Travelling to and from Phuket International Airport
Navigating Phuket International Airport can be a daunting task, especially for first-time visitors to this bustling tropical paradise. Whether you’re arriving for a sun-soaked holiday or heading home after a memorable stay, understanding the logistics of getting to and from the airport can help make your journey smoother and more enjoyable.
In this blog, we’ll provide essential tips and information to simplify your travel experience, from transportation options to insider advice on navigating the airport itself. With these insights, you’ll be well-prepared to start your adventure in Phuket or wrap up your trip with ease.
Your options for getting from Phuket airport to your hotel include;
Phuket Smart bus – Only THB 50-170 but be prepared for a very long trip & from the airport, only does the western side of Phuket (Kamala, Patong, Kata, Karon.)
Shared minivan – Cheap option; however, it will be a long drive depending on the number of stops; with the larger 12-seater minibuses, there could be 6-8 stops along the way.
Grab Taxi – The Grab app is one of the cheapest ways to get taxis in Phuket. Grab is now available at Phuket airport and lets you see the rates before booking.
Metered Taxi – If you can get a metered taxi (make sure the meter is on & running, not fixed rate) it will be the second cheapest taxi option.
Private Taxi – One of the better options however higher rate.
Private Limousine – Most expensive option, note that these are often not a limousine in the Western sense, they may be modified Toyota Camrys.
Arrival
When you first arrive in Phuket and have cleared customs and immigration, you may now wonder how we get to your resort. Believe it or not, this is a question we get asked quite regularly.
Many people mistakenly believe that Phuket is a small island, but in reality, it spans an area of 539 square kilometres, stretching 48 kilometres from north to south and 21 kilometres from east to west. Despite its size, Phuket is densely populated, with over 10 million tourists visiting annually and approximately 1,000,000 permanent residents.
The island boasts numerous resorts, with popular destinations like Patong Beach, Kata Beach, and Karon Beach located to the south of the airport, each approximately an hour’s transfer away from the airport. For instance, Aussie Divers Phuket’s main office in Chalong sits roughly 50 kilometres from the airport, a good 60-90 minute drive. However, resorts to the north, such as Bang Tao, offer shorter transfer times of around 20 minutes from the airport, but a much longer travel time for diving day trips and other tours.
These transfer times are subject to local traffic conditions and may vary.
Visitors have several transportation options from the international airport to their resort, including private taxis, minivans, and public buses. Notably, Phuket lacks a railway or subway system.
For each option we will give you the pros and cons:
Phuket Smart Bus
Pros: Cheapest Option, onboard Wi-Fi
Cons: Longest journey, set timetable, only transfers to the western side of Phuket
The Phuket Smart Bus, offering an economical yet extensive transportation option, provides an intriguing journey from beach to beach.
Departing from Phuket Airport, it travels to Rawai Beach and makes stops at 15 stations along the scenic west coast, including popular destinations like Bangtao Beach, Surin Beach, Kamala, Patong Beach, Karon, and Kata Beach before reaching Rawai.
With its comfortable and affordable services, the Phuket Smart Bus offers a convenient mode of transportation for exploring the coastline. For travelers seeking this option, the bus can be found in front of the Phuket Domestic Terminal at the airport.
Shared minivan
Pros: Cheap Option, comfortable minivans
Cons: May have to wait until enough people for 1 bus, Long journey depending on the number of other stops
The shared minivan is around 200-300 baht per person depending on the time of day, which is very cheap for a transfer to your resort. This cheap option however comes at a price. You will be sharing the minivan with other people from other resorts.
First you will all be taken to the minivan office, to check your hotel location and drop-off point. They often also try to sell additional tours etc. whilst at the office. This takes time out of your day and increases the time it takes to get to your resort.
The driver will then arrange the hotels in order and drop them off accordingly. You may be the first to get dropped off which is fantastic or you could be the last and we have heard of it taking over 3 hours to get to a customer’s hotel. We have also heard stories of the drivers taking customers to their friend’s shops and restaurants to try and convince them to buy food and gifts.
Grab Taxi
Pros: Cheapest taxi option, private car, can review pricing before booking on the app
Cons: Maybe a delay in waiting for a driver, need to pre-install the Grab Thailand phone app
In Phuket, where the airport is located far from the city Grab is a good alternative to taxis. Before Grab was allowed to operate here, travellers would have no choice but to take an airport taxi, which lacked price transparency. There is now an option to book a ride at Grab’s new official pickup zone at Phuket airport, where the fare is visible to drivers and passengers ahead of time, giving travellers peace of mind.
Grab has a designated pickup point at the Phuket Airport. This is located in front of the Domestic terminal so if arriving at the international terminal you will need to follow the signs to domestic.
Metered Taxi
Pros: Convenient Option, shortest wait
Cons: The driver will speak very little English, and may try for a fixed rate (don’t do this, make sure the meter is on and running before leaving the airport)
The safest and easiest taxi is the metered taxi. Metered taxi counters are located outside of both domestic and international terminals at Phuket airport. There will be a small desk with an attendant who will be able to speak English (maybe limited English).
You will explain to the attendant where you would like to go and they will explain it to your allocated driver. These are metered taxis, the driver will try to negotiate a fixed price. DO NOT do this. Make sure the driver turns the meter on and leaves it on before leaving the airport. A trip to Patong should be around THB 700.
Private Taxi
Pros: Easiest Option, shortest wait, available 24/7, many private taxi desks to negotiate with
Cons: Driver will speak very little English, fixed price
With a private taxi then this will take you directly from the airport to your hotel and is considerably quicker than the minivan and public buses. This is the quickest way to get to your hotel. The drivers can take shortcuts and are not set to go a designated route. They can adjust for roadworks, accidents, etc.
The general price is around THB 800 to Patong however they will try to get more. We have heard some unsuspecting tourists paying an excess of THB 2,000 to Patong. Other resorts such as Kata and Karon are going to be more expensive as they are further south than Patong whereas the resorts to the north in areas like Kamala or Bang Tao will be cheaper.
Approximate Phuket Airport Taxi Prices
| Airport Transfer Price | 1-3 PAX | 4-7 PAX | Distance/approx. time |
| Naithon Beach | 650 | 850 | 8km/15-20 minutes |
| Maikhao Beach | 700 | 900 | Tri Trang Beach/Merlin Beach |
| Bang Rong Pier/Ao Por Pier | 700 | 900 | 20km/30-40 minutes |
| Phuket Town | 700 | 900 | 35km/50-60 minutes |
| Layan/Laguna | 800 | 1,000 | 20km/30-40 minutes |
| Surin Beach/Bang Tao | 800 | 1,000 | 20km/30-40 minutes |
| Patong Beach/Kamala | 800 | 1,000 | 40km/60-70 minutes |
| Chalong Bay/Sirey Bay | 800 | 1,000 | 50km/60-90 minutes |
| Tritrang Beach/Merlin Beach | 900 | 1,100 | 45km/60-90 minutes |
| Karon/Kata | 900 | 1,100 | 50km/60-90 minutes |
| Nai Harn/Rawai/Panwa | 900 | 1,100 | 50km/60-90 minutes |
*Note these are approximate prices you may be able to negotiate a better rate. Travel times are estimates and can change depending on traffic and time of day
Limousine Taxi
Before leaving the airport terminal, you may be offered a limousine taxi. This is an overpriced way of getting to your hotel and is often way more expensive than a metered taxi. The term limousine may not be an accurate one as a lot of the limousines are Toyota Camrys. There may be some slightly larger cars but rarely what you would consider a limousine in the Western world.
