Bell buses

[wingnutv]

that was the initial plan but now with my timings I think i can make it on the 7 am service from swampy to pattaya on teh RRC bus, get off at the bus station at Jomtien and hop onto a Bahtbus to my hotel off Mikes plaza... 

[Siraulo]

I tried to book online but their online reservation system does not work

[brutox]

... a BKK resident, I have made numerous Pattaya trips on Bell Travel and enthusiasticly sung praises of them ... until ... until they installed their online reservations system.

 

... I am now frequently unable to avail myself of Bell Travels' online reservation system ... sometimes it is Internet inaccessible, sometimes I have too short a notice (they require 6-hours advance notice).

 

... just showing-up with no reservation and hoping a seat is available is more risk and hassle than I am willing to take with a Thai company ... without the online reservation, Bell Travel will not collect you at your departure point ... I see these as 2 of the 3 points of competitive advantage they held over the public bus system (the 3rd being their new coaches).

 

... with their 25% increase in price, I no longer find Bell Travel a reasonable value and a good alternative to other low-cost means of transportation.

 

... today, I took the public bus from Pattaya back to BKK for the first time ... relatively nice bus (quite comfortable), safe driving, on time, delivered me in 2:15 minutes (even during BKK's Friday afternoon rush hour) to BKK's Southern Bus Station (located in the shadow of the Ekkamai BTS Station), half the price (THB 124 v. THB 250), and a near hourly departure schedule.

 

... maybe it works for some ... but, I am finished with Bell Travel.

 

... I take back the praise I wrote earlier about Bell Travel's owner being a 'next generation' Thai, capable of competing in the international arena ... when I did get an online reservation (just under the 6-hour cut-off time) for the ride down to Pattaya, only 4 seats were reserved ... we left with 20 passengers, so very few customers are actually using their new online reservation system ... so, has it really added any real value? ... increased new ridership against lost riders, as me? ... is the owner capable of reversing field and getting rid of the online reservation system, or at the least correcting its failures to allow phone reservations also?

 

... sad ... just when I thought I found a Thai business breaking through to an international standard of quality service (a rarity), they clench defeat from the jaws of success ... so very sad.

Edited February 22, 2013 by brutox

[wingnutv]

i have used Bell services twice before... but now i find the RRC better / Cheaper. No reservation needed. I reached their counter at Swampy at 0600 Hrs. I was the 4th in line for their 7 Am service to Pattaya. 134 THB and 2 hrs later I reached heaven. No hassle. 

[Siraulo]

Thanks for info. I will definitely check on RRC in April:

 

 

Roong Reuang Coach operates blue and white air conditioned buses from the airport transit center on two routes.  One is between the airport and Pattaya North Bus Terminal on Pattaya Nua (North Road near Sukhumvit intersection). The other is between the airport and their two stations in the Jomtien area of Pattaya. The first Jomtien station is located on Thappraya Road opposite Pan Pan Restaurant.  It will be on the North side of the car park area for Food Mart (coming from South Pattaya, it will be on your left after the entrance to View Talay 1 condominium complex and  before the Thepprasit Road intersection). The second station is on Chaiyapruk Road (going from the Jomtien Beach Road police box at the Chaiyapruk intersection, the office will be a short distance on your right). 

 

 

http://www.airportpattayabus.com/2012/

Edited February 22, 2013 by mngweco

[colinball]

Very sad that guys can travel so many miles to Thailand and have to hang around waiting for buses. i realise times are hard but, seriously? 1000 Baht to pretty much anywhere in Pattaya and you want the hassle of a bus service?

[Siraulo]

Very sad that guys can travel so many miles to Thailand and have to hang around waiting for buses. i realise times are hard but, seriously? 1000 Baht to pretty much anywhere in Pattaya and you want the hassle of a bus service?

 

 

Once I am in Patts I will have 4 hours till my check in so I have plenty of time to waste. Early check in will cost me additional 1000 bhat plus taxi additional 1000. I prefer give 2000 bhat to girls as a tips for good performance. Each to his own...

Edited February 22, 2013 by mngweco

[king_leer]

... wow, Bell Travel has fallen a long, long way since they implemented their online reservation system!

 

... I am local and have been a frequent user of Bell, and was a big fan and promoter of their service ... but, this outpouring of complaints is hard for anyone to ignore ... all the reputation and goodwill they've earned over the last years is being destroyed in just a matter of weeks.

 

... while the Bell Travel owners showed great promise in operating at a higher standard than most Thai companies, and their intention to improve the services with this online reservation system were probably earnest, I wonder if they are up to the challenge of rehabilitating a failing system that threatens their company's hard-earned dominance of the Pattaya-Suvarnabhumi bus transit route.

