Phuket to Krabi, Bangkok and Samui: Where You Leave From

Leave Phuket by bus from Phuket Bus Terminal 2, by ferry from Rassada Pier, or by air from Phuket International Airport. Smart Bus Route 2 links Bus Terminal 2 with Patong Beach for a 50 baht flat fare. The bus to Krabi costs 170 baht and takes about 3 hours; the bus to Bangkok takes about 16 hours.

By Vincent Nguyen and team

Leaving Phuket for Krabi, Bangkok or Samui starts with picking the right departure point, because buses, boats and planes all go from different places. The bus station is Phuket Bus Terminal 2, the ferries use Rassada Pier, and flights use Phuket International Airport.

Where each trip starts

The costs and journey times for each long leg are in the section further down, and the Not confirmed box lists what we could not pin down. When you buy a bus ticket, ask which terminal the departure uses and write it down.

Reaching Bus Terminal 2

If you are staying in Patong, Smart Bus Route 2 is the simplest link, since it runs from Bus Terminal 2 to Patong Beach at a 50 baht flat fare. Smart Bus fares elsewhere run from free on the Dragon Line to 100 baht from the airport to Rawai. Our guide to the Smart Bus and songthaew covers payment and the other routes.

Reaching Rassada Pier

Rassada Pier is Phuket’s main ferry terminal, conveniently located just minutes from Phuket Town. That makes it a handy start for boats towards Krabi and Samui. Check the operator’s timetable before you plan around a sailing.

Seatran Discovery, which sells Samui tickets, lists Rassada Pier as a Phuket stop. Its list also includes Nopparatthara Pier at Ao Nang, Krabi Airport and Bangrak Pier on Koh Samui. The same pier is the starting point in our Phi Phi day trip guide.

Reaching the airport

For a flight to Bangkok, allow at least 2 hours in advance to ensure timely boarding. The airport bus suits people who have time to spare and not a lot of luggage, and it leaves every hour.

The airport bus route runs through Central and ends at Old Bus Station (City). Arriving by air, the Phuket Town bus boards at exit 3: turn left and follow the sign to the public transport parking area. Fares are calculated on the travelling distance. Our airport transfer guide compares the other ways to reach the terminal.

What the long legs cost and how long they take

Krabi is the easy one. The bus from Bus Terminal 2 costs 170 baht per person, the same on every departure as of Jan 2026 and the figure on the price board in Dec 2025.

Buses ran from 6:30 in the morning until 8:30 in the evening. The ride took 3 hours as of Aug 2026, and two to three hours as of Mar 2026. Leave after breakfast and you reach Ao Nang or Krabi Town by afternoon.

Minivan counters quote their own prices, so ask at the window before you pay.

If you would rather go by sea, the ferry leaves from Rassada Pier. In Mar 2026 the morning sailing to the Ao Nang area took about 2 hours, and a speedboat about an hour and a half. A second ferry left in the early afternoon in Apr 2026, so plan on two departures and check the day’s list.

An online ticket for the morning ferry cost 850 baht. The sea leg was put at 400 to 500 baht in Jul 2026, so confirm the total before you pay.

Bangkok is a different commitment. As of Feb 2026 a Lignite Tour ticket on that route cost 715 baht, and the same price held in Dec 2025. The ride lasts about 16 hours, sometimes 16 to 17 hours. A journey that long is worth weighing against a flight before you commit, and the airport section above gets you started on that.

For Koh Samui, one operator sells the whole chain: Lomprayah runs the minivan, the bus and the boat, so you deal with one booking instead of three. Ask the operator for the current price of the joint ticket.

The bus leg to Donsak pier takes about six hours including a short lunch stop, and the boat then reaches Koh Samui in 45 minutes. One departure we can put a time on is the 9:30 boarding at the Lomprayah office in Phuket. A hotel transfer on Samui booked through Lomprayah added 150 to 200 baht.

Before you buy a ticket

Match the departure point on your ticket to the table above, then work back from the departure time. Ask the operator which terminal or pier it uses and when check-in closes. For a ferry, ask whether the boat is running that day.

Next in this journey: Getting around Phuket, Phuket Smart Bus and Phuket Airport to Patong and Kata.

↑ Contents

Not confirmed: Minivan fares to Krabi: counters quote different prices, so ask before you pay. Rassada to Ao Nang ferry: exact fare, season and full list of sailings; ask the operator. Bangkok VIP fares and departure times, and the Koh Samui joint ticket price: confirm with the operator.

General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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