It is hard to resist the charm of the largest city and capital of Thailand. Bustling and hectic, Bangkok exudes energy and is a fantastic place to spend a few days. Whether you like visiting temples and palaces, strolling through parks or soaking up the atmosphere in the markets, Bangkok won’t let you down. But after a few days in the city, you want to escape to a calmer and more natural place. Koh Phi Phi can be the perfect travel destination. These stunningly beautiful islands boast some of the world’s most spectacular beaches and small coves surrounded by imposing limestone cliffs. Tourism has already reached these islands, but it is still an oasis of calm compared to Bangkok. If you dare to travel from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi, take a look at all the transportation options.
Suvarnabhumi Airport used by Thai Airways and departure point for almost all long-haul flights from Bangkok
Options to go from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi
The journey from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi is very long and slow, unless you take a plane. The distance between the two destinations is 830 kilometers, so it’s worth flying if you want to get there quickly and spend as much time on the beach as possible. But the truth is that you can’t fly to Koh Phi Phi because there is no airport on the island, which means you have to travel by boat anyway. Other travel options from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi include different means of transport such as train, bus and ferry or just bus and ferry. If this seems complicated, don’t worry and read on to learn the details of the different solutions.
Plane and ferry from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi
Don Mueang Airport north of Bangkok. Bangkok Low Cost Hub © Camera_Bravo / Shutterstock.com
As mentioned above, there is no direct flight from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi, but most travel can be done. There are several flight options, depending on where you prefer to catch the ferry. From Bangkok to Krabi you can fly with Bangkok Air, Thai Smile, Thai Airways, Thai Lion Air or Nok Air. The flight takes approximately 90 minutes. It is best to compare the prices of all airlines well, as some offer significantly cheaper tickets than others. Be sure to check what the ticket includes, because usually the cheapest ones do not include checked baggage.
From Krabi Airport you need to get to the city by taxi or shared van. It is only about 12 kilometers to the city, but the journey can take quite a long time if you take a van or a shared taxi, as both modes of transport have several stops. From the town, you can go directly to the pier to take the ferry to Koh Phi Phi. This final leg of the tour lasts between 1.5 and 2.5 hours, depending on the company and type of boat you are traveling on.
You can also fly to Phuket and take a boat trip from there. The flight to Phuket takes about the same time as the flight to Krabi, but the transfer to the airport and pier should be faster. In addition, it is not difficult to get to the port directly from the airport. From there, the ferry crossing takes between 1.5 and 3 hours, which also depends on the company you are traveling with.
While the flight solution seems to be the quickest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi, think carefully because adding the rest of the stretches, including the transfer from Bangkok to the airport, makes the journey quite long. Since flights are often more expensive than other transport options, this solution can be the most expensive of all.
From Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi by train, bus and ferry
Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok, easily accessible by subway. The metro station bears the same name
If you like adventurous travel, we recommend the train, bus and ferry option to get from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi. It’s a long journey, but a good adventure that gives you the opportunity to admire fabulous landscapes and drive through cities that could not be seen from the plane. The shortcoming is the duration of the trip, which, as you can see, lasts several hours.
The good thing is that you can book a combined ticket for all legs of your journey through a reliable travel site like 12Go.asia. Their search engine shows results for multiple transport combinations, so you can book a ticket that covers your entire journey. It is ideal to organize everything in advance and travel with the peace of mind that everything is planned all the way to your final destination.
The train departs from Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok and arrives in Surat Thani. The nearest railway station to Koh Phi Phi. The train journey takes about 11.5 hours and there are carriages with beds so you can sleep on the way. In Surat Thani you will need to take a bus that goes to the pier, although the waiting time for the ferry to depart is approximately 3.5 hours. When we add the 4 hours needed to walk from Surat Thani to Koh Phi Phi, we have a total duration of approximately 19 hours.
From Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi by bus and ferry
If you prefer a simpler solution, you can take a bus from Bangkok to the south of the country, and from there take a boat to the island. The total travel time is shorter than train, bus and ferry, but still takes between 15.5 and 17.5 hours, depending on the operator. It is also possible to book these combo tickets on 12Go where you will see different companies to choose from. For example, Songserm is well known and has several stores in Bangkok, including Hua Lamphong Railway Station and its office on Khao San Road.
While there are three different solutions to travel from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi, you can see that you can choose between different company and timetable options. Whichever option you choose, you’ll find that traveling from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi isn’t particularly cheap, but you’ll find better deals by comparing prices on a site like 12Go.