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Bangkok to Phuket by car takes you the length of southern Thailand: along the Gulf of Thailand past Hua Hin and quiet fishing towns, across the peninsula at its narrowest point and down the Andaman coast through the rainforest of Khao Sok. With a one-way hire car you pick up at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport and hand it back at Phuket Airport.
At a glance
- Start
- Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
- Finish
- Phuket Airport
- Distance
- About 1,130 km
- Days
- 8
- Driving per day
- Mostly 1 to 3 hours
- Best time
- January to April
Take your time. The days are a suggestion: add a night wherever you like the look of a place. You choose your own pick-up and return dates when you book. The prices on this page are for a week; for a longer hire, enter your dates under “Find your car” at the top of the page for the exact price.
The route day by day
The trip runs south along the Gulf of Thailand, crosses the peninsula at its narrowest point and ends on the Andaman Sea. Distances are by road; the times are driving time without stops. The map shows the route and the numbered stops.
Day 1: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Hua Hin
About 230 km and 3 hours in total. Leave Bangkok south-west towards Samut Songkhram and the Maeklong Railway Market (1), where the train runs straight through the market stalls several times a day and the traders pull back their awnings just in time. Check the train times on the day. Drive on to Phetchaburi and Phra Nakhon Khiri (2), a hilltop palace built for King Mongkut in the 19th century, with a cable car to the top. Spend the night in Hua Hin (3), the oldest beach resort in Thailand, with a night market and a wooden royal waiting room at the railway station.
Day 2: Hua Hin to Prachuap Khiri Khan
About 115 km and 2.25 hours. In Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, walk up to Phraya Nakhon Cave (4), where a royal pavilion stands in a shaft of sunlight. The steep path from Laem Sala beach takes about half an hour; the light is best in the late morning. Then drive to Prachuap Khiri Khan (5), a quiet seaside town between limestone hills. Climb the steps of Khao Chong Krachok for the view over the bays, and swim at Ao Manao.
Day 3: Prachuap Khiri Khan to Chumphon
About 175 km and 2.25 hours south. The highway follows the narrow strip of Thailand between the sea and the mountains. North of Chumphon, Thung Wua Laen (6) is a long, quiet beach with seafood restaurants under the trees. Stay the night by the beach.
Day 4: Chumphon to Ranong
About 135 km and 2 hours, from the Gulf to the Andaman Sea. The road crosses the Kra Isthmus, the narrowest part of the Malay Peninsula, and follows the Kra River along the border with Myanmar. In Ranong, one of the wettest places in Thailand, soak in the hot pools at Raksawarin hot springs (7).
Day 5: Ranong to Khao Sok
About 205 km and 2.75 hours. Drive south past Takua Pa to Khao Sok National Park (8), with rainforest and limestone cliffs right up to the village. In the afternoon, walk along the river from the park headquarters or float down it on a tube.
Day 6: Cheow Lan Lake
About 65 km and 1.25 hours to the dam, then by boat. Leave the car at the car park by the pier at the dam of Cheow Lan Lake (9) and take a longtail boat between the limestone peaks to a floating raft house for the night. Book ahead in high season.
Day 7: Cheow Lan Lake to Khao Lak
About 135 km and 2 hours. Back on land, drive west to Khao Lak (10) on the Andaman coast: long beaches, the forest of Khao Lak–Lam Ru National Park and the sunset over the sea.
Day 8: Khao Lak to Phuket Airport
About 75 km and 1 hour, the shortest drive of the trip. Cross the Sarasin Bridge onto Phuket and return the car at Phuket Airport, in the north of the island. If your flight is late, the beaches of Nai Yang and Mai Khao are a few minutes from the airport.
One-way car hire for this road trip
Pick up the car at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport when you land and return it at Phuket Airport at the end of the trip. Car hire in Bangkok and car hire in Phuket have the other pick-up points and more about driving there.
One-way prices, Bangkok to Phuket
From, total for 7 days
| Car | Price |
|---|---|
| No one-way charge | €357 |
| With a one-way charge, paid at the desk | €234 + 6,420 baht (about €175) |
Select a price to see the cars for the week that price was found.
Total for a 7-day rental, fully insured with everything included. The one-way charge is set by the local car hire company and paid at the desk; Sunny Cars shows it with each car before you book. Updated 12 November 2026.
Included in the price
- Collision damage and theft cover
- Damage to windows, tyres, roof and undercarriage
- Lost or damaged keys and towing after an accident or breakdown
- Third-party liability, topped up to €10 million
- Unlimited mileage
- Local taxes and airport fees
- Fair fuel policy: return the car with the fuel level you picked it up with
What to bring
- Driving licence
- Your own licence held for at least 1 year (3 years for selected cars), plus an International Driving Permit.
- Credit card
- In the main driver’s name. The desk holds the deposit on it.
- Deposit
- About €136 to €545, depending on the car.
- Driver age
- From 21 on selected cars, from 25 on the others. Upper age limit of 75 on selected cars. Each car shows its age limits before you book.
- Additional driver
- Included with selected cars. Each car shows it before you book.
Driving from Bangkok to Phuket
The rules for all of Thailand are under Driving in Thailand. On this route, these are the things to know.
Wide highways and U-turns
Most of the way south is on divided highway with two or more lanes each way. On these roads you often cannot turn right across the traffic. Drive on to the next U-turn point, turn there and come back on the other side.
Hills on the Andaman side
From Ranong to Khao Sok the road winds through forest and hills. It is slower than the highway along the Gulf; use a low gear downhill and drive in daylight.
Fuel
There are petrol stations all along the highways, often with a café and clean toilets. Fill up in Ranong or Takua Pa before Khao Sok.
One way
You return the car at Phuket Airport, not where you picked it up. Some cars carry a one-way charge, paid at the desk; others have none. The prices on this page show both, and Sunny Cars shows the charge with each car before you book.
Best time for this road trip
January to April is the best time: then both the Gulf coast and the Andaman coast are mostly dry. The Andaman side has its rainy season from May to October, the Gulf side from October to December. Khao Sok is green all year.
Frequently asked questions
How much does one-way car hire from Bangkok to Phuket cost?
A week of one-way car hire from Bangkok to Phuket starts at €357, with no one-way charge. Cars from other local companies start at €234 plus a one-way charge of 6,420 baht (about €175), paid at the desk. Fully insured with everything included. Updated 12 November 2026.
Can I pick up the car at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport and return it at Phuket Airport?
Yes. The search form on this page already has Phuket as the drop-off location. Sunny Cars shows any one-way charge with each car before you book.
Do I need a credit card?
Yes, a credit card in the main driver’s name. The desk holds a deposit on it: about €136 to €545, depending on the car.
How far is Bangkok from Phuket by car?
About 850 km by the direct route, which takes around 11 hours of driving. This road trip takes about 1,130 km over 8 days, along the Gulf coast and across to the Andaman Sea.
Can I do the trip the other way round?
Yes. Pick up the car at Phuket Airport and return it at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport; the stops are the same in reverse order. After you select a price, use “Change” at Sunny Cars to swap the pick-up and drop-off locations.
Can I end the trip in Krabi instead?
Yes. From Cheow Lan Lake it is about two hours to Krabi. After you select a price, use “Change” at Sunny Cars to set Krabi Airport as the drop-off location.
When is the best time for this road trip?
January to April, when both coasts are mostly dry.