Bolt app?

[Roadglide]

I used this app extensively in Pattaya this past June.  Good prices cheaper than a taxi, actually had a taxi show up once.  Just make sure the GPS location in correct, as sometimes it is off.

I was very disappointed that they do NOT have any drivers in Krabi.

[chris19713]

Is Bolt reliable enough to use in Bangkok Soi 4, pick up from hotel at 4.45 in the morning to the airport?  How much would it be approx.

Would I be better off with a regular taxi?  Are there lots of taxi's at that time in the morning, I am sure there are but I would prefer to order one in.

[hioctane]

57 minutes ago, chris19713 said:

Is Bolt reliable enough to use in Bangkok Soi 4, pick up from hotel at 4.45 in the morning to the airport?  How much would it be approx.

Would I be better off with a regular taxi?  Are there lots of taxi's at that time in the morning, I am sure there are but I would prefer to order one in.

There are plenty of taxis and options. If Bolt is not available, try Grab. Worse case, ask the hotel to call you one. Just don't leave the hotel the very last minute. I believe it is around 400-500.

[chris19713]

Thanks.

I did a mock test on the the Bolt app.  Seems nice and simple.  Lots of options for type of transport.  Economy 300 baht, Taxi 315 baht. 

Is 'Taxi' a regularly taxi plugged into Bolt?  Think this would be my preferred option as there is bound to be one available in the area at 4.45 in the morning. 

How far in advance can you book? Do you book it when you need it and it turns up within a time frame?

I might be being over cautious but this is what you do when you haven't used it before and your sat at home thinking too much.

Edited October 19, 2022 by chris19713

[Ohyesuare]

2 hours ago, chris19713 said:

Thanks.

I did a mock test on the the Bolt app.  Seems nice and simple.  Lots of options for type of transport.  Economy 300 baht, Taxi 315 baht. 

Is 'Taxi' a regularly taxi plugged into Bolt?  Think this would be my preferred option as there is bound to be one available in the area at 4.45 in the morning. 

How far in advance can you book? Do you book it when you need it and it turns up within a time frame?

I might be being over cautious but this is what you do when you haven't used it before and your sat at home thinking too much.

Yes Taxis are regular taxis, Economy or Bolt are just regular people using it but sometimes you'll have taxis show up under those options too. I'd just book when you need it. If you're in a central/busy/popular area, for me they always show up within minutes. I order as I'm locking my condo door and they are already waiting by the time I'm in my lobby.

[Drew57]

Link to Bolt app please 

[petehoax]

6 hours ago, Drew57 said:

Link to Bolt app please 

1) go to play store / app store
2) enter "bolt" as search term
3) click on the first result / ad
4) ???
5) profit 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ee.mtakso.client that's the play store link, that's the apple store link: https://apps.apple.com/ee/app/bolt-fast-affordable-rides/id675033630 (both the first result after googling of course)

[THguypattaya]

Some questions: bolt is cash only right? and it's mostly cars but you can request motorbike?

Grab you can also pay cash afterwards and also set up CC?

For both of them any problem getting them in busy areas like Nana Plaza and Sukhumvit road,  busy tourist areas in Phuket?

[hioctane]

37 minutes ago, THguypattaya said:

Some questions: bolt is cash only right? and it's mostly cars but you can request motorbike?

Grab you can also pay cash afterwards and also set up CC?

For both of them any problem getting them in busy areas like Nana Plaza and Sukhumvit road,  busy tourist areas in Phuket?

They both take credit but I could never get them to accept foreign cards so I just pay cash.

Getting rides mostly depends on the area. Touristy areas should be fine. If one has no cars, just use the other.

[WavyDavy]

On 27/10/2022 at 07:15, hioctane said:

They both take credit but I could never get them to accept foreign cards so I just pay cash.

Getting rides mostly depends on the area. Touristy areas should be fine. If one has no cars, just use the other.

this is great info, 

how are the drivers when it comes to getting change? Do they expect a tip? 
 

I wonder if it would work with one of those credit cards from Transfer Wise?  I don’t have a Thai bank account or credit card but I do have a Wise credit card. 

 

[petehoax]

On 27/10/2022 at 00:15, hioctane said:

They both take credit but I could never get them to accept foreign cards so I just pay cash.

