How to Get to Koh Lanta: Routes, Times & Costs (2026)

Featured image: travelourplanet.com, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.

Quick answer: how to get to Koh Lanta

Our pick for most travelers is the road route from Krabi. Fly into Krabi Airport, take a minivan or taxi to the mainland pier, and ride the car ferry across. Expect to be on the island in roughly 1.5 hours, with a private car costing around 3,000 baht. Our Krabi Airport transfer guide covers that leg in detail. Phuket arrivals have a real choice between a scenic boat and a long road transfer. All times and prices below are approximate, so check the current timetable.

Where Koh Lanta is and how you enter the island

Koh Lanta Yai, usually shortened to Koh Lanta, sits in Krabi Province in the Andaman Sea. Road travelers pass through the smaller Koh Lanta Noi first, then cross to the main island by car ferry. Saladan, in the north, is the main arrival hub, and most boats dock there. Confirm the pier name on your ticket before you travel. A mainland pier name is not interchangeable with the Lanta arrival pier. Our Koh Lanta ferry guide goes deeper on piers and boat operators.

Choose your route in 60 seconds

We'd decide on five factors, in this order. Arrival time comes first, because boats stop earlier than road transfers. Weather comes second, because road plus car ferry is more resilient than a speedboat.

• Late arrival: choose road. The car ferry reportedly runs 6am-10pm daily, so road is the safer fallback. Verify the last crossing.
• Rough sea or monsoon: choose road. Speedboats are the most exposed to sea state.
• Group of three or four: price a private car. About 4,500 baht from Phuket can beat four boat tickets.
• Solo traveler: favor shared options. A car costing about 3,000 baht from Krabi Airport is steep for one person.
• Heavy bags or small kids: skip the Phi Phi boat change. Passengers transfer between boats at sea.
• Want views: take the Phuket ferry. It is a sightseeing leg, not just a transfer.

From Krabi Airport

Krabi Airport is the core route, and we'd treat it as the default. A minivan or taxi reaches the mainland pier in about 50 minutes. Reports name Hua Hin pier as the car-ferry point, so confirm it when you book. Add the crossing, which takes about 25 minutes, and you land on the island in roughly 1.5 hours. A private car costs around 3,000 baht, and shared minivans cost less per person. Ask whether your quote includes the ferry fare. For booking channels and pickup details, see our airport-to-island breakdown. Book through your hotel or an operator directly if you want a named pickup point.

From Krabi Town, Ao Nang and Railay

Ao Nang and Railay give you both road and sea options. By road, the mainland run to Ao Nang takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. A full trip with the ferry takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours, depending on your end of the island. By sea, the ferry from Ao Nang or Railay takes about 2 hours and costs around 550 baht. The speedboat takes about 1.5 hours at around 800 baht. Boats may stop at Railay and Koh Jum on the way. Pier availability changes with the season. Our Krabi to Lanta route page compares these options. Our boat schedules and operators page covers sailings.

From Phuket

Phuket gives you the widest spread of trade-offs. The speedboat runs from Rassada Pier in Phuket to Saladan Pier, in about 1.5 hours for 1,500-2,000 baht per person. Children under 3 reportedly travel free. The ferry takes about 4 hours 15 minutes and costs around 900 baht in standard class. Its time includes a boat change at Phi Phi. Some sources quote shorter ferry times, so treat a range as normal and check the operator timetable. Road is the weather-proof option: about 4.5 hours north to north, plus up to 1.5 hours more for the southern end. Our Phuket to Lanta comparison sets all three side by side. We'd take the ferry for views, the car for a flight day, and the speedboat only in calm weather.

From Koh Phi Phi and other islands

Phi Phi sits halfway on the Phuket route. By speedboat, Phi Phi to Koh Lanta takes about 30 minutes. By ferry, the leg takes about 1 hour. Buy one through ticket, and you usually just change boats. Buy two separate tickets, and you can leave a gap of two hours or more for lunch. Is it worth stopping? We'd say yes for a short break, because luggage can often be left with the onward operator. Skip an overnight unless Phi Phi itself is the goal. Boat changes are tricky with heavy bags. Other islands may link by boat too, so check current sailings on our island boat connections page.

From Bangkok and other cities

We'd fly. Bangkok has no simple overland link to Koh Lanta, and we have no verified train or bus times to offer. Book a domestic flight to Krabi or Phuket, then follow the matching section above. Krabi is the shorter leg, at roughly 1.5 hours from the airport. Phuket adds 4.5 hours by road. Check current flight schedules with the airlines and Airports of Thailand.

Can you drive to Koh Lanta?

Yes. The mainland connection uses a car ferry crossing of about 25 minutes, reportedly running 6am-10pm daily. Self-drivers and taxis both use it. Ask the operator about vehicle fares and size rules before you arrive. Scooters and luggage-heavy cars should confirm space at peak times. Some hotels also arrange a private boat transfer to the mainland, with a taxi for the rest. One hotel transfer described to us took around 30 minutes by speedboat. Ask your property what it offers.

Best time to travel and what changes in the low season

High season runs roughly November to April, and low season roughly May to October. Sources differ at the edges, so check the Thai Meteorological Department and operator notices. Diving and snorkeling trips are reported to be best from November to April. In low season, some hotels and restaurants close, and boat services may be reduced. Speedboats are the most exposed to rough sea. We'd keep a road transfer as the fallback and check sailing status the day before. Our seasonal ferry notes track schedule changes.

Getting around once you arrive

Saladan is the transport hub, and the main road runs down the west coast. Klong Dao lies about 2 kilometers from Saladan. Southern areas such as Kantiang add real transfer time. Budget extra if you stay near the national park end. Reported options are hotel transfer, taxi, or a rented scooter. A scooter was quoted at around 200 baht per day in 2023, so check today's rate. Mu Ko Lanta National Park reportedly charges 200 baht per person for entry. Bring cash on arrival, since ATM details are unverified.

Mistakes to avoid

Most problems come from timing and assumptions. We'd check these before paying.

• Booking a late-afternoon boat without checking the last departure.
• Assuming one ticket means a direct boat, when Phi Phi may involve a change or a wait.
• Treating a mainland pier name as the same as the Lanta arrival pier.
• Booking a speedboat in rough weather with no road fallback.
• Choosing the wrong end of the island, then adding a long taxi.
• Forgetting to ask whether a taxi quote includes the car ferry.
• Skipping buffer time before an international flight from Phuket or Krabi.