auto-charges your registered card. Bolt, inDrive and street taxis are paid in cash at drop-off.

Typical costs

Fixed-price routes1

Suvarnabhumi Airport to city (app estimate)
Grab's official estimate (about 30 km, 40-60 min). Varies with demand; expressway tolls may be extra.
350〜500 THB ≈ $10–15

How the meter adds up4

App ride, approx. 10 km
2026 tested range - Bolt 120-150, Grab 140-180. Dynamic pricing climbs in rain and late at night.
120〜180 THB ≈ $4–5
Metered taxi flag fall
The first-km rate (40 for large cabs), then 6.5 baht/km up to 10 km, plus 3 baht/min below 6 km/h.
35〜40 THB ≈ $1
GrabTaxi booking fee
Added to the meter: 20 on-demand, 45 pre-booked (150 for a 7-seater); flexes between 20 and 45 with demand.
20〜45 THB ≈ $0.6–1
Airport taxi surcharge
Added to the meter at the official airport rank (a legal Ministry of Transport fee). Tolls are on you.
50 THB ≈ $1

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 4, 2026

Payment

Tap to ride
Street taxis have no card terminals
App tickets
Grab takes foreign cards (3% fee); Bolt and inDrive are cash-first
QR ticketing
Drivers' PromptPay QR needs a Thai banking app - not usable for most visitors
Cash
The default for taxis, Bolt and inDrive - carry 20s, 50s and 100s

Quick facts

Hours
24 hours
Frequency
Pickup in minutes
Fares from
350 THB+

Heads-up

  • Confirm the meter before getting into a street taxi

    Confirm the meter before getting into a street taxi. If the driver refuses or offers a "flat rate", walk away.

  • Arrivals-hall touts are unofficial - use the official queue

    Anyone offering "taxi?" inside the arrivals hall is unofficial. Ignore them and head straight to the official Level 1 pickup points.

  • Bolt's licence under review - waits may shift on every app

    Bolt's operating licence has been under renewal review since May 2026 (still running as of July). An ongoing purge of unlicensed drivers may also affect wait times on every app.

Timetable

Operating hours 24 hours
Typical duration Traffic is brutal - allow 30-60 minutes even for a 10 km hop
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka