I have been meaning to write the following travel tips for months. But, got too busy and the info has changed.

There is a lot to be said. Instead, I am, believe it or not, going to avoid a lot of details that come my actual experiences.

Note that a lot of changes have happened. So, more changes could occur. Thus, my suggestions may become invalid, sooner or later.


A. MNL to/fro NAIA airport, local transport.

From Ermita or Malate to Terminal 1 (used by most international airlines) and Terminal 3 (used by Cebu Pacific Air and United Air), local convenient travel option is basically a taxicab.

1. Bus.

A new bus line appeared about late 2016. On the side of the bus is written: Premium Airport Bus Service. It calls itself: Ube Express. Initially, it ran about every two hour, 6 am - 11 pm. It has a web site, www.ubeexpress.com, that was supposed to allow for reservations and pickup along the route between Ermita and airport. It began with a charge of 200 pesos, but a few months later lowered it to 150 pesos. The ride took about 45-75 minutes, depending on the traffic and which streets chosen to travel.

This bus service was very good from late 2016 to about fall 2017. Then it became unreliable. It did not stay on schedule. Its airport employees did not know when to expect the bus to arrive. Its Ermita employees disappeared.

However, I have seen the bus parked on the Robinson mall's driveway on Pedro Gil street. It still operates, but its schedule is unknown. It has never replied to my text (sms) messages regarding schedule. So, taking this bus is not a good mode.

A Filipina told me that a similar yellow bus runs between the Greenbelt malls in Makati City and the airport. Over a year ago, I recalled several buses lined up in front of the terminal and wondered where were they going? But, over the last few times I was at the airport during the day, I did not see more than one bus parked in front of the terminal.

2. Taxicab.

At the airport, there are 3 types of car service: private car (which calls itself a taxi, highest cost of the 3 types), airport taxicab (its initial cost is 70-peso and adds up for distance and wait time) sponsored by the airport, and ordinary taxicab (risky, should be lowest-cost).

Private car service. When you come out of the arrival section of the terminal and people approach you asking if you want a taxi, they represent the private cars. At Terminal 1, they used to have offices on the middle island of the roadways outside the building, such as an office named Nissan. They charged by a fixed price to the area of destination.

Airport cars. Outside the terminal to one side or the other (yes, they seemed to changed which side) is a line of yellow cars with airport written on the side of the car. They are cheaper than the private cars, but more expensive than ordinary taxicabs. Supposedly, they work only from the airport and, after passenger drop-off, they return to the airport without picking up any other passenger (not true). They use a meter, but be suspicious if you have difficulty reading the pesos being charged -- when the driver claims that the numbers are the meters traveled.

Street taxicabs. Third are the ordinary taxicabs. They usually comprised of taxi's that have just dropped off passengers in the departure area of the terminal (upper level). Airport signs and staffers will tell you that you travel with these taxicabs at your own risk. The greatest risk is that the driver will not turn on the meter and demand about double the usual fare to your destination. So, before getting in the taxi, ask "meter"? He might say, 50-peso tip? I suggest answering, depends on service.

The next risk is a manipulated meter that runs at a higher rate. If you know what the cost should be (ask an airport staff for an estimate), then you can complain to the driver and threaten to report him (Filipinos said that such reports are not effective). Other risks are infrequent, such as the longer route, robbery, assault, etc. One preventive might be to fake making a cell phone call and giving the taxicab number and approximate time of arrival.

Some time around up to late 2017, the ordinary taxicabs were lined up at the airport terminal, only on its upper level for departures. So, the trick for an arriving passenger was to find a way up to the upper level and to drag your suitcase(s) all around the terminal, such as avoiding an exit from the building (re-entry means lining up for inspection to re-enter), and finding the only door allowed for pedestrians going the other way.

In early 2018, the ordinary taxicabs were lined up on the far lane of the roadway outside the arrival section of the terminal. Did the airport recognize something needed to be done about lines of people trying to leave the airport? My guess at what happened was that the heavy traffic delayed the return of airport cars and various bus lines. In mid-2017, I recalled seeing more than 100 persons lined up for an airport car and heavy stand-still traffic outside the airport grounds while sitting in an ordinary taxi.

3. Route, Ermita - NAIA airport.

Traffic in Manila continues to get worse.

Skyway via Osmena Highway. A year ago, going to the airport, a driver would ask if going via the Skyway is ok? The problem was that it was a longer route (via Osmena Highway) than going by Roxas Blvd and thus more costly. Also, there was an extra 20-peso charge you had to pay at the skyway toll booth at the airport turn-off. The purpose was to avoid the heavy traffic on Roxas Blvd. Note that the traffic on Roxas Blvd is usally not heavy between midnight and 5 am.

A year ago, coming from the airport towards Ermita, using the Skyway over Osmena Highway was not practical. The route encountered construction on the road out of the terminal, too many side streets getting onto the Skyway, too many side streets getting off the Skyway, and heavy traffic during most of the day on the Skyway due to construction. Lot of construction on the road outside the terminals have been completed; but, future plans may include more construction because the skytrain may be going by the terminals.

