Phuket to Krabi: bus, minivan, ferry or private transfer?

Phuket and Krabi face each other across Phang Nga Bay, and moving between them is one of the most common hops on an Andaman coast trip. By road it is roughly 165 km via Phang Nga town, or 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on traffic and where you start and finish. By sea it is shorter, and a ferry from Rassada Pier can land you directly on Railay Beach or at Ao Nang without touching Krabi Town. Your realistic choices are a public bus, a shared minivan with or without hotel pick-up, a ferry or speedboat, or a private car. Flying via Bangkok is possible but pointless, as we explain below.

Options at a glance

Public bus

Long-distance buses leave from Phuket Bus Terminal 2, the large modern terminal on Thepkasattri Road in Rassada, about 4 km north of the Phuket Town centre. Phuket Bus Terminal 1 on Phang Nga Road in the old town is the hub for local songthaews and many minivans, and a pink songthaew or shuttle minibus links the two terminals for a few tens of baht; from Patong, Kata or Karon you will need a taxi, Grab or Bolt (allow 45 to 60 minutes and a few hundred baht).

The Phuket to Krabi service is run by regional operators rather than Transport Co.'s long-distance fleet, and the "bus" is often a coach-standard minibus or a mid-size air-conditioned bus. Expect a first departure around 06:30 and the last in the late afternoon, with a handful in between; check the current timetable at the terminal or on a booking platform, because times shift seasonally. The ride takes about three hours with one short stop. Tickets are sold at the terminal counters on the day, but buying a day ahead is sensible in December and January.

On arrival you pull into the Krabi Bus Terminal at Talat Kao, about 5 km north of the Krabi Town centre and roughly 20 km from Ao Nang. White Krabi–Ao Nang songthaews wait outside and charge around 60 THB per person by day (a little more after 18:00), every 15 to 20 minutes in high season and daylight only in low season. A songthaew into town is around 30 THB and a taxi to the centre around 100 THB. Touting drivers quote 400 THB or more for a car to Ao Nang, reasonable for a group of three or four. Suitcases travel in the hold at no charge.

Shared minivan

Minivans are the workhorse of the route. The terminal-to-terminal version departs mostly from Phuket Bus Terminal 1 in Phuket Town, with some services also calling at Terminal 2, roughly hourly from about 06:40 to 18:00. Fares are typically 350 to 500 THB per seat and the trip takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours, ending at the Krabi Bus Terminal, in Krabi Town or at Ao Nang depending on the service. Luggage space is the weak point: one medium bag per person is fine, but a second large case may be refused or charged as an extra seat.

The version most visitors use is the hotel pick-up minivan sold on 12Go and similar platforms by operators such as 438 Phuket Krabi Transport, Goodluck Lanta Tour, Van Shuttle and Call Me Taxi Thailand. These collect you from hotels in Patong, Kata, Karon, Phuket Town or Phuket Airport and drop you at hotels in Ao Nang or Krabi Town for roughly 700 to 1,100 THB per person. The catch is time: a van doing the rounds of Patong and Kata can take an hour just to leave Phuket, so count on 3.5 to 4.5 hours overall and treat the pick-up window as approximate. Most departures are in the morning, with a few around midday and mid-afternoon.

From Phuket Airport: several operators sell direct shared vans from arrivals to Ao Nang and Krabi Town at a few fixed times, mostly morning and mid-afternoon, for around 700 to 1,100 THB per person. If your flight lands between those times you either wait or pay for a private car. The airport's own buses serve only Phuket's beaches and town.

Ferry and speedboat

Boats leave from Rassada Pier on the east side of Phuket Town, about 15 minutes by taxi from the centre and roughly 45 minutes from Patong or the airport. A few speedboat operators use Bang Rong Pier in north-east Phuket instead, handy from the airport. Krabi has three landing points, and which one you want matters more than the operator's name:

• Railay – the big ferries anchor off the beach. In the dry season (roughly November to April) a longtail takes you to Railay West, which means wading the last few metres with your bags held high. In the wet season the boats use the floating pier at Railay East instead. Either way, pack so that a splash will not ruin anything.
• Nopparat Thara Pier, Ao Nang – a proper pier at the river mouth between Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara beaches, a short songthaew or taxi ride from most Ao Nang hotels. The most useful arrival point if you are staying in Ao Nang.
• Klong Jilad Pier, Krabi Town – about 3 to 4 km from the town centre, with a taxi desk showing posted prices. Services here mostly come via Phi Phi.

