The airport is very well connected to Phuket town and the beaches of Patong, Kamala, Kata, Karon and Rawai, with minibuses, bus services and, of course, a vast number of taxis running to these destinations.

Book accommodation on the island of Phuket

How much does the cheapest transport from Phuket Airport to the resorts cost? And how can you book a taxi without worrying about dishonest taxi drivers? You can find detailed information on travelling around the island in the Phuket guide.

Destinations	Regular bus	Minibus	Taxi
Phuket Town	100 thb	150 thb	650 thb
Patong	100 thb	180 thb	800 thb
Kata	100 thb	200 thb	1 000 thb
Karon	100 thb	200 thb	1 100 thb
Rawai	100 thb	220 thb	1 200 thb

Buses around Phuket Island

Standard buses operated by ‘Smart Bus’ (white and blue), ‘Phuket Bus Express’ (blue, yellow and white) or ‘Airport Bus Phuket’ (orange) offerthe cheapesttransport from the airport.

You’ll find the bus stop right outside the domestic terminal, which is just 200 metres from the international terminal (see the bus stop location on google.com/maps).

The fare is the same for all three companies and costs 100 thb. Payment is by cash only on board the bus. Take a seat and wait for the driver or conductor to come round and issue you with a ticket.

• Airport Bus Phuket (orange) – runs to Phuket town centre with fixed stops along the route in the island’s interior.
  • Official website and timetables: airportbusphuket.com
  • Price – 100 thb / online tickets available at 120 thb: airportbusticket.com
  • Journey time – 80 minutes
  • Frequency – every 60 minutes
  • Last bus from the airport – 20:30
  • First bus to the airport – 06:00
• Smart Bus (white and blue) – runs along the entire west coast of the island via the resorts of Surin, Kamala, Patong, Kata and Karon to Rawai.
  • Official website and timetables: phuketsmartbus.com
  • Price – 100 thb
  • Journey time – 80 minutes (Patong) / 130 minutes (Rawai)
  • Frequency – every 60 minutes
  • Last bus from the airport – 22:30
  • First bus to the airport – 06:20 (Kata), 06:45 (Patong), 08:00 (Rawai)
• Phuket Bus Express (white-yellow-blue) – takes a slightly faster route than the Smart Bus along the island’s west coast to the resorts of Patong, Kata and Karon. It passes the resorts of Surin and Kamala and does not stop in Rawai. The bus also stops on the outskirts of Phuket Town or in the inland town of Kathu.
  • Official website and timetables: phuketbusexpress.com
  • Fares – 150 thb to Patong, 220 thb to Kata and Karon, 80 thb to 100 thb to destinations inland
  • Journey time – 80 minutes (Patong)
  • Frequency – every 60 minutes
  • Last bus from the airport – 19:45
  • First bus to the airport – 10:00

Bus map

Bus stops are not precisely marked on the map, but you can usually flag down a bus anywhere along its route.

Minibuses around Phuket Island

Another popular and inexpensive option is the official minibus service, which you can book at the counters marked ‘Taxi Minibus Service’ in both the international and domestic arrivals halls.

There are two different companies operating at the airport, but both offer the same prices, the same routes and minibuses of the same standard of comfort.

The problem when booking minibuses arises particularly for foreign visitors, as staff at the counters will tell you that minibuses are not currently available, only taxis.

Minibuses have a fixed price to specific destinations and operate on two routes:

• Phuket Town (150 thb)
• Patong (180 thb) – Kata (200 thb) – Karon (200 thb)

This mode of transport has its advantages, but also significant disadvantages.