Skyway over Roxas Blvd. Now that a lot of construction near the terminals have been completed, a driver asking if you want to go via the Skyway has a different meaning. They are referring to a 2nd overhead roadway between the terminals and the filled-in Manila Bay area called Aseana City. What this does is to avoid the airport road going to Roxas Blvd and the Roxas Blvd portion between Airport Road and Vito Cruz street (near the CCP or Cultural Center of the Philippines).

This 2nd Skyway travels above streets from the terminal to Macapagal Blvd (which runs parallel to and on the far side of Roxas Blvd). The Skyway has light traffic. The major delays on Macapagal Blvd are the slow changes of the traffic lights, especially at the intersection of Roxas Blvd and Vito Cruz, next to the CCP, which usually has an extra long line of waiting traffic.

Although the 2nd Skyway has a 35-peso toll, it is faster and cheaper for total cost traveling from terminal to Ermita. For example, the taxi fare was 200 pesos in Feb 2018 going via Skyway and 45 minutes, 300 pesos in Nov 2017 in Nov 2017 going via Roxas Blvd in 1.25 hour, and 700 peos in Sep 2017 going via Roxas Blvd and airport car in 1.5 hour.

B. MNL-BKK Airlines.

The two direct airlines are Cebu Pacific Airline and Thai Airways. CPA's lowest promotional airfare runs about $175, offered about every 2-3 months for 2-3 days or until the number of allocated seats are taken. Thai Airways' lowest fare is about $200, which seems to be available until available allocated seats are taken.

Other major differences are:

CPA has extra charges for checked baggage, based on 15 kg, 20 kg, and 30 kg (the 25 kg option was dropped a few years ago); any drink including water, and food. CPA has no entertainment. Its Manila, flight leaves 6 am and about 10 pm.

Thai Airways' ticket price includes 30 kg total which can be in more than one checked piece, a meal, beverages, and private behind-the-seat screen of whatever film, tv show, game, etc you select from a menu that changes every month. Its Manila flight leaves 2 pm and about 10 pm.

My major gripes:

In mid-2017, CPA changed its aircraft for the MNL-BKK route to a larger aircraft. The former aircraft had rows of seats with barely any space for my knees. I did not want to fly on CPA until I learned that the two rows for mid-aircraft emergency exit had plenty of space for my knees, although they cost extra.

Unfortunately, the larger CPA aircraft have narrower seats, including the emergency exit row seats, which cost even more than on the previous aircraft. All these seats are so narrow that every time I was on the new aircraft, the person in the adjoining seat elbowed me multiple times in my upper arm and chest reaching into their bag or just moving about in their seat. For me, this spacing is not acceptable; so, no more CPA flights for me.

Thai Airways seats, when I buy a ticket at its web site online, can be selected only in the last section of the aircraft. Not a problem for me. What is bothersome is that the airline has changed my selected seat. When I received and read my e-ticket, I saw that my seat selection was changed. I emailed its Manila office, which was very helpful in changing my seat to another available aisle seat.

On my last Thai Airways flight, I looked at my boarding pass stub and discovered that my baggage receipt was missing. Either the boarding gate agent tore off and kept the wrong part of my boarding pass, or the first checkin agent forgot to attach my baggage receipt. Another thing to keep in mind for future trips.

Conclusion: No more CPA flight on MNL-BKK route for me. Thai Airways flights, look out for seat selection and baggage receipt.

C. BKK airport - PYX transport.

There are several options: public bus, Bell Bus, and private vehicles. In the future, there may be a train service.

1. Public bus. At the ground level of the Bangkok Suvarnbhumi Airport, there is a counter near the food court (coffee for 15 baht) that sells ticket to an hourly bus that drops off in Jomtien. It runs during the day and most of the night before midnight. Its price is somewhere under 200 baht, if memory serves. From dropoff to your hotel, you can take a taxicab for about 300 baht. A few people said that they have bargained with a lone taxicab (not lined up with other taxicabs) for a fare of 200 bahts. I have never traveled this way and info is based on what others have roughly described to me.

2. Bell Bus. See www.belltravelservice.com . This costs 240 baht, paid by credit card via Kasikorn Bank link, in advance, non-refundable. However, if you arrive early at the airport, you can pay 20-30 baht in cash to change your reservation to an earlier bus, if a seat is available. If you arrive late at the airport, the Bell agent checks on your flight's actual arrival and can change you to a later bus at no extra cost, or at most 30 baht. Bell Bus runs less frequently and at about two-hour intervals, between 6 am and 6 pm.

One major advantage is that Bell will send a van to pickup or dropoff at your hotel or condo -- if it is on the Bell lists (click on the circle of 3 dots to the right of the pickup/dropoff box -- which can be slow to download) and if you are registered there. Note that many hotels in Bangkok are not on its lists and in Pattaya, I know of one condo that was on the Bell dropoff list, but was not on the Bell pickup list. Note that its scheduled pickup time can be 30-40 minutes earlier than the scheduled bus departure time, and its actual pickup time can be even earlier than scheduled and as late as the scheduled bus departure time. On the other hand, the driver will phone the bus to wait. Ride can take 1.5 - 2 hours depending on traffic; usually, less time at 6 am.

