Ao Nang to Krabi Town: Songthaew, Taxi & Getting Around
By the Thongyib Thongyod team · Updated 8 July 2026
Getting from Ao Nang to Krabi Town is easy and cheap: hop on the white shared songthaew — a converted pickup with bench seats in the back — for about 50 baht in the daytime (60 baht after 6pm). They run roughly every 15–20 minutes, take 20–30 minutes to cover the 20 km, and you just flag one down on the beach road heading inland. A private taxi or Grab does the same trip faster for 400–600 baht, and renting a motorbike (200–300 baht a day) buys total freedom if you already ride. For most visitors, the songthaew is the answer nine times out of ten.
In short:
- White songthaew: ~50 baht daytime, ~60 baht after 6pm, every 15–20 minutes.
- The trip is 20 km and takes 20–30 minutes; you pay the driver when you get off.
- Flag it on the beach road heading away from the water, or catch it near the 7-Eleven.
- Taxi or Grab: faster and door-to-door, but 400–600 baht — worth it only for groups or luggage.
- Motorbike hire: 200–300 baht a day, best freedom, only for confident riders with the right licence.
We are Thongyib Thongyod, a brunch and coffee cafe in Khlong Haeng — which happens to sit right on the road the songthaews use between Ao Nang beach and Krabi Town. So we watch this little transport dance play out all day: visitors squinting at passing trucks, wondering if that is the right one, whether to wave, what it costs. Here is how it actually works, from people who see it every morning.
How do you get from Ao Nang to Krabi Town?
Take the white songthaew — it is the local shared bus, and it is genuinely simple once you have done it once. These are pickup trucks with two padded benches in a covered back, running a fixed loop between Ao Nang beach and the Krabi Town bus terminal and markets. You do not book, you do not reserve a seat, and there is no schedule to memorise. You stand on the correct side of the road, see one coming, and put your arm out.
To go to Krabi Town, stand on the beach road on the side heading away from the water and flag one down, or wait near the 7-Eleven where they reliably pass and often pause. Climb in the back, sit on a bench, and off you go. When you want to get off, press the buzzer button on the roof if there is one, or tap a coin against the metal rail — the universal signal. You pay the driver through the window as you step down, not when you board.
The daytime fare is about 50 baht per person and rises to around 60 baht after 6pm, when service also thins out. It is honestly one of the more pleasant ways to travel: windows open, the karst scenery rolling by, locals and travellers sharing the bench. The 20 km takes 20–30 minutes depending on how many people flag it down along the way.
Songthaew, taxi, Grab, or motorbike — which should we use?
Match the mode to your situation: songthaew for cheap and easy, taxi or Grab for speed and luggage, motorbike for freedom. There is no single best answer, so here is the honest comparison.
| Mode | Price | Frequency / availability | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| White songthaew | ~50 THB day / ~60 THB after 6pm | Every 15–20 min, ~6am–late evening | Cheapest; shared; pay on exit; thins out at night |
| Private taxi | 400–600 THB/car | On demand from stands and hotels | Fast, door-to-door; fixed fare, agree it first |
| Grab | ~350–550 THB/car | App-based, usually available | Set price in-app; needs data; cars not always instant |
| Motorbike rental | 200–300 THB/day | All day, your schedule | Total freedom; only for confident, licensed riders |
The songthaew wins on cost and charm. A taxi or Grab wins when you are hauling suitcases to the bus terminal, travelling as a group where 500 baht split four ways beats four separate fares, or heading out after the songthaews have thinned for the night. Motorbikes are their own decision — see below.
Heading into town this morning? Fuel up first — we open at 8:00 in Khlong Haeng, right on the songthaew route, five minutes from Nopparat Thara Beach. See the menu · Get directions
Is it worth renting a motorbike to get around?
A motorbike is worth it if you already ride confidently and want to explore beyond Krabi Town — the beaches north toward Klong Muang, the viewpoints, the temples — on your own schedule. Rentals run 200–300 baht a day, fuel is cheap, and parking is easy everywhere. For an independent traveller who is comfortable on two wheels, it turns the whole area into a day of easy hops rather than a series of waits at the roadside.
