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Overview | Flight | Bus | Train
Trip overview from Bangkok to Koh Tao
To make trip planning super easy and fast, we created a step-by-step guide to find the best way to travel from Bangkok to Koh Tao.
To start with, use the slider to compare the different options:
How to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao
The island of Koh Tao is a very popular diving destination in the southeast of Thailand. It’s known as one of the cheapest locations in the world to get your PADI license and offers a beautiful underwater scenery.
To go from Bangkok to Koh Tao, you have 3 options. You can book a flight, a combined bus and ferry ticket or a combined train, bus and ferry ticket.
Traveling by plane is clearly the fastest option, but flights are quite expensive and you will still need to take a ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao.
A cheaper and also convenient option is to book a combined ticket for an overnight bus and connecting ferry. The bus leaves from Bankok at 21:00 and includes a transfer to the ferry of Chumphon to Koh Tao.
If you don’t want to spend your night in the bus, you can also book a sleeper train to Surat Thani. This will cost a little more than the bus, but you will likely feel more fit when you arrive in Koh Tao, thanks to the sleeper beds in this train. Below we link to a page where you can book combined train and ferry tickets, so you don’t need to organize another transfer to the ferry dock in Surat Thani or need to search for the ferry to Koh Tao.
Your options at a glance
| Transport mode | Duration | Costs | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight + Ferry | 3h 35min | 4.500 THB (€126,50) | Check flights |
| Bus + Ferry | 9 hours | 1,100 THB (€31) | Check bus tickets |
| Train + Bus + Ferry | 14 hours | 1.758 THB (€49) | Check train tickets |
Are you a fast decision maker? Simply use the links above to book your tickets!
If you haven’t found your best transport option yet, no problem. This was just the intro. Below we share our step-by-step guide of how to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao.
Flight from Bangkok to Koh Tao
Duration: 3h 35min
Costs: 4.500 THB (€126,50)
Booking a plane ride is the fastest way to go from Bangkok to Koh Tao. However, Koh Tao doesn’t have an airport so you need to travel to Koh Samui first and then proceed with a ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao.
Step 1: Flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui
Duration: 1h 05min
Costs: 3.479 THB (€97)
There are multiple flights heading to Koh Samui every day. All flights are operated by Bangkok Airway and ticket prices start at 3.479 THB (€97). For more information, you can read how to go from Bangkok to Koh Samui.
Other Flight Options
You also have the option to fly through Chumphon or Surat Thani. However, the best route for flying through this route is via Koh Samui. It’s closer to Koh Tao and from the Koh Samui airport, you can book a direct transfer to Koh Tao.
Step 2: Van + Ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao
Duration: 2h 30min
Costs: 750 THB (€21)
We suggest booking a combined van transfer and ferry ride with Seatran Discovery. It’s convenient and eliminates the need to arrange for a separate transfer from the airport to the ferry pier. The van transfer and ferry ride costs 750 THB (€21). The journey takes about 2,5 hours.
| Operator | Schedule | Duration | Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seatran Discovery | 13:00-15:30 16:30-19:00 | 2h 30m | 750 THB (€21) |
To book this option, just click the button below. Once you reach Koh Tao, you may have to arrange your transfer to your hotel by yourself or better yet, ask your hotel to pick you up. This may require additional costs.
Bus from Bangkok to Koh Tao
Duration: 9 hours
Costs: 1,100 THB (€31)
Opting for a combined bus and ferry ride from Bangkok to Koh Tao is a good alternative to flying. Though it takes about 9 hours to reach Koh Tao, taking the bus is cheaper. And… if you book the night bus, you won’t lose your valuable day time on travelling. If you are ok with sleeping in a leaned backward chair, the night bus is a great option.
We found 3 trusted transport companies that offer combined bus and ferry tickets from Bangkok to Koh Tao. We’ve listed the companies and their schedules below.
| Ferry Operator | Schedule | Duration | Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lomprayah | 06:00-14:45 21:00-05:45 | 8h 45m | 1,150 THB (€33) |
| Songserm | 18:00-07:45 | 14h 45m | 940 THB (€27) |
| Paradive Travel | 19:00-09:30 | 14h 30m | 1.300 THB (€37) |
Songserm and Lomprayah both leave from Koh San Road, which is the most popular area to stay in Bangkok.
The buses travel to Chumphon first and bring you directly to the pier. From there, you will be transferred to a ferry that docks at Mae Haad Pier in Koh Tao.
You may have to book for another transfer to your hotel. Or better, ask your hotel if they offer free pick-up service.
Check Combined Bus and Ferry Tickets
Train from Bangkok to Koh Tao
Duration: 14 hours
Costs: 1.778 THB (€50)
Traveling by a combined train, bus and ferry ride is not the fastest or cheapest way to go from Bangkok to Koh Tao.
However, if you want some more comfort during your journey than the bus, you can book a sleeper train with a bed heading to Surat Thani. After you arrive in Surat Thani, you can hop on the bus to get to the pier. From Surat Thani, you can catch the ferry that goes to Mae Haad Pier in Koh Tao.
You can also travel this journey during the day, but we strongly recommend to book a night train instead as this will save you a lot of time!
| Operator | Train No. | Schedule | Duration | 2nd Class A/C Sleeper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thai Railways | #167 #85 | 08:30-09:30 19:30-09:30 | 15h 14h | 1.778 THB (€50) |
| Thai Railways + Lomprayah | #85 | 19:30-14:15 | 18h 45m | 2.439 THB (€68,50) (1st Class Sleeper) |
We advise you to book your tickets in advance as trains get filled easily on this route. Luckily, there is the option to purchase a combined train, bus and ferry ride online from Bangkok to Koh Tao. This eliminates the hassle of having to book separate tickets.
A combined ticket costs 1.778 THB (€50) for a second class sleeper unit in the train. The journey takes about 14 hours.
Make sure to arrange for a hotel transfer beforehand so you can immediately head to your hotel.