Short answer
Phuket airport to Patong is about 35 km, and the cheapest way is the Phuket Smart Bus at a flat 100 baht per person. A metered taxi charges the meter plus a 100 baht airport charge: by our arithmetic from the official 2014 rates, roughly 500 baht for 35 km before any waiting time. Grab has designated pick-up zones inside the airport. Shared minivans leave when full and may stop at a travel agent on the way, and a fixed-price taxi is an agreed price, so compare it with the meter.
Patong is about 35 km from the airport
Phuket International Airport is at the northern end of the island, in the Mai Khao subdistrict, and Wikipedia gives its distance from Phuket city as 32 km. Patong is on the west coast, and Wikivoyage's Patong page puts it 35 km south of the airport. That is a long road trip, not a short hop, and every choice below is a way of covering the same distance at a different price, speed and level of fuss.
Travel time depends on the hour and the traffic. Wikivoyage's Patong page says a car takes about 45 minutes, but that line sits beside prices that are clearly out of date, so read it as a best case and add time for baggage, the queue and any stops. Buses and shared minivans that call at several places on the way take longer than a direct car.
The Phuket Smart Bus is the cheapest way at 100 baht
The cheapest ride is the Phuket Smart Bus. Its own website, read on 29 October 2026, lists a flat fare of 100 baht for a single ride on the Airport, Patong and Rawai line. You can pay with a contactless Visa, Mastercard or JCB card, with the on-board PromptPay QR code or in cash, and the operator says there is no separate fare for foreigners. Children under 6 ride free with a paying adult.
The catch is that a bus is a bus. It follows a timetable that the operator publishes on its website as images, it stops along the west-coast route and may not stop at your hotel door, so the last part of the trip may need a short taxi. It suits one or two people with light luggage who arrive in daytime. Check the timetable for your landing time before you rely on it.
A metered taxi costs the meter plus a 100 baht airport charge
Metered taxis are the standard answer for most arrivals. On 1 April 2023 The Phuket News reported a notice from the Phuket Info Center that repeated the Ministry of Transport rates in force since 17 August 2014: 50 baht flat for the first 2 km, 12 baht per km from 2 to 15 km and 10 baht per km beyond that. Waiting in traffic, or moving slower than 5 km/h, adds 1 baht a minute.
Pick-up at the airport adds a flat 100 baht on top of the meter, and a call-centre booking adds 50 baht. The notice applied to taxis registered in Phuket. As a worked example of our own, not a quoted fare: if the road is 35 km, the meter reads about 406 baht (50, plus 13 km at 12, plus 20 km at 10), so about 506 baht with the airport charge, before any waiting time. We found no newer rate announcement as of October 2026.
Fixed-price taxis are agreed prices, not regulated ones
Not every taxi at the airport has a meter. In May 2023 The Phuket News reported the Phuket Land Transport Office's explanation of the three types: yellow-plate cars must use certified meters and may pick up anywhere on the island; green-plate cars are non-metered and work for hotels, tour companies and designated pick-up points; white-plate cars may operate only through certified apps. A quote without a meter therefore comes from a green-plate or app service.
Green-plate prices are not set by a regulator. The Phuket News reported in February 2022 that the governor enacted a fare list on 29 October 2021, and that the Phuket Land Transport Office chief admitted the fares were by agreement and open to negotiation, adding that a price could move 50 baht up or down. So the list is a reference, not a ceiling you can insist on. Asking what the metered fare would be is the fairest test of any quote.
Grab picks up inside the airport, but there is no price table
Grab says on its own site, in a story updated on 1 October 2026, that it set up designated pick-up zones inside Phuket airport with the authorities, with in-app directions to the pick-up point and the option to book from the airport in advance. Before that, Grab notes, travellers to Phuket had no choice but an airport taxi. In May 2023 the Phuket Land Transport Office chief said Grab and Hello Phuket were the only two taxi apps considered legal on the island.
We found no official fare table for app rides, so the price shown in the app on the day is the only figure that counts. The metered example above is a useful yardstick: open the app while you wait for your bags, look at the price to your hotel and compare it with roughly 500 baht. If the app price is far above that, a metered taxi at the counter may be the better deal.
