Getting Around Hat Yai — Red Songthaew, Grab, Tuk-tuk, Scooters (No BTS/MRT) 2026

Before you go

A food-and-shopping city with no metro — and that's fine

If you're used to hopping on the BTS or MRT to get around Bangkok, here's the first thing to know: Hat Yai has no BTS, MRT or subway in town. The biggest trade and food city in the far south runs almost entirely on the road. It sounds like a hassle, but it's easier than you'd think — the heart of Hat Yai is a compact knot of markets, hotels and restaurants you can walk between, and there's always a ride option when you need to go further.

The workhorse of public transport in town is the red songthaew, which runs set routes looping the city for just about ฿10–20 a ride. Backing it up are tuk-tuks, motorbike taxis (always agree the fare first), and Grab that you can hail in the app. And to be clear from the start: Grab is the easiest, most convenient way to get around Hat Yai, especially at night. If you want more freedom for the out-of-town sights you can rent a car or scooter, though the in-town traffic is worth weighing up.

And get this part right: Hat Yai is a major junction on the Southern rail line and has Hat Yai International Airport (HDY). But both the train and the airport are for getting in and out of the city, not for moving around it. In town you'll lean on the songthaew, motorbike taxis and Grab. This guide walks through every way to get around Hat Yai, then helps you decide what to use on which day — including how to reach the airport and out-of-town spots like Khlong Hae, Ton Nga Chang and Songkhla.

Your main options in town

Red songthaew and Grab — how most visitors get around

Cheap, running all day, looping the city — and Grab as the easiest backup for visitors in Hat Yai.

In a city with no metro, the two best stand-ins are the red songthaew for routes around town and a ride-hailing app for everything off-route or after dark. The red songthaew is Hat Yai's main public transport, looping the city and very cheap. Grab is the real workhorse for visitors — easy to hail, the fare shown upfront, and well-supplied because Hat Yai is a big city.

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Red songthaew

the city's main public transport

The red shared pickup trucks run set routes that loop the city, passing the Kim Yong Market area, the railway station, the night markets and the main spots in town. The shared fare is about ฿10–20 per ride (often ฿10–15 within town). Flag one down on the road, then press the buzzer or tell the driver when to stop, and pay as you step down. They run frequently through the day into early evening.

The honest truth: the routes can be confusing for a first-timer, since there are no clear route signs. If you're unsure, ask the driver before you get in whether they pass your stop. And after they finish at night, switch to a Grab or a tuk-tuk instead.

Fare: ~฿10–20 per ride (shared, within town)

Route: loops the city · Kim Yong Market–station–night markets

Hours: frequent by day into early evening · use Grab at night

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Grab

hail in the app · fare upfront · the easy default

Grab works well in Hat Yai and is the easiest, most convenient option, especially at night. You see the fare before you book and pay in the app, with no haggling like a tuk-tuk. Hat Yai is a big city, so there are plenty of cars — easy to hail in the town centre, around the markets and at the hotels. It suits the times you have luggage, are heading back late, going to HDY airport, or reaching somewhere the songthaew doesn't pass.

To be straight: on weekend evenings and around the markets it gets busy and prices can edge up, and farther-out spots may take longer. But overall it's easier here than in many smaller towns. Open the app to compare against a songthaew each time — for short hops within town the songthaew is usually cheaper.

Available: Grab (hail and pay in the app) · works well

The catch: busy/pricier on weekend evenings · longer waits out of town

Best for: nights · luggage · the airport · off the songthaew route

Songthaew and Grab work best together: by day, around the markets, station and hotels, ride the red songthaew — it's cheap and frequent. For late returns, heavy bags, the airport, or far-out spots the songthaew can't reach, hail a Grab. This city's markets and restaurants come alive after dark, and Grab makes getting back to your hotel easy and safe. See the whole city in our Hat Yai travel guide.

Flagged on the street

Tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis — agree the fare first

Beyond the songthaew and Grab, Hat Yai also has tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis you can flag on the street. But both have no meter, so you must agree the fare before you get in — otherwise you risk being quoted far too much at the other end, especially if you look like a tourist.

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Tuk-tuk

no meter · agree the fare before you board

Hat Yai tuk-tuks are for short hops around the town and market areas, with no meter, so always agree the fare before you board. Short trips in town usually start from about ฿60–100 and up, depending on distance and time. You'll see them most at night around the night markets and hotel streets — more of a fallback when the songthaews have finished, or a ride for the experience.

