# Phuket Airport to Thalang by Car Page URL: https://kolesio.com/en/routes/airport-to-thalang/ Thalang is the district you drive into as soon as you leave Phuket Airport: head south on Thepkrasattri, the island's central highway, and you are on the road that runs through the middle of it. The daytime drive is simple, but in the evening it slows sharply, because all the through traffic from the south funnels onto that one highway. **A week from 5 145 ฿ total** — economy car 735 ฿/day · crossover from 9 555 ฿ · refundable deposit from 5 000 ฿ · live search, 7 days from 2 November, pick-up in Patong. [Ask on WhatsApp: Phuket Airport to Thalang by Car](https://kolesio.com/go/wa/?p=%2Fen%2Froutes%2Fairport-to-thalang%2F) ## In short - Main highway — the island's central artery runs through the district - Sarasin bridge — the crossing to the mainland lies to the north - Flat ground — plantations and fields, with no serious climbs - Roundabouts — the major junctions are handled by circles Kolesio Car Rental Phuket — car rental in Phuket. Booking and support by Kolesio on WhatsApp +66 99 647 8676. Checked 19 October. ## How long it takes and which road There is no single drive time for Thalang, because the district is not one beach but a stretch of the island around its main road. Leave the airport south on Thepkrasattri and you are already in it: the central highway runs through the district, with plantations and fields on both sides and roundabouts at the major junctions. A house or hotel off the highway is reached by turning onto a local road, and that last part depends on the address. ### When the highway fills up In daytime the drive is usually straightforward. The evening is when Thalang turns difficult: the through traffic coming up from the south funnels onto the one highway, and the roundabouts turn into queues. Heavy rain slows everything further. If you can choose, get your driving through the district done before the evening build-up. Thalang is also the part of the island everyone else crosses. Guests heading for the western beaches, the south, or north over the Sarasin bridge to the mainland all pass through it, so a feel for this highway and its roundabouts pays off on every other trip. If the left side of the road is new to you, read our notes on left-hand driving before the first circle. ## What that means for the car The ground here is flat, plantations and fields with no serious climbs, so the car does not need extra power for hills. What it needs is an automatic for the roundabouts and the stop-start of the evening highway. Entering a busy circle in first gear with a clutch, scooters closing in from the side, is the moment most visitors regret choosing a manual. Pick the class by luggage and people. A couple is fine in a hatchback; a family with large suitcases needs a sedan or a compact SUV. Since every beach trip from Thalang is a real drive rather than a walk, comfort on the highway counts for more than a small footprint for parking. The air conditioning works hardest in slow evening traffic under a hot sky, so run it on full at handover and listen for it straining. In the rainy season check the tread: highway speed on wet asphalt followed by braking for a roundabout is exactly where worn tyres let go. A local living in Thalang drives a comfortable automatic sedan or compact SUV. The district is a place you drive out of, to the beaches, the airport or the mainland, and those highway kilometres add up. The most common of those runs is Thalang to Patong by car. If you are landing at Phuket Airport and staying in Thalang, we can have the car waiting at arrivals: automatic, first-class commercial insurance, refundable deposit, the total for your dates fixed in chat. Send the dates on WhatsApp or through the booking form; the page on car rental in Thalang covers delivery to an address in the district. ## Car at the airport or car at the hotel? For Thalang the transfer itself is the smallest part of the trip, which changes the usual logic. Other districts are compared on our car rental in Phuket page. The car at arrivals is the natural choice here. The district starts where the airport road begins, so there is no long first drive to dread, and the car is ready for the longer runs to the beaches the next day. It also saves a second handover when you land at night, travel with children or carry bulky luggage. A taxi or Grab with delivery to the hotel makes sense in one case: you land in the evening rush and have never driven on the left. The roundabouts and the heavy through traffic are the hardest part of this district, and there is no reason to meet them tired. Take the car the next morning and learn the highway in daylight. - Evening landing, new to driving on the left — Grab to the hotel, car the next morning - Night landing with children — car at arrivals, one load straight to the door - Heavy luggage or a pushchair — car at arrivals, no second handover - A few nights in Thalang before moving to a beach — car at arrivals, the same car moves with you ## Where to park in Thalang Parking is easier than on the beaches: the ground is flat and you are away from crowded seafronts. The one rule is to get the car off the highway itself. Do not stop on the shoulder of the main road to check the map or wait for someone; pull into a side road or a car park, because the through traffic here is fast and heavy. Around the roundabouts, never stop at the entry or exit of a circle, even for a minute. If you are staying off the highway, ask your host where the car stands at night; a spot inside a gate saves searching along a side road after dark. > Do not stop on the highway shoulder or at a roundabout exit. A car standing there blocks the main flow of the whole island, it can be fined or towed, and that cost is paid by the driver. ## The way back to the airport From Thalang the airport is an easy run north up the highway, and that is exactly why people leave it too late. Plan backwards from check-in anyway: the drive, a reserve for evening traffic or rain, the handover and the walk to departures. An evening flight is where the reserve matters most, because the highway then carries the traffic funnelling up from the south. ### Handing the car back Tell us in chat where you want to meet at departures. Before you arrive, bring the fuel to the level in your contract and clear out the car. At the handover, photograph the sides and the dashboard with our driver next to you; set against the delivery photos, they close any question about a scratch on the spot. ## Cars for this question Cars that suit this short drive: - [Honda City: an economy sedan for daily trips](https://kolesio.com/en/cars/honda-city-rental-phuket/) - [MG 3: a city hatchback for the island](https://kolesio.com/en/cars/mg-3/) - [Toyota Vios: an economy sedan for the airport run](https://kolesio.com/en/cars/toyota-vios-rental-phuket/) ## FAQ ### How far is Thalang from Phuket Airport? Thalang begins as soon as you leave the airport: head south on Thepkrasattri and you are on the highway that runs through the district. The time depends on your address and on the evening traffic. ### How long is the drive from Thalang to Phuket Airport? An easy run north on the highway in daytime. In the evening the through traffic from the south slows it down, so leave a reserve for that, for rain and for returning the car. ### Can you deliver the car at the airport at night? Yes. We deliver at arrivals or to your hotel at any hour, including night flights. Send your flight and dates on WhatsApp and the car will be ready when you come out. ### Do I need an IDP to rent a car at Phuket Airport? Yes. You need your passport, your national licence and an International Driving Permit, and a second driver is added in advance. The driving licence rules page has the details. ### Is it hard to drive from the airport to Thalang? The ground is flat and the road is wide, so the drive itself is easy. The hard parts are the roundabouts and the evening traffic on the one highway. Enter circles slowly, watch for scooters and never stop on the shoulder. --- Source: kolesio, https://kolesio.com/en/routes/airport-to-thalang/. The canonical version of this page is the HTML at this address.