The ride going to Pattaya is about 2 hours, except when your dropoff van is full. In Sep 2017, it took about 3 hours at 8 pm in heavy traffic, traveling from Pattaya North Road, down Beach Road, through streets south of Pattaya South Road, and 3rd Road.

The ride going to the airport is about 90 minutes to 2 hours. But, the wait time for van pickup at your hotel or condo can take up to another hour.

My major problem has been that Thai Airways has frequently been late. So, one hour between aircraft arrival and bus departure was not enough time -- due to late flight, or overly long immigration line and late suitcase delivered to the baggage carousel.

3. A private vehicle. For pickup in Pattaya, you can go to almost any hotel, travel agency, or sidewalk stand to schedule a pickup. Usually, the private vehicle is unmarked, but one time many years ago, I rode in an actual taxi from Pattaya to Bangkok. Usually, I was the only passenger.

But one time from Pattaya to Bangkok the driver in an unmarked car picked up a second passenger -- I should have paid a lower rate similar to a van service for more than one passenger (usually arranged through a travel agency). Be sure to ask if roadway tolls are included or not.

Mr.T Taxi. Personally, in Pattaya I go to Mr.T Taxi office on a dead-end alley next to the Rainbow bar (50-100 meters from Soi LK) on Soi Diana.. To schedule a pickup at the airport, I send it an email.

Mr. T Taxi service. no web presence. email, mr_ttaxi@hotmail.com. mobile 081 258 7716, 098 498 3483. phone 66 38 720 318. 1,000 baht one-way, either way, including toll. office, - 8:30 pm.

When to use a private car service? For me, on arrival the time of arrival is important. I use a private car service when bus service is not available. That means: arriving after 5 pm or too late to get the last Bell bus at 6 pm. Of course, the one hour allows for a moderate number of foreigners waiting at Immigration and airport personnel delivering suitcases on time. And, a few times, the Immigration line was overly long and there was a shortage of airport workers for unloading baggage.

Since there are several exit doors out of the Custom area, you have to walk around in the public area to find the driver holding a cardboard sign with your name block-printed. Pay the dirver on arrival at destination (toll is included). I add at least 100-baht tip, depending on service, please do not drive too fast.

On departure, taking the Bell bus at 6 am meant two hours to check in at the airport prior to airline departure. During the high season (Nov - Feb), I encountered overly long lines at the security exam point and at the Immigration counters, such that I was one of the last passengers to board the aircraft. So, during high season, I leave Pattaya at 5 am via a private car service, arrive at the airport about 6:30 am, when an airline opens its counters 3 hours prior to departure. Note that Thai Airways has checked me in earlier than 3 hours, since its counters are opened continuously for many of its flights.

In Feb 2018 in the early afternoon of a weekday, after clearing the security inspection (no full-body scan this time), I waited over an hour in line to clear Immigration -- beginning with a wait in line to take the down escalator to the Immigration area.

My major gripe. I can make a reservation via text or sms on a cell phone. But, in person, I have a better chance of stating that I need a larger car to allow me to stretch my legs to avoid cramp and pain. A problem that comes with old age.

My only other gripe, relatively minor, is that nearly all Mr.T drivers go fast and sometimes ride the lane markings. But, they seem under control and awake.

One Mr.T driver told me that the company had about 10 drivers and about 15 vehicles, he was busy every day driving, and when the company was overbooked, the company had arrangements with other companies to provide driver and car.

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Afterthought: Traffic has gotten so bad in Manila that I question why I continue to stay here. Other factors too have gotten worse. Reasons I selected Manila still have some validity -- most locals speak some English, more cable tv channels in English, many cultural and popular events all the time, nearly all-night nitelife, cheaper prescription medicine, university courses taught in English. Laziness and the stress of moving are major obstacles to change. We'll see, we'll see.

Keep on mowing.

Awesome info!

Thanks!

you omitted philippine airlines as an option for BKK-MNL-BKK. i just finished a five night trip in MNL and flew PAL. 250usd r/t, new A330 on the way over and old A340 on the way back. was able to select aisle seat at the time of purchase.

check in at BKK took awhile. best to check in online in advance and then you can go to the 'online check-in/bag drop' counter (they had two of those and three helping the other econ passengers).

in the past i've flown thai but their noon arrival in MNL seems to arrive same time as a few other flights. always a long wait at immigration. their other flight arrives at 7pm which isn't too bad.

cebu pacific has a good departure time from BKK (9:30am) but not good from MNL (5am dep).

Buick is right. I forgot to mention Philippine Air. Mainly because I only flew on it once about 20 years ago when it was expensive. I should consider it now.

On the other hand, I read a recent post somewhere else. The poster complained of old aircraft, poor service, and moderate pricing. But, shit happens every now and then. Evidently, Buick did not have similar experience.

Thanks for the comments. Good to know that others are interested in the topic.