Bangkok to Krabi & Ao Nang: train and bus options (2026)

Flight · 1h20–1h35 · ฿900–฿3,200

Usually a little cheaper than Phuket and much closer to Ao Nang, Railay and the Lanta and Phi Phi piers. If the Andaman islands are the plan rather than Patong, this is the better arrival.

Flight + Bus · 4h40–8h · ฿1,200–฿4,250

Bangkok → Phuket: The most competitive domestic route in the country, which is why the floor sits under ฿1,000 outside holidays. Phuket airport is 32km north of Patong — budget an hour and ฿200–800 for that transfer on top.

Phuket → Krabi & Ao Nang: 86km by road around the bay. The bus is the one most people take; the ferry between the two takes five hours and stops at Phi Phi, so it's a sightseeing route rather than a transfer.

Flight + Bus + ferry (one ticket) · 8h45–12h50 · ฿2,800–฿7,900

Bangkok → Koh Samui: Bangkok Airways owns Samui airport and runs a near-monopoly on the route, so the floor here sits where other islands' ceilings do. Flying to Surat Thani and continuing by bus and boat is the standard way around it.

Koh Samui → Krabi & Ao Nang: Ferry to Donsak, coach across the peninsula, arrive Krabi in the late afternoon. It's the standard way to swap coasts without flying, and it eats a full day whichever operator sells it.

Day train + Bus · 12h25–16h30 · ฿628–฿828

Bangkok → Surat Thani: Air-conditioned 2nd class seats, about 9 hours in daylight. Cheaper than a sleeper but it costs a full day rather than a night.

Surat Thani → Krabi & Ao Nang: The overland link between the Gulf and Andaman coasts. Sold as part of most Samui-to-Krabi combined tickets rather than bought on its own.

Bus + Minivan · 15h25–19h50 · ฿940–฿1,850

Bangkok → Phuket: Twelve to fourteen hours for a fare that a flight booked in advance regularly beats. It exists, it's cheap in the last-minute case, and almost nobody should choose it over the plane.

Phuket → Krabi & Ao Nang: Cheaper than the bus and it will pick up at hotels and the airport. The trade is the usual one: nine people, one aisle, no luggage hold.

Bus + ferry (one ticket) + Bus + ferry (one ticket) · 17h45–24h30 · ฿1,400–฿2,400

Bangkok → Koh Samui: Standard coaches sit at ฿600–800 and VIP at ฿900–1,100, both including the Donsak ferry. One ticket means one company owns the connection — worth more on this route than the ฿100 difference between operators.

Koh Samui → Krabi & Ao Nang: Ferry to Donsak, coach across the peninsula, arrive Krabi in the late afternoon. It's the standard way to swap coasts without flying, and it eats a full day whichever operator sells it.