Getting rides mostly depends on the area. Touristy areas should be fine. If one has no cars, just use the other.

bolt doesn't accept credit cards in thailand. at least they didn't (imho) until march 22 at least. maybe that changed since then. 
at least afaik. 

grab supports credit cards and actually will even require it after some time if you've canceled a few rides... which happens quite quickly in bangkok cause you get someone to accept your ride-request, the app shows them as "5min away", but in reality they're stuck in after-work traffic and will take like 30min to arrive at your location. after canceling a few rides, grab will ask you to add a credit card and will ask for a (small) fee to cancel a ride (30 or 50 thb or so). 

 

25 minutes ago, WavyDavy said:

this is great info, 

how are the drivers when it comes to getting change? Do they expect a tip? 
 

I wonder if it would work with one of those credit cards from Transfer Wise?  I don’t have a Thai bank account or credit card but I do have a Wise credit card. 

i personally always tip, cause bolt in pattaya is still crazy cheap. but they will (most likely) be able to give you change. but of course don't expect to pay a 47thb ride with a 1000 thb note. but getting 30thb back from them shouldn't be a problem... but in general: always make sure to have enough small denomination bills in your wallet. 

your wise CC will most likely work at most places (generally in thailand), but as i said: afaik bolt doesn't accept CC anyway, but maybe i'm wrong on that point  

 

[THguypattaya]

2 minutes ago, petehoax said:

after canceling a few rides, grab will ask you to add a credit card and will ask for a (small) fee to cancel a ride (30 or 50 thb or so). 

Awesome thanks for this info!

Grab doesn't take any USA credit cards, so when grab asks me to input CC after cancels I will just use bolt!

[petehoax]

10 minutes ago, THguypattaya said:

Grab doesn't take any USA credit cards, so when grab asks me to input CC after cancels I will just use bolt!

i never had a problem using my normal swiss CCs with grab (in thailand). but YMMV of course and i can't guarantee you what card will and won't work. just adding my 2 cents. 

[chris19713]

Most of the talk sounds like its about Bolt cars.  What are Bolt motorbikes like?

I have not seen this asked yet.  I would think Bolt drivers, especially Bolt motorbike drivers would get some mean looks from the regular motorbike taxi crew.  I take it you don't stand next to the motorbike mafia when waiting for your Bolt motorbike.

[simon6666]

1 hour ago, chris19713 said:

Most of the talk sounds like its about Bolt cars.  What are Bolt motorbikes like?

I have not seen this asked yet.  I would think Bolt drivers, especially Bolt motorbike drivers would get some mean looks from the regular motorbike taxi crew.

As far as I can tell, the Bolt drivers largely are the regular motorbike taxi crew.

It's not like they shipped in a whole new workforce. I'm sure there are a few new guys but a lot of the blokes who stand around all day just signed themselves up to the app. It's like a supplement to their regular gig.

1 hour ago, chris19713 said:

I take it you don't stand next to the motorbike mafia when waiting for your Bolt motorbike.

I stood right across the road, having waved those blokes off, called a Bolt, and the same guy who I waved off turned out to be my driver.

From the look on his face he wasn't too happy about it as he rode over. I was probably paying less than half what he would have otherwise charged.

That's the service, though. At least he got a fare.

Could have been someone else to come and pick me up.

[Luv2Phuket]

I can't speak to the moto taxis because I won't ride on one, but a disproportionate % of the time that I got a Bolt from Central Festival, it ended up being one of the taxis that are queued up there. 

 

[davidge]

Only been a few days of using it but here’s my two pennies worth:

When you open up it defaults to your location. I often find I need to change it to something more obvious. eg from street address to Royal Garden. Then enter destination.

You get 7 options. Economy, Taxi, Motor, Bolt, Ladies, Comfort, XL.

Economy (4-seater) a few baht cheaper than Bolt (could be bigger car, small car or taxi), Taxi a few baht more. Ladies about the same as Bolt but usually longer wait shows. Comfort (6 seats) and XL (minivan?) at least double the price. I don’t use bikes but motor about 2/3 cost of car.

So far I’ve found Taxi unreliable. Switches to unavailable after you choose and drivers less helpful. Private drivers much more concerned with picking up and dropping off exactly where you want and not 100 metres away or more because it’s easier as taxis do.

[ctp2018]

3 hours ago, davidge said:

Only been a few days of using it but here’s my two pennies worth:

When you open up it defaults to your location. I often find I need to change it to something more obvious. eg from street address to Royal Garden. Then enter destination.

You get 7 options. Economy, Taxi, Motor, Bolt, Ladies, Comfort, XL.

