There are several ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui. Except for the exotic ones, like «on foot» and «to hitchhike», then there are 7 travel options, and which one is yours - decide according to the situation and individual financial capabilities.
Koh Samui is an island, so when choosing any type of land transport, you need to consider the ferry crossing at the end of the journey. There are only three places from where you can get from the mainland to Koh Samui: Chumphon, Surat Thani and Donsak. Lompraya catamarans operate from the pier in Chumphon, which is 470 km from Bangkok on the way to Donsak, and from the Tapee Pier in Surat Thani. The remaining ferry companies are based in Donsak, from which it remains to sail about 40 km in a straight line to Koh Samui..
The content of the article
- one Airplane
- 2 Train + ferry
- 3 Bus + ferry
- 4 Rent a car + ferry
- five Night ferry
- 6 How to get to your beach on Koh Samui
- 7 Berths map
Airplane
The most comfortable and fastest way to deliver yourself from Bangkok. Or rather, there are two ways, and one is comfortable, and the second is already comparable to a trip by bus + ferry.
Airplane from Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways is a monopoly on Koh Samui, so only this airline has direct flights to the island. I wrote separately about flight options Moscow-Samui read if you want to get from Russia directly to Koh Samui.
Bangkok Airways operates its flights from Suvarnabumi Airport, which makes it very convenient. After all, it is to this airport that tourists from Russia and many other countries arrive. However, you should understand that if your flight is delayed, then you risk not being able to catch the shoulder of Bangkok-Samui, so it may be worth thinking about spending the night in the capital in transit hotel (we stop there, read our review). Also, this airline cooperates with others, like Emirates, and they offer single tickets with a connection in Bangkok. In this case, you can no longer worry about the delay of the first shoulder. And by the way, sometimes such tickets can be cheaper than if you bought each segment separately..
The price of a flight from Bangkok to Samui is appropriate: from 3,500 baht per person, although the flight is only an hour. Occasionally there are promotions and then a ticket can be bought for about 2500 baht. We once flew with the whole family on Bangkok Airways, you can read our impressions.
If you are going to buy air tickets, I advise you to do it through Aviasales.com and Skyscanner.com, we use them ourselves, very convenient services.
We, like many families with children, flew Bangkok Airways to
Aircraft from AirAsia and NokAir
Airlines Airasia and NokAir depart from the second airport in Bangkok - Don Muanga. That is, if you arrived in Suvarnabhumi, then you need at least another hour to get to another airport.
The second disadvantage of these airlines is that they fly not to the island of Koh Samui (since Bangkok Airways has a monopoly there), but to the mainland to the cities of Surathani or Nakorn Si Thammarat. Please note that when you buy tickets, it will be written about the transfer to Koh Samui. That is, the air ticket price also includes a bus from Suratkhani (or Nakorn Si Thammarat) airport to the pier and ferry crossing.
The price of such an air ticket is on average from 1,500 baht (with promotions it can be cheaper), and the travel time: 1 hour by plane, 1.5 hours by bus, 2 hours by ferry, additional waiting times between all transfers. The last time such a flight took me about 8 hours, here read my review about the flight Bangkok-Samui on Nokair.
I think it is obvious that the option with a flight from Airasia / Nokair is not very comfortable and does not save much time. For families with children, I would recommend overpaying a little and flying Bangkok Airways. And budget travelers can also go by bus from Bangkok, because when you need to save money, there is no time for planes..
I flew alone on NokAir with a transfer to Koh Samui
Train + ferry
How to buy a train ticket online
You can buy a combined train / bus / ferry ticket both at the ticket offices of Hua Lampong and at any travel agency on the streets of Bangkok. In my opinion, if you are going to buy tickets from an agency, then it is better to do it in advance and via the Internet..
Tickets Bangkok-Samui>
There is such an opportunity - 12Go.asia. Payment by credit card or PayPal. Bus / ferry tickets are electronic, and the original must be obtained for the train, either at the agency's office (several points) or by mail. Unfortunately, Thai railways do not support the e-ticketing system and that is why they only sell them at their box office, and not through the railway website..
