Getting around Thailand comes down to the same handful of choices: open Grab, open Bolt, flag a taxi, or hop on a motorbike. The right one depends on where you are, your luggage, and how much you value a fixed price over haggling cheaper. This guide compares every common option, what each costs in mid-2026, and the scams, meter refusal, the tuk-tuk gem-shop detour, that trip up visitors most.
Prices are in Thai baht (THB) with US dollars in parentheses at ฿33 = US$1 (July 2026). If you’re flying in, our Bangkok airport to city and Suvarnabhumi Airport guides cover the pickup rules and touts to avoid, and getting around Bangkok goes deeper on combining trains, boats and apps.
How do Grab, Bolt, taxis, motorbikes and tuk-tuks compare?
| Option | Typical cost | Coverage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grab (car) | ~฿80-200 in-town, more cross-city | Nationwide: every major city, most tourist islands | Fixed price, widest availability, no Thai needed |
| Bolt (car) | Usually 10-25% cheaper than Grab | Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya | Budget-conscious riders in its four cities |
| inDrive | Rider names a price, driver accepts/counters | Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya (patchier than Grab) | Negotiating a fare inside an app instead of on the street |
| Metered taxi | ฿35 flag-fall + ~฿6.50/km | Nationwide in cities and towns | Off-peak trips, luggage, cash payers |
| Motorbike taxi (win) | ฿20-60 short hop, negotiated or app | Every city, soi-mouth ranks | Beating gridlock on a short solo trip |
| Tuk-tuk | ฿100-200, negotiated | Tourist areas nationwide | A one-off novelty ride, not real transport |
| Songthaew | ฿20-30 shared flat fare (more for long runs) | Chiang Mai and towns outside Bangkok | Cheap shared local transport |
Figures compiled from current app listings and Thailand’s Department of Land Transport 2026 fare schedule; see Sources. Ranges, not quotes.
Is Grab the default choice in Thailand?
Yes, for most visitors. Grab has the deepest reach in the country, working in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui and nearly every other city, covering cars, motorbike taxis (GrabBike) and food delivery in one app. Pay by card or cash, fare quoted upfront, no meter to argue about, no language barrier. A typical in-town ride runs roughly ฿80-200, more at surge pricing, airport pickups run higher, generally ฿300-450 plus tolls. You just need data: a Thai SIM, eSIM, or wifi.
Is Bolt actually cheaper than Grab?
Usually, but only where it operates. Bolt runs in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya and commonly undercuts Grab by 10-25% on the same route, often ฿30-80 on a typical trip. Its driver base is thinner outside central Bangkok, so expect a longer wait or a cancelled booking in Phuket and Pattaya, and it isn’t available in smaller towns or islands. Most residents keep both apps installed.
inDrive is a smaller third option in the same four cities: name a price and nearby drivers accept or counter-offer. Its pool is smaller than Grab’s or Bolt’s, treat it as a supplement, not a primary app.
How much does a metered taxi cost, and why do drivers refuse the meter?
A metered taxi’s flag-fall is ฿35 (about US$1.05) for the first kilometre, then roughly ฿6.50/km, switching to a ฿3-per-minute waiting charge below about 6km/h, per Thailand’s Department of Land Transport 2026 rate schedule. A typical crosstown Bangkok trip runs ฿80-150. From an airport, add the standard ฿50 surcharge plus cash tolls, see our Bangkok airport to city guide for the full breakdown.
The catch is meter refusal. Drivers idling outside hotels, malls, attractions and airports often refuse the meter and quote a flat fare instead, almost always higher. It’s a violation of Thailand’s taxi rules, but enforcement is inconsistent, so the defence is on you: say “meter, please” before getting in, and settle in only once the flag-fall shows. If a driver won’t switch it on, hail the next one, or just book a Grab or Bolt instead.
When should you take a motorbike taxi instead?
