Public transport in Phuket

Posted by Andaman Sam on March 28th, 2010 filed in Tourist tips

Phuket is one of the busiest tourist destinations in all of Thailand. It is situated in the South-west of Thailand and it receives hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. It is perhaps surprising then that the public transport system in Phuket is somewhat underdeveloped and confusing.

Below are the various different types of public transport available in Phuket.

Buses:

Buses in Phuket are more commonly known as Songtheaw or Baht buses. These buses look like large colorful station wagons and can be seen on the most main roads around the island and they all start and end their routes at the central bus terminal which is located in Phuket town opposite the market on Ranong road. They only cost 30 Baht and connect Phuket town with all the major beaches. However, there is no major route that runs between beaches making entirely impractical to use a bus in these circumstances.

TUK TUKs:

These are unmistakable because of their bright red colour and small box shape. They are the transport of choice if there are a few people waiting to get from one beach to the next or a five-minute journey a few street away and such fares cost between 20-40 Baht. However, prices are hiked up during the nighttime.

Motorcycle Taxis:

These are transport means of choice if you need to go from somewhere not too far, if you are by yourself and you are not afraid of riding on the back of a motorbike. Motor taxi drivers can be spotted by their red vests and the fares are generally cheap for short journeys.

Motor Car Rental:

If you are in Phuket and can afford a car rental, it may be an option, prices start from 1000 baht for a small 4 door saloon and go up to 2000baht for a four wheel drive jeep. Just be aware that driving in Phuket is an acquire skill as people over take on blind corners and the roads are usually narrow and winding.

Motorcycle Rental:

Many people in Phuket prefer to rent a moped because it is cheap and provide you with freedom to go anywhere you what. A 125cc moped can be rented for 200 Baht per day while a 600cc chopper or even 900cc racing bike will set you back between 600-900 Baht. Make sure you wear a helmet and the insurance on your bike is up to date otherwise, you will be stopped by the police and end up being fined 500 Baht.