Economy (4-seater) a few baht cheaper than Bolt (could be bigger car, small car or taxi), Taxi a few baht more. Ladies about the same as Bolt but usually longer wait shows. Comfort (6 seats) and XL (minivan?) at least double the price. I don’t use bikes but motor about 2/3 cost of car.

So far I’ve found Taxi unreliable. Switches to unavailable after you choose and drivers less helpful. Private drivers much more concerned with picking up and dropping off exactly where you want and not 100 metres away or more because it’s easier as taxis do.

Sounds like you’re saying stick with a private driver (jeep type or car) Rather than using a bolt option.

[davidge]

1 hour ago, ctp2018 said:

Sounds like you’re saying stick with a private driver (jeep type or car) Rather than using a bolt option.

No. The ‘Bolt’ option can be a private car or a taxi and I’ve not had a problem with it switching to ‘unavailable’. So far it’s been about 70/30 split private/taxi. One private driver was dreadful. The ‘Taxi’ option often seems to do switch to ‘unavailable’. I think ‘Economy’ almost guarantees a private car.

Its only been a few days for me, I’m sure those that have used it for longer can give a broader overview.

[chris19713]

10 hours ago, simon6666 said:

As far as I can tell, the Bolt drivers largely are the regular motorbike taxi crew.

It's not like they shipped in a whole new workforce. I'm sure there are a few new guys but a lot of the blokes who stand around all day just signed themselves up to the app. It's like a supplement to their regular gig.

I stood right across the road, having waved those blokes off, called a Bolt, and the same guy who I waved off turned out to be my driver.

From the look on his face he wasn't too happy about it as he rode over. I was probably paying less than half what he would have otherwise charged.

That's the service, though. At least he got a fare.

Could have been someone else to come and pick me up.

Good info, thanks.  I will stand away from any groups of the motorbike crew.  Don't want to rub it in there face.

What if you have a friend so there is 2 of you for the motorbike.  I guess they charge double, or get one each?  Thinking if you have a lady in tow and you want to get to the hotel fast.  Is it time to order a car in?

Edited November 17, 2022 by chris19713

[xerxez]

Thanks for the advice.  So what I got from this was to use Taxis in BKK and BOLT or Bahtbus for Pattaya

 

[petehoax]

3 minutes ago, xerxez said:

Thanks for the advice.  So what I got from this was to use Taxis in BKK and BOLT or Bahtbus for Pattaya

you can use grab and bolt in bangkok. sometimes it's better / easier than taxi. sometimes taxi is better. it depends. 

if you use an app, you don't need to tell the driver your destination. this makes it often much easier, if you're outside of the tourist areas. 

[PostMan]

36 minutes ago, xerxez said:

Thanks for the advice.  So what I got from this was to use Taxis in BKK and BOLT or Bahtbus for Pattaya

 

yup that's what I'd do. I've only used it twice in Pattaya, on both occasions it's looked like a private car and I was happy with arrival time and the journey. The first time I used Bolt was for collection at the Airport Blue Bus drop off at northern end of Sukhumvit. A few moto-taxi guys tried to get me, my 2 suitcases AND my 2 crutches on to a motorbike - no chance. The bold guy arrived and there was no agro but he was keen to get going.

PS I play it like the driver is a friend for the benefit of any onlookers

Edited November 23, 2022 by PostMan

[xerxez]

16 minutes ago, petehoax said:

you can use grab and bolt in bangkok. sometimes it's better / easier than taxi. sometimes taxi is better. it depends. 

if you use an app, you don't need to tell the driver your destination. this makes it often much easier, if you're outside of the tourist areas. 

Thanks.  I've used taxis and rideshare in other countries I've visited; so I agree it really depends.  But using apps is very convenient and I don't have to haggle prices or get ripped off.  So Bolt/Grab/Taxi in BKK and Bolt/Bahtbus in Pattaya is the plan.  Of coure will modify as needed.

[hioctane]

On 17/11/2022 at 04:51, chris19713 said:

Good info, thanks.  I will stand away from any groups of the motorbike crew.  Don't want to rub it in there face.

What if you have a friend so there is 2 of you for the motorbike.  I guess they charge double, or get one each?  Thinking if you have a lady in tow and you want to get to the hotel fast.  Is it time to order a car in?

Yes, 2 people and double the price. You can get 1 each but you don't want your new lady to get lost and sometimes they refuse to do it unless you are a very big guy. I prefer bolt these days when going home with a lady. No additional costs and it is actually cheaper than mototaxi x 2.