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How to Get to Koh Lanta: Vans, Ferries and Times

Last updated 2026-07-08

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TL;DR: The year-round way to reach Koh Lanta is a shared minivan from Krabi International Airport that includes one short car ferry crossing (Koh Klang to Koh Lanta Noi) and then the bridge onto Koh Lanta Yai, taking about 2.5-3 hours for ฿335-600 (about US$10-18) per person; a private car costs ฿2,300-3,000 (about US$70-91). In high season (roughly November-April) you can also arrive by sea: a ferry from Phuket’s Rassada Pier in about 1.5 hours for ฿820-1,500 (about US$25-45), from Ao Nang for ฿700 (about US$21) in around 2 hours 15 minutes, from Koh Phi Phi in 30-45 minutes for about ฿700 (about US$21), or the long haul from Koh Lipe in around 3 hours for about ฿1,700 (about US$52). All the sea routes are weather-dependent and thin out or stop in the May-October low season, leaving the minivan the reliable option. A cabinet-approved bridge (targeting a 2029 opening) will eventually replace the last car ferry. All prices ฿33 = US$1 (July 2026).

Koh Lanta sits off the Krabi coast in the Andaman, and how you get there depends mostly on the season. There is one route that works every day of the year, a shared minivan from Krabi International Airport that hops a short car ferry, and a handful of seasonal ferries from Phuket, Ao Nang, Phi Phi and Koh Lipe that only run reliably in the November-to-April high season. This guide breaks down each option with real 2026 prices and times, explains the single remaining car ferry crossing (older guides get this wrong), and covers where the long-planned bridge project actually stands. Every figure below is checked against current 2026 operator listings and Thai news reports, cited at the end.

Prices are in Thai baht (THB) with US dollars in parentheses, converted at ฿33 = US$1 (July 2026). Once you have picked a route, plan the rest of the trip with outthailand.com’s things to do in Koh Lanta pillar guide and where to stay in Koh Lanta.

Koh Lanta routes at a glance

FromModeDurationPriceSeason
Krabi Airport (KBV)Shared minivan + car ferry2.5-3 hours฿335-600 (~$10-18) ppYear-round
Krabi Airport (KBV)Private car/van2-3 hours฿2,300-3,000 (~$70-91) per vehicleYear-round
Krabi Airport (KBV)Minivan + speedboat combo1.5-2 hours฿600-1,200 (~$18-36) ppHigh season (Nov-Apr)
Phuket (Rassada Pier)Ferry / speedboat~1.5 hours฿820-1,500 (~$25-45) ppHigh season (Nov-Apr)
Ao NangFerry~2h15฿700 adult / ฿500 childHigh season (Nov-Apr)
Koh Phi Phi (Tonsai)Speedboat / ferry30-45 min฿700 ($21) ppHigh season (Nov-Apr)
Koh LipeSpeedboat~3 hours฿1,700 ($52) ppHigh season (Nov-mid-May)

Figures compiled from operator booking pages and 2026 transfer guides; see Sources. Prices at ฿33 = US$1 (July 2026).

The reliable option: minivan from Krabi Airport

For most travellers, a shared minivan from Krabi International Airport (KBV) is the route to book, because it runs every day of the year. A van picks you up (some services collect from the airport, others from a nearby pickup point), drives south to Koh Klang, rolls onto a short car ferry across to Koh Lanta Noi, then continues over the bridge and onto Koh Lanta Yai. The whole trip takes about 2.5-3 hours and costs ฿335-600 (about US$10-18) per person depending on operator and pickup zone. Because the ferry crossing is short and sheltered, it keeps running through the rainy season when the open-water ferries do not.

If you would rather not share, a private car or van costs ฿2,300-3,000 (about US$70-91) for the whole vehicle, roughly ฿2,300-2,500 for a sedan and ฿2,800-3,000 for a minivan. Split across a group of four, that lands close to the shared-van fare per head, with no waiting around for other passengers.

For a full breakdown of the overland options from the Krabi mainland, including the seasonal direct passenger ferry and speedboat from Krabi Town, see outthailand.com’s dedicated Krabi to Koh Lanta guide.

How many ferry crossings are there really?

