Heading from Bangkok to Phuket? You’re in luck, it is a well-travelled route, so there are a number of choices for getting from one to the opposite. Many guests travelling to Phuket will land in Bangkok first, generally stopping over for just a few days to absorb the capital’s temples, eclectic nightlife, and cultural landmarks, or heading straight to Phuket.
It’s not onerous to see why so many travellers flock to Phuket. It’s Thailand’s largest island, teeming with pristine seashores, snorkelling hotspots, unbelievable night time markets, and a lot extra. The island can also be very various – you’ll discover backpackers partying on one aspect of the island, and households stress-free in beachside resorts on the opposite. So there’s a solution to get from Bangkok to Phuket to swimsuit any traveller, whether or not you wish to get there sooner or cheaper. To assist make your choice, right here’s our helpful information on the very best methods to get from Bangkok to Phuket.
Airplane
If you wish to get to the tropical island as quick as you’ll be able to, then travelling by airplane is your finest wager. It’s a direct flight taking as much as 1 hour and half-hour, so that you might be sipping cocktails on a white sand seaside earlier than you understand it. Flights go from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Worldwide Airport, touchdown at Phuket Worldwide Airport. Getting a flight on your most popular time received’t be an issue, there are masses departing every day, round two an hour. Don Muang Airport, Bangkok’s home airport, additionally flies to Phuket.
There isn’t a lot distinction between the 2 airports. Don Muang carries finances airline Nok Air, which Bangkok Worldwide Airport doesn’t, however the costs are the identical as Air Asia, which the worldwide airport does carry. So, the gap and the worth stay related, if not a bit cheaper at Bangkok Worldwide Airport. Both approach, contemplating that is the dearer choice, it’s fairly priced. However in the course of the excessive season – December to March – costs will enhance, so be sure you take this into consideration when planning your journey.
Phuket Airport is situated simply over 20 miles away from Phuket City, and even farther from Patong. Hopping in a taxi is the quickest and most handy choice, getting you from door to door. Nonetheless, the costs can rack up, particularly if you happen to’re travelling alone or with one different particular person. You possibly can e-book a shared shuttle that’ll be low cost, so it’s a superb choice if you happen to’re on a finances. Keep in mind that the bus won’t have air con and additional stops alongside the way in which means it’ll take you longer to get to your vacation spot.
Bus
Probably the most reasonably priced solution to get from Bangkok to Phuket is by bus. There are just a few choices – a morning bus that will get you there that night, a day bus that will get you there within the early hours of the morning, and an evening bus that will get you there within the morning. Typically, most individuals are inclined to desire the night time buses. The journey might be wherever between 12 to 17 hours, so if you happen to don’t wish to miss an entire day and as an alternative sleep by way of the journey, then this could possibly be the selection for you. As a result of they’re the preferred, they have a tendency to replenish shortly, so be sure you e-book upfront.
The primary good thing about getting a day bus is the worth. They’re sometimes cheaper than the night time buses, particularly in the course of the excessive season. You additionally get the additional advantage of unbelievable views alongside the way in which. All buses have air con and leisure, so actually, the one distinction is time and worth. However there are two varieties of buses, a 1st class bus and a 2nd class bus. A 1st class bus is named a VIP bus, they usually do value greater than the 2nd class bus. Nonetheless, they’re sometimes far more comfy and whenever you’re on a bus for as much as 17 hours, consolation is vital. There’s extra legroom and reclining seats, particularly vital if you wish to get some shut-eye. And VIP buses have single-row seats, so that you don’t have to fret about having somebody subsequent to you if you happen to don’t wish to.
The buses from Bangkok to Phuket both depart from the Southern Bus Terminal or the Mo Chit Northern Bus Terminal. The bus stops midway so you’ll be able to choose up some meals, espresso, extra water, or simply stretch your legs.
Prepare & Bus
Whereas there isn’t a direct prepare from Bangkok to Phuket, combining a prepare with a bus is a viable choice. Travelling by rail tends to be extra environmentally pleasant, so if that’s one thing that’s vital to you, then it is a good choice. The prepare leaves Hualamphong Station in Bangkok ten instances a day, taking between 8.75 and 12 hours. Just like the buses, these are usually sleeper trains, so you’ll be able to loosen up in an air-conditioned carriage with loads of room and beds.
There are some variations within the kinds of trains you will get. There’s a less expensive prepare that doesn’t have any beds, simply seats, however we’re unsure if the discomfort is definitely worth the financial savings. The Thai Railway additionally has a prepare with no beds and no air con that goes from Bangkok to Surat Thani as soon as a day. In case you suppose you’ll be able to stand as much as 12 hours with out cool air or a mattress, you will get a good cheaper ticket. An everyday prepare could have beds and AC – a 1st class ticket will get you a non-public two-person cabin, whereas a 2nd class ticket will imply sharing a carriage with different passengers. And one of many advantages of getting a prepare is the meals. You possibly can take pleasure in a scrumptious, conventional Thai meal whereas looking at views you’d have in any other case missed.
This mode of transport offers you the chance to go to Surat Thani, a quiet, coastal metropolis. It interprets to ‘Metropolis of Good Folks’, which is simply beautiful. Then, from Surat Thani, you will get a bus from the prepare station straight to Phuket, which takes as much as 5 hours. Costs fluctuate relying on the time and date, so be sure you analysis the very best costs beforehand.