 

... the owner would learn a great deal by reading the digression from "Bell praises" to "Bell sucks" through these threads over the last few weeks ... maybe they were sold an inferior reservation system (a good possibility in this market) that simply fails to meet their prior emphasis on customer convenience, reliability, efficiency, friendliness.

 

... in the face of this sizable threat to his business, we'll soon see if the owner is as smart as I was led to believe ... hope he can triage and rehabilitate the failings ... or, will he staunchly try to save face with his employees, family, partners and founder with a badly made business decision, and cost him what was a very good business.

 

.... this might be a great case study of contemporary Thai business culture struggling to compete at an international level ... and don't look now, but when AEC opens Thailand up to foreign competitors in 2015, Bell Travel will be pushed to do better than this ... or, perish.

 

... alternatives, gentlemen?

 

+1 and very well said sir...

 

i am another former customer who thought they were the best, never had a problem...

 

until now i'm trying to book a bus to the airport and the website keeps freezing at the paying step. i have no problem paying online but after three tries i called them, lady tells me i can't book on the phone, i must use website. after telling her several times the website is broken she tells me i have to come down to the office the day before and buy a ticket in person. how convenient!

 

they have lost me as a customer. terrible service, no replies to email, and what's the point of a flashy new website if it doesn't function? fucking useless.

[king_leer]

Very sad that guys can travel so many miles to Thailand and have to hang around waiting for buses. i realise times are hard but, seriously? 1000 Baht to pretty much anywhere in Pattaya and you want the hassle of a bus service?

 

thanks for the offer, mr. bigshot. since you have unlimited 1000s to throw around, you are welcome to pay for my taxi anytime you want

[Al.]

Sad to say I am another former Bell Bus customer. I had not read this thread for months but have had the same experience as a lot of others.

 

About 4 weeks ago I checked their website to get the times then went through the booking procedure to check if there was a seat available didnt book it because I wasn't 100%  sure if I was going.

 

Next day 6am I tried to book a seat I wanted to get the 17.00 the same day, the website would not let me choose the same day so I phoned the office to book a pick up as I have done before only to be told I had to go to the office in Pattaya Nua bus station and buy a ticket first, they would not accept a booking on the phone.

 

No way was I going to get a taxi to and from the bus station just to buy a ticket the big advantage Bell had is the fact they picked you up from your hotel or wherever you were staying.

 

I ended up having a few more hours in bed then a good breakfast check out at 12.00 followed by a 2 hour massage then a couple of drinks said goodbye picked up my bag jumped on a bahtbus to Jomtien 10 baht and  the Airport  bus to the airport 134 baht.

 

So Bell Travel if you ever read this you have now lost another customer which is a shame because you used to provide a good service, at the very least you should allow your customers the facility to be able to book by phone as you did in the past.

 

Being able to book online was and is a good idea but it should not be the only option for a number of reasons not least being the fact not everybody uses the Internet and even if they do would not use their credit card in an Internet cafe I certainly wouldn't feel comfortable doing it.

[sinbad5]

^ So, basically, your complaint is they don't take bookings (other than in person) on the day of travel.

[Al.]

^ So, basically, your complaint is they don't take bookings (other than in person) on the day of travel.

 Not just on the day of travel now you either have to go the the office and buy a ticket or book online those are the only options before you could book by phone, I am sure that has lost them a lot of business.

[sinbad5]

 Not just on the day of travel now you either have to go the the office and buy a ticket or book online those are the only options before you could book by phone, I am sure that has lost them a lot of business.

 

I see. Somewhat less convenient but it's also hard to book any airline ticket on the day of travel, certainly on line, and hotel booking sites require a day's notice too, from memory.

[chilli]

Have done about 12 airport-Pattaya return trips on Bell since 2007 with no problem.

Was excellent value.

But not read anything positive since the new booking service a few months ago.

Are the buses almost empty now?

Has the new system worked for anybody?

Have Bell not heard of the saying, " if it ain't broke don't fix it."

Looks like Mr T. will get my business next week.

Got a bit too much luggage for comfort on a baht bus from Jomtien bus terminal to my hotel. ( ie, the alternate bus service to Bell).

Thanks for all this info.

[wingnutv]

Very sad that guys can travel so many miles to Thailand and have to hang around waiting for buses. i realise times are hard but, seriously? 1000 Baht to pretty much anywhere in Pattaya and you want the hassle of a bus service?

 

who said anything about hassle ? i dont want to hang around the hotel lobby for 5 hours waiting for my loom to be ready... bus trip shaves off a good 2-3 hrs of that time... 

[Rootdreamer]

Without reservation, just by showing up at airport desk, do they still drop me at my hotel in Patt ?