Just one. You will still see guides and even resort websites claiming Koh Lanta needs two car ferry crossings, but that has not been true since 2016, when the Sirilanta Bridge opened between Koh Lanta Noi and Koh Lanta Yai. Today, vehicles cross a single short car ferry from Koh Klang (the Ban Hua Hin pier area) on the mainland side to Koh Lanta Noi, then simply drive across the bridge to reach the main island. The crossing itself takes about 10-20 minutes, but loading and queuing can add 20-40 minutes in peak season, which is the main reason the overland trip can stretch past three hours around December to March.

Will the bridge replace the ferry?

Eventually, yes. On 18 June 2026 the Thai cabinet approved the mangrove land-use exemption needed to build a second bridge, this one spanning roughly 2.5km to connect Koh Klang directly to Koh Lanta Noi, replacing the last remaining car ferry. The project is budgeted at about 1.8 billion baht and, according to Thai news reports, pile driving is expected to begin in 2026 with the bridge opening targeted for 2029. Until then, plan on the ferry crossing and its queues. If you are travelling before the bridge opens, build in a buffer around peak-season ferry waits rather than cutting an onward connection close.

Arriving by ferry from Phuket

A high-season ferry from Phuket’s Rassada Pier reaches Saladan in about 1 hour 30 minutes for ฿820-1,500 (about US$25-45). Operators on the route include Lanta Petpailin (around ฿1,000), Phi Phi Cruiser (around ฿820) and Bundhaya Speed Boat (around ฿1,500), with sailings most days through the season. Note that many of these boats route via Koh Phi Phi rather than crossing straight to Koh Lanta, so a “direct” ticket can still involve a stop. Services run most reliably November to April and are cut back or suspended in the May-October monsoon. If you are set on Phuket to Koh Lanta in low season, the fallback is an overland minivan of about 5-6 hours via Krabi.

Arriving by ferry from Ao Nang

The Ao Nang ferry runs November to April only, leaving around 10:30 and reaching Saladan about 12:45 for ฿700 adult and ฿500 child. It is operated by Ao Nang Travel and Tour and is a straightforward way onto the island if you are already based around Ao Nang or Railay, avoiding the backtrack to Krabi Town. Outside the roughly November-to-April window the service does not run, and there are additional closures around the wettest part of the year, so confirm the sailing before you build a day around it. In the low season, use the year-round minivan-and-car-ferry route instead.

Arriving by ferry from Phi Phi

The direct Koh Phi Phi to Koh Lanta boat runs in high season only, roughly 1 November to 30 April, taking 30-45 minutes on a speedboat for about ฿700 (about US$21). Several operators cover the Tonsai to Saladan crossing, including Chaokoh, Bundhaya, Andaman Wave Master, the Satun Pakbara Speed Boat Club and Tigerline, with a handful of departures a day in the busy months. It is one of the quickest and most scenic ways onto the island, but it is genuinely seasonal: monsoon swell shuts the direct route down from around May to October, when you would instead route back through Krabi. For the full picture on this crossing, including day-trip tours versus a plain transfer, see outthailand.com’s Koh Lanta to Phi Phi guide.

Arriving by ferry from Koh Lipe

The Koh Lipe to Koh Lanta crossing is the longest of the ferry options, about 3 hours for roughly ฿1,700 (about US$52), and it runs in high season only. It is a direct route (you do not have to change boats at Koh Ngai or Koh Mook), with operators including Bundhaya, Tigerline and the Satun Pakbara Speed Boat Club, generally running from around November until mid-May. Quoted prices and times vary a fair bit by operator and by whether the ticket bundles a van transfer at either end, so treat ฿1,700 and 3 hours as a midpoint rather than a fixed figure. As with all the open-water routes, confirm the day before, since a rough forecast can cancel it.

Honest downsides

  • The sea routes are seasonal, full stop. Phuket, Ao Nang, Phi Phi and Koh Lipe ferries all lean on the November-to-April calm and are cut back or suspended in the monsoon. If you are travelling May to October, do not plan around a ferry.
  • The ferry crossing can bottleneck in peak season. December to March queues at the Koh Klang car ferry can add 20-40 minutes, occasionally more, so the overland trip is not always the tidy 2.5 hours it looks on paper.
  • “Direct” Phuket ferries often are not. Many route via Phi Phi, adding time, so read the itinerary rather than the headline.
  • Prices shift with fuel, season and operator. The ranges here reflect that; a shoulder-season fare can sit below the low end and a peak-season one above it.

