Phuket is one of the top beach destinations in Thailand. It has an international airport, making it a popular stop for island hopping in the southern region of Thailand. The airport is located in the north west coast of the island, offering both domestic and international flights.
There are many ways to travel from Phuket airport to the Old town and other beach towns on the island such as Patong, Karon, Kata, Kamla, or Rawai Beach.
The journey depends on the traffic. With no traffic, it took 45 minutes on a taxi to travel between the airport and Patong, but if you travel on a peak hour, it can take 90 minutes. If you need to catch the flight, be sure to allow plenty of extra time to get to the airport. Better to be early than miss the flight.
Best Ways to get From Phuket Airport to your Hotel
The most comfortable way to get from Phuket airport to your hotel is by private transfer/taxi. It is more expensive than other options but it is the quickest way to get to your destination. You can book a taxi at the airport, ask your hotel to organise a transfer, or try to use apps such as Grab, Bolt, or InDrive.
The cheapest way to get to some popular beach towns on Phuket is by public buses. It stops at many places along the way but is the most budget-friendly option. It does not stop right at your hotel, you need to travel from the bus stop to your final destination.
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1. Private transfer / Taxi
Taking a private transfer or taxi is the quickest way to get to your hotel. This is essential after the long flight and you just want to rest. You can have this pre-arranged by your hotel, book it in advance from a website such as booking.com, or right at the airport on arrival.
The taxi price from the airport to your hotel is ranging from 600-1200 baht depending on your destination. The price also depends on traffic condition.
2. Public Bus
If you travel on a budget, taking a public bus from your hotel is a great option. The smart bus runs along the west coast from the airport to Rawai, and is ideal for those who stay in Surin, Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata, and Rawai. It is only 100 baht per ride. The bus runs every hour from 6am to 9pm.
The bus stop is near the Amazon café in the domestic terminal. If you arrive at the international airport, you need to walk to G floor, find exit 6, then Turn left to get to exit 3 of the domestic terminal. You pay cash directly to the bus driver.
From the bus stop, you need to walk or use additional transport to get to your final destination. If you are solo and have a little luggages, you can use Grab Bike. Otherwise, try Bold or InDrive to get from the bus stop to your hotel.
3. Shared Minivan
You can book a shared minivan at the office in Domestic airport. This is also an affordable option but you will need to wait for the minivan to have enough passengers (10 people) to take off.
Minibus drivers will drop you off at your hotel, but it takes a longer time to reach your destination because it needs to drop off other passengers along the way too.
4. Riding share apps: Grab, Bolt, and InDrive
There is no Uber in Phuket. Grab, Bolt, and InDrive are Uber alternative apps on the island. It could be a hassle to get these apps from the airport, because you need to navigate around with your suitcase for the right pick up spot. But I highly recommend it for the trip to the airport, or get around the island.
I used InDrive a few times, from the pier to old town, old town to Patong, and from Patong to the airport. InDrive always gives the cheapest price compared to Grab and Bolt. I always checked three apps to have the best options. I also often give the tips at the end and am still happy with the price..
You can try Grab, InDrive, or Bolt at the airport. And you need to communicate with the driver to find the right pick up spot. If not successful, you can always book the airport taxi.
With InDrive you pay in CASH and don’t need to put your credit card details there. I prefer this option, but people who prefer paying by card might not feel this app is convenient.
Remember that the price of all apps fluctuate. At one moment at this price point, another moment it offers another price. It depends on traffic and the distance to the drivers I guess. Just be patient and keep looking.
I used InDrive to get from Patong to Phuket Airport. It was 750 baht at the time I ordered it (traffic was quite heavy), while Grab offered around 1000 baht. It took me 1.5 hours to get to the airport.
Phuket Airport to Patong Beach
It is around 40 km between Phuket airport and Patong Beach. It is around 45 minutes drive with no traffic and at peak traffic time, it can take 1.5 hours to travel between the airport and Patong. The price is ranging from 700-1200 baht.
You can pre arrange private transfer by booking it online on websites such as booking.com or 12go.asia. You can also ask your hotel to arrange it for you. You can book a taxi at the official ticket counter at the airport, which has a fixed price for each destination.
If you travel on a budget, there is a smart bus and minivan option located in Domestic terminal near Exit 3. You can walk from the arrival hall in the international terminal to domestic. Smart bus is 100 baht, while minivan is 200 baht per ride.
Smart buses on the Airport-Rawai route stop in Patong at Indigo Patong, Patong PEA, and Holiday Inn Resort Patong.
Phuket Airport to Karon Beach
It is around 45 km between Phuket airport and Karon beach. In normal traffic conditions, it takes around 55 minutes to drive on the car. The taxi range from 900-1600 baht.
You can book a taxi at the airport arrival hall or have it prepared. If you use a Smart bus, it is only 100 baht. The smart bus stops at Karon Circle, Woraburi Karon, and Karon Stadium along the main road.
Phuket Airport to Kata Beach
It is around 50 km between Phuket airport and Kata Beach. It can take 1 hour to travel in a taxi with no traffic. The taxi price is around 900-1600 baht. You can pre arrange your taxi to pick you up at the airport, use riding share service, or order a taxi from the official counter at the arrival.
If you are using a smart bus, it will stop in Kata Beach at OZO Phuket, Kata Palm, Beyond hotel Kata, and Andaman Cannacia Resort.
Phuket Airport to Kamala Beach
It is around 30 km between Phuket airport and Kamala Beach. It’ll take 35 minutes by car, and the taxi price ranges from 600-1200 baht. You can use a Smart bus which is only 100 baht. The smart bus stops along the main road at Intercontinental, Kamala Muslim Cemetery, Phuket Fantasea, and Big C Kamala.
Phuket Airport to Old Town
Phuket Old Town is located on the east coast of the island, around 35 km away. It is a 40 minute drive in a taxi if traffic is in good condition. The taxi price from the airport to the old town is around 600-1100 baht. You can book a taxi at a counter in the airport or try to use apps such as Grab, Bolt, or InDrive.
The Smart Bus only runs along the west coast to Rawai. It does not stop at the old town. You can take the Orange Airport Bus, which goes all the way to Phuket Bus terminal 1 in the old town. The bus journey is around 2 hours. The ticket is 100 baht to get to the bus terminal 1.
The bus terminal 1 is located right at the old town, so you can walk to your hotel, or use Grab/ Bolt/ InDrive to your final destination.
Phuket Airport to Rawai Beach
It is around 50 km between Phuketaiport and Rawai Beach. It’ll take around 1 hour to drive from the airport to Rawai. Taxi price is from 900 baht to 1600 baht. You can take a Smart Bus from the airport to Rawai. Rawai Beach is the final stop on this route.
Phuket Airport to Rassada Pier or Bang Rong Pier
Rassada Pier and Bang Rong Pier are popular connecting points for island hopping from Phuket. They are both located on the east coast of the island near Phuket Town. The airport is 35 km away from Rassada Pier and 17 km away from Bang Rong Pier.
There are no buses running between the airport and the piers and the best way to reach these piers is by taxi. You can book a private taxi at the airport, pre-arrange, or use Grab Apps.
Most visitors go to the piers to take a ferry to other islands such as Koh Phi Phi, Koh Yao Yai, Koh yao Noi, Railay Beach… You can consider booking with a boat operator that offers a pick up from the airport to the pier for your convenience.
These are some of the best ways to get from Phuket airport to your hotel. I had a medium suitcase with me and preferred the private transfer option. You can consider the smart bus or airport bus ride if you are on a budget and your hotel is located close to the bus stop.