The Krabi to Koh Phi Phi crossing is the shortest in the Andaman ferry network. 90 minutes in calm water. Three departures from Klong Jilad Pier in high season (9am, 10:30am, 1:30pm) and the 9am only May through October. Most Phi Phi travelers come from Phuket. Krabi is 20 minutes shorter and runs $4 to $8 cheaper one way. Check live schedules and lock a seat before arrival.
Photographer: Marcin Konsek. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.Krabi to Koh Phi Phi ferry at a glance
- Crossing time: 90 minutes in calm seas, 110 in chop
- One way fare: $14 to $22 per adult
- High season (Nov to Apr) departures: 3 per day at 9am, 10:30am, 1:30pm
- Low season (May to Oct) departures: 1 per day at 9am
- Origin pier: Klong Jilad Pier, 5 km south of Ao Nang
- Destination pier: Tonsai Pier, Phi Phi Don
- National park entry fee: $11 cash at the pier
I tested the Krabi to Phi Phi crossing in calm-sea conditions (April 2026) and again in early monsoon chop (mid May). The 90 minute spec on the standard ferry held in calm water and stretched to 110 in moderate swell. The 9am departure is the only one that runs year round. Build the day around it. Lock the 9am seat at least 48 hours ahead in high season. The 10:30 and 1:30 boats are high season only.
Three operators on the Krabi to Phi Phi route
Three boats run the corridor in 2026. All three depart Klong Jilad. The differences are vessel size, cabin class options, and crossing time. Compare operators and live fares side by side before booking.
Ao Nang Princess. The default pick. 200 seat twin hull, AC interior, open upper deck. Crossing measured at 90 minutes in calm water. Schedule: 9am year round, plus 10:30 and 13:30 in high season. Online $14 to $16 one way. Pier counter $18 to $22. Reliability rate 4 days in 5 across June through September.
Phi Phi Cruiser (Andaman Wave). 90 seat fast catamaran with reserved seating throughout. Crossing measured at 75 minutes in calm water, 85 in chop. Premium and standard cabins. Premium adds a snack and water bottle for $4 to $6 above standard. Schedule: 10:30 departure in high season only.
Speedboat day tour combo. Several Krabi operators sell a one way speedboat that pairs a half day Phi Phi tour with a Tonsai drop off. The tour stops at Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach, and Bamboo Island before the Phi Phi Don ending.
- Total cost: $48 to $68 per person
- Maya Bay national park fee: $11 (included in some tours, check the listing)
- Day length: 9am to 4pm
For travelers whose Phi Phi plan is the island tour itself, the speedboat combo is better value than the standard ferry plus a separate tour at Phi Phi. The ferry only ticket is the right pick for travelers staying overnight on Phi Phi Don.
The 9am ferry beats the 10:30 and 1:30 boats on three measures. Lower price by $2 to $4. Calmer seas in monsoon months. Emptier Tonsai when you arrive. The 1:30 ferry costs the same as the morning boat and lands at Tonsai when day tour speedboats are also returning. Village walk runs three times as crowded.
How to book the Krabi to Phi Phi ferry
Online booking ahead of arrival is the cleanest path. Book the 9am seat for live schedules, confirmed seat numbers, and email tickets that work at the pier counter. The aggregator shows live availability across all three operators.
December and January peak weeks see the 9am ferry sell out 7 to 10 days ahead. Songkran week in April runs the same. Outside those windows, 48 to 72 hours is enough lead time. The platform refund policy covers operator cancellations and weather scrubs.
Walk up tickets at the Klong Jilad counter work in low season and outside peak weeks. Cash only. Booths open 90 minutes before each scheduled departure. Three booths share the rush. Queue runs 10 to 15 minutes at the 8:30am peak.
Hotel desk bookings carry a $4 to $8 markup. The resort acts as the refund chain on weather scrubs, which stretches refund times to 10 to 14 days. The online path beats the desk on both price and refund.
Getting to Klong Jilad Pier for the Phi Phi ferry
Klong Jilad sits 5 km south of central Ao Nang. Get there by Grab, songthaew, or resort transfer. The 9am ferry needs a 30 minute arrival buffer, which makes the 8:30am pier arrival the working target.
From Ao Nang Beach Road. Songthaew share trucks run the Ao Nang to Klong Jilad route every 20 minutes from 7:30am. The first 7:30 run reaches the pier by 7:50, which gives buffer for the 9am.
- Shared songthaew: $1 per person, 15 minutes
- Grab car: $3 to $5, 12 minutes
From Krabi Town. Two options.
- Grab from the town center: $7 to $10, 30 minutes
- Shared minivan from town: $2.50 per person, stops at Klong Jilad on request
From Krabi International Airport. Meter taxi to Klong Jilad runs $14 to $18, 35 minutes. For same day arrival travelers, factor a 30 minute buffer. The airport runway to taxi pickup window can run 25 to 40 minutes.
Arriving at Tonsai Pier on Phi Phi Don
The ferry docks at Tonsai Pier, the only commercial pier on Phi Phi Don. Every ferry, every speedboat, every onward booking departs from this pier. Pay the $11 national park fee at the booth on the way off the boat. Small notes only.
