Phuket has no train and no metro. Walk inside Patong, and use Grab or Bolt once the trip leaves the beach you are standing on. Shared songthaews are a daytime ride. They are not the way home after Bangla Road.
Fares we could confirm
| Ride | Fare | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Bus, Airport–Patong–Rawai | 100 THB flat per person | Phuket Smart Bus payment page; Phuket Transportation Guide 2026 |
| Songthaew, Phuket Town–Patong | about 40–50 THB per person | Phuket Expat Guide and Phuket Transportation Guide, both 2026 |
Checked 14 October 2026. The Smart Bus figure is the operator’s fare table at phuketsmartbus.com/payment (Airport ⇄ Patong ⇄ Rawai, 100 baht flat). The Phuket Transportation Guide (2026) also lists that airport-to-Patong bus at 100 THB. The songthaew band is the overlap of two 2026 visitor guides: Phuket Expat Guide (40–50 THB for Phuket Town to Patong) and the same transportation guide (40–50 THB). It is not a posted government tariff. Ask before you board. The transportation guide puts blue songthaews at about 07:00–17:00, and the Phuket Blog 2026 transport guide puts the last Town–Patong departure around 17:00. That is why a songthaew is not a way home from Bangla Road. Tuk-tuk quotes and in-town Grab figures did not agree across sources, so they are not printed here. Use the price in the app.
Airport options, including the taxi surcharge, are on Phuket airport to Patong. The Smart Bus timetable has moved over the years. Check it on the day rather than trusting a clock time from a blog.
Which ride for which trip
- Bangla Road closes to traffic in the evening. Get dropped at the end of the street and walk.
- Inside Patong, walking is the default while the street is busy.
- Patong to Kata, Karon, Kamala or Phuket Old Town: Grab or Bolt, so the fare is on the screen before you get in.
- Phuket Town to Patong in the daytime: the shared songthaew, if one is running and the driver confirms the fare.
- Airport to the west-coast beaches: the Smart Bus at the flat fare above, or a taxi or pre-booked car. Details on the airport page.
Grab and Bolt
Use the app after the songthaews have stopped, in the rain, and for any trip with luggage. Pickup on Bangla Road itself is painful once the street is pedestrian. Walk a couple of blocks toward Rat-U-Thit or the beach road, then request the car.
You need mobile data to book. Set up a tourist eSIM before you land.
Avoid
- A tuk-tuk that will not name a price before you sit down
- Unlicensed cars in the airport arrivals hall
- Anyone at a bar offering a “cheap” ride to another venue
- A driver who wants to choose your hotel
More: scams · first-timer guide.
Related: First-timer, Airport to Patong, Where to stay, Cash
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Photo: Tanawin Wichit / Unsplash