Railay has no road access at all, so a boat is not one option among several, it is the only way in, whichever beach or hotel you’re headed to. Our Railay Beach guide already covers the peninsula itself in depth, so this guide focuses on how to get to Railay Beach by boat: where the boats leave from, what each crossing costs, how the “leave when full” system works, what the landing looks like on each side, and how to plan around Krabi’s sea conditions.
Quick answers
- Cheapest and shortest: the shared longtail from Ao Nang beach to Railay West, 100 THB per seat and about 20 minutes.
- To Railay East: boats leave from Ao Nam Mao (200 to 260 THB) and from Chao Fah Pier in Krabi Town (about 150 THB).
- No timetable: shared longtails leave when 8 or more passengers are aboard. A private boat from Ao Nam Mao costs 1,300 THB for up to six people.
- Landing: on Railay West the boat beaches on the sand and you wade ashore. On Railay East you use a floating pier, or a longtail transfer at some tides.
Boats to Railay at a Glance
| Departs from | Lands at | Fare (THB) | Crossing | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ao Nang beach | Railay West beach | 100 | about 20 min | Cheapest and shortest. About 07:00 to 18:00. |
| Ao Nang (van and boat) | Railay East floating pier | 360 | 20 min | Andaman Shuttle, 08:00, 12:00 and 14:00. |
| Ao Nam Mao Pier | Railay East floating pier | 200 to 260 | 15 to 20 min | Several sellers. Road transfer to the pier is not included. |
| Chao Fah Pier (Krabi Town) | Railay East | about 150 | 40 to 45 min | A few departures a day in high season. |
See the sailings and fares for your date.
From Ao Nang Beach to Railay West
This is the boat most visitors take. Shared longtails run from the beach at Ao Nang to Railay West from about 07:00 to 18:00 every day, and the published fare is 100 THB per seat one way, the same for Thai and foreign passengers. There is no fixed timetable: a boat leaves when 8 to 12 people are aboard, and the crossing takes about 20 minutes. After 18:00 only private charters run. Check the price board at the ticket stand before you board a private boat, and ask about child fares and baggage. The Ao Nang boat co-operative lists its ticket offices and a phone line, 094 583 5143, open 08:00 to 17:00.
From Ao Nang by Van and Boat
Andaman Shuttle sells a combined van and boat ticket from Ao Nang to the Railay East floating pier, at 360 THB for every age, with departures at 08:00, 12:00 and 14:00 and a crossing of 20 minutes. Check in at least 30 minutes before. The ticket does not say which pier or pickup point the van uses, so confirm the meeting point on your booking, and do not assume the van collects you from any hotel.
From Ao Nam Mao Pier to Railay East
Ao Nam Mao is a separate pier, a short drive from Ao Nang, and boats from here go to Railay East. Several sellers offer a shared longtail. Zest Go sells it at 200 THB per adult, with departures at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00 and 18:00 and a crossing of 15 to 20 minutes, and you check in 15 minutes early at Nam Mao Beach Travel and Tour. Andaman Shuttle sells the same crossing at 260 THB for every age, at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00. Zest Go allows one or two bags a person and does not publish a weight limit. The fare does not include the road transfer to the pier.
A private longtail from Ao Nam Mao costs 1,300 THB for up to six people or 1,600 THB for seven to ten with Zest Go, and can leave as late as 22:00. The pier also has a separate speedboat at 10:30 and 15:00 for 1,000 THB per adult and 700 THB per child aged 4 to 11, with children under 4 free. Some Railay resorts, including Railay Princess and Sand Sea, run their own boats from Ao Nam Mao for guests at about 100 THB a person, so ask your hotel before you buy a ticket.
From Chao Fah Pier in Krabi Town
If you are already in Krabi Town, boats leave from Chao Fah Pier for Railay East at about 150 THB per seat and take 40 to 45 minutes. In high season there are a few departures a day, and a boat waits until about eight people have turned up. Local sources disagree on the times, for example 09:30, 11:30, 14:00 and 17:00 from one local operator and 08:30, 10:00, 12:30 and 14:30 from a guidebook. They also disagree on the last boat back from Railay, 17:00 or 17:30, so treat 17:00 as the safe time. There is no guaranteed schedule, and there are fewer boats in low season. Ask about child fares and baggage rules at the ticket stand.
Other Boats Listed from Krabi and Ao Nang
Andaman Wave Master’s own timetable page lists a speedboat from Klong Jilad Pier to Railay at 13:30, with a 30 minute crossing and fares of 200 THB for an adult and 100 THB for a child, but we could not find the route in its booking form, so do not plan around it without a confirmed ticket. Satun Pakbara shows a 15:35 sailing from Klong Jilad to Railay at 400 THB, but its booking form marked it as opening soon, so it cannot be bought yet. Wangsai’s Phi Phi boat from Ao Nang stops at Railay, but the operator does not sell a separate Ao Nang to Railay ticket on its own website.
Private Charter
Every departure point also has private boats, useful for a group or a very early or late arrival. There is no official fixed price from Ao Nang or Chao Fah. Local businesses quote roughly 800 to 1,500 THB for a whole boat depending on the pier and the time of day, and Zest Go sells 1,300 THB for up to six people from Ao Nam Mao. Ask the ticket stand for the price from your pier before you agree. It is good value split three or four ways, and a real premium for one person.
