Surat Thani to Koh Samui — Bus + Ferry, Airport & Train Options (2026)

Surat Thani to Koh Samui takes 1.5 hours by ferry alone, or 2.5-5 hours door to door with transfers from the airport, train station, or bus terminal. A combined bus/van-and-ferry ticket costs roughly 350-850 THB (~10-24 USD), as of September 2026. Donsak Pier is the main crossing point, with Raja Ferry and Seatran Discovery running conventional car ferries; Lomprayah’s faster catamaran departs instead from Tapee Pier in Surat Thani town.

Key takeaways

• Fastest: ~2.5-3.5 hours via Lomprayah’s Tapee Pier catamaran.
• Cheapest: Phantip’s minivan + Seatran ferry combo, from ~490-550 THB (~14-16 USD).
• Donsak Pier serves Raja Ferry and Seatran (1.5h crossing each); Tapee Pier in town serves Lomprayah’s faster catamaran.
• Ferries land at Lipa Noi (Raja Ferry), Nathon (Seatran, Songserm, some Lomprayah) or Bang Rak/Maenam (some Lomprayah sailings).
• Book a through-ticket on 12Go rather than separate legs — missed connections are the most common problem here.

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Options at a Glance

Where you start in Surat Thani province changes which combined ticket makes sense, since each operator’s minivan collects passengers from a different pickup point.

Prices are indicative through-ticket fares from operator and agent sites in September 2026 — recheck before booking, since fares shift with season.

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From Surat Thani Airport (URT) to Koh Samui

Surat Thani Airport sits about 26 km west of the city and roughly 95.5 km (~1h44m by road) from Donsak Pier, so almost everyone books a combined minivan-and-ferry ticket rather than two separate bookings.

1. Land at Surat Thani International Airport (URT) — a small single-terminal airport served by Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, Nok Air and Vietjet from Bangkok and other Thai cities.
2. Buy a combined ticket in advance on 12Go or at the airport counter; Phantip Travel (~550 THB / ~16 USD) is cheapest, Raja Ferry (~622 THB / ~18 USD) is a middle option, Lomprayah (~850 THB / ~24 USD) is fastest.
3. Board the minivan outside arrivals; it drives 1h30m-1h45m to Donsak Pier (Raja Ferry, Seatran, Phantip) or Tapee Pier in town (Lomprayah).
4. Cross by ferry — 1.5 hours on a Donsak conventional ferry, or the Lomprayah catamaran’s faster crossing — landing at Lipa Noi, Nathon, or Bang Rak pier depending on operator.
5. Total door-to-door time runs 2h15m-5h15m; a private taxi straight to Donsak Pier (~1,500 THB / ~43 USD, ~1 hour) plus a walk-up ferry ticket is faster but pricier than the combined ticket.

Arriving after about 16:00? The last Donsak ferries sail around 19:00-21:00, but a late flight leaves a tight connection — consider an overnight stop in Surat Thani city rather than risking a missed last boat.

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From Surat Thani Train Station (Phun Phin) to Koh Samui

Surat Thani Railway Station sits in Phun Phin district, about 12-15 km west of the city centre and around 13.8 km from the airport, and is the arrival point for the overnight sleeper from Bangkok.

1. Step off the train at Surat Thani Station (Phun Phin) — buses and vans wait in the car park outside, timed to meet the morning arrivals.
2. Buy a combined ticket at the station counter or in advance on 12Go: Raja Ferry (490-558 THB / ~14-16 USD) is cheapest, Phantip/Seatran (~520 THB / ~15 USD) is similar, and Lomprayah (~750 THB / ~21 USD) is the fastest and most comfortable — the premium option on this leg.
3. Board the minivan for a 30-90 minute transfer to Donsak Pier or Tapee Pier for Lomprayah.
4. Cross the Gulf of Thailand by ferry (1-1.75 hours) and disembark at Nathon, Lipa Noi or Bang Rak pier.
5. About 22 combined departures run daily, with total journey times of roughly 4-5 hours; a cheaper route via Surat Thani town centre (380-502 THB / ~11-14 USD) adds time for the extra stop.

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From Surat Thani Town or Bus Terminal to Koh Samui

Surat Thani’s town-centre bus terminals and travel agents sell the same combined tickets used by long-distance buses from Bangkok, making this the simplest starting point since transfers to both piers are short.

1. Buy a bus/van-and-ferry combo from a travel agent on Talat Mai Road or Na Muang Road, or book ahead on 12Go — standard fares run 350-500 THB (~10-14 USD).
2. Board the shuttle van; Donsak Pier is about 45-60 minutes away, while Tapee Pier for Lomprayah is inside town, a 10-15 minute ride from most hotels.
3. Cross by ferry: Raja Ferry or Seatran from Donsak (1.5h) or Lomprayah’s catamaran from Tapee Pier (~1h45m, faster in real terms since it skips the road transfer).
4. Arrive at Lipa Noi, Nathon or Bang Rak pier, with taxis and songthaews waiting.
5. Total time from town is the shortest of the three starting points — typically 2.5-3.5 hours, since there is no airport or train transfer to add.

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Donsak Pier Ferries — Raja Ferry vs Seatran

Donsak Pier, about 60 km east of Surat Thani city, is the main crossing point for Koh Samui, served by Raja Ferry and Seatran running conventional car ferries roughly every hour.

• Raja Ferry: around 12 sailings a day, roughly 05:00/06:00 to 19:00-21:00, crossing to Lipa Noi Pier in about 1.5 hours. Walk-up fares run 80-130 THB (~2.50-3.50 USD); vehicles cost extra (350-500 THB / ~10-14 USD for a car, 120-160 THB / ~3.50-4.50 USD for a motorbike) — the only Donsak operator built around vehicle traffic.
• Seatran: around 8 sailings a day, roughly 05:00/06:00 to 19:00-21:00, crossing to Nathon Pier in about 1.5 hours. Walk-up fares run 100-180 THB (~3-5 USD); vehicle rates are similar to Raja Ferry.

