What is the best way to get around Phuket? How to get around cheapest and fastest? Do regular buses work on Phuket?

How expensive are taxis and is it cheaper to use Grab, Uber or Bolt apps? Find out all the practical information about transport in this chapter.

Choose the best hotel by the beach

Rent a scooter

In Southeast Asia, scooters, mopeds and motorbikes play a major role in transport.

In Thailand, they drive on the left.

The roads in Phuket are also mostly covered by scooters, which are by far the fastest and most flexible form of transport. It's quite common to pass right and left standing car traffic on a motorbike, get into narrow streets and park easily anywhere.

However, due to the very heavy traffic, we recommend renting a scooter only to experienced travellers who have ridden a motorbike before. Keep in mind that most tourist accidents in Thailand happen on a scooter.

Where to rent a scooter and what are the prices?

Although some rental companies have online booking forms, it is completely unnecessary to book a scooter in Phuket in advance.

You can literally find motorbike rentals on every corner, not only in the resorts but even in the few tourist towns in the hinterland.

Prices vary depending on the type of scooter and of course the location. The most expensive rentals will be in tourist locations like Patong, Kata or Karon, while cheaper rentals can be found more inland.

Generally, prices range between 150 thb and 210 thb per day.

What to look out for

There are many rental companies in Phuket that will rent you a scooter without a driver's license. However, this is definitely not recommended.

You can only legally drive a scooter if it is explicitly listed on your driver's license. In addition, you also need an international driving licence.

Police checks targeting scooters are very common and focus mainly on checking driving licences, wearing a helmet, which is compulsory, and the technical condition of the bike.

Car rental

If you don't dare to rent a scooter, but you also want to explore the various beaches, resorts and sights of Phuket, renting a car can be the most convenient option, especially if you are travelling with more than one person.

Due to the volume of information, we describe the details in a separate chapter Car rental Phuket.

Compare prices and book a car at Phuket airport

Taxi, Bolt or Grab

Taxis are the most used form of travel in Phuket due to the lack of public transport.

There are several options to choose from.

Mobile apps - is Bolt or Grab cheaper?

For international travellers, it is most convenient to use international taxi mobile apps. You know the price in advance and it will be charged straight to your card if you enter it in the app. However, you can also choose to pay in cash.

If you pay by card through the app, the price is automatically charged when you complete your journey. It is not customary to tip.

There are two apps that work in Phuket: Bolt and Grab. Uber does not operate here.

• Download the Grab app
• Download the Bolt app

Prices for the two apps can vary significantly. In general, Bolt is cheaper in most cases, by up to 20%.

The Grab app, on the other hand, has more car availability, which is especially noticeable in the evening and at night. During the day, you won't usually wait more than 10 minutes for Bolt or Grab in cities, and in the evening, you can wait more than 30 minutes.

Mobile apps have dynamic pricing, so they can be more expensive than traditional taxis in times of high demand. This is especially true in the evening (between about 7pm and midnight) in the resort areas on Phuket's west coast.

At other times of the day, mobile apps, especially Bolt, tend to be significantly cheaper than regular taxis.

Both Bolt and Grab operate throughout Phuket, including rural areas.

Taxis with meter

Official metered taxis are red and yellow or blue and yellow and always have a yellow registration plate with black letters.

You may encounter drivers who will try to negotiate an off-the-meter price with you, but this usually means you'll pay more. So always insist on the meter being on.

Metered taxis are generally more expensive than Bolt or Grab (by around 15-20%), but can be worthwhile in the evening when demand is high and prices on mobile apps (Bolt and Grab) increase.

Taxi availability is quite good in major resorts and major tourist attractions.

You can flag down a metered taxi anywhere on the street with a simple wave.

Taxi without meter

There are a large number of taxis plying Phuket without a "taxi" sign, but with an official license. You can recognize them by their light green license plate.

These taxis usually serve hotels or travel agencies and cannot be flagged down on the street. They have fixed contract prices with the hotel, or are already included in the price of the arranged trip with the travel agency.

You will also encounter these taxis when travelling from Phuket airport, where they offer fixed prices to all resorts. These may even be lower than those on the Grab or Bolt mobile apps.

Tuk-tuk, motorbike

Taxis and Grab or Bolt mobile apps complement tuk-tuks and motorbikes. They are significantly less comfortable to ride in because they lack air conditioning and comfortable seats.

Motorbike

Travelling by motorbike is by far the cheapest mode of transport around Phuket. These moto-taxis can be booked through the Grab mobile app, which always has the lowest prices.

Alternatively, motorbikes are stationed in many places near beaches or in town centres. Prices are usually posted on a sign somewhere, but it usually always depends on the arrangement.

