The quickest way to go from Krabi to Phuket is to go in a straight line – and yes that means taking a ferry. It’s just 80 kilometers (50 miles) going straight across the Andaman Sea, or double that if you take the land-based route. However, I recognize that ferries aren’t for everyone – and it can certainly be an unpleasant trip in bad weather, so here’s our guide to the options for transport between Krabi and Phuket. We cover the best way to go from Krabi to Phuket, as well as the quickest, cheapest, and easiest way. Here’s our guide on how to get to Phuket from Krabi.
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Easiest Way to Go from Krabi to Phuket
By far the easiest way to go to Phuket from Krabi is to take a ferry. Book early for the best prices.
While there is an airport on both Phuket and in Krabi, flying isn’t the best option, as there are no direct flights at all between these two popular Thai destinations, you’ll need to fly via Bangkok, and it will take you around 6 hours (way longer than any other transport type). And for that reason, I haven’t included flying from Krabi to Phuket as a viable option.
We do seem to crisscross this part of Thailand a lot, but these are popular places to visit, and the routes are well-established, so they’re pretty easy to do.
Where is Phuket
Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and sits directly to the east of Krabi, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) away across the Andaman Sea. However, despite it being the largest island it’s actually connected to the mainland of Thailand by a bridge, which means that taking a van or bus from Krabi to Phuket is actually a reasonable option. The 660-meter ( 2,165 feet) long bridge was started in 1951!
How to Go from Krabi to Phuket – Transport Options
In this guide on how to go from Krabi to Phuket, we’ll cover the fastest way to travel from Krabi to Phuket, the easiest way to go to Phuket from Krabi, and the cheapest way to get to Phuket from Krabi.
This isn’t an expensive trip to take, even if you go for the more expensive land transport, but you should watch the weather as if you opt for the ferry in unsettled weather you could be in for a rough ride. (we’ve not had any bad experiences, but it’s a consideration in the wet season).
How to get to Phuket from Krabi
The two options for going from Krabi to Phuket (remember I discounted the flights because it’s a pain and there are no direct Krabi to Phuket flights), are to take a ferry or to take a bus. So it’s important to note that there are several types of boats that you can take, and also several types of buses. Anyways. Read on for more details.
Ferries from Krabi to Phuket
The easiest, cheapest, and fastest way to go from Krabi to Phuket is to take the boat. The fastest boat will do this trip in about 90 minutes. You’ll want a speedboat, and you can book those tickets here.
Speedboats are more expensive than the slower boats, but even the slower boat will get you to Phuket from Krabi in about 3 hours, which is still the best outcome that you can get from a bus or van (although it’s likely to be longer than that).

Ferries aka boats from Krabi leave from several places – you can get a boat to Phuket from Ao Nang, from the floating dock in Railay, or from Chaofar Pier in Krabi. You will of course need to get to these departure points and it’s best to prebook a transfer to get there, to ensure that you don’t miss your boat. These tickets include a transfer from your hotel to the boat. They usually do NOT include a transfer at the other end, but don’t worry there will be taxis waiting. It’s best to try and get a boat that goes to a pier vaguely near where you want to be in Phuket.
There are even options for a boat and van combo to take you directly to the Phuket Airport.
Boats leave the Krabi area from 10:30 until the latest at 15:45. If you’re arranging a transfer included with the boat, then you’ll be picked up anything up to an hour before that.
Check the times, prices, and availability of boats from Krabi to Phuket here.
Bus / Van from Krabi to Phuket
If you don’t fancy the ferry, or they’re not running because of the weather then you can take either a bus or a van to Phuket from Krabi. It will take somewhere between 3 and 4 hours, plus of course the usual dropping people off and picking them up if you’ve gone for the van transfer.
You can check the times and availability of vans from Krabi to Phuket here.
Small van transfers tend to include a pick-up from your hotel in the Krabi / Ao Nang area and tend to drop off at the Phuket Bus Terminal or Phuket Airport, but you can always opt for an “end-to-end” transfer and ensure you get to your hotel in Phuket as well. It’s definitely easier!
