How to get from Bangkok to Krabi and Ao Nang - all ways
I tried to collect all the ways how you can get to Krabi from the capital of Thailand, Bangkok. There are budget options, there are not very many. But in terms of convenience, Krabi will give odds to the same Samui, it's trite because it's not an island and you don't need to get in touch with the ferry.
On the other hand, Krabi is located away from the railway, which makes the train option not as convenient as we would like. In general, the last time we just rented a car in Bangkok and took it within a few days to get there. It was possible to get there in 1 day, but we made stops in the most beautiful Samroyot National Park and Khao Sok National Park.
The content of the article
Bangkok to Krabi
Airplane
The plane is in the first place, because in terms of price / convenience ratio, the option is very good. This is not for you Bangkok-Samui, where the monopoly at Bangkok Airways and the prices raised above the roof. For a price of about 1000-2000 baht, you can easily buy a plane ticket from Airasia or Nokair and quickly fly to Krabi.
True, there is such a nuance that Airasia and Nokair fly from the airport. Don muang, therefore, if you arrive in Suvarnabhumi as standard, then you will still have to put in time and effort to get to another airport. However, it will take you 30-60 minutes by taxi and about 300-500 baht in monetary terms. There are also free shuttle buses between airports. Details in the article about Don Muang, I have already given the link. By the way, as an option, you can spend the night in Bangkok in Nasa vegas, where i have stayed several times, inexpensive transit hotel.
If you are going to buy air tickets, I advise you to do it through Aviasales.com and Skyscanner.com, we use them ourselves, very convenient services.
But from the airport in Krabi, getting to Ao Nang is not at all difficult. You will most likely go to Ao Nang, this is where everyone lives. So, buses run from the airport and their schedule is adjusted to the arrival time of flights. Well, and no one bothers to take a taxi.
It is also worth mentioning separately that you can fly to Krabi from Suvarnabhumi Airport by Thai Airways, but the price will not be as pleasant as that of low-cost airlines. Therefore, in terms of price / convenience ratio, this option is no longer as tasty as those described above. But here everyone chooses for himself how much he is ready to spend on moving.
Airport to Krabi
Bus Bangkok-Krabi
How to buy a bus ticket online
Tickets are sold at the box office on the third floor of the bus station, at a price from 500 to 1000 baht, depending on the chosen company and class of service.
Tickets can be bought online now only on the 12Go.asia website. Almost all bus companies are present in its database, so there will be a choice. But there are not all directions, only popular ones. You can't buy a ticket to some city in a remote province yet. Payment by credit card or PayPal, electronic ticket, very convenient!
Tickets Bangkok-Krabi>
South Bus Station
Buses in the direction of Krabi depart from the Southern Bus Station, which is the easiest to get to by taxi directly from Suvarnaphumi airport. I recommend a taxi to anyone who has no experience of traveling around the city, is burdened with luggage, or is just terribly tired after the flight. Sit down only with the driver who does not refuse to drive according to the meter. The bus station is called Sai Thai Mai, and do not forget to ask the taxi driver that you need a new one, «New Sai Thai Bass Terminal», otherwise, you may be taken to a different location. Just in case bus stations in Bangkok.
South Bus Station (Sai Tai Mai)
South Bus Station (Sai Tai Mai)
South Bus Station (in Thai, buses go south from here. We need a new Sai Tai Mai. Ticket offices on the 3rd floor.
More details.
Southern Bus Station (in Thai, buses go south from here. We need a new Sai Tai Mai. Ticket offices on the 3rd floor..
Travel time and nuances
Travel time is about 12 hours, the bus arrives at the bus station of Krabi town. There are three flights from Bangkok to Krabi, one morning and two night. Considering that you will spend half a day on the road, it is better to sleep them safely, so choose one of the evening.
Before you put your suitcase in the luggage compartment, get some warm clothes that will come in handy on the road soon. It's just that Thai drivers have, to put it mildly, a feature that is expressed in the air conditioner operating at full power. Even if you are reading this smiling, remember about warm things, they will help you get to Krabi without pneumonia..
Disadvantages of this method: long travel time, uncomfortable temperature, not the most convenient places.
