Bangkok to Koh Lanta
In short
Bangkok to Koh Lanta takes about 4 to 6 hours: fly to Krabi, then the van and car ferry.
Every way there, side by side
- Time
- About 4 to 6 hours
- How often
- Many flights a day
- Booking
- Speed
Best by group size
Up to 4
- Best way:
- A luxury van for up to 4 from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, Krabi airport to the villa
Up to 10
- Best way:
- A party van for up to 10 with the bags, quoted
20 and more
- Best way:
- A coach for 20 and more, quoted for the trip
The fastest way and the easiest way
The fastest way and the easiest way are the same here: fly to Krabi, and your own van is waiting. It drives you to the car ferry and on to the villa, and the bags go in once.
Tanner's pick for a group: fly to Krabi, every time. The night bus saves money and costs you a whole day of the trip.
Ask Tanner which flight lands best for your check-in.
Fly to Krabi, then van and car ferry
- Total time:
- About 4 to 6 hours
- Good to know:
- The fastest and easiest
Fly to Trang, then van
- Total time:
- Longer than via Krabi
- Good to know:
- A quieter airport
Sleeper train to Trang, then van
- Total time:
- Overnight, then the van
- Good to know:
- A bed for the night
Night bus, van and ferry
- Total time:
- About 14 to 17 hours
- Good to know:
- The cheapest
Private car from Bangkok
- Total time:
- A full day, 625 km
- Good to know:
- A long day on the road
Can you fly to Koh Lanta?
There's no Bangkok to Koh Lanta flight, because the island has no airport. You fly to Krabi instead: about 1 hour 20 minutes from Don Mueang, AirAsia says, with many flights a day.
- From Don Mueang: Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air.
- Trang airport: quieter, with fewer flights and a longer van ride to Lanta.
Insider tip: take a morning flight. You're on the island by mid-afternoon, before the ferry queue builds. Krabi's new terminal opened on 23 September 2026.
See Bangkok to Krabi and Krabi airport transfer, then ask Tanner to match the van to your flight.
- fly to Krabi, then the van and the car ferry, about 4 to 6 hours
- fly to Trang, then a longer van ride
- night bus or sleeper train, then van and ferry, about 14 to 17 hours
How long is the ferry to Lanta?
From Krabi airport it's about 77 km to Saladan, and 2 to 2.5 hours by van (checked October 2026). The van crosses on the car ferry from Hua Hin pier to Lanta Noi, then takes the Siri Lanta bridge to Lanta Yai.
The car ferry from Hua Hin pier to Lanta Noi takes about 15 minutes and runs every 20 minutes from 6am to 10pm, Songserm Tran, the operator, says. After 10pm it's a charter boat, and a bridge from the mainland is due in 2029. From November to April there's also a passenger boat from Klong Jilad pier in Krabi town, about 2 to 3 hours.
Insider tip: in October nothing leaves Klong Jilad, so the road and the car ferry are the only way in.
Your own van goes straight onto the ferry, all year. See Krabi to Koh Lanta, and ask Tanner for the van.
AIIs there a train to Koh Lanta?
There's no Bangkok to Koh Lanta train. Sleeper trains run overnight from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Trang; check times and fares at the station.
From Trang station it's a van and the car ferry to the island. Krabi has no station at all.
Ask Tanner to have a van at Trang station if the group likes a night on the rails.
Is there a bus to Koh Lanta?
The Bangkok to Koh Lanta bus is the cheapest way. Night buses leave Bangkok in the evening and reach Lanta the next morning, with the van and the ferry on one ticket. It takes about 14 to 17 hours; check times and fares at the counter.
It saves money and spends most of a day. Ask Tanner for the car at the other end if anyone in the group goes this way.
How far it is
It's about 625 km by road, with the car ferry at the end. That's a full day in a car, which is why almost everyone flies to Krabi or Trang first.
There's no Bangkok to Koh Lanta ferry either. The boats leave from Krabi and Phuket, not Bangkok.
Coming from Phuket? See Phuket to Koh Lanta, and ask Tanner which way is quicker on your dates.
Why the group goes by private car
Land at Krabi and your van is at arrivals. Drinks on ice, the bags loaded once, and the whole group in one car.