What the Landing Involves
On Railay West there is no dock. Longtails beach directly on the sand and you wade the last stretch through shin-deep water, and how far you wade depends on the tide. Wear sandals you don’t mind getting wet rather than shoes, and keep your phone, passport and anything else that shouldn’t get splashed in a dry bag or held up. On Railay East the boats use a floating pier, but depending on the tide the operator may move you onto a longtail for the last stretch, so check the landing point on your ticket. A soft duffel or backpack handles a wet landing far better than a hard-shell suitcase.
The same boats connect onward to Tonsai and Phra Nang Beach, so if your hotel sits on one of those beaches, confirm with the boat operator or your hotel whether you land at Railay West and walk over, or whether a direct boat to that beach is running that day.
From Railay to Phi Phi
| Operator | Boat | Departs Railay | Crossing | Adult / child (THB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ao Nang Princess | Ferry | 09:45, 15:45 | 1 h 45 | 650 / 450 |
| Bundhaya | Speedboat | 10:30, 15:00 | 30 to 40 min | 1,000 / 700 |
| Koh Yao Sun Smile | Speedboat | 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 | 30 to 40 min | 849 or 1,000 / 700 |
| Wangsai | Speedboat | 11:15, 14:45 | 45 min | 950 / 700 |
| Railay Eco Tour | Speedboat | 11:00, 15:30 | 40 min | 900 |
Railay Eco Tour allows one backpack and one suitcase up to 20 kg per passenger, charges 500 THB for each extra piece, and does not include the pier fee of 20 THB per person at Phi Phi. The other operators, return times and the Krabi side are covered in our Krabi to Phi Phi ferry guide.
Getting to Railay from Krabi Airport
There’s no direct route from the airport to Railay; you’ll always go through one of the departure points above first. The most common pattern is a taxi or shuttle from the airport to Ao Nang (see our Krabi Airport guide for those transfer options and prices), then a longtail boat the rest of the way. Budget the full journey, airport transfer plus the boat plus any wait for the boat to fill, with plenty of margin, and more if you land outside the boats’ operating hours.
Weather and Rainy-Season Considerations
No operator announces a fixed closing period, but longtails and speedboats stop when the sea turns rough. The southwest monsoon, roughly mid-May to mid-October, brings the highest risk, and a passing storm can stop the boats at any time of year. If you are travelling in the rainier months, build in a buffer day around your Railay dates rather than a tight same-day connection to a flight.
Practical Tips
Buy your ticket at the ticket stand or the boat operator, not from someone who approaches you on the beach, and ask the price before you board. If you are arriving with luggage that does not like beaches, some hotels on Railay can arrange a more sheltered private transfer, worth asking about when you book. For where to stay once you arrive, our guide to the best hotels in Railay Beach covers the peninsula’s own hotel pool, and where to stay in Krabi compares Railay against the mainland beach areas if you haven’t settled on Railay yet. For the wider region, see our Krabi travel guide.
Find a Room on Railay
Move the map to the beach you want and set your dates to see current room prices.
For the main boat routes across Thailand in one place, see our Thailand ferries guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the longtail boat to Railay cost?
A shared longtail seat from Ao Nang to Railay West costs 100 THB one way. From Ao Nam Mao to Railay East it costs 200 to 260 THB, and from Chao Fah about 150 THB.
How long does the boat ride take?
About 20 minutes from Ao Nang to Railay West and 15 to 20 minutes from Ao Nam Mao. From Chao Fah in Krabi Town it takes 40 to 45 minutes.
Do the boats run on a schedule?
Shared longtails from Ao Nang and Chao Fah don’t. They depart once about 8 passengers are aboard, or you can pay for a private boat to leave right away. Ao Nam Mao sellers list fixed departures about every two hours.
Which pier should I use if I am staying on Railay East?
Ao Nam Mao and Chao Fah both go to the Railay East floating pier, so you avoid the beach landing on Railay West. At some tides the operator may use a longtail for the last stretch, so check your ticket.
Will I get wet getting off the boat?
On Railay West yes: boats beach directly on the sand and you wade through shin-deep water, so wear sandals and keep valuables in a dry bag. Railay East has a floating pier, though the landing method depends on the tide.
Can I get a boat to Railay at night?
After 18:00 the shared boats from Ao Nang stop and only private charters run, and from Ao Nam Mao a private boat can leave as late as 22:00. Confirm the price and the boat before you go.
Which Departure Point Should You Choose
If you’re coming from Ao Nang itself, the choice is easy: go to the beach, buy a seat for the boat to Railay West and wait for it to fill. If you are staying on Railay East or want to avoid the wet landing, Ao Nam Mao is a short drive from Ao Nang, while Chao Fah in Krabi Town makes sense if you are already downtown and do not want to backtrack to Ao Nang first. In calm weather all of them work fine and the decision mostly comes down to which one is closest to wherever you are starting from.
Getting Around Once You’re on Railay
The peninsula’s beaches, West Railay, East Railay, Phra Nang, and Tonsai, are connected by short walking paths as well as the same longtail boats, so you’re not stuck on whichever beach you first land on. West Railay to East Railay is a five to ten minute walk across the peninsula’s narrow width, useful since East Railay has the more affordable food and bars while West Railay has the calmer swimming beach. Getting to Tonsai or all the way to Phra Nang Beach is easiest by a short boat hop if you have luggage, or a walkable path (partly over rocks, tide-dependent in places) if you’re traveling light.