Pros: low price, the ability to sleep on the way.
Train + bus
How to buy a train ticket online
You can buy a combined train / bus ticket both at the ticket offices of Hua Lampong and at any travel agency on the streets of Bangkok. In my opinion, if you are going to buy tickets from an agency, it is better to do it in advance and via the Internet. There is such an opportunity - 12Go.asia.
Railway tickets Bangkok-Krabi>
Payment by credit card or PayPal. The bus ticket is electronic, the original must be obtained for the train, either at the agency's office (several points), or by mail. Unfortunately, Thai Railways does not support e-ticketing.
Movement scheme
If you decide to get from Bangok to Krabi by train, then there is a catch - there are no direct trains to Krabi province, because they have not yet laid rails in this part of the Kingdom of Thailand. So, the route will be combined «train + bus».
When choosing a train ticket, plan your final destination in the cities of Surat Thani (Surat in common people), Nakhon Si Tammarat (Nakhon) or Trang. Immediately at the railway ticket office, say that you are going to Krabi, they will sell you a bus ticket (price within 350-400 baht) and are guaranteed to be met at the train and walk by the hand to the bus.
Trains to Surat Thani run every hour and a half, while only two trains leave for Trang and Nakhon in the evening. The cost of a train ticket is between 400 and 1500 baht, depending on the class of the carriage and whether you have an upper or lower seat. Better to go by express, 1st or 2nd class with air conditioning. In Thailand, as in Russia, railroad workers love extremes. In the Thai car, the air conditioners work like in a refrigerator, so prepare a blanket, socks, sweaters, jackets and closed shoes, you will need them. More about thai railways I wrote in another post.
Travel time to Surat Thani is about 13 hours, to Trang about 15 hours, and to Nakhon about 17 hours. After that, you will have a bus trip from the railway station to the office of the carrier company, waiting for a regular bus to Krabi and a trip to Krabi - about 3 hours.
There is one more nuance of the option «train + bus», which is that each company brings you to their office, from which you still have to take a taxi or songteo to get to your home or hotel. The office can be located both in Krabi Town and in Ao Nang..
Disadvantages of this way to get from Bangkok to Krabi: long travel time, many changes, the final stop is far from the main resort of Krabi.
Pros: on the train you can sleep on a full bed, but this is only part of the journey.
Air-conditioned second class like our reserved seat
Railway station in Bangkok
Get from Suvarnaphumi airport to Bangkok Railways, take the City Link BTS Skytrain Line. Drive to Makkasan Station, then transfer to MRT Phetchaburi Station and wait for Hua Lamphong Terminus Station.
If you are not in the mood to wander through the transfers of the Thai subway, take a taxi at the airport to «Bangkok Railways» and insist on turning on the meter.
Hua Lamphong Railway Station
Hua Lamphong Railway Station
Train station in the heart of Bangkok
Train station in the heart of Bangkok
By rented car
It is best to book a car with a reputable company. You will be given a car with a full tank of fuel, insurance and in good technical condition, which is important on such a long stretch - about 780 km from Bangkok to Krabi. Details about rent a car in Thailand. By the way, you can also take a car at Krabi airport upon arrival..
The cost of renting a car costs from 500-1000 baht per day from official distributors. The deposit for the car is usually 5000-10000 baht. This amount is frozen on your card until the car returns (which is why it is good use a credit card).
The car must be taken through Economybookings, this is a broker. It will display on its website offers from all major distributors in the country. The price will be lower than directly, plus they can also give full insurance free of charge. I usually take to Hertz, because if you take a car from them for a period of 5 days or more, you can return it elsewhere for free (other companies charge a commission for this). And just on this site it is convenient to compare what will be cheaper, pay this commission, or not pay, since the price per day for all companies is different.
Rent a car with a discount>
From Suvarnaphumi Airport to Krabi itself, there is a multi-lane highway with excellent road surface. If you have the skills to drive on roads with left-hand traffic, you can meet the 11-12 hour journey with short rest stops. With an average fuel consumption on the highway, even if 10 liters per hundred, you will burn 80 liters of gasoline. It's about 2400 baht.
