Thailand ferries: every main route at a glance

Thailand ferries: the main routes

The most used connections, with crossing time and starting price.

The table shows starting prices; departure times, piers and operators are detailed in each route guide. Ferry companies sell most connections as combined tickets: a bus or van to the pier, then the boat, sometimes with a transfer to your hotel on the island.

Ferries in the Gulf of Thailand

Samui, Phangan and Tao, the busiest ferry region in the country.

The gateway to the Gulf islands is Donsak port, east of Surat Thani. From there, Raja Ferry and Seatran car ferries and Seatran Discovery and Lomprayah fast boats sail to Koh Samui. Between the islands, catamarans do most of the work: Samui to Phangan takes 20 to 30 minutes, and the boats carry on to Koh Tao.

Coming straight from Bangkok? Lomprayah sells tickets with an air-conditioned bus from the capital all the way to the boat. Every way of getting there, including flights and the night train, is compared in our Bangkok to Koh Samui and Bangkok to Koh Tao guides.

• Flying into Samui, you reach Phangan and Tao directly by catamaran, with no detour via the mainland.
• Arriving by train or night bus, you switch in Surat Thani to a combined ticket all the way to the island.
• Coming from the Andaman coast, you take the bus to Donsak and board the boat there.
• Driving a rental car, you use the Raja or Seatran car ferries from Donsak.

The Gulf islands are the easiest region for first-time ferry users: routes are well organised, the big companies sell through tickets, and at every pier staff tag luggage and send passengers to the right boat. You save the most time by matching the order of the islands to where you arrive and leave from: if you land on Samui, head north via Phangan to Tao and leave via Chumphon or back through Samui. If you come in by night train, the reverse direction often works better. That way you avoid doubling back and make the most of catamarans that call at all three islands in turn anyway.

Ferries in the Andaman Sea

Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi and Lanta on the west side.

On the Andaman side, ferries and speedboats link Phuket and Krabi with Koh Phi Phi, and Krabi with Koh Lanta. The routes are shorter than in the Gulf, but the season matters more: in the rainy season boats run less often and the sea is rougher. Details are in our Phuket to Koh Phi Phi and Krabi to Koh Lanta guides.

On the Andaman side it pays to plan your route around the season: from November to April the sea is usually calm and there is plenty of choice, while fewer boats run in the summer months. If you travel in summer, it often makes sense to move the island part of the trip to the Gulf, where the weather is then usually better.

Ferries on the east coast

The quickest island escapes from Bangkok.

Koh Samet is the closest beach island to the capital. Minibuses leave Ekkamai bus station for Ban Phe pier, where ferries and speedboats cross; the combined ticket starts at 228 THB. Everything about operators, luggage and the trip back is in our Bangkok to Koh Samet guide.

Further east, you reach Koh Chang by ferry from the mainland near Trat. The island is bigger and greener than Samet and suits a longer stay.

The ferry companies at a glance

Who runs what, and what to expect from the boats.

Lomprayah is the biggest operator in the Gulf and the default choice for many travellers: bus and boat come from the same company, and connections are timed to match. Seatran is the main alternative, often a little cheaper, with its own pier at Bangrak near Samui airport.

Catamaran, car ferry or speedboat?

The type of boat decides speed and comfort.

You mostly come across longtail boats on short hops and day trips, for example on the Andaman coast. They are not meant for changing islands with luggage: use a regular ferry or a catamaran for that.

Booking ferry tickets in Thailand

Online, at the counter or through your hotel: everything works, with small differences.

• Booking online is worth it for combined tickets from the mainland and in high season.
• Outside peak times, the counter at the pier almost always has seats.
• Some boats, such as the Haad Rin Queen, only sell tickets at the pier and for cash.
• Get to the pier early: check-in and luggage tagging take time.
• Keep your ticket and luggage tag until you have left the arrival pier, and on connecting trips until the last leg.

Ferries and the monsoon: when is the sea calm?

The Gulf and the Andaman Sea have their rainy seasons at different times.

In rough seas, small boats and fast boats are the first to be cancelled, while the big car ferries usually keep running. In the monsoon, leave a buffer day before a flight. More in our rainy season guide.

Arriving at the pier: what next

The crossing rarely ends right outside your hotel.

At the main piers, such as Nathon and Bangrak on Koh Samui, Thong Sala on Koh Phangan, Mae Haad on Koh Tao or Na Dan on Koh Samet, songthaews and taxis wait for the boats. Fares are usually fixed per person or per route, but ask for the price to your beach before you get in anyway. Some combined tickets include the transfer to your hotel: it says so on the ticket, and someone at the pier holds up a sign with the company's name.

If you arrive late, feel free to spend the first night near the pier and move to your beach the next morning in daylight. It is often more relaxing than a ride along unfamiliar, unlit island roads. Pier towns such as Nathon or Thong Sala have simple guesthouses, restaurants and cash machines within walking distance of the boats.

Tips for stress-free crossings

Small habits that make every ferry trip more pleasant.

• Keep valuables, your passport and your phone in a small bag with you; the big bag travels separately.
• If you get seasick, sit at the back and on the lower deck, eat lightly and look at the horizon.
• Download your ticket and hotel address beforehand: signal at sea is patchy.
• Carry cash for songthaews, supplements and national park fees.

For a full route across several islands, our Thailand island hopping guide has ready-made itineraries for the Gulf and the Andaman Sea. And if you are still deciding which island suits you, our comparison of the Thai islands shows the differences at a glance.