Phuket to Koh Lanta
In short
Phuket to Koh Lanta is a speedboat from Rassada pier, mainly November to April, or the road all year.
Every way there, side by side
- Time
- From about 1h30
- How often
- Mainly November to April; check times at the pier
- Booking
- Speed
Best by group size
Up to 4
- Best way:
- A luxury van for up to 4, by road with the car ferry
Up to 10
- Best way:
- A party van for up to 10, quoted
20 and more
- Best way:
- A coach for 20 and more, quoted for the trip
The fastest way and the easiest way
The speedboat from Rassada is the fastest, from about 1h30, in the dry season. The easiest all year is our van by road through Krabi and onto the car ferry, bags in the van.
Either way, a car meets you at Saladan. Ask Tanner which one runs on your dates.
Speedboat
- Time:
- 1h30 to 3h30
- Season:
- Mainly November to April
- Best for:
- Speed
Ferry via Phi Phi
- Time:
- Longer, with the Phi Phi stop
- Season:
- Mainly November to April
- Best for:
- A look at Phi Phi
Bus, van and car ferry
- Time:
- Most of the day
- Season:
- All year
- Best for:
- Via Krabi, shared seats
Our luxury van
- Time:
- About 2h45 to Krabi Town, then the car ferry
- Season:
- All year
- Best for:
- The easiest: up to 4, door to door, from ฿6,500 for 10 hours
The ferry via Phi Phi
The Phuket to Koh Lanta ferry is the Phi Phi Cruiser, which stops at Phi Phi on the way. It runs mainly in the dry season, so check the times and fare at the pier or counter on the day.
Tickets with Phi Phi Cruiser, Tigerline or Sea Angel can include hotel pickup for about ฿200 to ฿250 more. If the boat stops at Phi Phi, keep ฿20 in cash for the island fee.
Ask Tanner to book the pickup with the seats.
- About 1.5 to 3.5 hours, mainly November to April
- Via Phi Phi, slower; check times at the pier
- About 2h45 to Krabi Town, then the car ferry
- Rassada, near Phuket Town; you land at Saladan
The speedboat
The Phuket to Koh Lanta speedboat is the quick one, about 1.5 hours on the fastest runs and up to 3.5 hours with stops. Bundhaya, Satun Pakbara and Tigerline run it, mostly in the morning; check the times at the pier on the day.
The fast boats run mainly from November to April. From May to October the sea is rougher, and the road is the steady option.
Ask Tanner which boat runs on your dates.
AIWhy the group goes by private car
Your own van leaves the Phuket villa when you're ready, drives round through Krabi, rolls onto the car ferry and drops you at the door on Lanta.
No pier transfers, no bags on and off boats, drinks on ice for the drive.
Plan it with Tanner.
The bus, the van and the road
The Phuket to Koh Lanta bus is really a shared bus-and-van run with the car ferry, stopping on the way. Check the times and fare at the counter on the day.
The road goes north round Phang Nga Bay to Krabi, about 2 hours 45 minutes from Phuket Town by car, then south to the car ferry at Ban Hua Hin pier and on to Lanta. The car ferry leaves when full, and in December and January the queue can stretch for kilometres.
Insider tip: a new bridge to Lanta is due to open in 2029, so until then it's the ferry. See Phuket to Krabi and Krabi to Koh Lanta, and ask Tanner to beat the queue with an early start.
From Phuket airport
There's no boat from the airport: Rassada pier is 40 to 55 minutes by taxi, so a morning flight makes the late-morning boats.
Landing late? Stay over in Phuket, or take the van all the way. See Phuket airport transfer, and ask Tanner to time it.
What the crossing costs
The Phuket to Koh Lanta ferry price starts with the Phi Phi Cruiser, the cheapest boat.
The operators don't publish their fares, and they change with the season, so check them at the pier or counter on the day.
Tanner's pick: the speedboat from November to April; from May, our van by road, whatever the sea is doing.
Ask Tanner which way runs on your dates.
