The tuk-tuks are the means of transport most peculiar of Thailand and everything a national symbol; nobody should miss a trip or a tuk tuk food tour Bangkok with them downtown Bangkok on our visit to the countr. But how do these taxis work? These 3-wheeled vehicles without a meter used to be the most common way to get around the capital before normal taxis, the BTS Skytrain or the MRT subway appeared, and its price is agreed with the driver before starting the journey.
Especially the tourist areas are full of desperate drivers who are looking for newly arrived tourists to serve them as a taxi and try to charge them much more than the bill. That’s why here are 3 tips to keep in mind when catching a tuk-tuk during our first visit to this metropolis of Southeast Asia, 3 tricks to not look like rookies in front of their drivers in our first days in Thailand.
3 Tricks To Catch A Tuk-Tuk In Bangkok
Never Catch A Tuk-Tuk In Tourist Areas
The majority of tuk-tuks that are standing in tourist streets or near hotels, waiting for their clients to come to him to ask for prices, usually try to charge us more than the bill, even to propose exorbitant prices. That is why if we want to use these peculiar taxis, it is best to get away from our hotel or area frequented by tourism walking and stop one of them a couple of streets below. Following this simple, we will usually find more honest drivers and fairer prices.
Always Negotiate The Price
As honest as the driver is, he will always propose a slightly more swollen price than normal, which is why haggling with a smile on his face is essential to arrive at a fair rate. The trick is to always discount about 20/30 bahts in the short journeys of the price initially mentioned, hoping to get lucky and for the “tuk-tukero” to accept the proposal. Always keep in mind that the price varies depending on the time of day, traffic, route, or simply the desire of the driver to work.
Avoid Catching Tuk-Tuk At Rush Hour
Between 7:00 and 9:00 in the morning and 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm, traffic in the city of Bangkok is terrible, tuk-tuk prices are higher, and it is common to get stuck between cars while we breathe it’s smoke and sweat sticks to our neck. During these hours, the Skytrain BTS or the MRT Metro is the best alternative to move around the capital of Thailand. If we are not going to get the lines of these public transport systems, it is best to take a taxi from the normal ones with air conditioning, and We will travel more comfortable, safe and quiet.
