Bolt app?

[h.harris]

On 28/10/2022 at 07:15, THguypattaya said:

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!

I got a Chase CC and a Citibank CC in Grab app no problems. They are MC card if that makes a difference.

[THguypattaya]

16 hours ago, h.harris said:

I got a Chase CC and a Citibank CC in Grab app no problems. They are MC card if that makes a difference.

Nice I also got Citibank costco CC here with me, but my Chase freedom I left it at home. 

Vs cash is the CC method a lot more than cash or no? Is there a transaction fee each time, and exchange rate not as good and the bank make some money off it too, and some other small surcharges etc.? I always pay by cash and it's not that convenient.

Also Grabfood drivers after I gave them cash, they never count them and just leaves, I told them to count it and most don't know English, sup with that that they don't count it? So far there are 4,5 of them that's like that.

[Wingeing Pom]

I always go into the street opposite my condo building before using the App to order a Bolt taxi.  Its a very quiet street and an easy stop/pick up place.

(To make it simple and avoid him needing to drive through the security barrier and find me).

I am always the only person standing there. So it works well.  On average I wait 4 minutes. I am never in a rush anyway.

BUT my point is ... about a quarter of the time the App says the taxi has arrived ... errrrrr no it AINT. There is no sign of it.

I found out out the App directs them to a hotel next door to my condo.  They drive in there. So now if I get a "taxi has arrived" message with no sign of it .. I phone the driver and say 'come back to the road, turn right .. 100 yards .. you will see me. Sorted.

I am wondering how they would find me in a crowded road, near Walking Street or Soi Buekhow at 2 a.m. ... if the GPS can be so inacurate.

Hey ho. Not a big deal.  Just saying. I'll figure it out.  My first Bolt booking failed as he could not understand English, when the App took him somewhere not correct. I was outside Lotus supermarket. Should have been easy.  Had to get a motorbike taxi with a crazy amount of shopping including a large folding chair round my neck. Ha ha. Crazy and dangerous.

(Discovered Lazada since so that wont be happening again)

Since then they have all had good English and it all has worked great.

Edited November 24, 2022 by Wingeing Pom

[h.harris]

5 hours ago, THguypattaya said:

Nice I also got Citibank costco CC here with me, but my Chase freedom I left it at home. 

Vs cash is the CC method a lot more than cash or no? Is there a transaction fee each time, and exchange rate not as good and the bank make some money off it too, and some other small surcharges etc.? I always pay by cash and it's not that convenient.

Also Grabfood drivers after I gave them cash, they never count them and just leaves, I told them to count it and most don't know English, sup with that that they don't count it? So far there are 4,5 of them that's like that.

There is no surcharge and the exchange rate is very good, as it use the official visa/mc rate, and most of the time they are better than at an exchange booth.

Make sure your cc does not have a foreign exchange charge (and most travel cc don't). Extra benefit is these spending will earn you the cc points too.

[jpmelville]

12 hours ago, hioctane said:

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.

Small hint. If yoy are Soi Buakhao or similar hotspot. Walk to 3rd road and then order taxi. usually it's there in 1 minute. If you order taxi to for example Soi Buakhao, it can take some time if they even accept the order.

[davidge]

On 17/11/2022 at 09:52, 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.

Just updating as I’ve been using it for a bit longer now. I’ve used Bolt a lot more than I’d planned as I haven’t been too well since being here so have done many trips now. 

The location issue I mentioned is something to be aware of. When booking from my condo the app shows a location a fair distance away every single time so I have to go to the map and change it. 

The taxi issue is also a definite one. They clearly don’t like using Bolt so often it shows as unavailable or the price is higher. I don’t bother choosing taxi now.

I’ll use Economy or Bolt each time, usually only a few baht between them. With Bolt I have very occasionally had a taxi pick up the job but it’s usually a private car. Most times it’s been a SUV or similar, sometimes a small car and once even a minivan. Economy usually a small car but sometimes a suv etc will pick up the job.

Usually it’s only a few minutes wait, occasionally 10-15.

Much cheaper than Grab used to be and no real problems so far. 

[jimboh]

Anyone got a BOLT from airport to Pattaya?

[hioctane]

1 hour ago, jimboh said:

Anyone got a BOLT from airport to Pattaya?

It is more expensive (around 1300) than the cheapest car service (1000).

[Mikejon]

I used Bolt about 20 times for my last trip in May. Had one or two problems but generally very good and efficent. Will be using on my next trip in January,

[ctp2018]

I assume there’s no problem using baht, rather than a credit card to pay. Similar to using Uber in the US?

[davidge]

1 minute ago, ctp2018 said:

I assume there’s no problem using baht, rather than a credit card to pay. Similar to using Uber in the US?

I’ve always paid with cash.

[jennings]

47 minutes ago, ctp2018 said:

I assume there’s no problem using baht, rather than a credit card to pay. Similar to using Uber in the US?

I’ve always paid with baht. Unless you choose Taxi you’ll be most likely getting a private car.  Don’t know if a CC is even an option when paying 

[A6-GIV]

Bolt:

1) booked a trip from boomerang to jomtien and the options were: motorbike or car. The two wheeler was 50% more expensive than the car... needless to say I have chosen the 77bahr car option and gave the driver a 100baht bill. fine for me and surely for him.

2) another time I booked the car from Buakhow and a small black Nissan shows up. Perfect, on the spot in 2 minutes.  The day after I walk in soi Diana, opposite family mart and was greeted by a mototaxi guy saying "hallo papa", like we know each other. Was puzzled: I never used mototaxi. I look at him with a wondering  face and then he says: "I took you to jomtien  yesterday with my car... ".

I look around and see the black Nissan vehicle parked aside the motorbikes....🥸