How to get from the airport to the train station
Get out of Suvarnaphumi airport Take the City Link BTS Skytrain to Makkasan Station, transfer to Phetchaburi BTS Station and wait for Hua Lamphong Terminus Station. Here is the Hua Lampong railway station or otherwise Bangkok Railways.
If this option seems difficult, then it is not advisable for me to tell about city buses - take a taxi, tell the driver «Bangkok Railways» and insist on the included meter.
Hua Lamphong Railway Station
Hua Lamphong Railway Station
Train station in the heart of Bangkok
Train station in the heart of Bangkok
Train to Chumphon and transfer to Lompraya catamaran
Choosing this option, you need to understand that you are strictly tied to the time of departure of the catamarans, which run only twice a day - at 07:30 in the morning and at 13:00. Trains to Chumphon run from 13:00 and then every hour and a half. When choosing a train, do not be lazy to look at its description. Take tickets only for those flights that arrive in Chumphon no later than 06:00 am - trains number 167 and 85.
The cost of a train ticket is between 400 and 1200 baht, depending on the class of the carriage and whether you will have an upper or lower seat. Better to go by express, 1st or 2nd class with air conditioning. In Thailand, as in Russia, railroad workers love extremes. In the Thai car, the air conditioners work like in a refrigerator, so prepare a blanket, socks, sweaters, jackets and closed shoes, you will need them. More about Thai trains.
Wide shelves, closed with curtains
«Lompraya» Is a large, well-known office that has been engaged in sea transportation of passengers in the Gulf of Thailand for a long time. They do not sell combined train + catamaran tickets. I recommend buying tickets for Lompraya in advance, online. In high season, tickets directly at the Lompraya office can be stressful. Tickets to Koh Samui cost about 1100 baht, the price can be checked on their office website.
Upon arrival in Chumphon, look at the square for buses or minibuses of the Lompraya company. If you need the Lompraya office, then it is right there, at the railway station (10.502861, 99.175848) on platform 1. In good weather, you will reach the Lompraya pier on Koh Samui in 1.5 hours, and at the same time you will see the islands of Ko Tao and Phangan.
Cons: long travel time, long connection between modes of transport, the risk of being left on the shore due to a storm, if there are waves, it will not seem enough, two ferries a day
Pros: comfortable seats on the train, you can sleep well.
By train to Surat Thani, bus to pier in Donsak, ferry
Trains to Surat Thani run from 13:00 and then every hour and a half. Travel time from Bangkok to Surat Thani is about 13 hours, but being late is most common on Thai trains.. Details about trains.
In Surat Thani, to the left of the exit from the station, you will see several buses of different companies and standers with prices - this is a transfer to Donsak, you can also buy a combined bus + ferry ticket from them for 300-350 baht.
Depending on which ferry the ticket was sold to you, in Donsak you will be brought to one of two piers:
- Raja Ferry, whose ships arrive on Koh Samui in the area Lipa Noi beach.
- Seatran Ferry, whose ships arrive in Koh Samui in the administrative center Nathon.
The crossing time is approximately the same for both companies - 1.5 hours.
Alternatively, Songserm Express offers train + bus + ferry joint tickets. When buying online, you will be offered several options that differ in the class of the carriage and the location of the shelf. TRAIN TICKETS MUST BE PICKED UP AT THE OFFICE - read the conditions when booking. The price is from 1280 to 1980 baht per person. Trains depart from Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok: 17:05, 18:30, 19:30 - in short, all night trains that run 12-13 hours.
Disadvantages of this way to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui: long travel time, uncomfortable temperature, two transfers.
Pros: buying tickets in one place, you can sleep on the train, more comfortable seats than on the bus.
