Patong to Phuket Town: Cheapest vs Fastest vs Most Reliable

ModeTimeCostReliability
Private Minivan45 min1500-2500 THB⭐ 9/10
Public Taxi45-60 min700-900 THB⭐ 8/10
Airport Bus75-90 min100-200 THB⭐ 8/10
Shared Minivan60-75 min200-400 THB⭐ 6/10
Grab45-60 min600-1000 THB⭐ 6/10

Distance is 25km. Sounds short. Traffic makes it 90 minutes on bad days.

a city street at night with a clock tower in the background

Private minivan wins on reliability. Pre-booked driver, fixed price, zero drama. Airport bus wins on price but dumps you at the terminal. You still need a tuk-tuk to your hotel. Taxi and Grab cost the same but Grab surges during rain.

💡 SCAM ALERT: Touts at arrivals offer ‘cheap taxi’ for 500 THB. They take you to a tour desk and pressure you into day trips. Use the official counter or book online.

Bus & Minivan Schedules and Prices 2026

Airport Bus runs every hour from 06:00 to 22:00. Last bus leaves at 21:30. Miss it and you’re paying for a taxi. Shared minivans run every 30-60 minutes but only leave when full. Saw one sit for 45 minutes waiting for passengers at 3pm on a Tuesday.

Bus fare is 100-200 THB depending on your stop. Pay onboard or at the kiosk. Minivan is 200-400 THB if you book via 12Go. Walk-up price at the desk? 500 THB. They charge tourists more.

💡 LUGGAGE CHECK: Airport Bus charges 50 THB per big bag on the roof. Minivans include one bag but slam you with 100 THB for a second. Pack light or pay up.

Taxi & Grab Fares, Pros/Cons and Booking

Metered taxi costs 700-900 THB. Buy the ticket at the official counter in arrivals. Driver gets a copy, you get a copy. Meter runs fair. Takes 45 minutes if you leave before 8am or after 8pm. Rush hour? 90 minutes easy.

Grab costs 600-1000 THB depending on surge. Download the app before you land. You need data. Airport WiFi is trash. Walk to the Grab zone in the parking lot. Wait 10-15 minutes. Surge kicks in during rain or 5-7pm. Saw it hit 1200 THB once during a storm.

a couple of people standing outside of a building

Taxi is faster to grab. Grab is cheaper if you avoid surge. Both get stuck in the same traffic jam on Thepkasattri Road. If you’re flying into Phuket International Airport to Patong, same traffic applies.

Comfort & Amenities Comparison (AC, Luggage)

Private minivan has reclining seats, WiFi, and space for 7 bags. AC blasts arctic. Shared minivan has AC but WiFi barely loads Instagram. Luggage stacks on laps if the van’s full. Saw a family of four with 6 bags crammed in the back row. Brutal.

Airport Bus has AC and luggage racks but seats don’t recline. You sit upright for 90 minutes. Taxi and Grab have AC and trunk space. Taxi trunks fit 2 big bags. Grab sedans fit 1 big bag plus carry-ons. Need more? Book a Grab XL.

💡 TIMING HACK: Leave before 7am or after 8pm. Traffic clears. Taxi takes 45 minutes instead of 90. Grab surge drops to normal rates. Early morning is your friend.

Avoid Scams: Safety Tips and Direct Booking Links

Touts swarm you at arrivals. They wear fake badges. They offer ‘special taxi’ for 500 THB then take you to a tour desk. You sit through a 30-minute timeshare pitch. Skip them. Walk to the official taxi counter or the Grab zone.

Shared minivans at the desk charge walk-ups 500 THB. Same van costs 300 THB if you book online the night before. Use 12Go or Klook to lock in the real price.

a view of a body of water from a balcony

Meter scams are rare but happen. Driver ‘forgets’ to start the meter then quotes 1500 THB at the end. Check the meter clicks on before you leave the curb. If it doesn’t, get out. Grab avoids this because the fare locks in the app.

Airport Bus is scam-proof. Fixed route, fixed price. Only risk is missing your stop because the driver announces in Thai. Tell him your hotel name twice. He’ll yell when you’re close.

Heading to Rawai or Thalang after Phuket Town? Add another 30-60 minutes and 200-400 THB for a taxi or songthaew from the terminal.