In this guide, we will show you how to travel from Phuket to Kanchanaburi using only public transport! As you’ll see on a map, you have some miles to cover to get from Phuket to Kanchanaburi, it’s a bit of an adventure but we will tell you how to get there.
First of all, you’ll be using a combination of buses and night trains, which sounds daunting but it was actually very fun and comfortable. It’s not every day you get to ride a sleeper train!
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How to get from Phuket to Kanchanaburi using public transport
Step 1 – Travel from Phuket to Surat Thani by bus
To get to Kanchanaburi from Phuket you have a few options, you can either book a minivan from Phuket Bus Terminal 1 or a large local coach from Phuket Bus Terminal 2.
How to get from Phuket to Surat Thani by Bus
A minivan will tend to be quicker and more direct, but likely more cramped as you usually have to sit with your luggage on your lap due to lack of storage space for backpacks and suitcases. A common choice for travellers. Expect to pay around 400 baht each, and travel time should be around 4hrs. You can book minivan tickets online using 12Go.
With the coach, which is the option we went for, it takes longer as it goes via Khao Lak and Khao Sok, but more likely to be a comfortable ride with more leg room and underbus storage. It’s also cheaper, costing 250 baht per person, and has a travel time of around 6hrs with toilet breaks. Alternatively, if you prefer to book transport online take a look on 12Go!
In both cases, make sure to arrive at the bus terminal at least 30 minutes prior to departure, and don’t bank on arriving at your destination on time. Allow some time on the end for wiggle room between transfers.
➤ Currently, the last bus leaves from Phuket Bus Terminal 2 to Surat Thani at 1:40pm.
What to expect from the bus journey from Phuket to Surat Thani
Based on our personal experience of riding the coach from Phuket Bus Terminal 2 to Surat Thani train station, here is what to expect from this 6hr ride.
- Departed Phuket Bus Terminal 2 around 1:50pm (10 minutes later than scheduled).
- After 1hr of travelling, we left Phuket island on to mainland Thailand via the bridge.
- Arrived at Khao Lak at 4:00pm to drop off travellers.
- A quick toilet break at Takua Pa bus station around 4:30pm for 20 minutes. Some snacks are available here, as well as a large outdoor market just behind the station and a 7-eleven around the corner.
- Stopped off at Khao Sok around 6:00pm. Most people got off here, with a few getting on.
- Arrived at Surat Thani train station around 7:45pm (the bus station told us 7:00pm but we made an extra toilet stop as requested by travellers).
Step 2 – Surat Thani train station and sleeper train
On the second leg of this Phuket to Kanchanaburi journey, you’ll be catching a train from Surat Thani to Ban Pong. Alternatively, you can catch a train to Ratchaburi, but the bus journey will be longer compared to Ban Pong. More on this later!
After a rather long, yet comfortable 6hr bus journey we arrived at Surat Thani train station. It’s important to note that our driver on the day drove very sensibly and not too fast. The ride was comfortable enough to be able to do some laptop work.
IMPORTANT - Be sure to book your train tickets online in advance to guarantee your journey! It's common that sleeper bed tickets sell out on popular routes like this one. Check out the official State Railway of Thailand website for more information.
About Surat Thani Train Station
At this point in our journey, it was time for dinner, so we found a local restaurant across the street by the bus drop-off. We had dinner at By Aooddy, we ordered 2 pad thai and 1 fried rice with veg and tofu for 210 baht. The lady was super friendly and we recommend eating here before the night train, it was kind of her to accommodate vegan food without any hassle.
Additionally, there’s a 7-eleven around the corner which was perfect for picking up a couple of supplies for the journey ahead, water, nuts and bananas!
The train station itself doesn’t have anything going on, other than a train stopping off every half hour or so. There are some stalls for snacks and light food. An information desk is available if you need to ask questions about your journey.
The toilet at Surat Thani station costs 4 baht, and a shower costs 10 baht. Facilities weren’t the best considering you pay; I’m not sure if we recommend trying the showers based on how the toilets were.
Take the sleeper train from Surat Thani to Ban Pong
Our train arrived 25 minutes late, however, we were kept up to date with a live departure board on the platform, so we already knew this was happening. So if you need to be somewhere on time for another transfer (like a flight or ferry) give yourself plenty of extra time on the other end.
The 2nd class AC sleeper train was fun! The bed was surprisingly comfy but very narrow. If you’re over 6ft tall you won’t be able to stretch out fully.
It’s a good idea to wear earbuds and a face mask on this journey to be able to sleep, the train is quite loud and they leave the lights on. All beds have a curtain but still let’s light through. They are set up similar to hostel beds!
All beds came with a pillow and a thin duvet. The AC worked very well so it might be a good idea to wear long layers instead of shorts and a t-shirt. There aren’t any power outlets in the bed, but we did find some on the outside of the bunk near where the luggage is stored on the floor.