• There is no fixed timetable. Minibuses travelling from the airport leave as soon as they are full. Most services run between 8.00 and 19.00, with a frequency of 10–30 minutes. In the evening, shared minibuses usually stop running or run at long intervals.
• Minibuses heading to the airport run between 6.00 and 18.00.
• The minibuses stop right outside your hotel in Patong, Kata, Karon and Phuket Town. The journey is therefore often considerably longer than on regular buses, but on the other hand, it is more comfortable.
• The first stop on the journey from the airport is always at the transport company’s office, where you’ll be offered paid excursions during your stay (you’re free to decline). The stop usually lasts up to 10 minutes.
• For journeys to the airport, minibus transfers must be booked at least one hour before departure through travel agencies located in all the resorts or directly at your hotel.

The journey time to Patong is between 60 and 75 minutes, and to Karon it can take up to 120 minutes, depending on which hotels the driver stops at.

Taxi

Official taxis are divided into two categories.

• Fixed-price (booked at ‘Taxi Minibus Service’ stands)
• Metered taxis (booked at ‘Metered Taxi’ stands)

You should always book a fixed-price taxi before leaving the airport terminal at the official stands, thereby avoiding overpriced offers from unofficial taxi drivers outside the building.

A metered taxi is a better option for journeys to smaller resorts, where fixed-price taxis do not operate. A fee of 100 thb is added to the total fare for the journey to and from the airport. ‘Metered’ taxis are only available at the domestic terminal.

• Patong – 800 thb
• Phuket Town – 650 thb
• Kata – 1 000 thb
• Karon – 1 100 thb
• Rawai – 1 200 thb

If you want the peace of mind of a pre-booked transfer, take a look at what Booking.com has to offer. Although prices are usually higher than with Grab or Bolt, for example, the driver should be waiting for you right in the arrivals hall with a sign bearing your name, which saves you a lot of waiting time.

Grab, Bolt

Grab and Bolt are popular transport apps in Asia.

However, fares for journeys to and from the airport are similar to those of official taxis. At certain times, they may be up to 20 per cent cheaper, but early in the morning or late in the evening, they may actually be higher.

We recommend checking the current fare on the Grab or Bolt apps before booking a taxi at the taxi ranks, and booking the journey via your phone if necessary. You can choose to pay in cash or via automatic payment using a saved card.

The Bolt app usually offers a lower price, as it has a pick-up point directly outside the exits of both terminals.

The Grab app has its pick-up point between the two terminals.

Car hire

Driving in Phuket is a very stressful experience due to constant traffic jams and heavy traffic from motorbikes and pedestrians.

However, if you don’t feel confident riding a scooter, hiring a small car is a great way to explore every corner of Phuket or even the Thai mainland. There is, in fact, a bridge leading off the island. Public transport isn’t really suitable for exploring the different parts of Phuket.

Car hire prices range from 150 eur to 250 eur. Prices are lower at small local hire companies and higher at more reliable multinational firms.

Compare prices – book a car

Scooter hire

Although travelling by scooter is the most popular form of transport amongst tourists in Phuket, we do not particularly recommend hiring one immediately upon arrival.

Furthermore, there are no scooter hire companies operating at the airport, so you would have to walk to the nearby towns.

Travelling by scooter with luggage is extremely uncomfortable, and it is also advisable to spend at least the first day getting used to the local traffic as a pedestrian tourist.

Standard scooter hire prices in Phuket range from 500 thb to 1 500 thbper day, depending on the quality of the vehicle.

The best option is to hire a scooter once you arrive at your main place of stay. Hire shops are literally on every corner, and there’s no need to book anything in advance.

Transport with a travel agency

If you’ve booked a package holiday to Phuket through a travel agency (flight + accommodation + airport transfer), once you’ve passed through immigration, you’ll collect your luggage and exit the transit area.

Keep to the right and continue straight ahead to Exit 1, where travel agency representatives will be waiting.

They will then escort you to your coach, which will take you directly to your hotel at no extra cost.

Buses to Khao Lak, Ranong

Rungkit Tour buses also stop at the international terminal at the airport twice a day.

They run to Khao Lak and Ranong, making several stops along the route.

One-way fares range from 200 thb to 370 thb, depending on the distance.

Online tickets and timetables can be found on the websiterungkittour.com.