Krabi is easy to get around once you understand the two systems that run it: songthaews (shared pickup trucks) on land, and longtail boats on the water. Between them, and the odd taxi or scooter, you can reach everything without a hire car. Here’s what each costs and when to use it.
The short version
- Airport to Ao Nang: shared shuttle about ฿150 (US$4.50) per person, ~1 hour; private taxi about ฿600 (US$18) for up to four.
- Around town and to Krabi Town: songthaews, ฿50–60 (US$1.50–1.80) a hop.
- To Railay: longtail from Ao Nang beach, ฿100 (US$3) each way, 10–15 minutes.
- Scooter: about ฿200–300 a day if you’re confident; the coast road is busy.
- Apps: Grab works but cars are limited outside town — don’t count on it for early pickups.
- Base yourself central and you’ll walk most of the time — see where to stay.
From Krabi Airport (KBV)
The airport is about 15km from Krabi Town and 30–40 minutes from Ao Nang.
Shared shuttle bus. The cheapest way to the coast. Air-conditioned minibuses run to Ao Nang for about ฿150 per person, stopping at hotels along the way, so allow at least an hour. Fine if you’re not in a rush and travelling light.
Private taxi or transfer. A metered-rate taxi or a pre-booked car to Ao Nang is around ฿600 for up to four people; larger minivans run ฿800 or so. Worth it in a group or with luggage, or if you land late. Book ahead in high season.
To Krabi Town it’s shorter and cheaper — a shuttle or taxi runs less. If you’re basing in town on a budget, this is the easy landing.
Songthaews (shared pickups)
The local workhorse. White pickup trucks with bench seats in the back run set routes along the coast road and between Ao Nang and Krabi Town. You flag them down, ride, and press the buzzer or tap the roof to get off.
- Ao Nang to Krabi Town: about ฿60 per person (some drivers ask ฿50–80; agree before you get in).
- Short hops along the Ao Nang / Nopparat Thara beach road: about ฿20.
- Hours: roughly early morning to 8pm. After dark they thin out and fares rise.
They’re cheap and frequent in daylight but slow — they fill and stop often. For anything time-sensitive, budget more.
Longtail boats
Water is a road here. For anywhere cut off by cliffs — Railay above all — a longtail is how you go.
- Ao Nang to Railay: ฿100 each way, ฿200 return, 10–15 minutes. Boats leave from the Ao Nang Longtail Boat Service Club on the beach once about eight passengers gather. Operating roughly 8am to 6pm, with a ฿50 surcharge after 6pm.
- Expect to wade. At low tide you walk out over rock and sand to board; at high tide you may get wet to the knees. Pack accordingly and keep valuables up high.
- Private charter. You can hire a whole longtail for a set trip (island loops, a specific beach) — negotiate at the boat club; budget from several hundred baht up depending on distance and time.
Full detail on the Railay crossing is in the Railay Beach guide.
Taxis and Grab
Krabi has private taxis and the Grab app, but supply is patchy outside Krabi Town and the airport. Grab can work for a cross-town run, but don’t rely on it for a dawn airport pickup or a remote beach — cars may not appear. For those, pre-book a car through your hotel or a transfer service the night before. Metered street taxis are rare; most rides are fixed-price, so agree the fare first.
Scooters
If you ride confidently, a scooter is the cheapest freedom — about ฿200–300 a day, less by the week, fuel on top. It’s the easy way to reach the Tiger Cave Temple, quiet northern beaches and inland spots on your own clock.
Two honest cautions. The Ao Nang coast road carries fast, heavy traffic, and mixed tourist riders make it riskier than it looks. And you need a valid motorcycle licence (an International Driving Permit endorsed for motorcycles) — without it your travel insurance won’t cover a crash, and police checkpoints do fine unlicensed riders. Wear the helmet, check the brakes, and photograph any existing scratches before you ride off.
Getting between areas
- Ao Nang ↔ Railay: longtail, ฿100 (above).
- Ao Nang ↔ Krabi Town: songthaew ฿60, or taxi ฿300-ish.
- Ao Nang ↔ Klong Muang / Tubkaek: no regular songthaew all the way; taxi or scooter. Factor this in if you base north — see the Klong Muang & Tubkaek guide.
- To the islands: organised boat tours include hotel pickup, so you don’t arrange your own transport. Book through activities.
Sample journeys and what they cost
To put it together, here’s what the common runs cost and take:
- Airport → Ao Nang: shuttle ฿150 (~1 hr) or taxi ฿600 (30–40 min).
- Airport → Krabi Town: shuttle or taxi, less than the Ao Nang run, ~20 min.
- Ao Nang → Krabi Town: songthaew ฿60 (~30 min) or taxi ~฿300.
- Ao Nang → Railay: longtail ฿100 (10–15 min).
- Ao Nang → Tiger Cave Temple: songthaew ~฿150, taxi/scooter faster.
- Krabi Town → Tiger Cave Temple: songthaew ~฿50 (15–20 min).
- Ao Nang → Klong Muang/Tubkaek: taxi or scooter (no direct songthaew).
Carry small notes for songthaews and boats — drivers rarely have change for big bills, and none of it takes card.
Renting a car
Few visitors bother, and you don’t need one for a beach-and-islands trip, but a hire car makes sense if you’re touring inland sights independently or basing up at the quiet northern beaches. Rates start around ฿1,000–1,500 a day. Roads are decent and signposted, driving is on the left, and an International Driving Permit plus your home licence is required. Parking is easy outside the busy Ao Nang core. For most people, though, songthaews, longtails and the odd taxi cover everything more cheaply.
Fares, scams and staying sensible
Krabi is low-hassle by Thai standards, but a few habits keep it smooth. Agree fixed fares before you get in a songthaew, taxi or private longtail — there are no meters, and quotes can drift up for tourists. Carry small notes; drivers rarely break big bills. On scooter and jet-ski hire, the classic scam is a “damage” charge on return, so photograph any existing scratches before you take the vehicle and never hand over your passport as a deposit (offer a cash deposit or a photocopy instead). Around Ao Nang, ignore anyone steering you to a specific “special” tour desk on commission — book through your hotel or a reputable operator. None of this is common enough to worry about, but a little care saves the odd headache.
Ferries onward
Krabi is a hub for the Andaman islands. Passenger ferries and speedboats run from the piers to Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Phuket and beyond, mostly in the dry season and reduced or suspended in deep monsoon. If Krabi is one stop on a longer island trip, book ferry seats a day or two ahead in peak season.
The simple plan
Base yourself centrally in Ao Nang, walk to dinner and the beach, take songthaews to Krabi Town, longtails to Railay, and let the tour operators handle the island runs. Only hire a scooter if you’re a confident, licensed rider. Sort your base first through hotels and the rest falls into place — the 3-day itinerary shows how the moves string together.
