How to Use Phuket Blue Bus (Song Taew)
The Phuket Blue Bus (known as Song Taew) is the oldest and best-known local bus to get from Phuket Town to destinations around Phuket. It often looks more like a wooden truck than a bus as you know it. Those will only take you from Phuket town to a beach or a small set of beaches, but not between beaches. That blue bus leaves roughly every 30 minutes from 6 am to 6 pm, and a ride costs 30 to 50 baht.
A typical trip from Phuket Town to Patong can last 50 to 60 minutes, but you need to add the idle time waiting for a bus to arrive, plus the frequent traffic jams. On the other hand, it can be a fun experience when the bus is open and open-air, giving you the ‘local feel’.
The Phuket Blue Bus also has a route from the Central Market to Bang Rong Pier on Phuket’s east coast. A handy bus to catch if you’re taking a ferry to Koh Yao Yai or Koh Yao Noi.
The main bus station is at Ranong Main Market in Phuket Town
Main Bus Station in Phuket Town
Location: Ranong Main Market
Address: Ranong Road, Talat Nuea, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83000
Hours: 6 am – 6 pm
Price: 30 to 50 baht
Itinerary: Phuket Town to a beach or a set of beaches, and back.
Blue Bus Prices
- Patong Beach: 30 baht
- Karon, Kata and Kata Noi: 30 baht
- Kamala, Surin and Bang Tao: 40-50 baht
- Bang Rong Pier: 50 baht
- Rawai, Nai Harn: 35 baht
- Chalong: 30 baht
Phuket EV Bus (Replacing the Pink Bus)
The Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (OrBorJor) launched a new fleet of 24 air-conditioned electric buses to replace the old pink songthaews. The rollout started in December 2024 and all three routes were fully operational by June 2025.
Those old pink songthaews were part of daily life in Phuket for years. I used to see them rumbling through Kathu every morning, packed with school kids. They were rough around the edges but they worked. The new EV buses are quieter, cooler and a lot more comfortable. It’s a welcome change, though I’ll admit the pink trucks had more character.
The EV buses are a big step up from the old pink trucks. They have air conditioning, USB charging ports at every seat, wheelchair ramps, CCTV cameras and GPS tracking. Each bus seats around 23 passengers.
Fares range from 15 to 40 baht depending on the distance. Students in uniform, monks, the elderly and the blind ride for free.
EV Bus Routes
- Yellow Line (Line 1): Saphan Hin to Central Phuket. The distance is 11 km one way. This was the first route to launch on 3 December 2024.
- Green Line (Line 3): Ratsada Pier to Andamanda Phuket. Distance is 10.5 km one way. Launched 25 February 2025.
- Red Line (Line 2): Chalong Pier to SuperCheap (Samkong). The distance is 18 km one way. Launched 26 March 2025.
All three routes pass through Phuket Old Town and connect to schools, markets, tourist attractions and commercial areas. A fourth route from the airport to Rawai is expected to launch in mid-2026.
A GPS tracking system lets you check the bus location in real time through a mobile app and website.
The Old Pink Bus (No Longer Running)
The Phuket Pink Bus was a very cheap transport option that had 4 routes around Phuket Town. The bus service was operated by the OrBorJor and was used mainly by local residents, especially students who could ride for free. The fare was just 5 baht per trip.
Pink buses looked similar to the Blue Songthaew buses, using open-air converted trucks with bench seating, all painted in bright pink. The last pink bus made its final run in June 2025 when the new EV buses fully took over.