The driver takes the van straight onto the car ferry at Hua Hin pier, so nobody carries bags along a jetty, and he stops at the villa door.
From May to October the passenger boat stops, but the car ferry runs all year, and so does your van.
Plan it with Tanner, and the van is there when you land.
Bangkok to Koh Lanta in short
- Fastest: fly to Krabi in about 1 hour 20 minutes, then 2 to 2.5 hours by van and car ferry.
- Quieter: fly to Trang, then a longer van ride.
- Cheapest: the night bus, about 14 to 17 hours with the van and ferry.
- Lanta has no airport, no train and no ferry from Bangkok.
- Best months: November to April, when the Krabi passenger boat runs.
- For a group: your own van from Krabi airport, straight onto the car ferry.
Checked 7 November 2026.
When to go
Give it 3 or 4 days. Lanta's west-coast beaches and sunset bars are quieter than Phuket or Phi Phi, and November to April is the season, when the passenger boat runs.
From May to October it's the road and the car ferry only.
Pairing it with Phi Phi? See Phi Phi to Koh Lanta and our Koh Lanta guide, then ask Tanner to hold the villa.
Before you travel
Take a morning flight, before the ferry queue builds
Flights to Krabi leave Don Mueang
Car ferry: Hua Hin pier, every 20 minutes, 6am to 10pm
The Klong Jilad passenger boat runs November to April only
Your van rolls onto the car ferry: no bags along a jetty
No alcohol at public piers or on scheduled boats
The alcohol ban at public piers and on scheduled boats runs from 12 May 2026.
Checked Nov 2026
AITanner's offer
From Krabi airport to your Lanta villa
The driver meets the flight, takes the van across on the car ferry, and stops at the villa door.
See the private option →
Written by Tanner Altman · Updated 7 November 2026
Questions
Questions about Bangkok to Koh Lanta
How do I get from Bangkok to Koh Lanta?
Fly to Krabi in about 1 hour 20 minutes, then take a van onto the car ferry at Hua Hin pier. From November to April there's also a passenger boat from Klong Jilad pier.
What is the best way to get to Koh Lanta?
Fly to Krabi, then take your own van onto the car ferry. It runs all year, the bags go in once, and the driver stops at the villa door.
Is Koh Lanta worth the visit?
Yes, if the group wants long beaches, sunset bars and quieter nights than Phuket or Phi Phi. Give it 3 or 4 days, ideally between November and April.
Is there a ferry from Bangkok to Koh Lanta?
No. There's no ferry from Bangkok. The boats to Lanta leave from Krabi and Phuket, so you fly south first, then take the boat or the car ferry.
How long is the flight to Koh Lanta?
About 1 hour 20 minutes from Don Mueang to Krabi, the closest airport. Then it's 2 to 2.5 hours by van and car ferry to the island, so plan on 4 to 6 hours in all.
Can we book a van from Krabi airport to Koh Lanta?
Yes. A luxury van for up to 4 is from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, and a party van for up to 10 is quoted. The driver meets the flight and drives onto the car ferry.
What is the cheapest way from Bangkok to Koh Lanta?
The night bus, with a van and the ferry on one ticket. It takes about 14 to 17 hours, so it costs a day of the trip; check times and fares at the counter.
When is the best time to go to Koh Lanta?
November to April, when the sea is calm and the passenger boat from Klong Jilad pier in Krabi runs. From May to October it's the car ferry only, which runs all year.
Are there direct flights from Bangkok to Koh Lanta?
No. Koh Lanta has no airport. You fly to Krabi or Trang, then go by van and car ferry. Via Krabi it's about 4 to 6 hours door to door.
How long is the ferry from Krabi to Koh Lanta?
The passenger boat from Klong Jilad pier takes about 2 to 3 hours and runs November to April. The car ferry from Hua Hin pier to Lanta Noi takes about 15 minutes, every 20 minutes, 6am to 10pm.
Is there a shuttle from Krabi airport to Koh Lanta?
Yes. Shared minivans run from Krabi airport to Lanta; check the fare at the counter on the day. A group is quicker in its own van that leaves when you land.
Plan it
Plan it with Tanner
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Last checked 7 November 2026
Credits: top photo by Photo: Владимир Е / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.