Ferry via Phi Phi (Phi Phi Cruiser)
- Fare:
- Check at the pier
- Time:
- Longer, with the Phi Phi stop
Speedboat (Bundhaya, Satun Pakbara)
- Fare:
- Check at the pier
- Time:
- about 1.5 to 3.5 hours
Speedboat (Tigerline)
- Fare:
- Check at the pier
- Time:
- about 3 hours with stops
Bus, van and car ferry
- Fare:
- Check at the counter
- Time:
- most of the day
Phuket to Koh Lanta in short
- Fastest: the speedboat from Rassada, from about 1h30.
- Cheapest boat: the Phi Phi Cruiser via Phi Phi, mainly in the dry season.
- By road: about 2h45 to Krabi Town, then the car ferry.
- Season: the fast boats run mainly November to April.
- From the airport: Rassada is 40 to 55 minutes by taxi, or the van all the way.
- For a group: our van by road, bags in the back, door to door.
Checked 7 November 2026.
Is it worth going to Koh Lanta?
Yes, for 3 or 4 days. It's quieter than Phuket, with Long Beach, Klong Dao and Klong Nin on the west coast and beach bars instead of big clubs.
Boats link it with Krabi, Phuket and Phi Phi, so it pairs easily with the rest of the coast. See our Koh Lanta guide and every route on Getting around Thailand, then plan it with Tanner.
Before you travel
Fast boats run mainly November to April; the road all year
Boats leave Rassada pier, 40 to 55 minutes from the airport
Check boat times and fares at the pier on the day
Stopping at Phi Phi? Keep ฿20 cash for the island fee
December and January: start early to beat the ferry queue
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
Tanner's offer
Round by road, bags in the van
From your Phuket villa through Krabi, onto the car ferry, and to the door on Lanta.
See the private option →
Written by Tanner Altman · Updated 7 November 2026
Questions
Questions about Phuket to Koh Lanta
How do you get to Koh Lanta from Phuket?
By speedboat or ferry from Rassada pier, or by road through Krabi with the car ferry. For a group with bags, your own van by road is the easiest all year.
Is there a speed boat from Koh Lanta to Phuket?
Yes. Speedboats link Saladan and Rassada in about 1h30 on the fastest runs, mainly from November to April. Ask Tanner which one runs on your dates.
How long is the ferry from Phuket to Koh Lanta?
Speedboats take about 1.5 to 3.5 hours, depending on their stops. The Phi Phi Cruiser is slower, with the stop at Phi Phi. Boats run mainly from November to April, so check times at the pier.
How long should you spend on Koh Lanta?
3 or 4 days for most groups: the beaches, a boat day and the sunset bars. Add a night on Phi Phi on the way if you can.
Can we go by road?
Yes. Our luxury van for up to 4 is from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, and a party van for up to 10 is quoted. It's about 2h45 to Krabi Town, then the car ferry to Lanta.
Which is the best ferry from Phuket to Koh Lanta?
The speedboat for speed, from about 1h30; the Phi Phi Cruiser via Phi Phi for a lower fare and a look at Phi Phi on the way.
How much is the ferry from Phuket to Koh Lanta?
Fares change with the season and the operators don't publish them, so check at the pier or counter on the day. For a group, Tanner quotes the van by road for your date.
Is there a bus from Phuket to Koh Lanta?
Yes, a shared bus-and-van run with the car ferry, which stops along the way. Check the times and fare at the counter on the day; groups go faster in their own van.
Can we go from Phuket to Koh Lanta in the rainy season?
Yes. The fast boats run mainly from November to April, but the road keeps running all year. Ask Tanner to put the group in the van.
Plan it
Plan it with Tanner
Are you in Thailand now?
Last checked 7 November 2026
Sources
- 12Go: Phuket to Koh Lanta (fares and times; checked October 2026)
- Pattaya Mail, August 2026: Koh Lanta bridge due 2029
- Visit Thailand Today: Phuket to Koh Lanta (car ferry queue, Rassada taxi time), checked October 2026
Credits: top photo by Photo: Bennypc / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.