Bangkok to Koh Samui: Flights, Bus and Boat, Train and Ferry Compared

Samui Airport in Bo Phut, Koh Samui Photo above: Alexandre Tordjman via Google

The quickest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui is a direct flight to Samui Airport, which Bangkok Airways owns and operates. The cheaper routes combine a flight, bus or train to the mainland with a ferry: Lomprayah's 2026 timetable lists joint bus-and-catamaran tickets from Bangkok's Khao San Road to Samui from 1,450 baht, arriving the same evening or the next morning. Koh Samui is an island in Surat Thani province in the Gulf of Thailand, about 470 km from Bangkok in a straight line.

This guide compares every option with official operator timetables, checked on September 26, 2026, and explains which route suits which traveler.

Where is Koh Samui, and how far is it from Bangkok?

Koh Samui is in Surat Thani province, in southern Thailand, and lies 35 km off the Surat Thani coast, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). TAT describes it as Thailand's second-largest island after Phuket, roughly 25 km from top to bottom. Samui Airport, in Bo Phut in the north of the island, is about 470 km from central Bangkok in a straight line, measured on map coordinates.

Because Samui is an island, every overland route ends with a boat. The mainland ports for Samui are around Surat Thani, including Donsak Pier, where the Raja Ferry car ferry leaves for Samui.

What are the ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui?

There are four main ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui: a direct flight to Samui, a flight to Surat Thani plus a ferry, a joint bus-and-boat ticket from Bangkok, or a train to Surat Thani plus a ferry. The direct flight is fastest; the joint bus-and-boat ticket is usually cheapest and needs the least planning of the overland options.

Prices and times: Lomprayah 2026 timetable; AirAsia route page; TAT. Checked September 26, 2026.

Can you fly direct from Bangkok to Koh Samui?

Yes. Samui Airport is owned and operated by Bangkok Airways, and TAT has described the airline as flying between Bangkok and Samui several times a day, from morning to evening. Direct flights are the quickest way to the island and land you minutes from the northern beaches.

Direct flights to Samui are often priced higher than flights to Surat Thani, because fewer airlines serve the island. For fare patterns and how to save, read our guide to how much a flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui costs. Check which Bangkok airport your flight uses; our guide to Bangkok's two airports explains the difference between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang.

How do you get to Koh Samui via Surat Thani?

Flying to Surat Thani and taking a ferry is the usual way to save money while still flying. AirAsia lists non-stop flights from Don Mueang to Surat Thani of around 1 hour 10 minutes, and Nok Air lists Surat Thani among its direct domestic destinations (both checked September 26, 2026). TAT describes the onward trip as a bus of about 90 minutes to the ferry pier, then a boat of about 90 minutes to Samui.

Many ferry companies sell the road and boat legs together from Surat Thani airport. Nok Air also sells a Fly'n'Ferry service to Koh Samui with Lomprayah; check the conditions on Nok Air's Where We Fly page, which notes that some combined services run seasonally.

The Raja Ferry car ferry from Donsak

Raja Ferry runs a car and passenger ferry between Donsak Pier on the mainland and Lipa Noi Pier on Koh Samui. Its published schedule shows sailings every hour from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. in both directions, with a crossing time of about 1 hour 30 minutes, and extra ferries at busy times (checked September 26, 2026). This is the ferry to use if you are driving or taking a car with a driver. Raja's homepage listed a Donsak to Samui passenger fare of 210 baht on the day we checked.

Is there a bus and boat ticket from Bangkok to Koh Samui?

Yes. Lomprayah, which runs high-speed catamarans in the Gulf of Thailand, sells joint tickets from Bangkok to Koh Samui that combine a bus to the coast with a boat to the island. Its 2026 timetable lists departures from its Khao San Road and Pinklao offices in Bangkok. The table below shows the Samui (Pralarn Pier) services.

Source: Lomprayah Time Table 2026, checked September 26, 2026. Hotel drop-off on Samui costs extra.

Lomprayah also sells a cheaper overnight bus and slower ferry to Bangrak Pier on Samui, from 1,250 baht, with a change onto a catamaran at Koh Tao; the timetable shows it leaving Khao San at 21:30 and Pinklao at 21:00 and reaching Samui at 11:15. On the catamaran routes the boat calls at other islands on the way, so expect a long day. Ferry schedules depend on the sea, so allow slack if you have a flight to catch.

Can you take the train from Bangkok to Koh Samui?

You can take the train from Bangkok to Surat Thani on the State Railway of Thailand's southern line, then continue to Samui by road and ferry. Samui itself has no railway. We could not confirm current train times from the State Railway of Thailand on September 26, 2026, because its website did not respond, so check the timetable at railway.co.th and book the ferry connection separately, or buy a joint ticket that includes the transfer from the station.

What is the best way to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui?

The best way to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui depends on your time and budget. Fly direct if you have a short holiday; fly to Surat Thani and take the ferry if you want to save money without losing a day; and take the Lomprayah bus-and-boat ticket or the train if cost matters more than time.

• Short stay: a direct flight to Samui Airport.
• Value with a flight: fly to Surat Thani and take a combined road and ferry transfer.
• Lowest cost: the overnight Lomprayah bus and boat from Khao San Road.
• Driving or car with driver: the Raja Ferry car ferry from Donsak.
• Island hopping: Lomprayah's routes also connect Samui with Koh Phangan and Koh Tao.

If you are spending a night in Bangkok first, our guide to where to stay in Bangkok covers the best areas, and Khao San Road, where the Lomprayah bus leaves, is in the Banglamphu area near the Old City; see things to do in Bangkok's Old Town. For an early flight, read how to get between Bangkok's airports and the city, or browse Bangkok hotels.

Heading to the Andaman coast instead? See how to get from Bangkok to Krabi.

Sources: Lomprayah, Time Table 2026, Raja Ferry, sailing schedule, Raja Ferry, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Samui, AirAsia, Bangkok to Surat Thani, Nok Air, Where We Fly, State Railway of Thailand. Checked September 26, 2026.