If you’re planning a beach trip to Thailand, then you’re probably considering Phuket or Krabi. But considering the proximity of these two popular destinations in Thailand, it’s not immediately clear how to get from one to the other!
So if you’re like me and you’re trying to plan how to get from Phuket to Krabi, the easy answer is this:
The best way to get from Phuket to Krabi is most likely going to be by road, unless you are planning a stay on the Phi Phi Islands, in which case you could do a ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi and then continue your onwards travel to Krabi.
However if you’re looking for more details about each travel method, we actually used two methods of transport, one to get us from Phuket to Krabi by road and then back again from Krabi to Phuket airport.
I’ve shared more details on all the options below.
Long Tail boat in Phuket
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How do you get from Phuket to Krabi?
There are three main ways to get from Phuket to Krabi.
By public bus
By private transfer, minibus or taxi
By boat
These options are also applicable for getting back to Phuket form Krabi.
Although if you’re trying to plan how to get from Krabi to Phuket Airport, I’d probably go with a road transport method as the boats can be unpredictable and the traffic from Phuket Town ferry port up to the Airport is awful so you’d need to add extra time for the transfer from Phuket Town to the airport by road on the other side!
Phuket Old Town
The bus from Phuket to Krabi
We took the bus from Phuket Town bus station and it was very straightforward. We simply bought our tickets online using 12Go - the most popular bus booking service in Asia - for the desired time and day.
You can also find some of the most regular bus timetables linked here:
The Phuket to Krabi distance by road is 164km and it takes approximately 3 hours by public bus. This does not include your transfer time to and from the bus stations at either end.
So it’s important to consider the location of your hotel in Krabi. When you get to the bus station in Krabi Town, can you easily transfer or get a Grab taxi to your hotel or accommodation?
We took a Grab to the bus station in Phuket Town and another Grab at the other end from Krabi Bus station to our hotel.
Overall door to door it probably took us 5 hours.
Us on the bus from Phuket to Krabi, Thailand
Phuket to Krabi by taxi
The drive from Phuket to Krabi by private transfer, minibus or taxi is usually quicker and more direct than taking the bus.
I would recommend this option if you’re short on time or if you’re travelling as a family or big group which would make this kind of trip more cost effective.
The other bonus of doing this is that a private transfer will usually pick you up and take you directly to your accommodation, so it cuts out the hassle of getting too/from bus stations at either end.
This is what we chose to do our our last day from Krabi to Phuket Airport as we wanted to make sure we were on time for our flight and we could be dropped off directly at the airport.
This transfer cost us 2700 baht / £60 - split between two people wasn’t bad but if you had a bigger group it would be even cheaper.
We actually found this transfer via a tour guide we had in Krabi who recommended a friend who could transfer us. However our hotel also had a similar transfer service available so I would always recommend asking your hotel for private transfer options.
You can also find taxi transfers for small groups available on 12Go Asia
Some hotels will offer a private transfer in a minibus with a small group of people going from the same hotel or area, so it’s like a shared taxi which can lower your costs more.
Alternatively you can also use 12Go Asia to find minibus transfers which are shared.
I do not recommend trying to book a Grab taxi from Phuket to Krabi.
Speedboat from Phuket to Krabi
This is an option to consider if you’re spending time on Phi Phi islands.
You can take the Phuket Town to Phi Phi Islands ferry which runs throughout the day (see timetable here).
There are several boat and ferry options available, including a speedboat which of course is faster but more expensive.
You can then take another boat from the Phi Phi islands after your stay, directly to Krabi.
Find the Phi Phi Island to Krabi boat timetable here.
There is also a Phuket to Krabi direct ferry during the peak season months with Tigerline Ferry (Nov-March). The Phuket to Krabi ferry distance is 50km and takes 2-4 hours depending on which service you book.
Note that these transfers can be cancelled or postponed in bad weather. Although we experienced some boat trips that still went ahead in bad weather and the rough seas were pretty awful with lots of people being violently sick. So if you get seasick, I highly recommend taking anti-sickness neds 30 minutes before you board!
Phi Phi Islands boat tour
FAQs: Phuket to Krabi transport methods
What is the distance between Phuket and Krabi?
By road, the distance is around 160km from Phuket Old Town to Krabi Town. However the exact distance will depend on your pick up location on Phuket Island and your drop off location in Krabi.
Where does the bus from Phuket to Krabi leave from?
The bus leaves Phuket from Phuket Old Town bus station. Find the Google Maps location here.
What is the Phuket to Krabi bus timetable?
There are several bus and minibus options to choose from, find the main bus service schedule here - Minibus 1996 bus service.
How long is the Phuket to Krabi speedboat time?
The speedboat time from Phuket to Krabi usually only runs in the high season (November-March_ and is dependent on good weather. It takes 1-2 hours depending on the weather conditions and route chosen.
Is it possible to do a Phuket to Krabi day trip?
In theory I suppose yes it is possible, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
The journey by road takes around 3 hours from Phuket to Krabi so that would be 6 hours of transfer time in total, leaving very little time for other activities once you reach Krabi.
Particularly for any tours or trips which usually leave Krabi early in the AM, so aside from exploring the town and beaches, your options would be pretty limited on just a day trip from Phuket to Krabi.
Is Phuket worth visiting?
That is totally up to you. If you’re looking to party, take some great boat trips or stay at a luxury resort then yes. You can read my full breakdown about whether Phuket is worth it.
Summary: How to get from Phuket to Krabi (and back again!)
I found this part of planning our trip to Thailand so difficult to find information about so I hope this guide has given you some useful information on planning your own trip and what options are available.
12Go is an extremely useful resource and ticket booking app for transfers in Thailand.
However your hotel and even your tour guides will be able to help with putting you in contact or making arrangements for a transfer from Phuket to Krabi or how to get from Krabi to Phuket Airport. It seems that everyone always knows someone who can help in Thailand as the country is so catered towards tourism!
I hope this info helps you plan an incredible adventure in Thailand!
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