I have traveled and stayed in several parts of Krabi Province, and I prefer Krabi Town for its local atmosphere and relaxing lifestyle. In this article, I will show you how to get to Krabi Town from Bangkok, Ao Nang, Railay, Phuket, and Koh Samui. We will be looking at the best ways to get around Krabi.
Krabi Town is one of three major tourist areas in Krabi Province, which also include Ao Nang, and Railay Beach. The town offers a relaxing atmosphere and local vibe with authentic night markets, beautiful river, mango forest, and temples.
If you want to escape from bustling and touristy Ao Nang, I recommend spending a few days exploring Krabi Town. You can experience local life, enjoy relaxing nightlife, and eat cheap but delicious local food.
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How to get to Krabi Town from Khao Lak
It is around 140 km between Krabi Town and Khao Lak. The journey is ranging from 2.5 hours to 3 hours. You can use private transfer, shared minivan, and minibus from Khao Lak to Krabi Town.
Tickets can be booked at your hotel, local travel agencies in Khao Lak, or online. You can look at schedule, transportation types, and book in advance at 12go.asia.
The best way to travel between Krabi Town and Khao Lak is by shared minivan that includes pick up from your hotel in Khao Lak and drop off at your hotel in Krabi Town. Call Me Taxi (look at schedule on 12go.asia) has this option but they only have one trip per day, departing from 8.30am.
Another cheaper option is to book a minibus with either Black Tiger Tour or Phichet Transport. They have frequent buses running from 8.45 am to 5.30pm. The departure point is at Khao Lak McDonalds.
This is convenient for those who stay within walking distance from McDonalds. Otherwise, you need to use additional transport to get there. It will stop at Krabi bus station, from here you can use additional transport to get to your hotel in Krabi Town.
You can also ask your hotel the schedule of the minibus from Khao Lak to Krabi, then head to the minibus stop located opposite McDonalds to wait for the bus. You can just tell the driver where you want to go, and pay the ticket on the bus.
How to get to Krabi Town from Ao Nang
Krabi Town is located 30 minutes drive from Ao Nang beach. The most convenient way to get from Ao Nang to Krabi is by riding share services like Grab, Bolt, or InDrive. I highly recommend In Drive because it always offers the best price compared to Grab and Bolt. You will need to pay the driver in cash.
These Apps’ price depends on traffic conditions, but when I used InDrive around 5pm to get from Ao Nang to Krabi Town, it cost 290 baht. If you take tuk tuk, it will probably cost 500 baht.
If you want to get to Krabi International Airport from Ao Nang as quickly as possible, I also recommend using either Grab, Bolt, or InDrive. The journey is around 40 minutes.
How to get to Krabi Town from Railay Beach
There is a ferry connection between Railay Beach and Krabi Town. The journey rained from 15 minutes to 40 minutes depending on the type of boat. Speed boats are more expensive but faster than long tail boats.
The ferry departs from Floating Pier East Railay to Kong Ka Pier near Chao Fah Park in Krabi Town. You can also catch a ferry from Railay to Klong Jilad Ferry Pier in Krabi Town.
You can book a ticket that includes a transfer from the pier to your hotel in Krabi Town. Otherwise, just use Grab or tuk tuk to get to your hotel after arriving at the pier.
You can book tickets at a local travel agency on Railay, or online in advance at 12go.asia. They have all options that you can choose that suits your budget and time.
How to get to Krabi Town from Phuket
Both Krabi and Phuket have an international airport but there are no direct flights between two airports. The best way to get to Krabi Town from Phuket is either by road or by a combination of ferry and road. The journey is from 3-6 hours depending on road and sea conditions.
Depending on your location on the island, you can choose the best methods to get to Krabi from Phuket. If you stay on the west coast, such as Kata, Karon, Patong, or Phuket airport, you can use road transfer to reach Krabi.
Call Me Taxi offers this option and provides pick-up at your hotel in popular areas such as Kata, Karon, Patong, and Phuket Airport. The journey is around 6 hours and they will drop you off at your hotel in Krabi Town. They have two trips per day, you can check the schedule here.
You can use a ferry to get from Phuket to Krabi. The ferry departs at the Rassada Pier, on the east side of Phuket, close to Phuket Old Town. You will need additional transport to get from your hotel to Rassada Pier. Some boat companies and travel agencies offer free pick up at some popular areas such as Patong, Karon, Kata, Phuket town, and small surcharge to pick up in other areas.
If you stay in Phuket Old Town, it is best to either take the bus or use the ferry Because both Bus Terminal 1, Bus Terminal 2, and Rassada Pier are located in Phuket Town. The bus runs many trips per day, and the journey is around 3 hours.
You can book a bus ticket at the bus station before the departure, or online in advance at 12go.asia. This website is also a great place to check bus schedules and all options to travel between Phuket and Krabi.
How to get to Krabi Town from Bangkok
Bangkok to Krabi Town by air
It is only a 1.5 hour flight between Bangkok and Krabi, making it the fastest way to get to Krabi from Bangkok. You can fly from either Suvarnabhumi Airport or Don Muang Airport. There are lots of air companies serving this route including Air Asia, Thai Airways, Thai Lions.
