How far is the Pattaya airport from South Pattaya

[Jetsam]

I arrive in Pattaya next Saturday , alas just for 3 days because I travel this time with a pervert (read straight) friend who really loves Phuket.
I've been many times to Pattaya but never had the urge to go to Phuket, this time I have to go there for the other 18 days of my holiday.
The Pattaya hotel is booked, but we never looked further than that, I know there is an airport nearby Pattaya that does daily flights to Phuket, How far from South Pattaya is that airport and how long does it take to get there?
And yes I know UTFS , but I could not find it :dontknow:

I presume you mean U Tapao.

I have only used it once and bear in mind I was half-drunk - but from memory it is 30-40 mins from South Pattaya but bizarrely the taxi fare is not proportionately cheaper!

Anyway, I would recommend it - spotlessly clean and no delays (probably because there are almost no bloody flights!) - the only downside is that you are tied to using Bangkok Air to get to HKT, and their prices are on a par (almost) with Thai rather than the cheaper options available from SUV/BKK.

Worth a try just to say you've done it - that's always been my motto!!

:party

[Jetsam]

tnx Scottish,


about he air fare, we wil be negotiable that to 1500 thb max. if not that we swim.
my friend is a very good swimmer , i'm not that good a swimmer and have to stay in Pattays than .
I almost hope the airfare is higher , haha

Well, the last time I priced Bangkok Air from U Tapao to Phuket it was more like 6000B return - so your friend better start swimming :sign5:

[Patexpat]

We use U-tapao several times a month for mostly business and can highly recommend it ... very little hassle involved BUT it is Bangkok Air that flies to Phuket from there, and you wont find a seat for B1,500 ... more likely to be just over B2,000 if you book well in advance.

[Jetsam]

We use U-tapao several times a month for mostly business and can highly recommend it ... very little hassle involved BUT it is Bangkok Air that flies to Phuket from there, and you wont find a seat for B1,500 ... more likely to be just over B2,000 if you book well in advance.

Damn, 2000 will do i'm afraid , but we not booked anything yet, so maybe the price will be far over 2000 and we can stay in Pattaya ;)

[Patexpat]

Quick online check for a departure week after next seems to be B2,390 ....

If you are talking about going in 10 days time I doubt you'll get much change out of 3000B one way by the time you add on fees etc.

[gerefan2]

Still worth the extra for the ease of using U Tapao.
Taxi is normally about 800 Bt.
I too asked why it was almost the same price as going to BKK and the reply was "Not the same". I suppose they meant that the taxi couldnt hang around at the Airport to bring back the next passenger!

[arsenal]

The company below quotes 650 Pattaya-U-Tapeo. I have used this company many times and they are excellent. If you send him an e-mail he usually replies within an hour to confirm.
www.pttaxiservice.com (http://www.pttaxiservice.com)

0863921240
0854449035

I love U-Tapeo. So tiny that you walk in and just step onto the plane. 18 days in Phuket. What the f....k are you going to do for 18 days?

[Patexpat]

If you are talking about going in 10 days time I doubt you'll get much change out of 3000B one way by the time you add on fees etc.

B2,390 is the all in price ... BKK isn't a budget airline that makes its money by adding 'extras' that are in fact in my opinion 'essentials' !

[bruce_nyc]

Ditch your friend. Let him go to Phuket.

Or.....

Go there for only 4 days, then leave him there and fly back to Pattaya.

Don't waste your holiday entertaining your straight friend.

You can see him anytime.... back at home.

[arsenal]

Bruce is right. Even for three days there I never lost the feeling that I was missing out on Pattaya.

If you are talking about going in 10 days time I doubt you'll get much change out of 3000B one way by the time you add on fees etc.

B2,390 is the all in price ... BKK isn't a budget airline that makes its money by adding 'extras' that are in fact in my opinion 'essentials' !

Well, since you are making that point, I'll make the totally pedantic point of saying that 2390 is NOT the all-in price - there is a Passenger Service Charge to be paid on top, a whole 50B.

But yes, I had assumed that there would be a Credit Card fee, assigned seating fee, and many of the other tricks the likes of Ryanair and Air Asia use to inflate the price. So it seems that the OP will get around 600B change out of 3K.

BTW its not just the "budget" airlines who are at it - BA has been adding a continuous and very substantial "fuel surcharge" for about 10 years now - totally irrespective of the oil price! I don't know how they get away with it!!

EG: On an Economy return flight from LHR to BKK in September the BA Fare is ┬г700.00 and of that ┬г368.49 is Taxes, Fees, Surcharges and charges. I accept some of it is Govt taxes but a lot of it is down to what I would call BA sharp practice.


:occasion9:

[pong]

[quote="Patexpat"]We use U-tapao several times a month for mostly business and can highly recommend it ... very little hassle involved /quote]
Not quite true-THE big hassle of this airport is the transport(ation) FROM when nothing is prebooked-then its really the usual PTy-bahtbusripoff as much as you can. Phuket is even worse though in that respect.

[Patexpat]

We use U-tapao several times a month for mostly business and can highly recommend it ... very little hassle involved /quote]
Not quite true-THE big hassle of this airport is the transport(ation) FROM when nothing is prebooked-then its really the usual PTy-bahtbusripoff as much as you can. Phuket is even worse though in that respect.

Sorry, good point. We have our own transport so it's a doddle. Even if we leave a vehicle there they charge all of B30 a full day for parking!

[bkkguy]

Damn, 2000 will do i'm afraid , but we not booked anything yet, so maybe the price will be far over 2000 and we can stay in Pattaya ;)

when booking just say you are from NASA then you will definately get to stay in Pattaya because the government will not let you near U-tapao without a 6 month investigation into your motives and hidden agenda!

bkkguy