Bundled agent tickets with the minivan transfer cost more than these walk-up fares (see Options at a Glance). With your own transport to Donsak Pier, a walk-up ticket is the cheapest way to cross.

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Lomprayah Catamaran from Tapee Pier

Lomprayah is the fastest way across, but it departs from Tapee Pier in Surat Thani town — not Donsak — making it the better choice for travelers near the city centre.

1. Reach Tapee Pier by taxi, hotel transfer, or Lomprayah’s own connecting van from the airport, train station, or select hotels.
2. Sailings run about twice daily, roughly 06:30 and a mid-afternoon departure around 13:00-17:30; confirm the current timetable on lomprayah.com since frequency is lower than at Donsak.
3. The catamaran crosses to Nathon or continues to Maenam/Bang Rak piers in 1h30m-1h45m, for 600-700 THB (~17-20 USD) ferry-only.
4. It’s also the fastest way onward to Koh Phangan or Koh Tao without backtracking through Donsak, since the same boat serves all three islands on some sailings.

Skipping the longer Donsak road transfer, a Tapee Pier departure often beats a Donsak crossing on total time even though the boat itself takes slightly longer.

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Songserm Express Boat

Songserm is the slowest and generally cheapest option, running conventional boats from both Donsak and Surat Thani city to Nathon Pier — worth considering when a Donsak sailing is full or fare matters more than speed.

1. Buy tickets at the Surat Thani or Donsak counter, or via an agent — Songserm is less commonly bundled into airport/train combo tickets.
2. Crossings from Surat Thani city run roughly 3 hours; from Donsak Pier it’s closer to the 1.5 hours of Raja Ferry and Seatran.
3. Boats land at Nathon Pier, with taxi and songthaew connections onward.
4. Expect a simpler, older vessel than Lomprayah’s catamaran — a reasonable trade-off for a lower fare if your schedule has slack.

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Which Koh Samui Pier Will You Land At?

Your onward transport depends on which pier your ticket lands at, so check the pier name before booking a taxi.

• Lipa Noi Pier (Raja Ferry): southwest coast, near Lipa Noi Beach, about 25-30 minutes from Chaweng.
• Nathon Pier (Seatran, Songserm, some Lomprayah): the main port town, next to Nathon Beach, with the widest choice of taxis and songthaews.
• Bang Rak or Maenam Pier (some Lomprayah sailings): north coast, close to Maenam Beach and convenient for the airport.

From any of the three, see our getting around Koh Samui guide for taxi fares and scooter rental once you land.

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Tips: Combined Tickets, Timing and Luggage

• Buy a combined ticket, not separate legs. A through-ticket gets you rebooked free if your train or flight runs late; separate legs risk a missed sailing with no recourse.
• Night-train arrivals need a buffer. The Bangkok sleeper reaches Surat Thani Station around 06:30-07:30 — tight but workable for the first combined departures, timed to meet it.
• Check luggage weight limits. Standard allowance is around 20 kg per passenger; surfboards and oversized items may draw an extra fee, particularly on Lomprayah.
• Confirm the pier, not just the operator. Raja Ferry always lands at Lipa Noi, Seatran always at Nathon.
• Monsoon season (roughly September-November) brings rougher seas. Conventional Donsak ferries ride steadier than Lomprayah’s catamaran; build in a buffer day before a flight.

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FAQ

How do I get from Surat Thani to Koh Samui?

Book a combined minivan-and-ferry ticket on 12Go or a local agent. Raja Ferry and Seatran depart Donsak Pier (1.5h crossing); Lomprayah’s catamaran departs Tapee Pier in town (~1h45m). Door-to-door time is 2.5-5 hours depending on starting point and operator, as of September 2026.

How do I get from Surat Thani Airport to Koh Samui?

Buy a combined transfer at the airport counter or online. Phantip Travel is cheapest at ~550 THB (~16 USD), taking 3.5-4.25 hours. Lomprayah is fastest at ~850 THB (~24 USD), taking 2h15m-3h15m. A private taxi to Donsak Pier costs ~1,500 THB (~43 USD) for the 1-hour drive.

How much is the ferry from Donsak to Koh Samui?

A walk-up passenger fare is 80-180 THB (~2.50-5 USD) for the 1.5-hour crossing. Raja Ferry lands at Lipa Noi Pier and also carries vehicles (350-500 THB / ~10-14 USD for a car); Seatran lands at Nathon Pier. Combined tickets including the minivan transfer cost more — typically 350-850 THB (~10-24 USD).

Is Lomprayah or Raja Ferry/Seatran faster from Surat Thani?

Lomprayah is usually faster overall since it departs Tapee Pier in town, cutting the road transfer even though its own crossing (~1h45m) is longer than a Donsak crossing (1.5h). Raja Ferry and Seatran need a longer minivan ride to Donsak first, which often adds more time than it saves.

Which pier does the Surat Thani ferry arrive at on Koh Samui?

It depends on the operator: Raja Ferry always lands at Lipa Noi Pier, Seatran and Songserm at Nathon Pier, and Lomprayah at Nathon, Maenam, or Bang Rak depending on the sailing. Check the pier name on your ticket, since taxi pickup points differ by pier.

Can I take the overnight train and reach Koh Samui the same morning?

Yes. The Bangkok sleeper typically arrives at Surat Thani Station (Phun Phin) around 06:30-07:30, in time for the first combined departures. Total time from the station runs about 4-5 hours, landing most travelers by late morning. See our full guide to getting to Koh Samui for the complete Bangkok journey.