Getting to Koh Lanta: the bottom line

If you are flying in, book the shared minivan from Krabi Airport: it is cheap, runs all year, and the single car ferry crossing is a routine part of the trip rather than something to worry about. If you are already island-hopping in high season, the ferries from Phuket, Phi Phi, Ao Nang or Koh Lipe are faster and more scenic, just remember they lean on the dry-season calm. Once you have landed, sort out where to base yourself with outthailand.com’s where to stay in Koh Lanta guide, plan your days with things to do in Koh Lanta, and browse what’s on to build your first few days around something actually happening on the island.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest way to get to Koh Lanta?

A shared minivan from Krabi International Airport is the simplest and most reliable option, costing about ฿335-600 (US$10-18) per person and taking roughly 2.5-3 hours. It drives to Koh Klang, crosses on a short car ferry to Koh Lanta Noi, then continues over the bridge onto Koh Lanta Yai. It runs year-round, so unlike the seasonal ferries from Phi Phi, Ao Nang or Koh Lipe, you can count on it even in the rainy months.

How many ferry crossings are there to reach Koh Lanta by road?

Just one now. Vehicles cross from Koh Klang (Ban Hua Hin) on the mainland side to Koh Lanta Noi on a short car ferry, then drive across the Sirilanta Bridge, which has connected Koh Lanta Noi to Koh Lanta Yai since 2016. Older guides that mention two ferry crossings are out of date. A second bridge, approved for construction in 2026, will eventually replace the remaining car ferry too.

Can you get a ferry to Koh Lanta from Phuket?

Yes, in high season. A ferry from Phuket's Rassada Pier to Saladan Pier on Koh Lanta takes about 1 hour 30 minutes and costs roughly ฿820-1,500 (US$25-45) depending on operator, with boats run by Lanta Petpailin, Phi Phi Cruiser, Bundhaya Speed Boat and others. Many of these route via Koh Phi Phi rather than going straight across. The service runs most reliably from November to April and is reduced or suspended during the May-October monsoon, when the overland minivan via Krabi becomes the fallback.

Is there a direct ferry from Phi Phi to Koh Lanta?

Yes, but only in high season (roughly 1 November to 30 April). Speedboats cover the Tonsai to Saladan crossing in 30-45 minutes for about ฿700 (US$21), with several operators including Chaokoh, Bundhaya, Andaman Wave Master and Tigerline. In the low season the direct boats stop running because of monsoon swell, and you reach Koh Lanta from Phi Phi by going back to Krabi first, then overland.

How do you get from Krabi Airport to Koh Lanta?

Book a shared minivan (฿335-600 / US$10-18 per person) or a private car (฿2,300-3,000 / US$70-91). Both drive south to Koh Klang, take the short car ferry to Koh Lanta Noi, then cross the bridge onto Koh Lanta Yai. The shared van takes about 2.5-3 hours including any ferry queue; a private car is a little faster and skips the wait for other passengers. In high season a minivan-plus-speedboat combo can cut the time to around 1.5-2 hours, but it only runs November to April.

Can you reach Koh Lanta in the low season?

Yes, by road. The minivan-and-car-ferry route from Krabi runs all year because the ferry crossing is short and sheltered. The sea routes from Phuket, Ao Nang, Phi Phi and Koh Lipe are more exposed and are reduced or suspended from roughly May to October, so if you are travelling in the rainy months, plan on the overland minivan or a private car rather than a ferry.

How long is the ferry from Koh Lipe to Koh Lanta?

About 3 hours on a direct speedboat, for roughly ฿1,700 (US$52), though quoted times and prices vary by operator and whether the ticket includes a van transfer at either end. It runs in high season only, roughly November to mid-May, with operators such as Bundhaya, Tigerline and the Satun Pakbara Speed Boat Club. It is a long, open-water crossing, so it is worth confirming the sailing the day before rather than assuming it is running.

Out Thailand Team

Based in Chiang Mai

The Out Thailand team lives in and around Chiang Mai and writes practical, on-the-ground guides to events, cost of living, and daily life in Thailand.