Bell buses

[matrix123]

If you miss the last Bell bus, take the regular 389 bus for 120 baht that run hourly until 22:00. When you get to Pattaya, take a motobike or hire a baht bus to you hotel. Taxis will run from 1000-1500.

He arrive in DMK at 8:30pm. Are you sure 389 have bus leave from DMK at 22:00? I haven't been in the old airport since the new one open. Just to make sure he get the correct information.

[hioctane]

He arrive in DMK at 8:30pm. Are you sure 389 have bus leave from DMK at 22:00? I haven't been in the old airport since the new one open. Just to make sure he get the correct information.

I don't know if 389 leaves out of DMK, but you can transfer to the new airport to take it.

 

http://airportpattayabus.com/v1/free-bus-transfer/

[matrix123]

I don't know if 389 leaves out of DMK, but you can transfer to the new airport to take it.

 

http://airportpattayabus.com/v1/free-bus-transfer/

If he arrive at 8:30pm, on time, clear immigration and customs in less than 30 minutes. Able to get on the 9pm free transfer bus to BKK, he may still able to catch the 2200 389 bus. If he miss that bus, when will be the next? Edited February 22, 2017 by matrix123

[Whalley]

From what I can see on the Bell website they don't leave from Don Mueang airport?

I arrive at DMK on the 7th of March at 8.30 PM.

Will I have to get a taxi to Flipper House Hotel in Pattaya and what would you expect to pay for that please?

 

He arrive in DMK at 8:30pm. Are you sure 389 have bus leave from DMK at 22:00? I haven't been in the old airport since the new one open. Just to make sure he get the correct information.

 

I don't know if 389 leaves out of DMK, but you can transfer to the new airport to take it. http://airportpattayabus.com/v1/free-bus-transfer/

 

 

If he arrive at 8:30pm, on time, clear immigration and customs in less than 30 minutes. Able to get on the 9pm free transfer bus to BKK, he may still catch the 2200 389 bus. Otherwise, he should forget about it and take a taxi.

 

Bell & Bus 389 does not run out of DMK and you cannot use the free shuttle bus from DMK to BKK unless able to show an airplane ticket departing same day from BKK.

 

A taxi or a Pattaya bus from Mo Chit or Ekkamai bus terminals are possible options and both bus terminals are easy to reach from DMK airport.

 

Busses to Pattaya run more frequently and run later from the Ekkamai bus terminal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited February 22, 2017 by Whalley

[matrix123]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bell & Bus 389 does not run out of DMK and you cannot use the free shuttle bus from DMK to BKK unless able to show an airplane ticket departing same day from BKK.

 

A taxi or a Pattaya bus from Mo Chit or Ekkamai bus terminals are possible options and both bus terminals are easy to reach from DMK airport.

 

Busses to Pattaya run more frequently and run later from the Ekkamai bus terminal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thank you for clarify that. I have limited knowledge of that 389 bus and DMK. You save the new BM a lots of trouble!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited February 22, 2017 by matrix123

[Markdc]

Thank you all very much for your help. Whalley's information is excellent. I will book one of the taxis mentioned in the forum to be on the safe side.

[gmingot]

On 12/18/2016 at 3:44 PM, matrix123 said:

To the BMs who have trouble to book on-line or Bell won't take their credit cards. A BM started a new thread in this section. Some BMs said you could walk-in to buy tickets now. A BM said you have to go back up to arrival floor to look for TOUR counters to buy the tickets. The discussion is here:

 

http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/topic/307715-bell-bus-suvarnabhumi-to-pattaya/

I can confirm you can by a walk up ticket from the tour counter just as you exit the customs area. I did so just over a week ago. I was lucky with timings, plane parked at gate 9,20am, through immigration, customs, purchased Bell ticket and was sitting on the bus by 9.50 ready for the 10am departure to Pattaya

[Whalley]

15 hours ago, gmingot said:

I can confirm you can by a walk up ticket from the tour counter just as you exit the customs area. I did so just over a week ago. I was lucky with timings, plane parked at gate 9,20am, through immigration, customs, purchased Bell ticket and was sitting on the bus by 9.50 ready for the 10am departure to Pattaya

Was it the same as the online 240 baht fare?

