Getting to Phuket

Phuket International Airport was opened in the mid 1970’s and has made travelling to the island very easily accessible.  For the more adventurous traveller there are also bus and train routes, which depart from a variety of locations around central and southern Thailand.

Air

The airport is by far the second busiest in Thailand and the vast majority of people travelling to Phuket do so by air.

There are numerous daily flights from Bangkok and other airports in Thailand, with these domestic routes accounting for most visitors to the islands.  Many holiday makers will generally spend a day or two in Bangkok before taking the 1 hour 20 minute flight to Phuket.

The cost of flying is very inexpensive and many budget airlines, including Air Asia and Nok Air, operate several daily services.  Larger carriers such as Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways cost a little more and also offer numerous daily flights.

In addition to the daily domestic flights, Phuket International Airport also accommodates several international airlines, operating routes from Europe, Australia and other parts Asia.  There are several daily flights from Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore, while various Scandinavian and other northern European countries offer both scheduled and chartered services.

The airport is located at the north end of Phuket island and the average transfer time to the resorts on the west coast is around 35 minutes.

Bus

Taking the bus to Phuket will normally mean a 14 hour journey from Bangkok.  Buses leave from the southern bus terminal (Sai Tai) and will also pick up passengers at some of the larger towns on the route, including Hua Hin and Surat Thani.

The buses are comfortable with full air conditioning and there are a number of daily departures, with the best time to depart being early evening.

Buses arrive in the central bus terminal located in Phuket Town.  From there it is a short taxi or local bus ride to the many resorts on the west coast.

Train

There are no direct rail links to Phuket from Bangkok or any other major Thai city.  Many people do however enjoy travelling by train in Thailand as this is very inexpensive and a fun and comfortable way to see the country.

If you do wish to take the train there are daily services from Bangkok to the town of Surat Thani where you will have to connect with an air conditioned bus to carry on to Phuket.

The train to Surat Thani takes around twelve hours and will make a stop to pick up passengers in Hua Hin and other larger stations on the route.  The bus from Surat Thani to Phuket will generally take around five hours.

Go to next section • Getting Around Phuket