Ferry and pier in Nathon
Bus + ferry
By bus to Donsak pier and ferry crossing
Donsak is the closest point to Samui on the mainland. To get from Bangkok to Donsak, you need to get from Suvarnaphumi Airport to the Sai Tai Mai South Bus Station (13.780589,100.422699). There are several routes, but the most reliable, especially if you are in Thailand for the first time, is a taxi by the meter (it is not a problem to leave the airport by the meter, you need a Public Taxi counter). Tell the driver what you need «New Saitai», because there is still the old Saitai.
South Bus Station (Sai Tai Mai)
South Bus Station (Sai Tai Mai)
South Bus Station (in Thai, buses go south from here. We need a new Sai Tai Mai. Ticket offices on the 3rd floor.
More details.
Southern Bus Station (in Thai, buses go south from here. We need a new Sai Tai Mai. Ticket offices on the 3rd floor..
Travel time by bus is about 13 hours, so my advice to you is not to skimp on buying a VIP ticket. Ticket offices are located on the third floor of the bus station. The cost of a regular ticket is about 800 baht, and the VIP will cost 1500. But in the VIP there are more comfortable seats that fold out almost to a horizontal position. Before putting your suitcase in the luggage compartment, take out your warm things, they may come in handy. Usually in buses, air conditioners work at full capacity, and there is a real chance of catching a cold..
Depending on which ferry the ticket was sold to you, in Donsak you will be brought to one of two piers:
- Raja Ferry, whose ships arrive on Koh Samui in the area Lipa Noy.
- Seatran Ferry, whose ships arrive in Koh Samui in the administrative center Nathon.
The crossing time is approximately the same for both companies - 1.5 hours.
Cons: travel time, temperature may not be comfortable.
Pros: price
By bus to Chumphon and transfer to Lompraya catamaran
The second bus solution to the issue is the purchase of a complex ticket at the office of the Lomprayah company. Lompraya's Bangkok office is located at Rambuttri Street (13.759342, 100.498595). You can take a chance and try to buy a complex bus + catamaran ticket upon arrival, but I would advise you to take care of this in advance and book your tickets online on their website. According to the schedule on the website, the cost of one package ticket is 1,450 baht for an evening flight at 21:00, and 1,400 baht for a morning flight at 06:00.
A significant part of the route, almost 9 hours of travel from Bangkok to Chumphon, is by bus, with one stop for a toilet and a snack. The sea route passes through Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, and ends at the pier of the northern Maenam beach 3.5 hours after leaving Chumphon.
During check-in at the Lomprayi office in Bangkok, which takes place two hours before departure, you will be pasted over with stickers and walked by the hand until you arrive in Koh Samui. The whole trip from Bangkok to Koh Samui rehearsed like clockwork.
Cons: travel time, ticket reservation in English, if there are waves, then on the catamaran will vomit.
Pros: price.
How to buy a bus ticket online
Online bus tickets are currently only available on the 12Go.asia website. There you can choose both combined tickets and, for example, only Bangkok-Surat Thani. Decide for yourself what suits you best. Lompraya is there too.
Tickets Bangkok-Samui>
Payment by credit card or PayPal, electronic bus / ferry ticket, very convenient!
Rent a car + ferry
It is better to book a car online at a reputable company. You will be brought a car with a full tank of fuel, insurance and in good technical condition, which is important on such a long stretch - from Bangkok to Koh Samui, about 730 km. All the details about car rental in Thailand, read the link.
The car can be borrowed through Economybookings, this is a broker. He will display on his website offers from all the major distributors in the country. The price will be even lower than directly taking. I usually take to Hertz, because if you take a car from them for a period of 5 days or more, you can return it elsewhere for free (other companies charge a commission for this). And just on this site it is convenient to compare what will be cheaper, pay this commission, or not pay, since the price per day for all companies is different.
Rent a car with a discount>
On average, the cost of renting an ordinary car costs about 1,000 baht per day. The range of prices from official distributors is from 800 to 3500 thousand baht. The deposit for the car is usually around 10,000 baht. This amount is frozen on your card until the car returns (which is why it is good use a credit card).