[gmingot]

Whalley, if I remember correctly I think it was 300 baht from the counter

[Rambuttri village]

Yes I dd the same on Feb 1. Got through customs and down to 389 bus stand at 14.50 pm. The label on the 389 stand said next bus Pattaya 17.30 pm. So I thought "no way" and at the back about 30 metres away from 389 stand two Bells buses reps told me to get a ticket from upstairs at a tour counter. Paid 300 Baht and was on the next Bells bus at 16.00 pm. This bus was only 80% full. Arrived at Pattaya bus station 17.40 pm and immediately shuttled down and arrived at my apartment 17.50 pm. After nearly 24 hours travelling thought it was money well spent and no way was I going to wait nearly 3 hours for the 389 bus.

Edited March 15, 2017 by Roving Rover

[matrix123]

I guess not many BMs want to save 60 THB by go through all of the trouble to use their phone to book the ticket when they arrive. Some may not have enough time. I remember the cost of a Bell bus ticket from BKK to Pattaya was only 200 THB just a couple years ago. Now, the cost is 240 THB. They said no walk-in from their website but in fact they found other way to charge passengers 60 THB more.

Edited March 16, 2017 by matrix123

[Whalley]

14 hours ago, matrix123 said:

I guess not many BMs want to save 60 THB by go through all of the trouble to use their phone to book the ticket when they arrive. Some may not have enough time. I remember the cost of a Bell bus ticket from BKK to Pattaya was only 200 THB just a couple years ago. Now, the cost is 240 THB. They said no walk-in from their website but in fact they found other way to charge passengers 60 THB more.

What makes bus 389 so popular is that, they have done the opposite and reduced the ticket price from 134 baht to 120 baht.

Bus 389 has been running a scam lately that kind of pisses me off on one hand, but on the other, gets me out early for a very small fee.

The ticket guy and his accomplice holds back a handful of tickets then post the sign that only a later bus is available. He then willingly accepts bribes from those in the know, who hand up an extra 50 baht when asking about the possibility of an earlier bus.  

I have done this twice and have watched on several occasion, his accomplice trying to quickly get rid of tickets at last minute, when they've held back too many, by walking through the crowd swapping these earlier tickets with those holding later tickets and boldly ask for a tip. 

It makes me laugh wondering how much extra baht these fuckers pocket every day with their clever scheme.

This scam only seems to happens at the airport counter from my experience.  The Jomtien ticket counter seem straight up.  At least for now perhaps, until they catch wind of this easy and very lucrative scam.

 TIT.

[Rambuttri village]

Interesting that about the bribes. My friend who stays at the same apartment in Pattaya reckons 50 Baht bribe usually does the trick and get's you on the next 389 bus. Hard to believe all the buses are sold out especially as coming back the other way two weeks ago from Jomtien at 1pm the bus was only 80% full. Talking to some people on my plane heading for Doha they said they were on the next 389 bus to Suvarnabhumi at 2pm which was only half full. At a pinch I can wait around at Suvarnabhumi 60-70 minutes as there's a cheap food court and good money exchanger's in the basement. But any longer is a big no no.

Will watch out for this next time and possibly have to bite the bullet and bribe. Even at 120B + 50B its still cheap. 

 

[Whalley]

3 hours ago, Roving Rover said:

Interesting that about the bribes. My friend who stays at the same apartment in Pattaya reckons 50 Baht bribe usually does the trick and get's you on the next 389 bus. Hard to believe all the buses are sold out especially as coming back the other way two weeks ago from Jomtien at 1pm the bus was only 80% full. Talking to some people on my plane heading for Doha they said they were on the next 389 bus to Suvarnabhumi at 2pm which was only half full. At a pinch I can wait around at Suvarnabhumi 60-70 minutes as there's a cheap food court and good money exchanger's in the basement. But any longer is a big no no.

Will watch out for this next time and possibly have to bite the bullet and bribe. Even at 120B + 50B its still cheap. 

 

 

If it were happening in my own country, I would be inclined to report them.

But, this being Thailand, I just go with it and see it as my advantage knowing I can pay less than $2 more and be on my way without delay.

[Bastos60]

 

On 16-3-2017 at 6:17 PM, Whalley said:

What makes bus 389 so popular is that, they have done the opposite and reduced the ticket price from 134 baht to 120 baht.

Bus 389 has been running a scam lately that kind of pisses me off on one hand, but on the other, gets me out early for a very small fee.

The ticket guy and his accomplice holds back a handful of tickets then post the sign that only a later bus is available. He then willingly accepts bribes from those in the know, who hand up an extra 50 baht when asking about the possibility of an earlier bus.  

