Phuket’s first expressway planned to open in October 2031
The 34.60-kilometre Phuket Expressway is planned to open in October 2031, with its first phase expected to cut travel between Kathu and Patong from 30 minutes to five.
Phuket’s first expressway is planned to open in October 2031, with the project intended to ease congestion and support the island’s urban expansion, according to the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT).
The 34.60-kilometre project will be built in two phases and is also planned to become EXAT’s first investment outside Bangkok and the first expressway under its responsibility to allow motorcycles to use the route.
Kathu–Patong section
The first phase will link Kathu and Patong over 3.98 kilometres at an estimated cost of B16.757 billion. The budget includes B5.792 billion for land expropriation and B10.965 billion for construction and supervision.
The route will begin near the junction of Phra Metta Road, or Phuket Highway 4055, on the Patong side. It will run on an elevated structure across Pisist Koranee Road for about 0.90 kilometres, pass through a 1.85-kilometre tunnel under Nak Koet Mountain and connect with the Kathu side through a 1.23-kilometre elevated section near Phra Barami Road, or Highway 4029.
The tunnel will be 14.2 metres wide and is described as the largest in Thailand and among the largest in Asia. It will have four lanes in each direction, comprising two lanes for cars and two for motorcycles.
EXAT has reported that 99% of the land expropriation for the phase has been completed. It is seeking approval from the Transport Ministry and the Cabinet for changes to the project details and an updated investment framework that includes borrowing costs.
Under the stated timetable, Cabinet approval is expected in December 2026, followed by bidding and the selection of a contractor in April 2027. Construction is planned to begin in October 2027, finish in September 2031 and open to traffic the following month.
Planned tolls are B10 for motorcycles, B20 for four-wheel vehicles, B40 for vehicles with six to 10 wheels and B60 for vehicles with more than 10 wheels. EXAT estimates that the route will reduce travel between Kathu and Patong from about 30 minutes to five.
Second phase
The second phase, covering New Town, Ko Kaeo and Kathu, will extend for 30.62 kilometres. It comprises a 24.45-kilometre main route and a 6.17-kilometre spur line, with an estimated investment of B67.46172 billion.
The budget includes B29.54780 billion for land expropriation and B37.91392 billion for construction and supervision. The design combines 10.42 kilometres of at-grade road, 18.49 kilometres of elevated structure and a 1.71-kilometre tunnel. The tunnel will be about 11.68 metres wide.
The main route will start at the junction with Highway 4026, pass through New Town and connect with the first phase near Highway 4029. The spur line will branch near the Manik 2 interchange and link the main route with the Bang Khu interchange, connecting with Highway 4024.
Detailed design work is under way. Cabinet approval is planned for October 2027, with land expropriation scheduled from January 2028 to December 2030 and construction from October 2029 to September 2031. The second phase is planned to open in October 2031 alongside the Kathu–Patong section.
The EXAT governor said the Kathu–Patong project had been pursued since 1990 and was transferred to EXAT in 2013. He said delays would increase costs because of Phuket’s high land prices and make the project’s financial returns more difficult.
