How do I get from Phuket to Krabi?

By road: minibuses and vans run roughly hourly from Phuket Bus Terminal 2 (06:30–16:50), cost ฿245–650 depending on class and pickup, and take about 3 hours. By sea: the Ao Nang Princess ferry leaves Rassada pier at 08:30 (฿900, calling at Railay en route to Ao Nang), and speedboats cross in about an hour for ฿1,040–1,140. Private transfers run ฿2,500–4,000.

Is there a ferry from Phuket to Krabi?

Yes — the Ao Nang Princess sails from Rassada pier at 08:30, reaching Railay around 11:00 and Ao Nang's Nopparat Thara pier at 11:45, for ฿900. High season adds a 13:30 departure; in the May–October monsoon the schedule thins and rough days cancel, so confirm the sailing when booking.

What's the best way to get from Phuket to Railay?

The 08:30 ferry from Rassada pier — it docks at Railay's floating pier directly, which no road option can do (Railay has no road access). Going overland means riding to Ao Nang and then taking the ฿100 longtail shuttle across, which works but adds a hop with luggage.

How long does Phuket to Krabi take?

About 3 hours by terminal bus or van (add an hour for hotel-pickup collection rounds), roughly 3 hours 15 minutes on the ferry to Ao Nang, 1 hour by speedboat, and 2.5–3 hours by private car door to door.

How much is a taxi from Phuket to Krabi?

Realistically ฿2,500–4,000 for a private car or pre-booked transfer, about 2.5–3 hours door to door. Cheaper headline rates advertised online tend to be small-car promos. For three or more people with luggage, the per-head cost rivals the speedboat and beats it on convenience.

Specialist Guide

Phuket to Krabi

Road or sea — and the sea route drops you at Railay.

Vans & buses: hourly, ~3 hours
The morning ferry calls at Railay
Speedboats: 1 hour across the bay
Monsoon caveats for the boats

Easy

The Honest Answer: Van by Default, Boat if Railay's the Goal

Phuket and Krabi face each other across Phang Nga Bay — about 160 km by road, only 42 km by sea — and most travelers cross by road without thinking about it: minibuses and vans run roughly hourly from Phuket's Bus Terminal 2 for ฿245–320, taking about three hours to Krabi. But the boat deserves a look before you default. The Ao Nang Princess ferry leaves Rassada pier at 08:30, sails the bay in air-conditioned comfort, and calls at Railay's floating pier before finishing at Ao Nang — meaning if your Krabi plans start at Railay, the ferry takes you door-to-beach while every road option leaves you a longtail ride short. Speedboats do the crossing in an hour for about triple the bus fare. Here's the full comparison, including the monsoon fine print on the boats.

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Phuket → Krabi: All Options Compared (2026)

Mode	Duration	Typical price	Notes
Minibus / VIP minibus (Terminal 2)	~3h	฿245–320	Roughly hourly, 06:30–16:50
Van with hotel pickup	3–4h with pickup rounds	฿300–650	Patong/Kata pickups; drops at Ao Nang hotels
Ao Nang Princess ferry (Rassada pier)	08:30 → Railay 11:00 → Ao Nang 11:45	฿900 (child ฿600)	High season adds a 13:30 sailing
Speedboat (Rassada / other piers)	~1h crossing	฿1,040–1,140	Weather-exposed May–Oct
Private transfer / taxi	~2.5–3h	฿2,500–4,000	Door to door; wins for groups of 3+

Prices checked August 2026. Terminal check-ins sometimes charge ~฿100/bag in cash for extra luggage — normal practice, budget for it.

Phuket → Krabi

Check live times & seats: Phuket → Krabi

12Go lists the vans, buses, ferries, and speedboats on this route side by side with live availability and instant e-tickets — the easy way to see whether the boat is running on your date before you commit to the road.

Check schedules on 12Go

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By Road: Hourly, Cheap, Three Hours

The default — just mind the pickup-round tax

From Phuket Bus Terminal 2, Minibus 1996's air-con services leave roughly hourly from 06:30 to 16:50 at ฿245–320 and reach Krabi's bus terminal in about three hours. Vans from Terminal 1 (from about ฿206) cover the same ground. It's unglamorous and completely reliable — the workhorse of the route.

Hotel-pickup vans (฿300–650 depending on your pickup zone and drop-off) sound more convenient and often are — but budget four hours or more once the van has done its collection loop around Patong's sois. If you're near a terminal, the terminal departure is usually the faster door-to-door. Krabi-side, remember the bus terminal sits at Talat Kao, 4–5 km north of Krabi Town: a ฿50 songthaew or short Grab finishes the trip to town or Ao Nang.

By Sea: The Ferry That Solves Railay

And the speedboats for when time beats money

The Ao Nang Princess leaves Rassada pier (check-in 08:00, departure 08:30) and crosses Phang Nga Bay to arrive at Railay's floating pier around 11:00 and Nopparat Thara pier in Ao Nang at 11:45 — ฿900 for adults, ฿600 for kids. In high season (roughly November–April) a second 13:30 sailing is added; in the monsoon months it drops back to the single morning boat, and rough-sea days can cancel it outright. If you're staying at Railay — reachable only by boat — this ferry is the one option on the whole route that delivers you directly, and it turns the transfer into a scenic cruise past the karsts.

Shared speedboats (from Rassada and a couple of east-coast piers, around ฿1,040–1,140) cut the crossing to about an hour. They're the time-is-money pick in calm season and a bouncy, wet proposition in swell — from May to October, hold them loosely and re-confirm on the day. Private transfers (฿2,500–4,000, 2.5–3 hours door to door) quietly win for families and groups of three or more: split three ways, the car costs about what the speedboat does, with none of the pier logistics.

Our rule of thumb: staying in Ao Nang or Krabi Town, take the hourly van and keep it simple. Staying at Railay, take the 08:30 ferry — it's the only direct delivery. Three or more people with bags, price a private car before anything else.

Sorted the crossing? Plan the Krabi end:

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