Koh Samui Boats & Ferries

Koh Samui is connected to mainland with Car Ferry services throughout the year. Seatran Ferry and Raya Ferry operate hourly departure from their piers in Don Sak in direction Samui from 05:00 till 19:00 every day of year. The boat trip takes about an hour and a half or so depending on the sea conditions. Seatran docks at Samui's main pier in Nathon, while Raya Ferry docks at Lipa Noi Pier located 8 km further south still on the island's west coast. One-way ticket costs THB 120/130 per passenger, 60/65 THB per children or monk, and 400/420 THB per car, van or pick-up with driver. You can buy the ferry tickets at each pier on the same day you wish to travel. In addition to ferry service the companies offer a comfortable bus transfer from the city center, railway station and the airport of Surat Thani.

  Car Ferry Schedules

  Joint Ticket: Bus service from Surat Thani plus ferry from Don Sak Pier

An alternative to get to Samui, but also Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao, are the fast ferries that depart from the Don Sak's piers. Ferries carry only passengers, no bikes or cars, the boat trip takes less than an hour, however the speedboats cost more than double compared to the car ferries. Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran and Songserm Express together offer five daily departures from Don Sak to Samui's main pier in Nathon, on the island's west coast, and then continue the journey up to Thong Sala Pier in Koh Pha Ngan and Mae Haad Pier in Koh Tao. Seatran Discovery operates the same service with three daily depapartures from Don Sak, but on Samui it moors at Bangrak Pier, also known as Big Buddha Pier, located on the northern coast, only 5 minutes far from Samui Airport and just 10 minutes from the famous Chaweng Beach. You can buy the ferry tickets at each pier on the same day you wish to travel. In addition to ferry service the companies offer a comfortable bus transfer from the city center, railway station and the airport of Surat Thani.

  High Speed Ferry Schedules

  Joint Ticket: Bus service from Surat Thani plus fast ferry from Don Sak Pier

The night ferries are a good option to reach Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao if you arrive in Surat Thani late at night and don’t want to stay in town. Ferries carrying only passengers, no bikes or cars, leave from Bandon Pier at Bandon Rd., in the city centre very close to two of Surat Thani's bus stations. The crossing lasts roughly 6 hours up to Nathon Pier in Samui, as well as up to Thong Sala Pier in Koh Pha Ngan, 9 hours instead to reach Mae Haad Pier in Koh Tao. You can buy the ferry ticket at pier on the same day you wish to travel. On board there are small bunks for sleeping, but not enough for all passengers therefore better to board as soon is possible.

  Night Ferry Schedules

For transfers between Koh Samui and other nearby islands, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, you can use the intermediate sections of routes offered by the ferry companies, but also of Phangan Cruise's boats that leaves from the Mae Nam Pier located in Haad Rin on Koh Pha Ngan and arrives at Bangrak Pier, also known as Big Buddha Pier, on Koh Samui 55 minutes later. You can buy the ferry tickets at each pier on the same day you wish to travel.

  Ferry Schedules to/from Koh Pha Ngan

  Ferry Schedules to/from Koh Tao

Koh Samui is easily accessible by train from Bangkok thanks to the southern line of Thai railways. All southbound trains stop at Pumpin the railways station of Surat Thani where, once reached the Don Sak piers with buses, you can continue the journey to Nathon Pier on Koh Samui by ferry. The combo-ticket, train plus ferry usually named Joint Ticket, is a a comfortable and economical option to reach the island, and if you opt for the first class you will sleep in a comfortable private cabin with two bunk beds. The night trains towards Surat Thani depart from Bangkok Railway Station, unofficially known as Hua Lamphong Station. A Joint Ticket to Koh Samui costs from 1,000 to 1,850 THB depending on the class, and it includes the train ticket and the transfer by bus from the railway station until Nathon Pier in Samui including the ferry ticket, usually 450 THB for the package. The train trip lasts eleven hours. Tickets can be bought or reserved 60 days in advance, strictly advised as early as possible in the high season, directly to the Hua Lamphong Station or in any travel agencies of Bangkok.

  TRAIN JOINT TICKET from Bangkok to Nathon Pier - Samui

  TRAIN JOINT TICKET from Nathon Pier - Samui to Bangkok

For the return journey, the bus departs from Nathon at 13.30, the boarding on ferry is at 14.00 which reaches the Don Sak Pier at 15.30, then the bus continues till the railway station reaching it at 17.00, there you will have several train options to get Bangkok.

Buses are a good alternative to flights for reaching Koh Samui from Bangkok. A combo-ticket from Bangkok to Samui that includes the bus and ferry service from Don Sak can cost four times less than a flight ticket in high season. The trip to the pier lasts nine hours, no stops are made at the bus station in Surat Thani. After an hour’s wait, the time required to complete the boarding procedures, and a two-hour ferry crossing you’ll get to Nathon Pier, the island's main pier. You can purchase a combo-ticket to Samui, commonly called JOINT TICKET, directly to the starting points at Southern Bus Terminal, Mo Chit Terminal and Khao San Road or through any travel agent in Bangkok. The package ticket is also available at the major seaside resorts in southern Thailand, such as Krabi, Phi Phi Don and Phuket. In Phuket and Phi Phi Don the starting point is at their main piers, namely the Rassada Pier and the Ton Sai Pier, and journey includes two ferry crossings, the first to Krabi.

  BUS JOINT TICKET from Bangkok to Samui

  BUS JOINT TICKET from Samui to Bangkok

  BUS JOINT TICKET from/to Southern beach resorts

Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran and Songserm Express Boat offer the Joint Ticket service from Bangkok with ferry's departures from Chumphon, more close to the capital. From capital the VIP buses depart from their terminals in Khao San Road and Hua Lamphong Station. Reached Chumphon the journey continues on fast boats stopping at Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, before reaching Samui in about eleven hours. The fast boats of Songserm leave from Mataphone Pier located along the Tha Thapat River in Tambon Pak Nam, 13 km south of Chumphon centre, and dock at Mae Haad Pier in Koh Tao, Thong Sala Pier in Koh Pha Ngan and finally at Nathon Pier In Samui. Lomprayah's catamarans making the usual path but leave from its owned Thung Makham Noi Pier in Hat Sai Ri, 13 km further south, and in Samui moor at Pralan Pier on the northern coast, more close to Samui Airport and just 15 minutes from the famous Chaweng Beach.

  BUS JOINT TICKET to/from Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Samui