The return of the car is carried out at the Krabi airport, at the company counter. The approximate total cost of this option for a trip from Bangkok to Krabi, for two people, is about 3,500 baht, excluding the cost of returning the car at another point. And if you take into account, then you need to add another 5,000 baht, or just take a car for a longer period of 5 days, then this service can become free (for example, from Hertz). I was just taking the car to get to Ao Nang and travel around the neighborhood, so infa first-hand, as they say. I really liked it.
Cons: travel time, freeze of the deposit, a driver's license is required, after a difficult flight, you will have to lose a day in Bangkok to rest before the trip.
Pros: price, comfort, interesting experience and impressions.
By car from Bangkok to Krabi
Phuket to Krabi
You can get to Krabi very quickly from Phuket by land, there it only takes 2.5-3 hours by car. It will turn out faster than the plane with its check-in, baggage claim upon arrival and a taxi from Krabi airport to your hotel.
Alternatively, take not a transfer / taxi from Phuket, but a car for rent. Then in general it will turn out very conveniently. In Krabi, bypass all the main attractions and return the car at Krabi airport.
Bus
Buses and minivans leave Phuket for Krabi several times a day from Bus Station No. 2, which is located in the north of Phuket Town, next to Super Cheap Market. Buses start at about half past seven in the morning and end at five in the evening, departing every hour.
A one-way ticket costs about 150 baht. The bus takes about 3 hours to Krabi.
Phuket-Krabi tickets>
Very good 12GO service where you can buy electronic bus + ferry tickets without leaving the hotel.
Buses from Phuket arrive at the Krabi bus station, Talat Kao Bus Station, which is located a few kilometers from the city. From this bus station to Krabi town itself or to Ao Nang, you can take a route songteo or taxi.
If the goal is Ao Nang, then we must take into account that the songteo will still go through Krabi town, the ticket will cost about 60 baht, in time it will take 40 minutes.
If you travel by minivan, the travel time can be longer as they make many stops and visit many places, collecting tourists. At the same time, in terms of comfort, a minivan is no better than a bus..
Transfer via the Internet
Anyone who wants a minimum of body movements can order an online private transfer from Kiwitaxi. That is, you order a taxi in advance via the Internet, they will meet you at the arrival hall, take your luggage, put you in the car and take you to the right place. The method is good because there are no problems at all..
For the price, everything is the same (from 3000 baht) if you took a taxi on the spot.
Transfer Phuket-Krabi>
Taxi upon arrival
Nobody bothers to take a taxi upon arrival in Phuket. It will cost from 3000 baht for a passenger car, minivan is more expensive. As I already said, you can order exactly the same car in advance via the Internet, so that they will immediately take you to the car..
If you have not ordered in advance, then leave the airport and look for transfer desks on the street, negotiate and pay.
How to get to your beach in Krabi
From Krabi Town
If your trip from Bangkok to Krabi ended in Krabi Town, and you need to go to Ao Nang, then take a songteo (pickup minibus) that goes in the right direction, the price of such a trip does not exceed 50 baht per person. Travel time is about an hour, songteo does not travel fast and often stops.
You can find out if the songteo is going to Ao Nang from the driver. You can get to Nopparat Thara beach by the same songteo, but it is better to ask the driver about the route in advance or arrange for him to go there..
From Krabi airport
As I wrote above, from the airport you can easily get to Ao Nang by bus. The ticket costs 150 baht. The bus schedule is adjusted to the flights, so you won't have to wait long. The journey takes about an hour. I have described everything in more detail in the article, how to get from the airport to Aonang.
The bus calls into Krabi Town, if you need it, you can get off there. The cost of tickets to Krabi Town is 80 baht. Travel time is about 30 minutes.
In addition to the bus, you can take a taxi, both locally and via the Internet. It may even be more beneficial if you have more than one person. I drove for 600 baht. About return journey from Aonang to airport.
Bus Krabi Airport - Ao Nang
P.S. If you came to Krabi on vacation and are looking for accommodation, I remind you that we have personally collected catalog of houses in Krabi, where more than 70 houses with a map and a photo. Accommodation for a short period can be found through RoomGuru, this is the most convenient service showing discounts on hotels.