Shared minivans leave when full and may stop on the way
Shared minibuses are door-to-door shared taxis, according to Wikivoyage's Phuket page, and they go to places such as Patong, Kata and Phuket Town. They leave when they are full, so if you miss the first group you may wait for the next flight. Wikivoyage also warns that they may stop at a travel agent about halfway, where passengers are asked where they are staying and offered hotels or tours; you do not have to get out or buy anything.
We did not find a current official price for shared minivans or for pre-booked private transfers, so we give none. A private transfer booked in advance has one real advantage: the price and the pick-up point are agreed before you land. Ask for the total in writing, and ask whether it includes your luggage and the airport charge.
Which way suits which arrival
For a couple with carry-on bags arriving in daytime, the Smart Bus at 100 baht each is hard to beat on price. For a family or a group of three or four the sums change: one metered car at about 506 baht for the 35 km example is about 127 baht per person for four, and it takes you to the hotel door. At night, with young children or large suitcases, a metered taxi or a pre-booked car removes the timetable risk.
Whichever you choose, settle three things before you move: that the meter is on or a total is agreed, that the 100 baht airport charge is counted in any quote, and where exactly you are being dropped. Tell the driver the hotel name, not just Patong, and keep the address on your phone. Wikivoyage notes that a large bus may not be able to climb to a hotel on a steep hill.
Putting a half-day tour on your first full day
If you land in Patong and want to see the island without hiring a car, our Phuket half-day city tour is from $25 per person. It takes about 4 to 5 hours and collects you from your hotel, usually between about 8:00 and 9:00 am, with Patong, Karon, Kata and Phuket Town the usual pickup areas. The stops are Karon Viewpoint, the Big Buddha, Wat Chalong and Phuket Old Town, and Promthep Cape can be added as an extra.
It starts at your hotel, not at the airport, so it does not replace the transfer described above. Entrance fees or donations at the temples, lunch and drinks are paid on the day, and some city tours include a shopping stop, so ask when you book whether yours does. See the tour schedule for times and clothing, and our price guide for what costs extra.
Practical checklist
- Decide before you land: the Smart Bus at 100 baht per person, or a car by taxi, app or pre-booked transfer.
- If you take a metered taxi, ask for the meter and expect the 100 baht airport charge on top of it.
- For any fixed quote, ask what the metered fare would be and compare it with the app price.
- Check the Phuket Smart Bus timetable for your landing time before relying on it.
- Keep your hotel name and address on your phone to show the driver.
- If a minivan stops at a travel agent, you can stay on board and decline the offers.
Questions and answers
How far is Phuket airport from Patong?
About 35 km, according to Wikivoyage's Patong page. The airport is in Mai Khao at the northern end of the island, which Wikipedia puts 32 km north of Phuket city. Allow more than the best-case 45 minutes by car.
How much is the Phuket Smart Bus from the airport to Patong?
The operator's website lists a flat 100 baht for a single ride on the Airport, Patong and Rawai line. You can pay by contactless card, PromptPay QR or cash, and children under 6 ride free with a paying adult.
Do airport taxis in Phuket use a meter?
Yellow-plate taxis must use certified meters. In 2023 the rates were 50 baht for the first 2 km, 12 baht per km to 15 km and 10 baht after that, plus a 100 baht airport charge. Non-metered taxis charge agreed prices instead.
Can you use Grab at Phuket airport?
Yes. Grab says in a story updated on 1 October 2026 that it has designated pick-up zones inside Phuket airport, with in-app directions to the pick-up point. Check the in-app directions on arrival, as pick-up points can change.
Do shared minivans stop at a travel agent on the way?
Wikivoyage's Phuket page says they may stop at a travel agent about halfway to ask where you are staying and offer hotels or tours. You do not have to get out or buy anything; tell the driver your hotel name.
Is there a higher bus fare for foreigners?
No. The Phuket Smart Bus site says the same fare applies to everyone, locals and visitors, and lists 100 baht for the airport to Patong line.