Krabi International airport is located 15 km away from Krabi Town. At the airport, you can book a shared minivan transfer, private taxi, or use Grab to get to your hotel.
Bangkok to Krabi Town by bus
Traveling by bus from Bangkok to Krabi is an affordable option. The bus journey ranges from 11 hours to 20 hours depending on tour starting and ending locations. The bus departs from various locations in Bangkok such as Mo Chit Station, Southern Bus terminal, or on the popular Khao San Road.
You can book tickets at the bus station, at local travel agencies, or online in advance. Most buses terminate at Krabi Bus Station, from where you can use Grab to get to your hotel.
Bangkok to Krabi Town by train
Taking a train from Bangkok to Krabi is not the best way to travel between these two cities but it is possible to do so. Generally, you need to book a train to nearby Surat Thani Train Station, the additional transport to get to Krabi Town ( 4 hours drive from Surat Thani Train Station).
From Surat Thani Station, you need to get to Surat Thani Town, to get a minivan or bus from Surat Thani Bus Station to Krabi Bus Terminal. Have a look at some options online here. I used Phantip Travel for another route in Thailand, it was smooth, you can look at their service.
How to get to Krabi Town from Koh Samui
There is no direct flight between Koh Samui and Krabi. To get from Koh Samui to Krabi, it involves lots of transport, including transfer from your hotel to Koh Samui’s pier, then ferry to Donsak Pier in Surat Thani, and another bus transfer to your hotel in Krabi.
The best way to reach Krabi from Koh Samui is by purchasing the combination ticket of all transports. Many travel agencies and boat companies offer this ticket. They are Phantip Travel, Raja Ferry, and Sapthaweephol Tour & Travel.
If you don’t like the connecting ticket, you can buy separate tickets which include the ferry from Koh Samui to DonSak Pier on the mainland, and the bus ticket from Don Sak Pier to Krabi Bus Terminal.
I used Phantip Travel services, and everything went well. I booked a ticket at their office near Nathon Pier. They picked me up at my hotel in Lamai transfer to Nathon Pier, then Seatran Ferry to get to Don Sak Pier, then another bus to Krabi Bus Terminal.
You can book the ticket at local travel agencies near your hotel, or at the office of a boat operator. It is a good idea to look at all the options online at 12go.asia to choose the package that suits you.
I recommend booking the ticket that includes pick up at your hotel in Koh Samui, because taxis in Koh Samui are generally very expensive. It can cost around 500 baht to get from Lamai or Chaweng to Nathon Pier for ferry.
Best ways to get around Krabi
There are several ways to get around Krabi Town including walking, renting a scooter, taking guided tours, using tuk tuk, songthaew, or Grab. I personally explored Krabi Town on foot, a motorbike, and by Grab. So, let’s look at the details of each transportation.
Exploring Krabi Town on foot
You can easily explore Krabi Town Center on foot. This is a small area located around the night markets and the river. You can walk to many night markets, especially if you visit on the weekend from Friday to Sunday.
The weekend night market, Crab night market, and lots of street food stalls along the river side are all located within walking distance from each other. If you are tired of exploring night markets, you can sit along the river for relaxing.
Getting around Krabi by rented motorbike
I rented a motorbike from my guest house, BanTo Guesthouse. It was a brand new motorbike, and allowed me to explore many parts of Krabi. I traveled all the way to Dragon’s Crest, Tubkaek Beach, Klong Muang Beach, and Tiger Temple Cave.
If you are comfortable with your driving in Thailand, you can rent a scooter. It is a cheap way to explore Krabi and will give you freedom to see every corner that you want to see. Just remember to choose a reputable rental shop and have the right license before renting one.
Krabi on guided tour
If you don’t drive, you can take tours that will take you to highlights of Krabi. They can be Tiger Temple and Emerald Pool tour, or island hopping tour. There are many island tours such as tours to Railay, the four island tours, Hong island, or Phi Phi island.
You can’t do the day trip to the island on motorbike though, you need either to book a guided tour or buy a ferry ticket for speedboat or longtail boat to reach each island.
It is possible to reach further tourist attractions such as Emerald Pool, or Dragon Crest mountain on Grab, InDrive, or Bolt, but it can be difficult to find one on the way back.
If you are lucky, you can find a private taxi from there to take you back to the town center. It is best to organise two ways of transport before visiting these places.
Using Uber-like services like Grab, InDrive, and Bolt
These services are convenient for those traveling a short distance. Between Krabi Town, the airport, and the bus station. You just need to request a ride from the app and don’t need to bargain the price with the driver as taking a tuk tuk or songthaews.
Between the three apps, I highly recommend using InDrive. It usually has the best rate, but I also recommend installing all of these apps and finding the best ones at the time of booking.
See more:
- Best Places to Stay in Krabi Province
- Is it Worth Staying in Krabi Town?
- Stay in Ao Nang or Krabi Town?
- Cool Free Things to Do in Krabi Town
- How to Spend 5-7 Days In Krabi & Ao Nang Itinerary
- 27 Things to Do in Ao Nang, Krabi
These are some of the best ways to get around Krabi Town, which include walking, riding a scooter, taking guided tours, or using rideshare services like Grab. I’ve also shared how to get to Krabi Town from various locations in Thailand. Have a good trip!