The operators to look for in October 2026:

• Ao Nang Travel & Tour (Ao Nang Princess) runs a late-morning sailing from Rassada to Railay (about 1 h 45 min) and on to Nopparat Thara Pier (about 2 hours) for roughly 900 THB one way, returning mid-afternoon. When bookings are light the ferry may be swapped for a speedboat, and in rough seas Railay passengers may be sent by longtail from Ao Nang.
• Andaman Wave Master links Rassada Pier with Phi Phi (Tonsai Pier) and Krabi's Klong Jilad Pier: about 2 hours by speedboat, around 4 hours by ferry via Phi Phi. Budget 1,000 to 1,300 THB for the through fare.
• Tigerline and Chureang Travel cover similar Phuket–Phi Phi–Krabi routings, Tigerline landing at Ao Nam Mao Pier south of Ao Nang; useful if the sailings above are full.
• Speedboats from Bang Rong run via Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai to Nopparat Thara and Railay in around two hours, for 600 to 900 THB and a bumpier ride.

Most sailings leave between 08:30 and 13:30, so a ferry is not an evening option. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early. Luggage is stacked near the stern, where spray lands, so a waterproof cover for your pack is worth having. If you are prone to seasickness choose open-deck seats and take a tablet half an hour before boarding. From May to October the Andaman swell can delay or cancel sailings at short notice; keep a road alternative in mind if you have a flight the next morning.

Private taxi or transfer

A pre-booked private car or minivan picks you up at any Phuket address and drops you at your Krabi hotel in 2.5 to 3.5 hours, stopping wherever you like. Rates in October 2026 run from roughly 2,100 THB for a small car from Phuket Town or the airport to 3,000 to 3,500 THB for a minivan from the southern beaches. Street taxis rarely use the meter for this trip, so agree a fixed price or book through a platform with set fares. Grab and Bolt will quote the journey (Grab adds an inter-province surcharge), but drivers are not always keen on a one-way trip, so a pre-booked car is more reliable for early flights or late arrivals. Split between three or four people it costs little more per head than a hotel-pick-up minivan.

Flying: why it does not make sense

There are no direct flights between Phuket and Krabi airports. The only air routing is Phuket to Bangkok and back down to Krabi: two flights, a connection at Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang and transfers at each end, for five hours or more door to door and fares from about 3,000 THB per person. Every road or sea option above is faster, cheaper and less effort. Krabi Airport only matters if you are flying out of Krabi later in your trip.

Which option should you choose?

• Staying in Railay or Ao Nang: a Rassada Pier ferry if the sea is calm and the timing suits; it saves the terminal-and-songthaew shuffle. Otherwise a hotel-pick-up minivan direct to Ao Nang.
• Staying in Krabi Town: the public bus or terminal-to-terminal minivan plus a short taxi or songthaew is simple and inexpensive.
• Tight budget: public bus from Terminal 2, then the 60 THB songthaew from Talat Kao.
• Families with children and luggage: a private transfer. The minivan rules on bags and the wet landing at Railay are hard work with a pushchair and three suitcases.
• Prone to motion sickness: the Phang Nga road is winding but short; sit near the front of a minivan or bus, or book a private car so you can stop. Avoid speedboats in the wet season.
• Arriving at Phuket Airport and continuing straight to Krabi: a shared airport van if your landing matches a departure, a private car if not.
• Travelling in the evening: only private transfers run after dark; leave Phuket by mid-afternoon on any other option.

Where to check and book

Read more about both ends of the trip in our Phuket guide and Krabi guide. This hop features in our 7-day Thailand itinerary, and our Thailand travel essentials covers SIM cards, cash and ride-hailing apps that make the connections easier.

FAQ

How far is Phuket from Krabi?

About 165 km by road via Phang Nga, or roughly 60 km across the bay as the crow flies. Driving takes 2.5 to 3.5 hours; the fastest direct ferries reach Railay in under two hours.

Can I take the ferry in the rainy season?

Yes, the main operators sail year-round, but May to October brings swell, delays and occasional cancellations, and Railay arrivals move to the east-side floating pier. Keep a road plan B and avoid booking a ferry on the same day as a flight.

Do the buses from Phuket go to Ao Nang?

No. Public buses end at the Krabi Bus Terminal at Talat Kao, north of Krabi Town. From there a white songthaew to Ao Nang costs around 60 THB and takes 30 to 40 minutes. Hotel-pick-up minivans and private cars go all the way.

Is it worth stopping at Phi Phi on the way?

Only if you stay a night or two: both legs are well served and the combined cost is similar to a through ticket. As a same-day transit it adds two hours or more and a crowded pier change for little gain.