Phuket without a daily taxi bill: start with the bus routes

Phuket transport costs depend heavily on where you live. Before choosing accommodation, put your regular destinations on a map and compare them with the current Phuket Smart Bus and Airport Bus routes. The Smart Bus publishes timetables and live GPS tracking for its airport, Patong, Karon and Rawai corridor; the Airport Bus publishes its airport-to-Phuket-Town timetable. Public transport will not solve every journey, but living near a usable stop can remove several expensive taxi trips each week. Check the last practical service for your routine and allow for waiting time. For places away from the corridor, compare a mixed plan: bus for predictable long journeys, walking for local errands and app taxis only when needed. If considering a motorcycle, include licence requirements, insurance, helmet, rain, parking and damage liability—not only the rental price. Phuket roads and weather make “cheapest transport” a safety decision as well as a budget decision. Official sources: phuketsmartbus.com and airportbusphuket.com/time-table Checked 27 August 2026. Prices, routes and opening times can change, so confirm with the named operator before travelling or signing a contract.