Tip: get a clear price before you board, and compare with Grab in the app first. Often a Grab works out cheaper and less stressful. If you want a tuk-tuk, lock in the exact number — and don't be afraid to say no if the price is too high.

Price: short trips in town ~฿60–100 and up (negotiable)

When: seen most at night around the markets

Do this: agree the fare first · compare with Grab

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Motorbike taxi

fast, cheaper for a solo rider

Motorbike taxis (riders at fixed stands) are faster and cheaper than a tuk-tuk for a solo short hop, roughly ฿30–80 in town. They're handy when you're in a rush, traffic is heavy around the markets, or you want a nearby spot without waiting for a songthaew. You'll find stands around town and by the markets.

Like tuk-tuks, you should always ask the price before you get on, since there's no meter. Ask for a helmet too. If you're going far or have luggage, a motorbike isn't the right choice — use Grab or a songthaew instead.

Price: in town ~฿30–80 (agree first)

Best for: solo · short hops · rush hour/traffic

Do this: ask the price first · ask for a helmet

The golden rule in Hat Yai — agree the fare every time: tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis both run without a meter. If you don't lock in the number first, you can be quoted far too much, especially as a foreign visitor. If you'd rather not negotiate at all, hailing a Grab with an app price is the easier path — and in Hat Yai it's usually the best value and most comfortable option anyway.

Other options

Car hire, scooter rental and walking the market core

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Scooter rental

flexible · but hectic in-town traffic

Hat Yai has some scooter rental shops, with daily rental about ฿200–300 plus fuel. The upside is reaching out-of-town spots like Khlong Hae floating market or Ton Nga Chang waterfall on your own without waiting for a ride. Shops tend to be near the markets and hotel areas.

But to be straight with you: central Hat Yai is busy, the traffic is fairly hectic, and parking around the markets is hard to find. You should carry an international driving permit or a motorcycle licence and always wear a helmet. If you've never ridden before, or you're mostly in town, Grab or a songthaew is far easier and safer — save a rental for the day you actually head out of town.

Rental: ~฿200–300/day + fuel

Upside: reach out-of-town spots (Khlong Hae/Ton Nga Chang) yourself

Watch: licence · helmet · hectic in-town traffic/parking

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Car hire / car with driver

good for families · out-of-town trips

If you're a group, travelling with kids or older relatives, or want to reach the scattered out-of-town sights (Songkhla, Ko Yo, Ton Nga Chang waterfall, Satun), a self-drive hire or a car with driver is the easiest. Self-drive runs about ฿1,000–1,500 a day, while a car with driver for the day is widely available around town — agree a day rate first.

Hat Yai is the road hub of the far south, with car rental at both HDY airport and in town. With your own car you can roam the surrounding sights freely without relying on public transport for every leg — and even continue to Satun and Pak Bara pier or the Malaysia border crossings yourself.

Self-drive: ~฿1,000–1,500/day (at HDY airport + in town)

Car with driver: widely available (agree a day rate)

Best for: families · scattered out-of-town sights

Walking the Hat Yai market core is easy: the heart of Hat Yai is its markets — Kim Yong Market, Sanehanuson Road, Niphat Uthit roads, the night markets and the hotel district are all within walking distance of each other. Stay central and you'll barely need a ride for days — dim sum in the morning, shopping by day, then the night market after dark, all in one area. Use a songthaew or Grab only when heading out to Hat Yai Municipal Park, the airport or the out-of-town sights.

The thing to get right

No in-town metro — but Hat Yai is a rail junction with an airport

This is what to separate clearly — the train and the airport are for getting in and out, not for moving around town. In town you still lean on the songthaew, motorbike taxis and Grab.

If you remember one thing from this page, separate these two: what Hat Yai doesn't have is a BTS, MRT or subway for getting around town. In town you'll lean on the red songthaew, motorbike taxis and Grab. But what Hat Yai does have is a major junction on the Southern rail line and Hat Yai International Airport (HDY) — both for arriving from elsewhere and heading on, not an urban metro.

Phra Buddha Mongkol Maharaj — the giant standing golden Buddha on the hill at Hat Yai Municipal Park, flanked by two white red-roofed pavilions with green mountains behind — Hat Yai Municipal Park — home to the giant standing Phra Buddha Mongkol Maharaj and a cable car, right in town. Drive up or take the cable car; it's a short Grab or songthaew ride from the markets.