I have done this twice and have watched on several occasion, his accomplice trying to quickly get rid of tickets at last minute, when they've held back too many, by walking through the crowd swapping these earlier tickets with those holding later tickets and boldly ask for a tip. 

I have unknowningly experienced this as well.
Last year my plane was delayed and I was trying the buy a ticket for their next bus that was going to leave within 20 minutes, but they were already booking for the bus after that one.
I asked him if there was really no more seats available for the current one, thinking they might still have seats available but they stopped accepting bookings for this one.
But he asks me how much it was worth to me, I offered him 300 Baht and he got me seat on this one. Now I know I overpaid him, but didn't know it was a scam.

[Whalley]

1 hour ago, Bastos60 said:

 

I have unknowningly experienced this as well.
Last year my plane was delayed and I was trying the buy a ticket for their next bus that was going to leave within 20 minutes, but they were already booking for the bus after that one.
I asked him if there was really no more seats available for the current one, thinking they might still have seats available but they stopped accepting bookings for this one.
But he asks me how much it was worth to me, I offered him 300 Baht and he got me seat on this one. Now I know I overpaid him, but didn't know it was a scam.

No need to pay that much.  300 baht is probably what he earns in wages in a day.  50 baht seem to work for me and you can imagine how much that must add up over the course of their shift.  It's a very lucrative scam.

Last trip a guy queued up after me and I saw him hand over 2 cans of beer for an earlier bus ticket.

[Kinnie88]

I used Bell Travel Service for transport from Centara Pattaya hotel to Majestic Suites in Bangkok.  From door to door was 3 hours and 15 mins.  The drawback is you have to buy your tickets a day ahead at the North Pattaya Bus Station.  You can use the tuk tuk on Second Road to the roundabout then take a tuk tuk Northbound to bus station.  Or simply ride on a back of scooter for 50 baht.

[regyai]

Then again if you are waiting for the arrival of a Tuk Tuk in Pattaya .....

 

 

 

(psst  there are NO Tuk Tuks in Pattaya)

[jpmelville]

I will take Bell bus from Hua Hin To Pattaya tomorrow morning. Anyone else done this? Is it working same way as the airport bus? I mean is there any connections from the northern bus station?

[bobcat74]

 

11 hours ago, jpmelville said:

I will take Bell bus from Hua Hin To Pattaya tomorrow morning. Anyone else done this? Is it working same way as the airport bus? I mean is there any connections from the northern bus station?

I have done this trip Its an excellent service. Big seats that fully recline and great airconditioning. From memory the trip takes about 5 hours and I thought it was a bargain for about B360!

The service does terminate at the bus station on Pattaya Nua but there will be plenty of motorcycle taxis and baht buses waiting at the station to offer you an inflated fare to your hotel!

 

[hioctane]

Interesting. I got on an earlier 389 without tip. I got to the counter 20 minutes before the hour. The sign said the next bus was in 1:30. I asked if there really wasn't anything earlier. Out comes an earlier ticket. There was a couple of empty seats when I got on too.

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[Whalley]

7 hours ago, hioctane said:

Interesting. I got on an earlier 389 without tip. I got to the counter 20 minutes before the hour. The sign said the next bus was in 1:30. I asked if there really wasn't anything earlier. Out comes an earlier ticket. There was a couple of empty seats when I got on too.

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Interesting that you weren't hounded for the tip give that the later bus was already posted.

 The fact that they were running the extra bus at 13:30 indicates they were busier than normal.

[Griff64]

Where does thye Bell Bus leave from in Hua Hin going to pattaya? and how long does this take?

[xtremedude]

1 hour ago, Griff64 said:

Where does thye Bell Bus leave from in Hua Hin going to pattaya? and how long does this take?

There is a bus station close to the airport, north of Hua Hin going toward Cha-am.  That is where all Bell buses leave from.  Most taxis will ask for 300 baht to take you there from anywhere in Hua Hin.  Pretty expensive considering Bell bus to Pattaya costs 389 baht.  The trip to Pattaya should take about 5-6 hours.

[likeaking]

12 hours ago, hioctane said:

Interesting. I got on an earlier 389 without tip. I got to the counter 20 minutes before the hour. The sign said the next bus was in 1:30. I asked if there really wasn't anything earlier. Out comes an earlier ticket. There was a couple of empty seats when I got on too.

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Ticket agent probably didn't want to explain to his boss why there were empty seats (the unsold ones he held out for tips) on the bus.