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Travelling Onward From Phuket: Flights, Buses, Trains and Ferries
Residents often travel to Bangkok for visas, hospitals and family, or to Krabi and Samui for breaks. This page summarises the main options and ranges that route sites report. Fares and timetables change, so check before booking. Reviewed in November 2026.
Phuket to Bangkok
- Flights take about 1.5 hours to either Bangkok airport, with several daily departures. Route sites quote fares from roughly 900 to 1,400 baht up to several thousand baht depending on airline, date and baggage.
- Buses leave from the Phuket bus terminal in Phuket Town and are the cheapest option, with example fares around 660 baht for an express and about 1,020 baht for a VIP 24 seat on one site. Journeys take many hours.
- Bus plus train via Surat Thani is an overland alternative that takes around 15 hours or more.
- Driving takes 12 hours or more. See the driving guide before you go.
Compare bus prices on apps with those at the counter, because one traveller reports they differ.
Krabi, Samui and the islands
Krabi is reached by minivan, bus or ferry, and the overland trip takes longer than the distance suggests. Koh Samui is on the Gulf coast, so Phuket to Samui is a short flight of under an hour or a long day overland, and one guide notes that overland connections leave Phuket early in the day. For Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and other Andaman islands see the island hopping guide for piers and prices.
Booking and baggage
- Book flights through the airline or a trusted site, and check hand and hold luggage rules, since low-cost fares often exclude bags.
- Allow extra time for traffic to the airport. See the traffic guide and the airport guide.
- For long-stay visa runs and extensions, see the visa hub before choosing a route.
- Keep your TM30 and entry stamp records in order. See the TM30 guide.
This is general information, not medical, legal or insurance advice. Rules and conditions change, so check current official guidance for your situation.
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