The first van leaves Krabi at around 05:30 and you’ll find departures throughout the day until about 15:30. Check carefully where you’re going to be dropped off, and make sure you have a plan for onward transport if it’s not at your hotel.
Arriving in Phuket
If you’re taking the ferry from Krabi to Phuket, then you’ll need to make a note of where you arrive on the island of Phuket, as there are several ferry piers. Most of the ferries from Krabi to Phuket arrive at either Bang Rong Pier or Rassada Pier. I’ve marked them on the map for you. There’s no public bus service available at Bang Rong Pier, so you’ll need to take a taxi.
If you’re taking a bus, then again make a note of where you get into. Buses and vans (if you don’t go for the “drop off at hotel” option will go to either the Phuket Bus Terminal 1 or Phuket Bus Terminal 2, or the Phuket Airport. Some van options go directly to the airport.
The quickest way to get from Krabi to Phuket
The quickest way to get to Phuket from Krabi is to take a speedboat. There are boats that take as little time as 90 minutes! You can book the fast boat from Krabi to Phuket here.
The easiest way to go to Phuket from Krabi
The easiest way to go from Krabi to Phuket is to book a combined van and ferry ticket. These tickets will pick you up at your hotel in Krabi, and take you to the ferry in time for departure. They’ll also (in some cases) drop you at your hotel in Phuket. Perfect. And so, so easy. You can check the prices and departure times here. And book a ticket here.
The cheapest way to go from Krabi to Phuket
The cheapest way to get to Phuket from Krabi is to take a ferry but bear in mind that you’ll need to arrange transport to and from the ferry piers at both ends. It’s worth paying a little more to get your transfers included unless you plan on walking! Book ferry tickets from Krabi to Phuket here.
The best way to go from Krabi to Phuket
The boats from Krabi to Phuket are definitely the best way to travel this route. I’d also add in the transfers at each end, then you’re not left negotiating a taxi at either end, which won’t save you anything in the long run. Book a hotel to hotel transfer including a ferry from Krabi to Phuket here.
Map of Ferry and Bus points for Krabi to Phuket Island
You can also see the full map of transport options from Krabi to Phuket here

Popular Routes in Thailand
Want to know more about different forms of transport in Thailand? Our guide to Thailand transport is here. And here’s how to travel some of the popular routes around Thailand, your options, and how we did it.
- How to go from Bangkok to Pakse (Laos)
- Going from Langkawi (Malaysia) to Koh Lipe
- How to go from Koh Tao to Krabi
- How to go from Phuket to Koh Yao Noi
- Koh Lanta to Koh Phi Phi
- How to go from Bangkok to Koh Tao
- Koh Tao to Phuket
- How to go from Bangkok to Koh Lipe
- How to go from Bangkok to Koh Phangan
- Bangkok to Koh Kood and back
- How to go from Koh Lipe to Koh Mook
- Koh Lipe to Koh Lanta
- Phuket to Koh Lanta
- Go from Bangkok to Koh Chang
- How to go from Bangkok to Koh Samui
- How to go from Bangkok to Ayutthaya
- How to go from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai
- How to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai
- How to go from Krabi to Phuket
- How to go from Krabi to Koh Samui
- Going from Krabi to Phi Phi Island
- How to go from Bangkok to Phi Phi Island
- How to go from Bangkok to Krabi
- How to go from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi
- How to travel from Krabi to Langkawi (Malaysia)
- How to go from Krabi to Railay
- How to go from Cambodia to Thailand
Travel Tips for Exploring Thailand
- Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation, and more.
- Get online immediately with an eSIM for Thailand
- Read our Thailand Transport Guide here.
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- Book the best Thailand tours and guides on Klook or Get YourGuide
- Save money in Thailand with a Wise debit card
- Book Ferries, and Buses in Thailand with 12goAsia
- Book accommodation in Thailand with Booking
Final Words on How to Go from Krabi to Phuket
Going from Krabi to Phuket is easy. Take the ferry for the quickest route – actually a speedboat – or go overland with a bus or van. You can go super cheap and not include transfers at either end, but depending on which pier you arrive at in Phuket, there won’t be public transport, so you’ll need to either negotiate with a taxi or call a Grab.
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