Getting Around Krabi by Bus
Songthaew: the shared truck between Ao Nang and Krabi Town
Krabi is a 5,323 sq km province, not one walkable town, and the songthaew is what connects its two main hubs. These open-back covered pickup trucks run every 15-20 minutes between Ao Nang, the beach resort strip, and Krabi Town, the inland provincial capital 17km away, for about 60 baht per person. Krabi Town’s bus terminal is where regional coaches and minivans to other parts of southern Thailand depart, so it’s the logical first stop if you’re arriving overland rather than by air. Compare day tours that start from either hub on GetYourGuide if you’d rather book a seat than work out the songthaew schedule.
Airport bus: Krabi Airport to Ao Nang
An air-conditioned shuttle coach runs from Krabi Airport (KBV) to Ao Nang for about 150 baht per person, taking roughly an hour. It’s the cheapest airport transfer by a wide margin over a private taxi, though it runs on a schedule rather than on demand, so check departure times before you land.
Where a bus can’t take you: Railay
No bus, taxi, or road of any kind reaches Railay. Sheer limestone cliffs isolate the peninsula from the mainland road network entirely, so any tour or transfer that promises overland transport there is wrong. The actual route is a longtail boat: about 100 baht per person and 10 minutes from Ao Nang beach, or a similar fare and closer to 15 minutes from Ao Nam Mao Pier, which is the steadier option when the sea is rough. Railay Eco Tour has the current boat schedule and fares , and Viator lists Ao Nang to Railay boat transfers alongside its day tours if you want the crossing bundled with an activity.
Short hops and the scooter alternative
Within Ao Nang itself, tuk-tuks run flat-rate short hops along the coastal strip for about 80-100 baht, useful for a quick trip between a hotel and the beach without waiting on a songthaew. Some travelers rent a scooter instead of relying on buses; Thai law requires a valid International Driving Permit with a motorcycle endorsement to do so legally, and checkpoints between Ao Nang and Krabi Town do fine tourists 500-1,000 baht for riding without one. The Manduls’ Krabi to Railay guide covers the boat leg in more detail if you’re combining a scooter day with a Railay stop.
Tips
- Carry small baht notes for songthaews and tuk-tuks; drivers rarely break large bills.
- Songthaews and the airport bus run road routes only. For anything on Railay, the day trips guide covers the boat connections you’ll actually need.
- Confirm the current airport bus schedule before you land, since it isn’t a fixed-interval service like the songthaew.
Budget an extra 20-30 minutes beyond the quoted travel time on any road route during the June-through-October wet season, when downpours slow traffic between Ao Nang and Krabi Town.