Hat Yai International Airport (HDY) is about 12 km from the city centre, with several ways in — an airport shuttle van/minibus at roughly ฿100–200 per person (the cheapest, dropping at the main hotels), a flat airport taxi around ฿300–400, and Grab, which is often similar to or cheaper than the taxi counter, taking about 20–30 minutes. Meanwhile Hat Yai Railway Station sits right in the city centre, a major junction on the Southern Line with long-distance trains from Bangkok and services south to Padang Besar to connect with Malaysian railways (Penang/Kuala Lumpur), plus vans, coaches and shared cars to Malaysia and across the south. See every way to reach Hat Yai compared by cost and time on the getting-to-Hat-Yai page.

A quick comparison

Getting around town vs getting in and out of Hat Yai

Mode	In Hat Yai?	What it's for
In-town BTS / MRT / subway	None	— (in town, use songthaew/Grab/motorbike instead)
Red songthaew	Yes (main local transport)	Loops the city, markets–station, ฿10–20/ride
Grab	Yes (works well, the easy default)	Nights, the airport, heavy bags, off the songthaew route
Hat Yai Railway Station (Southern Line)	Yes (major junction, long-distance)	Arriving from Bangkok · south to Padang Besar for Malaysia
Hat Yai Airport (HDY)	Yes (~12 km from town)	Domestic/Malaysia–Singapore flights · into town by shuttle/Grab

Choosing from HDY airport into town: travelling solo or as a pair and not in a rush, the shuttle van/minibus at about ฿100–200 per person is the best value. A group or anyone with lots of luggage will find a Grab or taxi (about ฿300–400) more comfortable, since splitting it isn't expensive. Open the Grab app to compare before deciding. See every way to reach Hat Yai — flights, the train and coaches — compared by cost and time in our getting to Hat Yai guide.

Beyond the town

Reaching the out-of-town sights — what to use

Most of Hat Yai's best sights are close and easy as a day trip, but several are beyond the reach of the in-town songthaews. You need to plan the transport spot by spot. Common examples:

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Songkhla old town / Samila Beach

~30 km east · public van or Grab

Songkhla town and Samila Beach (the Golden Mermaid statue, Cat and Mouse Islands) are about 30 km east. Public vans/songthaews on the Hat Yai–Songkhla route run often from town at roughly ฿40–50 per person, but with many stops; a Grab or hire car takes about 30–40 minutes and is more comfortable. It's the best-value day trip for a first-timer. Read more in our Songkhla travel guide.

Get there: public van ฿40–50/person (many stops) · Grab/hire car ~30–40 min

Best for: old town, photos · the beach · Songkhla food

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Khlong Hae market / Ton Nga Chang waterfall

nearest ~15–30 min · Grab or hire car

Khlong Hae floating market is the nearest, about 10 km away in Hat Yai district, a 15–20 minute drive, busiest on Friday–Sunday evenings, reachable by Grab or songthaew. Ton Nga Chang waterfall is about 26 km west, roughly a 30 minute drive, with no direct public transport, so a Grab or hire car is easiest. It's fullest and prettiest at the end of the rainy season, but the rocks get slippery. Plan it all in our Hat Yai day trips guide.

Get there: Khlong Hae — Grab/songthaew ~15–20 min · Ton Nga Chang — Grab/hire car ~30 min (no direct transport)

Best for: food & a floating market · nature & a waterfall

A day tour is a good shortcut too: don't want to deal with connecting rides or driving yourself? There are day tours from Hat Yai to Songkhla, Ko Yo, the waterfall and cross-border trips that include hotel pickup. Browse them on Klook's Hat Yai day trips · plan every out-of-town run, with how to get to each, in our Hat Yai day trips guide.

The real tip

Remember three things and getting around Hat Yai gets easy

One — walk the market core, and lean on Grab everywhere else. The heart of Hat Yai is a compact knot of markets, hotels and restaurants you can walk between. Walk by day for eating and shopping; for nights, the airport or going beyond the core, Grab is the easiest, most convenient option, backed up by the red songthaew for cheap rides within town.

Two — tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis always need a price agreed first, because there's no meter. If you'd rather not haggle, make a habit of opening Grab to compare — in Hat Yai the app price is often cheaper and removes the guesswork.

Three — plan the out-of-town sights ride by ride. Songkhla and Samila have public vans, Khlong Hae is an easy Grab, but Ton Nga Chang waterfall has no direct transport, so take a Grab, hire a car, or join a tour. Pick the season too — this coast is best from November to February, with less rain, while the monsoon (roughly October–December) brings heavy spells.