When you’re going a short distance and the road is jammed, which in Thailand’s cities is often. Motorbike taxis, known as win, cluster at fixed ranks marked by the riders’ numbered or coloured vests, usually at a soi mouth or outside a BTS/MRT station, weaving through stopped traffic in a fraction of a car’s time. Fares for a short hop typically run ฿20-60, agreed before you climb on, longer trips negotiated case by case. No luggage room, not for the nervous rider, but for beating gridlock light-bag, nothing’s faster. Where Grab or Bolt run their motorbike option, you get the same speed with an upfront app price.
Are tuk-tuks worth it?
As an experience, once. As transport, rarely. Tuk-tuks don’t run meters, so every fare is negotiated before you climb aboard, and tourists are routinely quoted ฿100-200 for a short ride a taxi or Grab would cover for less. The bigger issue is Thailand’s well-documented gem-shop and tailor-shop scam: a suspiciously cheap fare or “quick tour” detours to a shop paying the driver commission, sometimes with a “the temple is closed today” line thrown in. Agree the destination and price before boarding, and insist on going straight there if a driver suggests a stop. Our Thailand travel scams guide covers this and other traps.
What about songthaews outside Bangkok?
Outside the capital, especially in Chiang Mai, the songthaew (“two rows,” for its bench seating) is the local shared-taxi system: a pickup truck with a covered bed you flag down, name your destination, and pay a flat per-person fare, sharing with whoever else is aboard. Chiang Mai’s red songthaews charge a flat ฿30 per person within the Old City-Nimman-Night Bazaar area, rising to roughly ฿100-150 for Doi Suthep and around ฿120 to the airport. Charter the whole truck privately for around ฿800-1,200 round trip instead. Similar shared trucks run in most Thai towns that lack Bangkok’s rail and app density.
Is it safe for women to travel by taxi or Grab alone?
Generally, yes, and Grab or Bolt carry a real edge over a street-hailed taxi or tuk-tuk: the app records the driver’s name, photo and plate, tracks the route, and lets you share your trip live with someone else. In a metered taxi, sit in the back, keep your location visible to a friend, and trust your instincts if the driver takes an unfamiliar route or the car doesn’t match the plate you expected. Late at night, avoid unmarked cars offering rides, and get out somewhere public and well-lit if anything feels wrong.
Tipping isn’t expected on any of these, rounding up to the nearest ฿10-20 is common but not required; see tipping in Thailand for broader norms. Keep cash on hand regardless, taxis, motorbike taxis and tuk-tuks are still mostly cash, and a driver’s “no change” for a large note is routine. Grab and Bolt take cash or card, but a cash backup covers a dead card or weak signal.
The honest take
None of these is right every time. Grab is the safest default, wide coverage and a fixed price, but not always the cheapest, surge pricing in rain or rush hour can beat a metered taxi’s fare. Bolt saves money reliably in its four cities but expect the odd cancelled booking, and it isn’t an option elsewhere. Metered taxis are cheapest on paper but only if the driver runs the meter, far from guaranteed at tourist-heavy spots. Motorbike taxis and songthaews are excellent value for short trips but aren’t built for luggage or long hauls. And tuk-tuks are worth exactly one ride, for the photo, not the price. Match the option to the trip, not the habit.
Sources
- Thailand Department of Land Transport 2026 metered taxi fare schedule: ฿35 flag-fall, ~฿6.50/km, ฿3/minute waiting rate.
- Current Grab and Bolt app city-coverage listings for Thailand (2026), including Bolt’s Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya operating cities.
- Current inDrive city-availability listings for Thailand (2026).
- Reporting and rider guides on Bangkok and Thailand taxi meter-refusal practices and enforcement.
- Chiang Mai songthaew fare guides (2026): flat in-moat rate, Doi Suthep and airport pricing.
- Current tourist-safety and scam-awareness guides on the Thailand tuk-tuk gem-shop and tailor-shop detour.