The road is faster and runs all day; the ferry is the one worth taking if the bay itself is the point, because it lands you at Ao Nam Mao or Railay rather than in Krabi Town.
About 165 km by road, around 70 km across the bay
Minivan or bus
Shared minivans go door to door and are the default. A private car is 1,500 to 2,500 THB for the vehicle, which is worth it for four people and not for one: the road is straight and the van is not slower.
Ferry
Leaves Rassada Pier in Phuket Town and arrives at Ao Nam Mao, about 25 minutes from Krabi Town, or at East Railay.
The season changes this. Ferry sailings thin out in the southwest monsoon, roughly May to October, while the road is unaffected. If your plan depends on a boat, confirm it is running before you book the far end.
Unless a route says otherwise, these times and fares come from booking agents and route aggregators, not from operator timetables. Most Thai ferry and minivan operators publish no English schedule. Treat every figure as a planning range and confirm it before you build a day around it. Last read on 20 August 2026, from Phuket Ferry, 12Go and Bookaway.
Phuket Phuket is Thailand's largest island and the easiest gateway to the Andaman coast. 
Krabi Krabi is the Andaman coast at its most dramatic: limestone karsts rising straight from the sea, the car-free beaches of Railay reached only by longtail boat, and easy hops to Phi Phi, the Hong Islands and hot springs inland.