Phuket International Airport (HKT) sits at the northern tip of the island, next to Nai Yang and Mai Khao beaches. It handled 17.5 million passengers in 2025, 10.8 million of them on international flights (AOT annual report). All prices below were taken from the airport and operator websites on 17 October 2026.
Getting from the airport: options compared
| Option | Goes to | Price, October 2026 | Hours | Where to board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phuket Smart Bus | Surin, Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata, Rawai | 100 baht | from the airport 08:15-23:30 | Exit 3 |
| Airport Bus express | Karon, Kata | to be confirmed | counter until 21:00 | Exit 3, domestic terminal, ground floor |
| Private minivan | town, Patong, Rawai, Kata | 650, 800, 900, 1,000 baht per vehicle | meets arrivals | Entrance 1, arrivals |
| CABB (car booking) | anywhere | operator fare | per AOT listing | Entrance 1, main terminal |
| Grab, Bolt | anywhere | fixed upfront in the app | 24 hours | Grab: Entrance 1, ground floor |
A bus is cheaper than a private car, but it stops all along the route. If you land late or travel with kids, a private vehicle is usually less stressful. How the apps price rides is covered in our Phuket taxi and Grab guide.
Drive times from the airport
Road distance and time without traffic, calculated with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data. Rush hour, rain and high season make the trip south noticeably longer.
| Area | km | Minutes | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nai Yang | 3.2 | 5 | map |
| Mai Khao | 11.6 | 21 | map |
| Bang Tao | 16.4 | 23 | map |
| Surin | 22.5 | 26 | map |
| Kamala | 27.1 | 31 | map |
| Phuket Old Town | 31.2 | 38 | map |
| Patong | 37.3 | 43 | map |
| Chalong Pier | 41.4 | 51 | map |
| Karon | 43.0 | 48 | map |
| Kata | 46.1 | 52 | map |
| Rawai Beach | 46.8 | 56 | map |
| Nai Harn | 48.0 | 59 | map |
If you fly often, factor this into where you stay: Bang Tao is half the distance of Rawai or Kata.
Phuket Smart Bus: timetable and fares
The Smart Bus runs down the west coast: Airport, Baan Khian, Cherngtalay, Surin, Kamala, Patong, Karon, Kata, Rawai. It is 100 baht for any distance and free for children under 6 with a paying adult. Pay by contactless Visa, Mastercard or JCB, Thai PromptPay QR or cash.
- From the airport: first bus 08:15, then every 30 minutes from 09:00, last ones at 22:40 and 23:30
- Ride time: 1 hour 20-30 minutes to the Patong stop, 2 hours 10-20 minutes to Rawai Beach
- To the airport: from Rawai Beach 06:45-19:30; the earliest runs start at Kata Palm at 05:20 and reach the airport at 07:32
This is the operator’s timetable valid from 16 January 2026. Check the Smart Bus website before you travel, as it is updated from time to time.
Arrival: immigration, bags, customs
AOT describes the arrival sequence as passport control (international flights), health and quarantine checks, baggage claim, customs and onward transport. Belts 1-5 serve international flights, 6-10 domestic. Customs has a green channel (nothing to declare) and a red one. Duty-free allowances are on our Thailand customs page.
There is a priority lane at passport control, but only for listed groups: Thai nationals, diplomats, crew, BOI and Thailand Privilege holders, monks, travellers over 70, pregnant women, passengers with infants and people with disabilities. We found no paid fast track on the airport website.
Before flying, fill in the free digital arrival card, and avoid the paid clone sites: see TDAC explained.
Departure: check-in and security
You can use regular counters or self check-in and bag-drop kiosks. AOT asks you to be at the gate at least 45 minutes before boarding. Security checks your boarding pass and original ID, with standard liquids rules for hand luggage. Overstayers are handled at a separate window at passport control.
FAQ
How do I get from Phuket Airport to Patong?
The Phuket Smart Bus costs 100 baht and takes about 1 hour 20-30 minutes to the Patong stop, because it calls at Surin and Kamala first. A private airport minivan is 800 baht per vehicle. Grab and Bolt show the fare before you book; the drive itself is about 43 minutes.
How much is a taxi from Phuket Airport?
The airport website lists the counter fares. Private minivan: Phuket Town 650 baht, Patong 800, Rawai 900, Kata 1,000 (Rawai is cheaper than Kata on the AOT fare card itself, not a typo). Besides Grab, the airport lists the CABB car service at Entrance 1. These are October 2026 prices and operators do change them.
Is there a bus from Phuket Airport at night?
The last Smart Bus leaves the airport at 23:30 and reaches Rawai Beach around 01:50. The Airport Bus express counter for Karon and Kata closes at 21:00. After midnight you are left with taxis, minivans and apps.
Is there a fast track at Phuket Airport?
The airport only describes a priority lane at passport control for Thai nationals, crew, Thailand Privilege members, travellers over 70, pregnant women, passengers with infants and people with disabilities. Paid fast-track services are sold by private companies; AOT does not list one and we have not tested them.
Can I use Grab at Phuket Airport?
Yes. Grab has a pickup point at Entrance 1 on the ground floor of the arrivals area. Bolt also accepts rides to and from the airport. No other ride-hailing app appears on the airport's transport page.
How early should I get to Phuket Airport?
AOT asks passengers to be at the gate at least 45 minutes before boarding starts. Check-in closing times are set by your airline. In high season, security and passport queues are longer, so leave a buffer.
Sources
- AOT, Phuket Airport. CABB
- AOT, Phuket Airport. Airport Bus express: airport-Karon-Kata
- AOT, Phuket Airport. Transportation: Smart Bus, Airport Bus, taxis, limousines, Grab
- AOT, Phuket Airport. Arrival procedure
- AOT, Phuket Airport. Departure procedure
- AOT. Annual Report 2025, HKT statistics
- Phuket Smart Bus. Airport to Rawai timetable (from 16 Jan 2026)
- Phuket Smart Bus. Payment and passes
- Bolt. Rides in Phuket
- OpenStreetMap and OSRM. Routes from HKT
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