Grab vs Private Car to/from BKK
 

BKK to Grand Hyatt Erawan is 900 baht including tolls for private car (6 seater) and about 600 baht for Grab 6 seater. The private car (Toyota Fortuner) will meet you inside the terminal and help you with your luggage. I was going to book a private car service, then thought, what is really the advantage of it. We can carry my own bags, 4 luggage. Four of us in total - spouse and 2 kids. What is really the advantage of using private car service over Grab to and from BKK?

Several advantages, IMO:

a. Grab fare does not include tolls. You pay extra for those if you want to use the toll road (approx. 125 THB in tolls, depending upon route), which will be faster during heavy periods of traffic.

b. A high probability that your private vehicle will be of better quality (material condition and cleanliness) than the average Grab vehicle.

c. A higher (though not definitive) probability that your private vehicle driver will be a more professional driver than the average Grab bloke.

With a fare difference of less than $10 US......

Also the uncertainty of timing of a Grab pick-up, particularly from the city to BKK. We had a heck of a time getting Grabs in Bangkok last month.

At current exchange, 300 THB = $8.17 USD.

to which place did you pay 125 THB toll? it is correct that you have to pay tolls in addition to the fare for Grab and Bolt
M7 from Swampy to Srinakarin is tollfree; so you could go along Rama IX and it will cost you zero toll
if you enter the elevated expressway (first along Rama IX) to the inner city, you pass usually 2 toll stations, total 75 THB

b and c can also be the other way round...

Indeed, 75 baht is what the tolls will set you back from BKK to the city centre, and vice versa.

I have used the new-ish Grab pickup zone once in BKK, and it does save the hassle of going to departures level and scouting for someone parking illegally etc.

I get the impression that Grab are widely available from downtown area. We will be going to BKK around 4:00am, so I don't think I'll have a problem getting Grab. But, then, private cars are under $10 extra only.

Not sure what you mean by "downtown"; the GH is in Ratchaprasong. But I agree 4 am should be a relatively low demand period!

But at the same time also likely a low supply period. Personally, at that hour, I would book the professional car service. I know you can pre-book Grab as well, but I have been burnt by that before.

I would always book a car service to/from the airport; it's a relative bargain in Bangkok.

Our last Grab experience in Bangkok, a pick-up from W/A after breakfast, the driver couldn't find the front door. He circled the entire complex about four times. Everyone stayed good humored about it (why I love Thailand), but a good example of the potential pitfalls of relying on Grab.

Thanks. I'll do private car then.

Generally, they all follow their GPS blindly - if it said go off a bridge into the river the would do it.. Worst one I had was a driver on pick-up going down a dead end street, which has a narrow pathway at the end to my street which is only accessible by pedestrians (and bikes), only to not figure out how to get out…

Nothing like a good old BKK transportation conversation. :D If you ask five "experts", you will get five different answers and none are really wrong. As far as the op's specific question. I used Bolt last time, I am adventurous that way. It was not that great of an experience, it was getting the pickup location coordinated. My wife is originally from Thailand, familiar with where we were and it was a pain to get the rookie drive to the right place. I only mention that as that is somewhat the same experience as Grab. Now, I have not used the designated Grab pickup location, that should help a lot. You can actually pick your vehicle in Grab and a lot of SUV's lately seem to be available. With regards to getting a private car. That is more straight forward but unless you pay extra to have someone actually meet you, it will be a person that works for multiple companies. You meet that person and they call the driver and then someone escorts you to the car. Personally, I find that annoying as I have waited a bit and I could have delt with the location circus with the Grab driver in that amount of time. That is just me though.

If you are not familiar with the BKK arrival experience, I would recommend the private car method that you mention. It should be easier as the car service minders are all right outside the immigration/customs exit.

Yep, after checkout at the GH several weeks ago, was planning to take Grab back to BKK for an early morning flight. App displayed 10-15 min wait. This was around 6 am. Went outside to the bell desk and they got a taxi for me on the spot for 500 THB. Not sure if a 6 seater would have been as relatively available though.

The ride-service bait and switch unfortunately does not respect international borders. If anything, we had much worse experiences with Grad than we have with Uber/Lyft promising a 10-15 minute pickup, then actually assigning a car that's considerably farther away.

Anyone have a particular car service they’d recommend for bkk? (Going to/from the kimpton)