You should never pay more than 150 thb for a motorbike ride with a driver when travelling between towns and up to 50 thb when travelling within towns.

We recommend motorbike travel to people who are used to riding. You always sit on a small seat without comfortable handholds right behind the driver.

Tuk-tuk

Tuktuks, which are popular in Asia, are tricycles with a small covered body with several seats, are one of the least convenient forms of transport in Phuket.

Phuket doesn't have the classic open-top tuk-tuks like in Bangkok, but a slightly more modern version.

Prices are usually significantly higher than if you were to take a regular taxi or via the Bolt or Grab mobile apps.

Tuk-tuks function more as a tourist attraction and their drivers know it. That's why you'll rarely be able to negotiate prices lower than regular taxis.

Songthaew – Blue Bus

Blue vans and trucks converted to carry passengers are a great experience, but also a cheap and quite practical way of transport.

In Thailand, these vehicles are generally referred to as "songthaew", specifically in Phuket more by their coloration as "Blue Bus".

There are seats and a roof on the hull so that the direct sun doesn't shine on you. A small percentage of vehicles are also equipped with fans.

The ride is very uncomfortable, extremely slow and noisy, but it is definitely an authentic experience. Far from just tourists, songthaews are also used to a large extent by locals.

All songthaews leave from just one location on Ranong Street in the centre of Phuket Town.

There are two stops on Ranong Street.

• Near the beginning of the street at the roundabout (exact location on google.com/maps)
  • Departures towards Bang Rong, Sarasin Bridge, Surin, Kamala, Ao Makhang (Aquarium), Rawai, Nai Harn
• Behind the market at Chinotel level (exact location at google.com/maps)
  • Departures towards Patong, Kata, Karon

Timetable

Although you will read in various information materials that these local buses only leave when they fill up, this is not currently the case.

Songthaews always have their own timetable and leave at a predetermined time. On the lines to Kata, Karon and Phuket, timetables are even posted at the final stops.

For other lines, although timetables are not available anywhere, just ask the driver and he will always tell you the exact time.

Blue buses run from approximately 6:30am to 4:30pm in the direction of Phuket Town and from approximately 7am to 6pm in the direction of Phuket Town.

Fares and routes

Fares are pre-determined for a specific line or distance.

Line routes are also given in advance and are always marked in Thai and English on the side of the bus. In addition, each route is marked with a number, which you will also find written on the side of the songthaew.

• Phuket Town - Patong (line 1814)
  • Price - 40 thb
  • Frequency - 30 minutes
  • Travel time - 65 minutes
• Phuket Town - Karon - Kata (line 8759)
  • Price - 40 thb
  • Frequency - 30 minutes
  • Driving time - 70 minutes
• Phuket Town - Cherngtalay - Surin - Kamala (line 1812)
  • Price - 60 thb
  • Frequency - 60 minutes
  • Driving time - 80 minutes
• Phuket Town - Chalong - Rawai - Nai Harn (line 1815)
  • Price - 40 thb
  • Frequency - 60 minutes
  • Driving time - 50 minutes
• Phuket Town - Bang Rong Pier (line 1813)
  • Price - 60 thb
  • Frequency - 60 to 90 minutes
  • Travel time - 70 minutes
• Phuket Town - Ao Makham - Aquarium (line 1818)
  • Price - 40 thb
  • Frequency - 60 minutes
  • Driving time - 35 minutes
• Phuket Town - Thalong - Sarasin Bridge (line 1811)
  • Price - 60 thb
  • Frequency - 30 to 60 minutes
  • Travel time - 100 minutes

How to pay for the ticket?

Fares are payable in cash only to the driver or conductor.

Usually, payment is made at the exit by walking forward to the driver and handing him the money when you get off. In some cases, the driver stops in the middle of the route and goes to collect money from the passengers.

It is not necessary to pay the exact amount.

How do the stops work?

Blue buses run along a precise route, but the stops are not marked in any way. You can get on and off anywhere.

If you are getting on, just wave to the arriving songthaew. Annoyingly, you have no way of knowing when a blue bus will be passing. The website with the current location of the vehicles doesn't work here.

To get off, just press the "stop" button inside, which tends to be located under the roof.

The marked stops are only the termini in Phuket Town, Patong and Kata resort.

Modern buses

Regular buses also run on Phuket, but only along the west coast between resorts or to Phuket HKT airport.

All buses connecting to the airport can also be used when travelling between resorts.

There are 3 different bus companies operating on the island and separate fares apply.

Smart Bus

The best coverage is provided by Phuket Smart Bus, which runs from the airport through all the resorts on the west coast to Rawai town in the south. Three services also go to Promthep Cape in the early evening, from where you can watch spectacular sunsets.

