Phuket EV Bus Launches Airport to Rawai Route 8580

A new Phuket EV bus service now connects Phuket International Airport with Rawai. Ten air-conditioned electric buses started running on Route 8580 on Monday, November 2, covering a 51-kilometre route across the island, The Phuket News reported.

The route is operated by the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO). Its chief executive, Rewat Areerob, said the service gives residents and tourists another public transport option and should help ease traffic and reduce reliance on private vehicles.

Where the Phuket EV bus goes

From the airport, the buses run along Thepkrasattri Road and the Chalerm Phrakiat Ror 9 bypass road, then pass through Kathu and Phuket Town before ending in Rawai. Stops serve several well-known locations, including:

• Thalang Technical College and the Heroines Monument;
• Central Phuket shopping mall;
• Wat Chalong and Chalong Circle;
• Rawai at the southern end of the line.

Fares, timetable and free rides

Fares range from 40 to 120 baht depending on distance. Students, monks, people with disabilities and elderly passengers can ride free of charge, according to the report.

Buses run in both directions from 5:45am to 8pm, with 16 scheduled trips a day. On board, passengers get CCTV cameras, wheelchair lifts, USB charging ports and free Wi-Fi, and the buses can be tracked by GPS through an app.

Officials at the launch

The launch ceremony was held at 9am on November 2 and presided over by Phuket Governor Chotinarin Kerdsom. Provincial police commander Pol Maj Gen Surachai Suksai and Phuket Land Transport Office chief Adcha Buachan also attended.

Why it matters for visitors

Getting from the airport to the south of the island has long meant a taxi, a private transfer or an older bus line. A fixed-fare electric service that reaches Phuket Town, Chalong and Rawai gives budget travellers and residents a cheaper option as the high season begins. Travellers should check the latest timetable before relying on it for a flight, since the route is new.

The service also links several local schools, markets and temples along the way, so it is likely to be used by residents for daily trips as well as by tourists heading to and from the airport.

For more on getting around, see our Phuket airport to Patong guide, our tips on using public transport in Thailand and our report on Bangkok's switch to electric buses.

Photo: Phuket Town airport bus, by A-bentofreire / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. File photo, not the new EV bus.