Getting to Krabi

Located in southern Thailand on the shore of the Andaman Sea, Krabi has fairly good transport connections by road, air and sea. Krabi is about 814kms from Bangkok by road.

By car

From Bangkok, take Highway 4 until you reach Chumphon province, where you should then change to Highway 41, which passes through Surat Thani province. Next, take Highway 4035 until you reach Au Luek district, where you need to switch back to Highway 4 again. Depending on the traffic, rest time required and other variables, expect this journey to take anything between 8 and 12 hours.

For an alternative route from Bangkok, proceed on Highway 4, passing through Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Ranong and Phang-nga provinces for a total distance of 946kms.

From Phuket, proceed on Highway 402 and then Highway 4. The distance from Phuket is 185kms and the journey takes about 4 hours.

By rail

Although there is no direct train to Krabi, you can take a train from Bangkok's Hualamphong Station to Trang or Nakhon Si Thammarat and then take a bus or taxi to Krabi. If you should decide to go via Trang, an express train leaves Bangkok daily at 17:05 and reaches Trang at 09:40, while a rapid train leaves daily at 18:20 and arrives at 12:20. In the case of Nakhon Si Thammarat, a rapid train leaves Bangkok daily at 17:35 and arrives at 10:45 am, while an express train leaves daily at 19:15 and arrives at about midday.

By bus

There are plenty of air-conditioned bus services to Krabi leaving from Bangkoks Southern Bus Terminal on Borommaratcha Chonnani Road. The journey takes about 12 hours.

Local air-conditioned and non air-conditioned buses leave from Krabi Bus Terminal for nearby provinces including Ranong, Trang, Phuket and Had Yai. Minibuses (songthaew) depart from Vogue Department Store on Maharat Road to many local destinations.

Buses leave for Krabi from Phuket Bus Terminal regularly, with the trip taking between 3 and 4 hours.

By air

There are now several direct flights a day from Bangkok to Krabi Airport, while Krabi is also well-serviced with transfers from Phuket Airport. The flight from Bangkok to Krabi takes about 1 hour, 20 minutes.

The recent addition of budget carriers such as AirAsia and Tiger Airways mean there are now more flights to Krabi, making this an affordable option for many visitors. This is particularly the case if you are able to book your flight well in advance of your planned trip. The flight from Singapore to Krabi takes about one hour 45 minutes.

Domestic airlines also offer flights between Phuket and Krabi. This short hop takes about 20 minutes.

By ferry

Ferries play an important role in getting around the province, connecting Krabi Town and Ao Nang with Phi Phi and Lanta islands as well as Phuket.

If you are staying in Krabi Town, head straight for the boat jetty at Chaofa ship berth on Uttarakit Road, in the centre of town. From here, you can get a ferry direct to Phi Phi. The trip to Phi Phi takes about 2 hours, while boats also call at both Ao Nang and Railay.

There are a number of other boats departing from here for other islands in the area including Koh Lanta, Koh Bubu and Koh Jam. During the high season, two ferries depart for Koh Lanta from Chaofa pier daily at 10:00 and 13:00. There is a direct boat from Phuket to Krabi, which leaves at about 08:30 from Phuket Ferry Terminal.

Ferry departure times are often advertised outside travel agents, but are sometimes out of date or inaccurate, so remember to make solid enquires rather than assumptions. Longtail boats are also available, but depart on a when full basis.

Taxis

Unfortunately, there is no public transport available at Krabi Airport at present. Taxis are available from the Airport Taxi stand, located in the Arrivals Hall; there are no unofficial taxis allowed into the airport, so you will not be able to bargain prices down. There are plans to introduce metered taxis in the province in the near future.

If you choose to pre-book a hotel, check to see whether or not they can pick you up using their own van or other vehicle for a lower price than that charged by the airport-based taxis.