Motorbike taxis, called "win" (from the Thai win mo-toe-sai), wait at stands on street corners all over Bangkok and carry one passenger on the back through traffic that has stopped the cars. They are fast and cheap for short hops, but they are also the riskiest way to get around the city, so use them for short distances, wear the helmet and pick a registered rider.
A registered rider wears a numbered vest, rides a motorbike with a yellow public-transport plate and works from a fixed stand. Fares are regulated by the Ministry of Transport, and many stands post a price chart. You can also book a registered rider through the Grab app.
This page is about motorbike taxis as a passenger. If you want to ride a scooter yourself, our guide to safe motorcycle and scooter riding covers that.
Motorbike taxis in Bangkok: the rules in brief
- Registered rider
- Numbered vest, yellow licence plate, public driving licence, insurance
- Legal fare
- Max 25 baht for the first 2 km, then a capped rate per km
- Helmet
- Required by law for rider and passenger
- Complaints
- Department of Land Transport hotline 1584, 24 hours
- In an app
- GrabBike (Win) in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan
How to spot a registered rider
Riders gather at a "win", a stand usually at the mouth of a soi (side street), outside a BTS or MRT exit, or by a condominium. They wear a numbered vest that shows which stand they belong to. In October 2025 the Department of Land Transport (DLT) set out what makes a rider legal: a yellow licence plate, a valid public driving licence and insurance cover. Riders must also pass a criminal background check, work from the stand where they are registered, and the details on the vest, the ID card and the plate must match.
The DLT also said that riders may not rent, sell or lend their vests. If the name or number on the vest does not match the card, or the bike has an ordinary white plate, you are not dealing with a registered motorbike taxi. Walk on to the next stand or use an app.
What a ride costs
The Ministry of Transport caps motorbike taxi fares. As reported by the Bangkok Post in July 2025, the legal scale is:
| Distance | Maximum fare |
|---|---|
| First 2 km | ฿25 |
| From 2 to 5 km | ฿5 per extra km |
| From 5 to 15 km | ฿10 per extra km |
| Over 15 km | As agreed between rider and passenger |
If no price was agreed before the trip, the rider may charge no more than 10 baht per km from the first kilometer. Many stands display a chart with fixed prices from that stand to nearby places. It is in Thai, so a translation app helps, or ask the price before you get on and point to your destination on a map.
Overcharging is an offence under the Land Transport Act, with a fine of up to 10,000 baht, and you can complain to the DLT on 1584 at any time. Note the vest number before you pay if you think the price is wrong.
GrabBike and other apps
Grab offers motorbike rides under the name GrabBike (Win). According to Grab, the riders are public motorbike taxi drivers who have been trained and have passed criminal background checks, every ride is tracked in real time and insured, and the fare is a fixed, distance-based price shown in the app before you book. You can pay in cash or by card. Grab gives the coverage as Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan only.
The app removes the two weak points of a street stand: the language barrier and the price. The rider sees your destination on the map, and you see the fare first. Our guide to using Grab in Thailand covers setting up the app. Bolt also offers motorbike rides in Bangkok; our comparison of Bolt and Grab weighs the two.
Are motorbike taxis safe?
Honestly, they are the least safe of Bangkok's common transport options. You sit on the back of a two-wheeler in heavy traffic, often weaving between buses, and a fall at any speed can cause serious injury. Thousands of residents use them every day without trouble, and a short ride down a quiet soi to a BTS station is a very different risk from a long trip across the city on main roads.
The law requires both the rider and the passenger to wear a helmet. Ask the rider for a passenger helmet before you get on, fasten the strap, and if there is no helmet, wait for another rider.
Check that your travel insurance covers you as a motorbike passenger. Some policies exclude or limit claims connected to motorbikes, and hospital bills after a road accident in Thailand can be high. Read the policy before your trip rather than after a fall.
Simple habits lower the risk. Keep your knees in and your feet on the footrests, hold the grab rail behind you or the rider's shoulders, and keep bags in front of you or on your back, never swinging from one hand. Tell the rider "cha cha" (slowly) if you feel unsafe; our list of useful Thai phrases has more.
When to say no
- Long distances on main roads. Over a few kilometers, the BTS, MRT or a car is safer and often not much slower.
- Heavy rain or flooded streets. Wet roads and hidden potholes make falls far more likely.
- Large luggage. A suitcase on your lap upsets the balance of the bike. Take a taxi instead.
- Small children. There is no proper way to carry them safely as a passenger.
- A rider who has been drinking or who refuses to give you a helmet.
- After drinking yourself. Your balance matters on the back seat too.
For longer trips, compare with a car: our articles on taxis and Grab in Bangkok and on taking a tuk-tuk cover the alternatives, and for most longer distances in the city the BTS and MRT are the better choice.
Outside Bangkok
Motorbike taxi stands exist in many Thai towns. The DLT registration rules quoted above were announced for Bangkok; elsewhere, look for the same signs of a public vehicle (a yellow plate and a numbered vest), insist on the helmet the law requires, and agree the fare before you get on, since there may be no price chart. GrabBike's motorbike taxi service covers only greater Bangkok, according to Grab.
If something does go wrong, the Tourist Police are on 1155 and an ambulance on 1669; our page on emergency numbers in Thailand lists the rest.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a motorbike taxi in Bangkok?
The Ministry of Transport caps the fare at 25 baht for the first 2 km, then 5 baht per km up to 5 km and 10 baht per km up to 15 km. Longer trips are agreed in advance. Many stands post fixed prices to nearby places.
Do I have to wear a helmet on a motorbike taxi?
Yes. Thai law requires both the rider and the passenger to wear a helmet. Ask for a passenger helmet before you get on. If a rider cannot give you one, wait for the next rider or choose another way to travel.
How do I know a motorbike taxi is official?
A registered rider wears a numbered vest, has an ID card whose details match the vest, and rides a motorbike with a yellow public-transport plate. The Department of Land Transport says riders must also hold a public driving licence and insurance.
Can I book a motorbike taxi on Grab?
Yes, in greater Bangkok. GrabBike (Win) uses registered public motorbike taxi riders, shows a fixed distance-based fare before you book and covers Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan, according to Grab.
Where can I complain about a motorbike taxi?
Call the Department of Land Transport hotline on 1584, which is open 24 hours. Give the stand location and the rider's vest number. Overcharging is an offence carrying a fine of up to 10,000 baht.
Sources
- Bangkok Post – Are you being overcharged by Thai motorcycle taxis? (8 July 2025) (checked October 2026)
- Bangkok Post – Department of Land Transport opens bike taxi registration (17 October 2025) (checked October 2026)
- Grab Thailand – GrabBike (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Driving in Thailand: essential guidelines (checked October 2026)
- Bolt – Bangkok (checked October 2026)