Taxi - Phuket Airport to Paradise Centre

Any recommendations (Airport taxi or pre-book?) and price indications please?

Any time I've arrived there I have had the hotel throw the taxi fare into the deal so I've no idea what the cost is.

However, in the next couple of weeks I have friends arriving there and would like to give them advice as to who to use and how much.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

:occasion9:

[pennyboy]

It's a while since I have been in Phuket but latterly I have gone outside the main terminal after arrival, turn right and walk the very short distance to the yellow taxi booking office and get the meter taxi from there. Cheaper than the airport taxi you can book inside the terminal building.

[Brad the Impala]

I would take the official airport limousine service(you don't have to have an actual limousine!) that has a booth inside the arrivals forecourt. You pay there, about 800 Baht. You are then accompanied outside where your car will be waiting, you give the receipt that you have just been given for your payment to the driver, and off you go.

You can save a couple of hundred baht by pushing through the touts trying to get your attention, walking round the side of the airport to the yellow meter taxis, and persuading the driver to either to use the meter or agree a price if you prefer.

[Rolling Stone]

I always asked the hotel/guesthouse to arrange taxis to and fro the airport/patong. I think they charged me 600 baht or so. I guess 500 ~ 600 should be fairly reasonable prices.

[cdnmatt]

I always asked the hotel/guesthouse to arrange taxis to and fro the airport/patong. I think they charged me 600 baht or so. I guess 500 ~ 600 should be fairly reasonable prices.

This is what I always like to do myself. Helps ensure you don't get the line, "ohhh, you meant that ABC Hotel", as he pisses off into the country side somewhere with you, and acts as if he's lost, with hopes he can charge double.

[Beachlover]

Scottish... when you go to exit the airport, ignore the touts and go outside. Ignore the tuk tuk drivers. Just turn right and walk about 50 metres until you see the big "Meter Taxi" sign. Grab a taxi there. I think it's 450-550 baht for a ride to Patong Beach. I can't remember the exact amount. Easy.

Tell the driver to go directly there, no stops. The last couple of times I've been treated to brief "toilet stops" at travel agencies where they "casually" asked if I needed any tours booked.

Let us know how you find it. I've decided to give Phuket a miss for... a couple of years.