Krabi to Koh Lanta: Ferry, Minivan or Taxi (Which?)

Featured image: Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Quick answer: the best way from Krabi to Koh Lanta

Published timetables disagree on several points, so treat every time and fare below as indicative. Confirm with your operator or hotel before you travel. Our default pick is the public minivan at ฿350–450, which includes the short car ferry crossing. Boats win only when you start in Krabi Town or Ao Nang before late morning and sleep near Saladan.

Krabi Town (Klong Jilad Pier) to Koh Lanta by ferry or speedboat

Passenger boats leave Klong Jilad Pier in Krabi Town and dock at Saladan Pier in the north of Lanta. One high-season listing shows departures at about 11:30 and 14:30, calling at Koh Jum and arriving near 13:45 and 16:45. Another lists a single 09:40 sailing taking about 2 hours 5 minutes. It also lists a faster speedboat at about 1 hour 10 minutes. Those schedules conflict, so ask your hotel or the operator for the current sailing before you plan around one. Low season is thinner, with boats running only if weather and passenger numbers allow. Allow 30–45 minutes at the pier for check-in and boarding. Our ferry timetable and operator detail goes deeper on sailings.

• Slow ferry: about 2 hours 5 minutes, with deck seating and a Koh Jum stop on some sailings.
• Speedboat: about 1 hour 10 minutes, but rougher in a swell.
• Cars, bikes and pets are reported as not allowed on the passenger boats. That is operator-specific, so confirm it when booking.

By minivan or private taxi via the car ferry

Public minivans leave Krabi's bus terminal at Talat Kao roughly hourly between 08:00 and 16:00. Expect 2–4 hours and ฿350–450 depending on where you book. Queues at the car ferry cause the spread. Private taxis run about ฿2,500–2,800 per car and are usually quicker. You cross on the car ferry from Koh Klang to Lanta Noi, which takes minutes. Ban Hua Hin and Ban Khlong Mak are the two mainland crossing points on this run. Reported operating hours conflict, from 05:00 to 24:00 in one listing and 06:00 to 22:00 in another. Plan to cross before 22:00. Afternoon queues can grow from December to March. After the crossing, a drive of roughly 9 km over Lanta Noi leads to the bridge onto Lanta Yai. Our practical rule: the road is the dependable choice whenever the sea looks uncertain.

Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta: land-time rules and fallbacks

Airport arrivals have three road options. A public minivan from the arrivals hall takes roughly 3–4 hours. A private transfer costs about ฿2,500–3,000 by road and car ferry. In high season a combined minivan and speedboat transfer is reported at about 1.5 hours. Rental cars start around ฿700 per day. The last public minivan from Krabi Town is reported at about 16:00, so late flights need a plan. Our airport transfer rules page holds the full detail.

• Land before about 13:00: take a public minivan and stay on budget.
• Land between 13:00 and 16:00: book a private transfer or the minivan-plus-speedboat combo.
• Land after 16:00: book a private transfer in advance, or sleep in Krabi Town or Ao Nang.
• Overnighting: book a morning boat through your hotel reception the night before.

From Ao Nang, Railay and Koh Jum

High-season boats from Nopparat Thara Pier in Ao Nang are reported leaving around 11:00. They call at Railay and Koh Jum before reaching Saladan, in about 2 hours for roughly ฿550. A speedboat takes about 1.5 hours and costs about ฿800. Ao Nang's other option is a minivan or taxi to Krabi Town, then a public minivan for about ฿450 per person. From Koh Jum, you can pick up the Krabi Town boats as they pass, but check the stop with your guesthouse first. Railay has no road, so a boat to Ao Nang or direct to Lanta is your only way out.

Compare the options: time, cost, weather risk and flexibility

Pier times flatter the boats because they ignore transfers at both ends. A taxi can beat a boat once you add the ride to Klong Jilad Pier and the ride from Saladan. Saladan to a resort costs about ฿50–150 per person by taxi or tuk-tuk. A resort in the north near Saladan favours the boat. A resort in the far south favours the road, since the drive continues past the bridge anyway.

Booking, changes, holiday schedules and documents

Minivans and taxis can be arranged the same day through hotel receptions and travel offices in Krabi Town. Book boats and airport transfers ahead in high season. Change and cancellation terms belong to each operator, and some charge a fee, so read them before paying. Timetables can shift around public holidays, and low season may thin sailings. Check your passport and entry requirements with Thai immigration authorities rather than a booking page. One operator lists one bag up to 18 kg per passenger, so ask about heavy luggage and surfboards. Last checked for this guide: November 2026.

Arriving at Saladan: getting to your resort

Saladan Pier is the main arrival point on the island's north tip. Taxis and tuk-tuks run from there to resorts for about ฿50–150 per person, depending on distance. Some resorts, especially in the south, offer free pick-ups, so ask when you book. Road arrivals skip Saladan and drive straight to the resort. Readers who also pass through Phuket can compare it with our Phuket and Phi Phi route. A Phi Phi stop matters more on that route than from Krabi.

Mistakes to avoid on the Krabi to Koh Lanta run

Tight connections cause most trouble. A flight landing at 15:00 will not reliably catch a boat or the 16:00 minivan. Do not assume boats run in rough weather, especially in low season. Ignoring where on Lanta you are staying is the other classic error, because a far-south resort adds a long drive to any Saladan arrival. Lastly, do not trust a single quoted time. Ferry hours, boat schedules and taxi prices differ between published listings, so confirm locally.