[Al.]

Without reservation, just by showing up at airport desk, do they still drop me at my hotel in Patt ?

 

Yes

[Rootdreamer]

Thanks for the reply!

 

So if i can get there in time, still a good deal.

 

The new booking is a total failure; if i book and i miss (plane late or something else), can not take the next bus so need to pay again for the next one at full price (250 bht)!

[colinball]

who said anything about hassle ? i dont want to hang around the hotel lobby for 5 hours waiting for my loom to be ready... bus trip shaves off a good 2-3 hrs of that time... 

 

Seriously? I can think of many better places to be hanging around in Pattaya while you are waiting for your room than a bus!

[Dr_Dave]

I was going to use Bells but my plane touches down is 1810pm, I like the bus for the safety aspect the last Taxi I got had no seat belts and the driver bottomed out the care 5 times,   I will have to try and find a safe driver for my next trip, the other taxi I got came late and I went from the Billabong to chonburi.  we drove past the Taxi I was supposed to get which was on its roof in the middle of the motoway.

 

When they say you are going to Heaven when you go to Pattaya this is not what I had in mind.

 

 

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/2316/p1000552q.jpg

Edited March 7, 2013 by Dr_Dave

[stew]

I'm glad you've pinned this one SB. I did this topic a couple of weeks ago but it sunk without trace as they normally do. I also believe there is a rival service from the airport that leaves every odd hour and costs 106B - but with no minibus service in Patts. Need someone to confirm the last time it leaves though - could be 19:00, I'm not sure.

Last bus 10pm

[Mong Mogwli]

Have done about 12 airport-Pattaya return trips on Bell since 2007 with no problem.

Was excellent value.

But not read anything positive since the new booking service a few months ago.

Are the buses almost empty now?

Has the new system worked for anybody?

Have Bell not heard of the saying, " if it ain't broke don't fix it."

Looks like Mr T. will get my business next week.

Got a bit too much luggage for comfort on a baht bus from Jomtien bus terminal to my hotel. ( ie, the alternate bus service to Bell).

Thanks for all this info.

it worked fine and Hazel free in Dec and Jan ; will let you know again in 2 weeks.

 

cheers

MM

[Immortal25]

Hey all.. will be my first time going Pattaya..I will arrive at the old airport in BKK due to AirAsia...and I will probably arrive by 7pm. Will there be anymore buses by then? Or is it not worth to get the bus because it's a lot slower and I might miss some action by the time I reach Pattaya? So should I go for a taxi instead? Do advice my fellow BMs. Thanks.

[Al.]

If it were me arriving Don Muang at 7pm I would spend one night in Bangkok, some where around Sukhumvit Soi 4 (Nana Plaza) then the skytrain to Examai and get the bus to Pattaya the next day.

 

I you want to Go straight to Pattaya at that time of day I would get a taxi 1500 should cover it possibly a bit lower but I wouldn't argue at that price.

[brutox]

Have done about 12 airport-Pattaya return trips on Bell since 2007 with no problem.

Was excellent value.

But not read anything positive since the new booking service a few months ago.

Are the buses almost empty now?

Has the new system worked for anybody?

Have Bell not heard of the saying, " if it ain't broke don't fix it."

Looks like Mr T. will get my business next week.

Got a bit too much luggage for comfort on a baht bus from Jomtien bus terminal to my hotel. ( ie, the alternate bus service to Bell).

Thanks for all this info.

.

... chili, you ask: "Are the buses almost empty now?"

 

... I live in BKK, travel to Pattaya frequently and am formerly one of Bell Bus' biggest fans ... what an example of great service they were just a few months ago ... sadly, I bagged Bell Bus after they went to their failed online booking system and changed their business model, which now simply insults all common sense.

 

... I went down to Pattaya several weeks ago, happened to be near the airport and decided to see if a seat on Bell Bus was available, since it was soon departing ... there was, so I purchased a Bell Bus ticket at the airport.

 

... the bus had maybe 6-7 people on it only ... in the 18-20 trips on Bell Bus I took before their failed online booking system, all generally at about the same time (late morning), there were never this few passengers ... ever ... and this was during high season ... I would easily say that there were generally never less than 20 passengers on every single trip I ever took with Bell Bus before the company lost their way.

 

... this is anecdotal only, but I remain amazed at just how breathtaking is the speed with which this formerly high quality, service-oriented company turned into a crappy service company ... not just my opinion, but the overwhelming opinions of forum members here.

 

... this is the stuff of business school case studies ... Thailand never ceases to amaze, clenching defeat from the jaws of success ... (um, weird metaphor, but you get the point).

Edited March 25, 2013 by brutox