On far-south safety, straight up: central Hat Yai and Songkhla are busy commercial towns visited without incident by the vast majority — apply normal big-city caution. The deep-south provinces (Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat) have had standing safety advisories, so check the latest situation before heading that way. Before you go, sort out a SIM/eSIM so you can hail Grab and navigate — see our Thailand SIM & eSIM guide, and start planning at our Hat Yai first-timer guide.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ · Getting around Hat Yai

Does Hat Yai have a BTS or MRT in town?

No. Hat Yai has no in-town BTS, MRT or subway like Bangkok. Getting around town runs on the road: red songthaews (the main public transport, looping the city for ฿10–20 a ride), tuk-tuks, motorbike taxis, Grab, and car or scooter rental. The downtown core of markets, hotels and restaurants is compact and very walkable. Hat Yai is also a major junction on the Southern rail line and has Hat Yai International Airport (HDY) about 12 km from town — but the train and the airport are for getting in and out of the city, not for moving around it.

Can I use Grab in Hat Yai, and does it work well?

Yes, and it works well. Grab is the easiest, most convenient way to get around Hat Yai, especially at night after the songthaews stop. You see the fare before you book and pay in the app, with no haggling like a tuk-tuk. Hat Yai is a big city, so there are plenty of cars on the system — you can hail one easily in the town centre, around the markets and at the hotels. It's ideal when you have luggage, are heading back late, going to HDY airport, or reaching somewhere the songthaew doesn't pass. On weekend evenings and around the markets it gets busy and prices can edge up, so open the app to compare against a songthaew each time.

How do Hat Yai's red songthaews work, and how much is the fare?

The red songthaews are Hat Yai's main public transport. They run set routes that loop the city, passing the Kim Yong Market area, the railway station, the night markets and the main spots in town. The shared fare is about ฿10–20 per ride (often ฿10–15 for a trip within town). Flag one down on the road, then press the buzzer or tell the driver when you want to get off, and pay as you step down. They run frequently through the day into early evening. Honestly, the routes can be confusing for a first-timer since there are no clear route signs — if you're unsure, ask the driver before you get in whether they pass your stop, or just hail a Grab to be safe.

Should I rent a scooter to get around Hat Yai?

It depends on whether you can ride a motorbike. Hat Yai has some car and scooter rental shops, with scooters running about ฿200–300 a day plus fuel. The upside is reaching out-of-town spots like Khlong Hae floating market or Ton Nga Chang waterfall on your own. But to be straight with you: central Hat Yai is busy, the traffic is fairly hectic, and parking around the markets is hard to find. You should carry an international driving permit or a motorcycle licence and always wear a helmet. If you've never ridden before, or you're mostly staying in town, Grab and the songthaew are far easier and safer — save a rental for the day you actually head out of town.

How do I get from Hat Yai to Songkhla, Khlong Hae floating market or Ton Nga Chang waterfall?

Most of Hat Yai's out-of-town sights are close and easy as a day trip. Songkhla old town and Samila Beach are about 30 km east — public vans/songthaews on the Hat Yai–Songkhla route cost roughly ฿40–50 per person (with many stops), or a Grab or hire car takes about 30–40 minutes and is more comfortable. Khlong Hae floating market is the nearest, about 10 km away in Hat Yai district, a 15–20 minute drive, busiest on Friday–Sunday evenings, reachable by Grab or songthaew. Ton Nga Chang waterfall is about 26 km west, roughly a 30 minute drive, with no direct public transport, so a Grab or hire car is easiest. The best season is November–February, when there's less rain. See them all in our Hat Yai day trips guide.

How do I get from Hat Yai Airport (HDY) into town?

Hat Yai International Airport (HDY) is about 12 km from the city centre, and there are several ways in. An airport shuttle van/minibus is the cheapest at roughly ฿100–200 per person, running into town and dropping at the main hotels. A metered/flat airport taxi is around ฿300–400 into town. Grab works from the airport too and is often similar to or cheaper than the taxi counter. The ride takes about 20–30 minutes. It's worth checking the price in the Grab app against the shuttle and taxi first — if you're travelling solo or as a pair the shuttle is the best value, while a group or anyone with lots of luggage will find a Grab or taxi more comfortable. See every way to reach Hat Yai in our getting to Hat Yai guide.

Hat Yai travel guide

Hotels, food, the markets, the park, the railway station · everything

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Getting to Hat Yai

HDY flights, the Southern Line train, coaches, from Malaysia — cost and time

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Hat Yai for first-timers

Start here — when to go, how to arrive, where to stay, what to eat

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Day trips from Hat Yai

Songkhla-Samila, Ko Yo, Khlong Hae, Ton Nga Chang — how to get there

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