Krabi Airport (IATA: KBV) sits about 15km east of Krabi Town and 30–40km from the beach areas most visitors are heading to. Landing is smooth — it’s a small, well-signed terminal — but the moment you step into arrivals you’ll be approached by transfer touts and unofficial taxi drivers before you’ve spotted a sign. Here’s what to pay at KBV, where to buy the ticket, and when a taxi beats the shuttle.
The short version
- Shared shuttle to Ao Nang: ฿150 (US$4) per person, ~40–50 minutes, hotel drop-offs.
- Private taxi to Ao Nang: ฿600–700 for up to 4 people, ~25–30 minutes.
- Minivan to Ao Nang: ฿800–1,000 for up to 8, same route.
- To Railay: no direct car (it’s boat-access only). Shuttle + longtail ≈ ฿250 per person; private taxi to the pier + longtail ≈ ฿700–800 per car plus ฿100 each for the boat.
- To Klong Muang / Tubkaek: no reliable shared shuttle; private taxi ฿700–1,100.
- To Krabi Town: shared shuttle ฿100, private taxi ฿400–500.
- Grab: works sometimes (฿600–900 to Ao Nang) but is unreliable at the airport — don’t count on it for a morning or late-night arrival.
- Pre-book if you arrive late, travel with a lot of luggage, or are heading to Klong Muang or Railay — the shuttle desks close around 8pm.
The transfer options
Shared shuttle (minivan)
Best for one or two people going to central Ao Nang. Air-conditioned minivans seat 8–12 passengers and drop at hotels along the Ao Nang strip. Buy your ticket at the shared transfer counters in the arrivals hall before you exit — look for the airport bus and minivan desks after you clear baggage claim. Prices in 2026:
- Ao Nang: ฿150 per person
- Krabi Town: ฿100 per person The shuttle fills before departing, so wait times vary. During busy morning and afternoon arrival windows you’ll usually leave within 15–20 minutes; at off-peak times it can take 40 minutes to fill a van. The total door-to-door time to Ao Nang is 40–55 minutes including hotel stops. If you have a 7am tour booked, factor this in — a private taxi is the safer call.
Desks typically run daytime and evening hours; for late-night arrivals (after around 8pm), assume the shared van won’t be running and use the taxi counter instead.
Private taxi
Fixed-price taxis are sold at the official taxi counter in arrivals, near the shared transfer desks. Use the counter with its posted fares rather than negotiating with drivers in the hall — the counter price is consistent and the vehicle is vetted. The car goes direct to your hotel without other stops. 2026 rates (confirm at the counter, as these can be updated):
| Destination | Car (up to 4) | Minivan (up to 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Ao Nang | ฿600–700 | ฿800–1,000 |
| Krabi Town | ฿400–500 | ฿600–700 |
| Klong Muang / Tubkaek | ฿700–1,000 | ฿1,000–1,300 |
| Nopparat Thara pier (for Railay) | ฿550–650 | ฿750–900 |
A private taxi is worth it for families with luggage, groups of three or four (the per-head cost approaches the shuttle), early morning arrivals who need to be somewhere specific fast, and anyone heading to Klong Muang (there’s no reliable shared shuttle to this area).
Avoid drivers approaching you before you reach the official desk. Prices from kerb-side touts run 30–50% higher for the same ride and the vehicle isn’t vetted.
Grab
Grab (the regional ride-hailing app equivalent to Uber) works in Krabi, but supply at the airport is patchy. If drivers are nearby, Grab to Ao Nang usually runs ฿600–900. Supply is unreliable though — early morning, late night, and public holidays can show no cars at all. If Grab appears, use it; don’t build your plan around it.
Set the pickup point to the official taxi rank on the departure level (not arrivals) — this is where Grab drivers can legally wait. Walk out, up the ramp, and ping the car there.
Pre-booked private transfers
Several operators — including some hotels — offer pre-booked door-to-door services. You pay slightly more than the airport taxi desk (typically ฿700–900 to Ao Nang) but get a named driver waiting in arrivals holding your name, which removes the guesswork. Worth it for late-night arrivals, first-timers who don’t want to deal with the desk queue on zero sleep, and anyone going to a resort outside the main Ao Nang corridor. Book 24–48 hours ahead, provide your flight number, and the driver adjusts to delays automatically.