But be honest with yourself about the riding. Route 4034 between Ao Nang and Krabi Town carries fast traffic, including tour vans and trucks that overtake with enthusiasm. Thai law requires an international driving permit with a motorcycle endorsement, and your travel insurance almost certainly voids any claim if you ride without one. Helmets are mandatory and, more importantly, sensible. If your entire motorbike history is one afternoon on a scooter years ago, this is not the road to learn on — take the songthaew and enjoy the view instead of watching the mirrors.
If you do rent, photograph the bike from every angle before you ride off, so any pre-existing scratches are documented, and keep the rental shop’s number saved.
What is there to do once you reach Krabi Town?
Krabi Town is the local, workaday counterpoint to the beach: riverside walks, the Thara Park promenade, temples, and the well-known weekend walking street night market with cheap, excellent food. It is where you go for a dose of everyday Thai life, the fresh markets, and prices a notch below the beach strip. Wander the riverfront, find the town’s quirky black-crab sculpture that has become its unofficial mascot, climb the steps at Wat Kaew Korawaram temple, and browse the daytime shops along Maharaj Road for a slower kind of afternoon than the beach offers.
Many travellers also pass through the town’s bus terminal and nearby piers to reach onward destinations, so even if you are not staying there you may see it in transit. It makes an easy half-day, especially in the late afternoon and evening when it cools down, the heat lifts, and the markets wake up. Time it for a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday if you want the full walking-street night market — that is when the town is at its liveliest and the street food is best.
If you are still building your list of what to fill days with on this side of the province, our guide to things to do in Ao Nang covers the beaches, islands, and rainy-day options nearer the coast. And if Krabi Town is actually your very first stop off the plane, the run in from the airport is a separate journey with its own choices — we break it down in Krabi airport to Ao Nang.
Practical information
- Distance and time: 20 km, 20–30 minutes by road; slightly faster by private car outside peak times.
- Songthaew hours: Roughly early morning until mid-evening. After dark they get scarce and the fare ticks up to ~60 baht — plan a taxi or Grab for a late return.
- Which side of the road: For Krabi Town, board on the inland side (away from the beach). Coming back to Ao Nang, board on the town side heading toward the coast.
- Paying: Cash only, on exit. Carry small notes and coins; drivers appreciate exact-ish change.
- Grab and data: Grab works across Krabi but needs a working SIM or Wi-Fi to book. Confirm the pickup pin, as beach-road stops can be vague.
- Luggage: The songthaew has room for a daypack easily and a suitcase at a squeeze. For moving hotels with big bags, just take a taxi.
- Our spot: Thongyib Thongyod is at Ao Nang Landmark in Khlong Haeng, open 8:00–18:00 daily, a few steps from where the town songthaews pass.
Quick answers
How do you get from Ao Nang to Krabi Town? Take the white shared songthaew — flag it on the beach road heading inland, or catch it near the 7-Eleven. It is about 50 baht in the day, runs every 15–20 minutes, and takes 20–30 minutes.
How much is the songthaew? Around 50 baht per person daytime, about 60 baht after 6pm. You pay the driver when you get off; there is no ticket.
How far is Krabi Town from Ao Nang? About 20 km, 20–30 minutes by road. A taxi or Grab is a little faster for 400–600 baht.
Should we rent a motorbike? Only if you already ride confidently. It is 200–300 baht a day and gives you real freedom, but Route 4034 traffic is fast and you legally need an international licence with a motorcycle endorsement.
Where should we eat before heading into town? At Thongyib Thongyod — we open at 8:00 in Khlong Haeng, on the songthaew route, so you can have a pancake stack or sourdough brunch and catch the white truck from our door.
Whether you are off to the town markets or just working out how this place moves, the getting-around part of a trip is always smoother on a full stomach. We open at 8:00, we are right on the route, and the coffee is ready — flag the songthaew after, not before.