Bangkok to Khao Lak About 770 km, and the last part is always by road.
The short answer: Khao Lak has no airport and no railway. The easy way is to fly to Phuket, about 1 hour 25 minutes, and take a car north, 80 to 100 minutes for about 1,800 baht: about six hours door to door. Overland, the state bus company BKS has run a direct night coach from Mo Chit 2 since 9 September 2026, for 1,075 baht; private night buses and the sleeper train via Surat Thani are the other options.
Below: every option with its times and fares, where the buses stop in Khao Lak, and the trip back to Bangkok.
Bangkok to Khao Lak at a glance
From Visit Thailand Today's Bangkok to Khao Lak guide (28 October 2026): flight fares from booking engines, the BKS fare from its September 2026 launch notice, bus and car prices from the 12Go board for 18 November 2026 (with a booking fee), train times from the 5 December 2025 timetable.
| Option | Leaves Bangkok | Total time | Price (one way) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly to Phuket + car | Don Mueang or Suvarnabhumi, from about 06:10, about 50 flights a day | About 6 hours door to door | Flight about 1,000–2,500 baht, plus 1,800 for a car or 550–750 a van seat | Almost everyone |
| BKS direct night coach | Mo Chit 2 at 18:35, calling at the Southern Bus Terminal | Overnight; no arrival time published | 1,075 baht | A bus without a change in the night |
| Private night bus | Khao San Road or the Southern Bus Terminal, 16:00–19:00 | About 13–17 hours | About 800–1,225 baht | The lowest fare |
| Sleeper train + bus | Express No. 85 at 19:50, Krung Thep Aphiwat | About 15–16 hours | Berth about 700–1,000 baht, plus about 370 for the bus | A bed for the night |
Compare live times and prices: all Bangkok to Khao Lak options on 12Go.
Which one should you pick?
Fly to Phuket in most cases and take a car or a van seat north. If you land at Suvarnabhumi from abroad, fly on from there rather than crossing Bangkok to Don Mueang.
Take the BKS coach if you want to go overland: its 24-seat first-class coach does not make you change vehicles in the middle of the night.
Take the sleeper train if you want a proper bed: No. 85 and the 07:20 bus from Surat Thani get you to Khao Lak at about 11:30.
Flying to Phuket
About 50 flights a day leave Bangkok for Phuket, from about 06:10 until nearly midnight, and take 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 35 minutes. From Don Mueang fly Thai AirAsia, Nok Air or Thai Lion Air; from Suvarnabhumi, Thai Airways, Thai Vietjet or Bangkok Airways. Booked a few weeks ahead, fares are usually about 1,000 to 2,500 baht before bags; December, January and Songkran cost more. See Bangkok to Phuket.
From Phuket Airport it is about 75 km to Nang Thong and 81 km to Khuk Khak, 80 to 100 minutes by car. The official taxi counter in arrivals charges about 1,800 baht for a car, 2,000 to Khuk Khak; shared vans with a hotel drop cost about 550 to 750 baht a seat. See Phuket Airport to Khao Lak.
The BKS direct coach
On 9 September 2026 BKS, the state bus company also called Transport Co., started a direct route from Bangkok to Thap Lamu pier, the boat pier for the Similan Islands just south of Khao Lak. The 24-seat first-class coach leaves Mo Chit 2 at 18:35, calls at the Southern Bus Terminal, and goes via Hua Hin, Ranong, Khura Buri, Takua Pa and Khao Lak, for 1,075 baht. Book on the BKS website or app, on LINE (@BKS99) or at a BKS counter. No arrival time is published, so ask where to get off in Khao Lak when you buy.
Private night buses
About a dozen departures are listed on 12Go, mostly from offices on and around Khao San Road and a few from the Southern Bus Terminal, between 16:00 and 19:00, for about 800 to 1,225 baht. Krungsiam's VIP 32 leaves at 18:50 and arrives at 11:00; bus-and-van tickets from Nara and The Nine leave at about 19:00 and drop at hotels at about 11:15 to 11:40. Most switch to a second bus or van at Surat Thani around dawn, so label your bag with your final stop and keep valuables with you.
Sleeper train and bus
There is no railway to Khao Lak. Take Express No. 85 from Krung Thep Aphiwat at 19:50 to Surat Thani (Phun Phin), arriving at 06:23; a second-class berth costs about 700 to 1,000 baht. Buses from the station forecourt leave for Khao Lak at 07:20, 09:20 and 10:20, take about four hours and cost about 370 baht; the 07:20 arrives at about 11:30. Khao Sok is about two hours along the same road. See our guide to trains in Thailand.
Where buses stop in Khao Lak
Khao Lak is a strip of beaches about 20 km long along Highway 4, not a town with a bus terminal. Buses stop on the highway: tell the driver your beach, Nang Thong, Bang Niang or Khuk Khak, and you will be dropped at the nearest junction. Songthaew taxis wait at stands in Bang Niang and Nang Thong. Bus-and-van tickets end at hotels or a named stop, so check before you book. See where to stay in Khao Lak.
Khao Lak back to Bangkok
To fly, book a car to Phuket Airport the night before, about 1,500 to 1,800 baht from hotels and local firms, and leave three and a half to four hours before your flight. The BKS coach leaves Thap Lamu pier at 17:00 and passes Khao Lak; private buses leave from about 13:00 to 16:45 and reach Bangkok early the next morning, for about 900 to 1,150 baht.
Booking Bangkok to Khao Lak on 12Go
12Go shows the flights to Phuket, the private night buses, the train and private cars for your date. The BKS coach is sold by BKS itself.
Read the trip details on 12Go carefully: most bus tickets include a change at Surat Thani, and prices include a booking fee.
Bangkok to Khao Lak FAQ
What is the best way from Bangkok to Khao Lak?
Fly to Phuket and take a car north: about six hours door to door.
What is the closest airport to Khao Lak?
Phuket, 80 to 100 minutes by car. Krabi is about 140 km away and Surat Thani about 173 km.
Is there a direct bus from Bangkok to Khao Lak?
Yes. Since 9 September 2026 the BKS VIP coach leaves Mo Chit 2 at 18:35 for 1,075 baht and goes on to Thap Lamu pier.
Is there a train to Khao Lak?
No. Take Express No. 85 to Surat Thani (Phun Phin) and a bus of about four hours.
Is there a ferry from Bangkok to Khao Lak?
No. "Ferry" results on booking sites are van-and-boat combinations from elsewhere.
Last checked: 7 November 2026. Distances, flights, airlines, fares, Phuket Airport transfers, the BKS coach (launch notice, September 2026), private buses, the train, bus stops in Khao Lak and the trip back from Visit Thailand Today's Bangkok to Khao Lak guide (28 October 2026; 12Go board for 18 November 2026); cross-checked on 12Go (Krungsiam VIP 32 at 19:00, bus-and-van from Khao San 18:00–19:00). Timetables and fares change, so check before you travel.