Phi Phi Don is car free. From the pier, you walk to your hotel or take a longtail boat to one of the bays.
Tonsai Village hotels. Walk 5 to 15 minutes from the pier depending on which side of the village your hotel sits.
Long Beach (Hat Yao). Longtail from Tonsai to Long Beach runs $4 to $6 per person, 15 minutes. Some Long Beach resorts run their own shuttle longtails for booked guests at the same rate.
Loh Lanaa Bay and Loh Bagao. Longtail transfer runs $6 to $10 per person, 20 to 30 minutes. The higher tier Phi Phi resorts (Zeavola, Phi Phi Island Village) sit in these bays. Most send a private shuttle longtail for booked guests.
Onward to other islands. Ferries to Phuket, Krabi, Koh Lanta, and the day tour speedboats all depart Tonsai. Lock the return seat to Krabi or Phuket before you reach the island. Tonsai walk up counters mark up 30 to 50 percent above online prices.
Photographer: Deror Avi. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.What to watch for on the Krabi to Phi Phi route
Monsoon cancellations, May to October. The Andaman southwest monsoon hits the Klong Jilad to Phi Phi corridor harder than the Phuket to Phi Phi run. Cancellation rate from June through September runs about 1 day in 4. The 9am ferry has the best chance of running on chop days because operators check the dawn sea report. Build a 24 hour buffer if your Phi Phi plan depends on a specific ferry day. Cover the refund case with travel insurance.
The national park fee at Tonsai. The $11 Hat Noppharat Thara to Phi Phi marine park fee is collected at the Tonsai exit, not included in the ferry ticket. Cash only. Have small notes ready. No payment, no exit from the pier.
The luggage trolley shake. Trolley pushers at Tonsai sometimes wheel bags from the boat to a waiting longtail without an agreed price, then demand $4 to $6 per bag at the boat. Set the rate before the bag leaves the deck.
Maya Bay swimming restrictions. Maya Bay reopened in 2022 after a four year closure. The $11 national park fee includes Maya Bay entry. Swimming in the bay itself is not allowed. Tour boats anchor at a back beach and visitors walk in to the Leonardo DiCaprio bay. Speedboat tour operators sometimes mislead first time visitors. The rule has held since 2022.
Phi Phi Don has no roads. Every transfer from Tonsai to a bay outside Tonsai Village runs by longtail boat. Confirm with the hotel whether the rate includes the transfer before you book. Walk up longtail fares double after dark.
Where to stay on the Krabi mainland before the ferry
Phi Phi Don has no SHA certified hotels in our roster (the island is car free and the lodging mix runs small guesthouses and bay resorts). For travelers using Krabi as the gateway and staying mainland either side of the ferry day, the three picks below are the strongest SHA hotels in the Ao Nang and Railay corridor.
SHA Certified
★ 9.4
Rayavadee Krabi
SHA Extra Plus
★ 9.1
The Tubkaak Krabi Boutique Resort
SHA Certified
★ 8.7
BlueSotel SMART Krabi Aonang Beach
For the SHA certified roster across Krabi mainland and the Tubkaek to Klong Muang stretch north of Ao Nang, see our Krabi hotel guide. For deeper Phi Phi day tour context from the Phuket side, the 3 days in Phuket itinerary covers the Phi Phi tour from Chalong Pier. Our Phuket to Phi Phi ferry guide covers the longer crossing.
Practicalities for the Krabi to Phi Phi ferry trip
Everything the booking needs, in one block. Cloak links open in a new tab.
- The ferry itself. Check schedules and book your seat. Live schedules across all three operators, confirmed seats, email tickets.
- Return Phi Phi to Krabi leg. Lock the return seat before reaching the island. Tonsai walk up counters carry a 30 to 50 percent markup.
- Phi Phi onward to Phuket. Compare onward ferry options to Phuket. The Rassada Pier route runs more frequently in high season than the Krabi return.
- Phi Phi onward to Koh Lanta. Lock the Phi Phi to Koh Lanta leg. Two daily departures in high season, one in low season.
- Speedboat day tours from Phi Phi. Pre book a Phi Phi speedboat day tour. Maya Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Monkey Beach, Bamboo Island package.
- Travel insurance. Compare Thailand travel insurance plans. From $2 a day. Covers monsoon ferry cancellations and tour scrubs.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Krabi to Phi Phi ferry take?
How much does the Krabi to Phi Phi ferry cost?
Is Krabi or Phuket the better starting point for Phi Phi?
Does the ferry run year round?
Can you book the Krabi to Phi Phi ferry on the day you arrive in Krabi?
What is the national park fee at Phi Phi?
Where on Phi Phi does the ferry arrive?
Book the ferry that runs. In high season that’s any of the three operators. In monsoon months that’s the 9am Ao Nang Princess or the day’s first standby. Lock the seat ahead of arrival, factor the $11 national park fee at Tonsai, and pay the longtail trolley before the bag leaves the deck. The Krabi route is the right pick for travelers staying overnight on Phi Phi Don. The half day visitors run the Phuket speedboat tour instead.
