The Phuket expressway plan is back with a staged timetable, lower tolls and a revised design that could eventually ease traffic between key parts of the island.
The Phuket expressway plan is back with a more concrete schedule, revised costs and lower planned tolls. For international visitors and residents, the key point is that the island’s transport picture is changing slowly, not immediately, but the project could reshape how people drive between the north, centre and Patong in the years ahead.
A two-stage Phuket expressway
Exat has split the Phuket expressway into two sections. The first is a 4-kilometre route from Kathu to Patong. The second covers 30.6 kilometres from Mueang Phuket to Kok Kaeo to Mai Khao. Together, they form a 34.6-kilometre network.
This is no longer just a broad idea. It is now presented as a phased plan with separate cost estimates and a clearer order of works. The new version is intended to relieve pressure on the north and centre of the island and improve access to Patong.
What happens to the first section
The most advanced part of the Phuket expressway is the Kathu–Patong section. Exat puts its cost at 11 billion baht. If the government gives the green light, the tender process is expected to take no more than six months.
Under the current timetable, construction could begin in the third quarter of 2027. Opening is planned for October 2031. That means the project remains a long-term development rather than a near-term fix for traffic pressure.
Lower tolls, lower returns
Exat is also aiming for tolls low enough to attract more drivers. The planned rates are:
- 10 baht for motorcycles
- 20 baht for passenger cars
- 40 baht for six- to ten-wheel vehicles
- 60 baht for larger vehicles
The idea is to keep the route attractive to a wider group of road users. Exat expects that lower prices will increase traffic volumes and partly offset weaker income. Even so, the project’s internal rate of return is estimated to fall over 30 years from 3% to 1.8%.
Engineering, land and financing
The design has also been adjusted. Exat has reduced the width of the 1.85-kilometre tunnel from 17.1 metres to 14.2 metres, saying this should improve safety and shorten construction time.
At the same time, compensation payments for expropriation and land purchases are almost complete, at a total of 5.8 billion baht. Exat plans to finance and build the first stage itself, while also considering a new infrastructure fund now under review by the Ministry of Finance.
The second stage is much more expensive and requires 67.5 billion baht. Of that total, 37.9 billion baht is for construction and 29.5 billion baht for land.
What it means for travellers
For now, the Phuket expressway does not change current traffic conditions. Existing roads will still carry the island’s daily congestion, especially on routes linking the north and centre of Phuket.
But the project matters for future trip planning. If approved, it signals years of construction ahead, followed by a potential new route that could ease one of the island’s most crowded transport corridors.
If you drive on Phuket, it is worth watching Exat updates and local road announcements. For longer stays, especially in peak hours, it remains sensible to allow extra travel time between Kathu, Patong and the wider island network.