In the morning, vendors came around the carriages selling prepared hot food in containers for breakfast, it smelt good! It also looked like they were serving Thai tea.
Overall, it was a positive experience, enabling travellers to efficiently travel overnight on a safe, clean and comfortable night train. Plus, it kind of felt like being on the Hogwarts Express in a Thai-fusion sort of way!
Arriving in Ban Pong (Phuket to Kanchanaburi Journey)
After a half decent night’s rest, we arrived in Ban Pong at 8:45am, unfortunately, this was about 1hr 15mins late compared to the original arrival time but we didn’t mind too much as we weren’t in a rush. As we have mentioned above, give yourself plenty of time on the other end of the train journey for transfers if you are tight on time to avoid disappointment.
The delay worked in our favour on this occasion as it meant the vegetarian restaurant we wanted to eat breakfast at was open at 9:00am! 2 big plates of vegan thai food cost us 80 baht! It was a little out of the way, but worth it for a decent meal.
Alternatively, you could spend an hour or so having a look around Ban Pong if you have the time and feel comfortable carrying your luggage.
Stage 3 – Catch the 461 bus from Ban Pong to Kanchanaburi
Now on to the final leg of the journey from Phuket to Kanchanaburi using public transport! You are almost there.
Where to catch the 461 bus to Kanchanaburi
Now that you’ve arrived safely in Ban Pong, and hopefully had something to eat, make your way to Ban Pong Clock Tower in the centre if town. This is where the local buses depart from.
Near the roundabout, opposite Ban Pong Police Station, you should see a bus stop. Make sure to be at the bus stop with 461 bus sign. This will be written in Thai but should look like this. If you use Google Translate, it should translate to ‘Ratchaburi to Kanchanaburi’.
Alternatively, you can get off the train at Ratchaburi from Surat Thani and catch the same bus from Ratchaburi to Kanchanaburi, but the bus journey will be much longer and not as comfortable as staying on the train.
Wait for the 461 bus to arrive and flag it down by signalling with your arm. Double check with the driver that they are going to Kanchanaburi, this journey should cost 50 baht per person.
What to expect on the 461 bus journey to Kanchanaburi
You’ll notice that the bus service is also used for delivering packages and goods along the bus route, so it’s not unusual to see large crates of food or boxes on board.
We caught the bus from Ban Pong at around 10:25am, it was very quiet with only few other on board. The AC worked well and there were no toilets on board. This journey should take just over an hour to Kanchanaburi.
We stayed at Home of River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, so we asked the bus driver if they could drop us off opposite the McDonalds as this was close by.
And that’s our guide on how to travel from Phuket to Kanchanaburi using public transport! From door to door the total journey took around 20hrs, but it was comfortable, clean, safe and cheap! You could speed up this journey with shorter changeovers and more direct bus journeys, but we enjoyed the adventure on this occasion! It was nice to not have to rush.
Alternative ways to travel from Phuket to Kanchanaburi
- Fly to Bangkok from Phuket and transfer – This option will be more costly but could save you some time, give or take with adding time for arriving to the airport earlier. Take a look on trip.com for flights from Phuket to Bangkok, and check out 12Go for onward travel to Kanchanaburi, this will either be a train or coach.
- Private transfers – If you shop around locally or online in Phuket for private transfers, we are sure some of the minivan companies can take you from A to B for the right price.
- Daytime trains – Alternatively, stick to the above plan and catch a day time train if you don’t like the idea of a sleeper train. This way, you will get to see some of Thailand’s stunning scenery from the window of a train. Check out the State Railway of Thailand for more information.
Where to stay in Kanchanaburi
💤 Home of River Kwai – Affordable, clean double rooms with shared bathroom facilities. Easy to rent a moped and free clothes washing facilities. Also, they have the highest rating on booking.com in Kanchanaburi!
💤 Por poshtel Kanchanaburi – Great location at a budget price.
💤 Natee The Riverfront Hotel Kanchanaburi – Luxury option with an elegant swimming pool and in-room jacuzzi bathtubs!
💤 Siam Guesthouse – Budget option with great reviews on booking.com!
Things to do in Kanchanaburi
Since you’re to Kanchanaburi from Phuket, why not take a look at these organised tours? Perfect if you don’t have your own mode of transport to get around the region.
Scenic Private Boat Tour at River Kwai – relax on a boat trip along the River Kwai
River Kwai & Hellfire Pass Private Tour – a great way to learn important history on the Death Railway
2-Day River Kwai Highlights & Jungle Rafts Floating Hotel – why not spend the night on the river in a floating house!
Erawan Waterfall & Train Full-Day Tour – Visit the most popular waterfall in the area on a guided tour
Enjoyed this guide? Check out our other Thailand content!
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