How to Get From Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta: Bus, Taxi & Transfer Guide
Krabi to Koh Lanta: about 1.5 to 3 hours by road and car ferry
Koh Lanta has no airport, so most Malaysian travellers fly into Krabi and transfer by road. The journey covers about 38 km in a straight line and takes around 1.5 to 3 hours, including a short car ferry crossing.
You can take a shared minivan, a private taxi, a van and speedboat combo or drive yourself. This guide compares every option with exact listed prices, departure times and step-by-step instructions.
Quick comparison
| Option | Price | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared minivan | ฿350 to ฿429 per person | 2 to 3 hours | Solo travellers and couples on a budget |
| Private taxi | ฿2,100 to ฿3,300 per car | About 1.5 to 2 hours | Families, groups and late arrivals |
| Van + speedboat (Tigerline) | ฿1,250 adult, ฿875 child | About 4 hours (10:30am to 2:30pm) | Avoiding the car ferry queue, November to April |
| Self-drive | Car ferry ฿50 to ฿100 per car, plus ฿10 per passenger | About 2 hours | Confident drivers who want a car on the island |
Before you fly
Krabi International Airport: transfer counters are in the arrivals hall
The lowest listed one-way fares from KL to Krabi start from RM129 on Traveloka or RM199 on AirAsia. Book a flight that lands before about 6pm if you want to take a shared minivan.
If you land after about 8pm, book a private car, since the last scheduled van leaves at 8:30pm.
Option 1: shared minivan
Krabi Airport: shared minivans drop you at your Koh Lanta hotel
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Price | ฿350 to ฿429 per person |
| Time | 2 to 3 hours to your hotel |
| Drop-off | Your hotel on Koh Lanta, including west coast beaches from Klong Dao to Klong Nin |
| Includes | The car ferry crossing (you stay in the van) |
Listed operators and times from Krabi Airport:
| Operator | Departures | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Jijie | Hourly, 8:30am to 6:30pm | About ฿429 |
| At Lanta Vacation | 6:30pm and 8:30pm (latest van) | About ฿399 |
| Black Tiger | Hourly until 4:30pm, plus 7:30pm | Not listed |
If you miss the airport van, take a taxi to Krabi Town, about 25 minutes away. Vans from the Bus Cooperative of Krabi leave town every two hours from 7am, with the last at 4pm, for ฿360.
How to do it:
- Book online in advance or at the arrivals counters at Krabi Airport.
- If you've booked online, show your voucher at the counter and give your hotel name.
- Board the minivan. It stops at the Hua Hin pier car ferry. You stay in the van for the crossing.
- The van drops you at your hotel on Koh Lanta.
Tip: pay for an extra seat if you have large luggage.
Option 2: private taxi
Krabi Airport: private drivers meet you in arrivals
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Price | ฿2,100 to ฿3,300 per car |
| Time | About 1.5 to 2 hours |
| Drop-off | Door to door, any time |
| Best for | Families, groups of 3 or 4 and late arrivals |
Listed private taxi prices from Krabi Airport:
| Company | Vehicle | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Lanta Gardenhill | 9-passenger | ฿2,600 |
| Andaman Taxis | Comfort taxi (up to 3 passengers) | ฿2,800 |
| Andaman Taxis | 9-passenger | ฿3,000 |
For a group of four, a private taxi works out at about ฿625 to ฿700 each. That's close to the minivan price but faster and more comfortable. You can also ask for a baby seat.
How to do it:
- Book in advance online, especially for late flights or peak weeks.
- Your driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name sign.
- Drive about an hour to the Hua Hin pier car ferry.
- Cross to Koh Lanta Noi, then over the Siri Lanta Bridge to Koh Lanta Yai.
- Get dropped at your hotel door.
Option 3: van + speedboat (Tigerline)
Saladan Pier, Koh Lanta: where the Tigerline speedboat arrives
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Price | ฿1,250 adult, ฿875 child (2 to 11), ฿500 infant (under 2) |
| Pickup | Krabi Airport at 10:30am |
| Arrival | Saladan Pier at 2:30pm |
| Season | Mainly November to April |
This option skips the car ferry queue. A van takes you to a pier, then a high-speed ferry takes you to Saladan. It only works if your flight lands well before 10:30am.
How to do it:
- Book online in advance.
- Meet the Tigerline van at Krabi Airport at 10:30am.
- Transfer to the speedboat at the pier.
- Arrive at Saladan Pier on Koh Lanta at about 2:30pm.
- Take a taxi or tuk-tuk to your hotel.
Option 4: drive yourself
Siri Lanta Bridge: the link from Koh Lanta Noi to Koh Lanta Yai
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Car ferry fare | ฿50 to ฿100 per car, ฿50 per motorbike, plus ฿10 per passenger |
| Time | About 2 hours |
| Car ferry hours | Roughly 6:30am to 10pm |
| Licence | You need an International Driving Permit, with a motorcycle endorsement for bikes |
Rent a car at Krabi Airport and drive south to Hua Hin pier. Take the short car ferry to Koh Lanta Noi, then cross the Siri Lanta Bridge to Koh Lanta Yai.
Having a car on Koh Lanta is handy, since there's no public transport to places like Old Town and the national park.
The car ferry: what to expect
Hua Hin pier car ferry: every road route to Koh Lanta crosses here
Every road route crosses a short car ferry from Hua Hin pier on the mainland to Koh Lanta Noi. The wait is usually 10 to 90 minutes. Leaving before 10am or after 4pm usually means a 10 to 20 minute wait. Midday and late afternoon are the worst times.
A bridge to the mainland has been contracted. The ferry is expected to run until around 2029.
Passenger ferry from Krabi Town
Klong Jilad Pier, Krabi Town: ferries to Koh Lanta from November to April
If you're already in Krabi Town or Ao Nang, the Lanta Super Concord ferry leaves Klong Jilad Pier at 11am for about ฿516. The trip takes 2 hours 45 minutes. It only runs from November to April and doesn't leave from the airport.
Tips
- Book transfers 7 to 14 days ahead for Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year and Songkran.
- Save your driver's or hotel's WhatsApp number in case of delays.
- Carry cash for the car ferry and for the south of Koh Lanta, where ATMs are scarce.
- Bring sea-sickness medicine if you're taking the speedboat option.
- Tell your minivan driver your exact hotel name and beach.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Landing after 8pm without a private car booked.
- Assuming Grab will be available for this route.
- Booking the Tigerline speedboat between May and October.
- Forgetting the car ferry queue when planning a tight schedule.
- Booking a minivan with lots of luggage and no extra seat.
Sourced from Visit Thailand Today Krabi to Koh Lanta (2026), Byklo How to Get to Koh Lanta, Backpack Bob Krabi to Koh Lanta and 12Go Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta. Flight fares from Traveloka and AirAsia listings.