Your hotel can usually arrange this — check before you book a third-party service.
Getting to each destination
Ao Nang
The most common destination. All three options work well:
- Shared shuttle: ฿150, 40–55 min including stops. Best option if you’re solo or a couple travelling light.
- Private taxi: ฿600–700, 25–30 min direct. Best if you’re in a group, have luggage, or are in a hurry.
- Grab: ฿600–900, ~25 min if available.
The shuttle drops at hotels along the Ao Nang Beach Road strip. If your hotel is a 10-minute drive from the main drag (some beachfront properties are set back), confirm it’s on the shuttle route — if not, a private taxi is cleaner.
For context on picking where to stay in Ao Nang itself, see the Ao Nang area guide.
Railay Beach
Railay is cut off by cliffs and has no road access. You cannot take a car to Railay — you need a longtail boat. The transfer involves two legs:
Option 1 — cheapest: Shared shuttle from the airport to Ao Nang (฿150 per person) → walk to the Ao Nang Longtail Boat Service Club on the beach → longtail to Railay West (฿100 per person, ~12 minutes). Total: ฿250 per person.
Option 2 — faster but pricier: Private taxi from the airport to Nopparat Thara pier (฿550–650 for the car) → longtail to Railay (฿100 per person). Total: ฿650–850 for the car, plus ฿100 each for the boat.
The shared longtails from Ao Nang beach run roughly 8am to 6pm at ฿100 per person. After 6pm, if boats are still running in high season, the fare rises to around ฿150 per person; outside high season you’ll likely need a private charter (฿600–800 for the boat). If you land after 5pm with a Railay booking, get to the pier before dark — don’t stop for dinner in Ao Nang and gamble on the last shared boat.
A note on piers: most shared boats to Railay West leave from Ao Nang beach. For Railay East (which has a dock rather than a beach landing), boats also depart from Ao Nam Mao Pier — about 5km east of Ao Nang — at ฿100 per person, running 9am to 6:30pm. Ao Nam Mao is better for checked luggage since you step onto a proper floating pier rather than wading through shallows. If your hotel is on the Railay East side, ask them which pier suits your bags.
Also know that at low tide, the Railay landing means wading ankle-deep through the shallows. Keep bags and electronics up.
Full Railay detail — what the beaches are like, where to stay, what to do — is in the Railay Beach guide.
Klong Muang and Tubkaek
These quieter resort beaches sit north of Ao Nang, about 25km from the airport. There’s no reliable shared shuttle covering this stretch, so a private taxi is the practical choice.
- Private taxi: ฿700–1,100 depending on vehicle size, ~35–40 minutes.
- Some operators advertise a shared van to this area for ฿200–250 per person, but availability is patchy — don’t count on finding one at the airport desk.
If your hotel is in this area, ask whether they offer a complimentary or fixed-rate airport pickup — several of the larger resorts do. It’s often the easiest option and can match or undercut what you’d pay at the airport taxi desk.
Krabi Town
Most visitors fly in and go straight to the beach, but Krabi Town itself is a good base for budget travellers and those exploring the interior.
- Shared shuttle: ฿100, ~15–20 minutes.
- Private taxi: ฿400–500, ~15 minutes.
- Grab: ฿300–500 if available — town trips are Grab’s strongest showing around Krabi.
Krabi Town is where the long-distance bus terminal is (for travel to Bangkok, Surat Thani or Hat Yai), so if you’re catching an onward bus, the shuttle drop-off near the terminal makes sense.
Night arrivals
If your flight lands after 8pm, the shared shuttle desks are usually closed. Your options:
- Official taxi counter — stays open to meet late arrivals. Fixed prices apply.
- Pre-booked private transfer — least hassle after 8pm; the driver waits regardless of delays.
- Grab — workable if the app shows supply; gamble otherwise.
Do not take a kerb-side taxi without agreeing the price upfront. The airport taxi counter is 30 metres away; there’s no reason to use an unofficial driver.
On arrival: step by step
Here’s the sequence when you land so nothing catches you off-guard:
- Immigration and baggage. Domestic arrivals with hand luggage can be out in 15–20 minutes. International flights with checked bags — allow 30–45 minutes through immigration and the carousel.
- Exit the baggage hall. You’ll walk through a small shopping corridor into the arrivals hall.
