The direct ferry from Phuket to Koh Lanta runs 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours on Tigerline, Bundhaya Speed Boat, or Andaman Wave Master. Phi Phi Cruiser offers a longer routing via Phi Phi Don at a lower fare floor. Speedboat charter cuts the time further for groups willing to pay the premium.
This guide tests each option on schedule reliability, total transit time, and the booking-window math that separates the online floor from the pier-counter walk-up.
Phuket to Koh Lanta at a glance
- Direct ferry duration: 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours on Tigerline, Bundhaya, or Andaman Wave Master
- Phi Phi Cruiser routing: 1 hour 45 minutes via Phi Phi Don, the cheapest scheduled option
- Direct ferry fare: $25 to $60 foot-passenger online, pier counter 20 to 30 percent above
- Speedboat fare: $45 to $75 on Bundhaya Speed Boat tier
- Weekly sailings: 32 across all operators per Direct Ferries data, May 2026
- First sailing: 08:30 from Rassada Pier
- Last sailing: 14:30 from Rassada Pier
- Origin pier: Rassada Pier on the east side of Phuket island, 4 km east of Phuket Town
- Destination pier: Saladan Pier on the northern tip of Koh Lanta Yai
Six operators on the Phuket to Lanta route and what each one buys you
Six operators run the Phuket to Koh Lanta route year round at varying frequency. Each has a different total cost and a different failure mode. Pick on the trip shape and the season, not on the headline price alone.
Tigerline Ferry, the workhorse direct service
Tigerline runs the most frequent direct service on the route with about 10 daily sailings. The boats are large twin-hull ferries with AC interior and open upper deck. Crossing time is 60 to 90 minutes on a calm sea, longer in monsoon swell. Standard fare runs THB 1,000 to 2,000 ($30 to $60) one way foot-passenger.
The schedule depth is the practical advantage. With 10 daily sailings a missed boat is a 60 to 90 minute wait, versus several hours on the thinner operators.
Phi Phi Cruiser, the cheapest scheduled option
Phi Phi Cruiser routes via Phi Phi Don rather than direct. The total Phuket-to-Lanta crossing time runs 1 hour 45 minutes with a 20 to 30 minute stop at Tonsai Pier. Foot-passenger fare runs $25 to $35 online, the lowest scheduled fare on the route.
The trade is the stop at Phi Phi. Travelers using Phi Phi as a midpoint between Phuket and Lanta can get off and reboard later in the day on a separate ticket, which makes Phi Phi Cruiser the implicit choice for split-itinerary travelers.
Bundhaya Speed Boat, the premium speed tier
Bundhaya runs 4 daily speedboat sailings on the route at 1 hour 30 minutes door to door. Speedboats are smaller and ride the chop harder, but they cut 20 to 30 minutes against the scheduled ferries. Fare runs $45 to $75 foot-passenger, the highest scheduled tier on the route.
- Crossing time: 1 hour 30 minutes typical
- Weekly sailings: 25
- Fare one way: $45 to $75
- Best for: travelers prioritizing time over comfort or budget
Andaman Wave Master and Satun Pakbara
Andaman Wave Master runs 2 to 3 daily scheduled ferries at 2 hour crossing times. Pricing falls between Phi Phi Cruiser and Tigerline at $30 to $50 foot-passenger. Satun Pakbara Speed Boat covers occasional rotations on speedboat equipment at Bundhaya-matched pricing.
Chaokoh Ferry, the vehicle-transport option
Chaokoh runs the only option that carries vehicles between Phuket and Koh Lanta. The crossing time stretches to 3 to 5 hours because of the slower equipment and the loading time for cars and motorbikes. Foot-passenger fare matches scheduled ferries. The reason to book Chaokoh is the vehicle, not the passenger crossing.
Photographer: Dronepicr. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY 3.0.Origin pier at Rassada and the Phuket Town access math
Every ferry to Koh Lanta departs from Rassada Pier on the east side of Phuket island, 4 km east of Phuket Town. There is no boat to Lanta from Chalong Pier or Ao Po Pier. Travelers booking from a Patong or Kata hotel need to factor the cross-island taxi to Rassada.
Three access options to Rassada from the most-booked Phuket zones:
- From Phuket Old Town: 4 km, 10 to 15 minutes by taxi$0 200 to 250
- From Patong: 21 km, 30 to 45 minutes by taxi$0 700 to 900
- From Kata or Karon: 25 km, 40 to 55 minutes by taxi$0 800 to 1,000
The Rassada terminal opens at 07:00 for the 08:30 first sailing. Travelers from west-coast Patong, Kata, or Karon should target the 10:30 or 11:30 sailing rather than the 08:30 to avoid the early hotel checkout pressure.
Saladan Pier on arrival and the Lanta west-coast hop
Saladan Pier sits at the northern tip of Koh Lanta Yai. The pier opens directly onto Saladan town, a small village that serves as the island’s commercial center. Songthaews (red trucks) wait at the pier to ferry arrivals south to the beach zones on the west coast.
Transfer options from Saladan to the most-booked Lanta zones:
- Songthaew shared$0 100 to 200 per person: Drops at hotel doors along the west coast main road
- Hotel pickup, often included: Most mid-range and up Lanta hotels include a free Saladan pickup
- Private taxi$0 600 to 1,000: 30 to 45 minutes to Klong Khong, longer to Bamboo Bay at the southern tip
The west-coast main road runs the length of Koh Lanta Yai and is easy to navigate. The southern beaches (Klong Khong, Klong Nin, Kantiang Bay) take longer to reach than the northern beaches (Klong Dao, Long Beach) by a measured 15 to 30 minutes.
Best booking window and the monsoon-month reality
The route prices on lead time and season. Online booking holds the fare floor 20 to 30 percent below pier counter walk-up. Hotel desk bookings add another 10 to 20 percent on top of pier counter. The online window typically opens 30 to 60 days before sailing on every operator.
High season (November to April) sees the cheaper Phi Phi Cruiser routing sell out 7+ days ahead. Tigerline and Bundhaya hold more inventory but premium-tier fares drift higher within 14 days of sailing.
Monsoon (May to October) brings rough afternoon seas. Morning sailings run reliably on most operators. Afternoon scheduled ferries cancel 10 to 20 percent of the time across May through September. Speedboat operators are more weather-sensitive, the cancellation rate climbs to 25 to 35 percent in August and September afternoons.
Book the morning departure online if traveling in monsoon months when afternoon runs cancel for sea state.
Frequently asked questions about the Phuket to Koh Lanta ferry
How long does the Phuket to Koh Lanta ferry take?
How much does the Phuket to Koh Lanta ferry cost?
Does the Phuket to Koh Lanta ferry run year round?
Which Phuket pier does the Koh Lanta ferry leave from?
Where does the Phuket to Koh Lanta ferry arrive?
Should I take the direct ferry or stop at Phi Phi on the way?
Can I bring a motorbike or car on the ferry?
Where to stay on Koh Lanta after the ferry
Three SHA-certified picks across the west-coast beach zones to anchor the first night after arrival at Saladan.
For all 27 Thailand ferry routes plus operator reliability, seasonal cancellation patterns, and booking strategy, see our complete Thailand ferry guide.
