Phuket to Krabi and Ao Nang: Ferry, Minivan or Taxi?

Published 2 October 2026 · By the Visit-Thailand editorial team · Editor: Terje Moy

Between Phuket and Krabi you can go by sea or by road. The quickest is a speedboat from Rassada Pier to Ao Nang or Railay, listed at about 70 to 90 minutes and from 990 baht; the larger ferries change boats at Phi Phi and take most of a morning. By road, a minivan, bus or private car goes round Phang Nga Bay.

Phuket and Krabi face each other across Phang Nga Bay, so on a map the sea route looks obvious. In practice the right choice depends on where you start and end. If you are on Phuket's west coast and heading for an Ao Nang beach hotel, the speedboat saves the drive around the bay. If you are going to Krabi Town, the airport or Koh Lanta, the road is often simpler. This page covers only the trip between the two provinces.

Know your Krabi pier before you book

"Krabi" on a boat ticket can mean four different places, and they are far apart. Nopparat Thara, where Ao Nang beach runs out to the west, suits Ao Nang hotels. Railay East has a floating pier for the peninsula, which has no road. Klong Jilad is the passenger port near Krabi Town, and Ao Nam Mao is a smaller pier between Krabi Town and Ao Nang that some operators use. On the Phuket side almost everything leaves from Rassada Pier.

Match the pier to your hotel. Landing at Klong Jilad when you are staying in Ao Nang means another 30 minutes or more by road, which wipes out the time the boat saved. Which pier serves which beach is clearer once you have read about Ao Nang and the Railay peninsula.

Direct speedboats from Rassada to Ao Nang and Railay

On its route list, the speedboat company Bundhaya shows direct boats from Rassada Pier to Ao Nang's Nopparat Thara pier (about 1 hour 10 minutes) and to the Railay East floating pier (about 1 hour 30 minutes), each from 990 baht per person. In the other direction it lists Ao Nang to Rassada at about an hour and Railay to Rassada at about 90 minutes, from 1,090 baht. All four routes are marked as running all year on its route list in October 2026.

A speedboat is fast, but it is a bumpy ride in open water when the wind is up. Sit towards the back, keep your bag in a dry sack and take a seasickness tablet before you board if you need one. Our article on what speedboat rides are really like describes the experience, and our overview of Thai ferries lists the safety checks worth making before you step on.

The larger ferries: change at Phi Phi

The big passenger ferries between Phuket and Krabi do not cross the bay directly; they call at Tonsai Pier on Koh Phi Phi Don, where you change boats. Andaman Wave Master, a Phuket company, sells this as a connecting route. Its timetable shows ferries leaving Rassada at 08:30 and 13:45 and reaching Tonsai two hours later, from 700 baht one way in standard class (1,000 first, 1,300 premium). From Tonsai, its boats leave for Krabi's Klong Jilad pier at 10:30 and 15:30, taking about two hours, for 450 baht.

The morning boat from Phuket is due at Tonsai at 10:30, the same minute the Krabi boat is timetabled to leave, so ask the operator whether the two wait for each other or plan on the 15:30 departure. The company notes that schedules may change without notice and that fares cover the boat only, not road transfers. A ferry is slower than a speedboat but steadier, with indoor seats and room for luggage. If you want a night or two on the island in between, our page on boats to Phi Phi covers the arrival at Tonsai and its fees.

Seasons and the monsoon

The Andaman Sea is calm from about November to April and rough in the southwest monsoon from roughly May to October. Island-to-island boat timetables for 2026–27 run from 15 October 2026 to 30 April 2027, and in the low season operators thin out services and cancel sailings in bad weather. Even routes listed as year-round can be called off on a stormy day. With an onward flight booked, cross a day ahead or go by road. How the Andaman and Gulf seasons differ is set out in Andaman vs Gulf: when to go.

By minivan or bus around the bay

The road links work all year and do not depend on the sea. Buses and minivans run between Phuket's bus terminals and Krabi Bus Terminal, a short ride outside the town center, and some vans pick up from hotels in Patong or drop off in Ao Nang. Phantip Travel, a licensed Surat Thani operator, lists Phuket's bus terminals, Rassada Pier, Krabi Bus Terminal and Ao Nang hotels among the stops on its booking form.

We could not confirm current journey times and fares on an operator page, so check them at the terminal, with your hotel or in the booking app when you buy. Treat any "three hours" you are told as a minimum: traffic around Phuket Town and the road through Phang Nga add time. Before booking, read what to expect from a Thai minivan, from bag limits to driver hours.

Private taxi, Grab or driving yourself

For families and groups, nothing beats a private car door to door, and the only practical one late in the day. Settle the total fare, tolls included, before departure, and give the driver the hotel name in Thai if you can. Grab also takes long-distance bookings in both provinces and shows the price before you confirm. Arriving at Phuket Airport and heading straight to Krabi? The road is your only option from there; our Phuket airport transfer guide explains the counters.

Driving yourself is straightforward on the main highways around the bay, with Phang Nga's limestone scenery on the way. You need a licence valid in Thailand and the right insurance, which our car rental guide covers. For stops, viewpoints and the wider coast, our sister site describes the Andaman coast road trip.

Which way to go

• From Phuket's west coast to Ao Nang or Railay between November and April: the direct speedboat, with a pickup to Rassada included.
• Plenty of luggage, or prone to seasickness: the ferry via Phi Phi, or the road.
• Going to Krabi Town, Krabi airport or Koh Lanta: a minivan or private car; for Lanta see Krabi to Koh Lanta.
• Want a quieter stop on the way: Koh Yao Noi lies in the bay between the two provinces.

Heading further south afterwards? These crossings fit into our Phuket-to-Koh Lipe island route. To plan the stay itself, start with the Phuket guide or the Krabi guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a direct ferry from Phuket to Ao Nang?

Yes, by speedboat. Bundhaya Speed Boat lists Rassada Pier to Ao Nang's Nopparat Thara pier at about 1 hour 10 minutes, from 990 baht, and marks it as running all year (October 2026). The larger ferries change boats at Phi Phi instead.

How long does it take from Phuket to Krabi by boat?

About 70 to 90 minutes on a direct speedboat to Ao Nang or Railay. A ferry via Phi Phi takes two hours to Tonsai and two more to Krabi's Klong Jilad pier, plus any wait between boats, so allow most of a day.

Do Phuket–Krabi boats run in the rainy season?

Some do, but less often, and any sailing can be cancelled in rough seas between about May and October. Check the day before, keep the operator's contact number and do not schedule the crossing for the day of a long-haul flight.

Is it better to go from Phuket to Krabi by road or by boat?

The boat is quicker and more scenic from Phuket's west coast to Ao Nang or Railay. The road is more reliable in the monsoon and better for Krabi Town, the airport, Koh Lanta or travelers with heavy bags.

Sources

• Bundhaya Speed Boat – Andaman speedboat routes, times and fares (checked October 2026)
• Andaman Wave Master – Ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi (checked October 2026)
• Andaman Wave Master – Ferry from Phi Phi to Krabi (checked October 2026)
• Andaman Wave Master – Connecting routes via Tonsai Pier (checked October 2026)
• Phantip Travel – Bus and ferry transfers in southern Thailand (checked October 2026)
• Grab Thailand – Transport services and cities (checked October 2026)