UberX is Now in Bangkok and Cheaper than Taxis

UberX in Bangkok

They say competition is good for the consumer, and I think that is exactly the way it is going with taxis in Bangkok at the moment. We already have apps such as GrabTaxi and EasyTaxi to help us catch these regular taxis. Then, about six months ago, UberBlack came to Thailand for the first time. This gave a luxurious and safe alternative for getting around Bangkok. But, it came at a premium price. Now comes the news that Uber has launched UberX in Bangkok.

UberX in Bangkok

So, what is UberX? According to their press release, “UberX is the low-cost Uber option that combines the same great Uber quality and reliability you know and love with lower prices than ever before. UberX cars are mostly compact cars, but you’ll have to give it a try to see what you get!” To try it out, just open the Uber app on your smartphone. Below the map showing your location you will now see a slider. Push it to the left for the UberX cars. Not signed up yet? Get 200 Baht off your first ride by entering the promo code uxtb6. You can download the app for free for Android or iOS.

UberX in Bangkok

During the soft launch, the catchment area is only within Central Bangkok. But, the prices will be CHEAPER than regular taxis for the time being. The base fare will only be 25 Baht and then it is 1 Baht per minute and 4.5 Baht per kilometer. Minimum fare is 45 Baht. You have to pay tolls on top of this. But, unlike regular taxis, you don’t need to hunt around for change to pay the driver. Everything is charged to your credit card once the ride is completed. You will also receive an email receipt straight away. I was charged twice once for a tollway and they quickly corrected the mistake after I had pointed it out to them by email. See my blog Why I Prefer to Use Uber Bangkok and not Taxis.

If you have tried UberX already then please post in the comments below. I will try soon and so look out for my live tweets on Twitter @RichardBarrow.

One thought on “UberX is Now in Bangkok and Cheaper than Taxis

  • October 19, 2014 at 5:26 pm
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    It’s misleading for Uber to claim this service is cheaper than a regular taxi – the 25 baht base fare doesn’t include the first 2km and the per minute charge applies to total trip time, not just speed under 6kph.

    This means, depending on traffic, shorter (<10km) trips on surface roads are likely to be more expensive than a regular taxi, while Uber might have the pricing advantage over longer distances traveled by expressway.

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