Tickets and prices

Although the Smart Bus has high prices by Thai public transport standards, it is the cheapest form of transport among the resorts on the west coast.

• Price for 1 ride regardless of distance - 100 thb
• Full day ticket (valid on a given calendar day) - 299 thb
• 3-day ticket - 499 thb
• 7-day ticket - 799 thb
• Detailed price list: phuketsmartbus.com

Tickets can be purchased from the driver in cash only. You will always receive a paper ticket which you keep for the entire journey.

Sometimes the driver requires payment right after boarding, sometimes he will refuse you and say you will pay when you get off, or in the middle of the route the driver will walk through the car and collect the fare from all passengers.

A day or multi-day ticket is sold in the form of a plastic card also from the driver. If the driver no longer has enough all-day cards, you can purchase only a 1-way ticket for 100 baht, or wait for the next connection.

Not all drivers speak good English and will often not understand that you are asking them for a day or multi-day ticket. Always show on the paper leaflet hanging on the glass by the door what type of ticket you want.

Tickets are only valid on buses operated by Phuket Smart Bus.

Route and timetables

Smart Bus operates on the route Phuket Airport - Cherngtalay - Surin - Kamala - Patong - Karon - Kata - Rawai.

Frequency is usually 60 minutes, but there are a few inserted services during the day that reduce the interval to 30 minutes.

Timetables are posted at all stops and you can check them in advance on the official website: phuketsmartbus.com.

Attention! Timetables cannot be 100% relied upon. Due to heavy traffic, the bus may arrive up to 15 minutes late. On the other hand, it is not at all uncommon for the bus to arrive 5-10 minutes early.

Phuket Bus Express

This company's buses run similarly to Smart Bus along the west coast between the airport and some resorts.

Detailed information, timetables and prices can be found at: phuketbusexpress.com

Tickets and prices

Fares between Karon/Kata and Patong resorts are 100 thb, but to the airport you will pay 200 thb, twice as much as the competing Smart Bus.

Fares between inland cities cost 50 thb to 100 thb depending on distance.

Pay only in cash with the driver on boarding or alighting depending on what the driver tells you.

Timetable and route

Buses run on the route Phuket Airport - Thalang - Monument - Kathu - Patong - Karon - Kata.

The frequency is 60 minutes and as with the Smart Bus, expect that the timetable may not match reality.

Airport Bus Phuket

Orange buses connect the airport with the capital Phuket Town. En route, they only pass through inland destinations on the main highway.

Tickets cost 100 thb and are paid by the conductor inside the bus (cash only).

Buses run once an hour and you can find a detailed timetable on the website: airportbusphuket.com.

Price comparison

For your convenience, here is a brief comparison of the prices of the different types of public transport on selected routes.

Prices for the Grab and Bolt mobile apps as well as metered taxis and tuk-tuks are indicative and depend on either current demand (in the case of mobile apps), traffic (in the case of taxis) or your bargaining skills (in the case of tuk-tuks).

We've omitted airport transfer prices from the table, which you can find in our detailed guide to Phuket HKT Airport.

	Songthaew	Smart Bus	Taxi	Grab	Bolt	Tuk-tuk	Mototaxi
Patong - Karon/Kata	-	100 thb	300 thb	250 thb	230 thb	400 thb	150 thb
Patong - Kamala	-	100 thb	300 thb	270 thb	250 thb	400 thb	130 thb
Patong - Promthep Cape	-	100 thb	480 thb	470 thb	410 thb	1 000 thb	250 thb
Phuket Town - Karon/Kata	40 thb	-	550 thb	530 thb	500 thb	800 thb	170 thb
Phuket Town - Big Buddha	-	-	470 thb	350 thb	330 thb	400 thb	150 thb
Phuket Town - Rawai	40 thb	-	400 thb	375 thb	340 thb	400 thb	130 thb
Phuket Town - Patong	40 thb	-	400 thb	390 thb	350 thb	800 thb	150 thb
Phuket Town - Kamala	60 thb	-	475 thb	500 thb	460 thb	1 000 thb	200 thb
Bang Tao - Patong	-	100 thb	425 thb	375 thb	345 thb	600 thb	180 thb
Kamala - Kata/Karon	-	100 thb	460 thb	400 thb	380 thb	800 thb	200 thb

Public transport map

For better clarity we add our own map of public transport in Phuket.

All lines of modern buses (Smart Bus, Phuket Airport Bus, Phuket Express Bus) and intercity songthaew (blue buses) are plotted here.

For a map of city lines in the island's largest city, see Phuket Town.

Pink Bus

Public transport within the island's largest city is also provided by pink songthaew buses.

These buses run on 4 different routes with a single fare 15 thb, which is paid by the conductor directly inside the vehicle.

Detailed information is described in the chapter on Phuket Town.