- Find the official transfer desk. It’s on the left as you come out, with posted prices. Buy your ticket here.
- Ignore the touts. People will approach you on the way to the desk. Smile, say no, keep walking.
- Wait at the designated bay. The desk staff will tell you which bay number — usually just outside the terminal doors.
- Load up and go. The shuttle usually runs when full; private taxis leave immediately.
The airport transfer counters typically accept cash only — card payment at these desks is not standard. Have Thai baht ready, or withdraw from the ATMs in arrivals before reaching the desk. Carry small notes (฿50–100) for the longtail boat if you’re heading to Railay — the boat operator rarely has change for a ฿1,000 note.
Leaving for the airport
Getting back is easier because hotel desks and Ao Nang tour counters can book it. Options:
- Shared shuttle from Ao Nang to the airport: ฿150 per person. Hotel reception or tour desks arrange this; book the night before and confirm your pickup time.
- Private taxi from Ao Nang to the airport: ฿600–700. On-demand from any taxi desk in Ao Nang; agree the price first.
- From Railay: longtail to Ao Nang pier (฿100) → shared shuttle or taxi to the airport. Build 90 minutes minimum from the Railay pier for a domestic flight; 2 hours for international.
- Grab: usable from Ao Nang and Krabi Town to the airport; availability is better here than at the airport end.
Allow 2 hours before domestic departure from Ao Nang and 2.5 hours from Railay. KBV is small and check-in is quick, but longtail timing is not precise and traffic on the coast road can thicken in the morning.
What the journey costs in total
To put it in one view:
| From airport | Option | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ao Nang | Shared shuttle | ฿150/person | 40–55 min |
| Ao Nang | Private taxi | ฿600–700/car | 25–30 min |
| Railay | Shuttle + longtail | ฿250/person | ~75 min |
| Railay | Private taxi + longtail | ฿550–650/car + ฿100pp | ~60 min |
| Klong Muang | Private taxi | ฿700–1,100/car | 35–40 min |
| Krabi Town | Shared shuttle | ฿100/person | 15–20 min |
| Krabi Town | Private taxi | ฿400–500/car | ~15 min |
For a couple going to Ao Nang, the shared shuttle at ฿300 total is hard to argue with. For a family of four with luggage, the private taxi at ฿600–700 works out roughly the same per head and saves 20 minutes.
For songthaews, scooters, longtails and Grab after check-in, see getting around Krabi.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a taxi from Krabi Airport to Ao Nang cost?
A private car costs ฿600–700 (up to 4 people), a minivan ฿800–1,000 (up to 8). Buy at the official taxi counter in arrivals. Journey takes 25–30 minutes.
Is there a shared shuttle from the airport to Ao Nang?
Yes — ฿150 per person, sold at the transfer desk in arrivals. Hotel drop-offs along the Ao Nang strip. Journey time 40–55 minutes. Desks close around 8pm.
How do I get to Railay from the airport?
Two legs: transfer to a pier, then a longtail. The cheapest route is shared shuttle to Ao Nang (฿150/person) + longtail from Ao Nang beach (฿100/person daytime, ฿150 in high season after 6pm) = ฿250 per person in daytime. A private taxi to the pier runs ฿550–650 for the car, plus ฿100 per head for the longtail. For Railay East (dock landing, easier for luggage), boats also leave from Ao Nam Mao Pier at ฿100 per person.
Does Grab work at Krabi Airport?
Sometimes — typically ฿600–900 to Ao Nang when drivers are available. Unreliable early morning, late night, and on holidays. Pickup is from the departure level, not arrivals. Don’t build your plan around it; use the official taxi counter as backup.
What if I arrive after 8pm?
Shuttle desks close, so use the airport taxi counter (open for evening flights), a pre-booked hotel transfer, or Grab if cars show. Fixed price from the counter; avoid kerb-side drivers.
How much time should I allow from Railay to the airport for departure?
At least 90 minutes from the Railay pier for domestic flights; 2 hours for international. The longtail to Ao Nang is 12 minutes, but the boat doesn’t leave until it has enough passengers, which can add 15–20 minutes at quiet times.
Once you’re settled in, the where to stay guide covers the main areas side by side, and Krabi vs Railay helps if you’re still deciding which base suits you better. For getting around once you arrive, see getting around Krabi.