From Suvarnabhumi Airport to the marinas of Donsak, there is a multi-lane highway with excellent road surface. If you have the skills to drive on roads with left-hand traffic, you can meet the 8-9 hour journey with short rest stops. With an average fuel consumption on the highway, even if 10 liters per hundred, you will burn 70 liters of gasoline. This is 2000 baht. The ferry crossing from Donsak to Koh Samui costs 470 baht for a driver with a car, and 150 baht for each passenger.
The return of the car is carried out at the Samui airport, at the company counter. The minimum cost of this travel option from Bangkok to Koh Samui: 3620 baht (rent 1000 + gasoline 2000 + ferry 620). But this does not include the cost of such a service as returning the car at another destination. As a rule, in Thailand all rental companies charge a certain amount for this, for example 5000 baht. In order not to pay it, you need to rent a car for a period of 5 days or more (like from Hertz).
Disadvantages: travel time, freeze of the deposit, an international driver's license is required, after a difficult flight, you will have to lose a day in Bangkok to rest before the trip, the price
Pros: Comfortable, fun experience and excitement.
Good roads and you can stop somewhere along the way
Night ferry
I take this option directly in a separate section for a simple reason - all previous methods (except for an airplane and a car for rent) include a joint ticket. That is, you have on hand all the tickets for all types of transport to Koh Samui at once. Moreover, the routes of the combined tickets are worked out in such a way that you physically cannot be late for a single shoulder and will definitely catch the last ferry to Koh Samui. Airplanes - of course, will fly. The car - you will not leave it in any case and the night ferry does not smile at you in any way. Why?
The night ferry is a passenger ship (does not carry equipment), which departs at 23:00 directly from the city of Surat Thani. I repeat - straight from the city, despite the fact that the city seems to be not at all by the sea. Surat Thani has a large river and a network of canals, and on the banks of one of the canals there is the Bandon pier, with a ticket office where you buy a ferry ticket for 200 baht and sleep on the ferry for almost seven hours. The ferry arrives at the pier in Nathon at 5:30 am. By the way, he also departs from Koh Samui at 21:00 (that is, two hours after all the last ferries of the island) and docks in Bandon at 3:30 at night. Just for reference.
I would only recommend the overnight ferry if you somehow find yourself in Surat Thani and are one hundred percent unable to get to the ferries near Donsak in time. Well, if, for some reason, you arrived at the ferries near Donsak and did not have time to sail, then I would advise you not to take a taxi to Surat Thani. Firstly, it is not cheap - it costs no less than 1500-1700 baht. Secondly, it takes about forty minutes to go. Then wait a long time for departure and sausage on board all night. It will be much more comfortable to spend the night near the piers in one of the motels for 350 - 650 baht in an air-conditioned room.
How to get to your beach on Koh Samui
If you are not going to rent a car or a scooter, then there are only four transportation options for those who have just arrived on the island of Koh Samui: transfer from the hotel, taxi, songteo, minibus.
If you come to Koh Samui and are looking for accommodation for a short period, while you are looking for a house, you can book through RoomGuru, this is just a mega-service, you can immediately see in which booking system (Booking, Agoda, Hotels, etc.) the hotel you need is cheaper. And I also have my own detailed review. best hotels in Koh Samui. And I recommend reading overview of the beaches on Koh Samui, to make it easier to choose where to go if you haven't chosen yet.
Taxi over the Internet
Anyone who wants a minimum of body movements can order a transfer to Kiwitaxi via the Internet in advance. You will be met in the arrivals hall, picked up your luggage, put you in the car and taken to the right place. The method is good because there are no problems at all. And sometimes it will be even cheaper than taking a transfer from the hotel, they sometimes raise prices..
Order a taxi online>
Where from where can you leave on the spot
Raja Ferry Pier on Lipa Noah. Immediately after the exit, there are two large enclosures for equipment. The covered corral is for departing cars, and the open one is for those who meet them. There you will find both the taxi drivers and the transfer waiting for you..
Citran Ferry Pier in Nathon. At the end of the pier, on a small patch of land, there are a handful of taxi drivers and songteo (pickup minibus). If up to seven people are traveling with you, then by prior order you can order a minibus from the Grand Sea Discovery company.
Lompraya Pier, Maenam. Here you can either order a taxi, or take the company's minibuses. The third option is to walk to the ring road and catch the songteo.
Samui airport. Only taxis and minibuses are available. And a transfer, if you ordered it. By the way, if you are not sure that you will find the right place on your own, if you do not have a map with the name of the hotel, or a business card with a directions, do not refuse the transfer of the meeting party, save yourself nerves.
Travel prices
Taxi
Previously, the cost of taxis was fixed, starting from 400 baht to the nearest beach and up to 1,000 baht for delivery to the opposite end of the island. After the military coup in 2013, taxi prices in the main resort areas - Pattaya, Phuket and Koh Samui, tried to take control, but it did not seem to work.
If you are still lucky to go by the meter, then 50 baht will be charged from you - the minimum tariff, plus 50 baht service fee, for this money you can drive 2 km. The rest of the way you pay by the meter, at 12 baht per kilometer.
Songteo (pick-up minibus)
Travel within one beach costs about 20 baht during the day, during official business hours. For a ride through half of the island, you will be asked about 100 baht.
There are only three songteo routes:
- Nathon-Lamai passes through the southern part of the island;
- Nathon-Chaweng passes through the northern part of Koh Samui;
- Nathon-Big Buddha-Chaweng, also along the north.
At night, that is, from 18:00, songteo drivers begin to work for themselves, and the prices are lumpy..
Minibuses
- At the airport, they charge from 150 to 650 baht per person for delivery to any place on the island, depending on the distance. If there are two or more of you, then the price is proportionally reduced, and the amount is taken for the number of people. Where one will pay 350 baht for a trip to Bo Phut beach, then two - already 400 baht, and seven - 1000 baht.
- In Nathon, the minibus of the Grand Sea Discovery company is ordered by phone, at a price of 700 to 800 baht per car.
Russian speaking taxi
These are compatriots who illegally earn extra money as a cab. They have no meters, the price for transportation is negotiable. They do not advertise their work, do not stand on the piers and at the airport, and you can find them either on the advice of a real estate agency, or on your own in social networks and communities of Koh Samui. The price is usually set for 100-200 baht more due to the fact that the service is provided by a Russian-speaking driver..
Berths map
Well, as a summary to all of the above, here is a map showing various services on Koh Samui and Phangan, including transport: berths, bus stations and railway stations. To make it easier for you to navigate, otherwise the devil himself will break his leg with these route options. I strongly recommend that you take a good look at where Surat Thani Airport is, where the city of Surat Thani is, where is Donsak and where are the piers on Koh Samui. These are four completely different places that constantly confuse people. Don't get confused)
Transport Koh Samui, Phangan and Tao
Samui Airport:
Raja Ferry Pier:
SeaTran Ferry Pier:
Raja Ferry Pier:
Raja Ferry ticket offices:
SeaTran Discovery Pier:
Lomprayah Pier:
Gas station for the cafeteria and minimarket:
Tha Thong Pier:
Pierce Bandon:
Surat Thani Airport:
Surat Thani Railway Station:
Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport:
Pier Matapon:
Lompraya Pier:
Ta Yang Pier:
Phra Lan Pier:
Bang Rak pier:
Tong Sala pier (transport and passenger):
Tong Sala pier (passenger):
Haad Rin Pier:
Pierce Petcherat:
Big Buddha Pier:
Lompraya Office:
SeaTran Explorer's new office:
Phantip CO Tickets:
Yellow Bus Office:
Stop Songteo:
Pier on Koh Tao:
Car rental at Koh Samui airport:
