Koh Samui Ferry Companies Compared: Seatran, Lomprayah, Raja (2026)

How Do the Koh Samui Ferry Companies Compare?

Five companies run scheduled boats from Koh Samui. Raja Ferry and Seatran Ferry are the car ferries to the mainland (120-210 THB, about 1h30). Lomprayah and Seatran Discovery run fast catamarans to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (250-700 THB). Songserm and Haad Rin Queen are smaller operators whose fares we could not confirm. Companies are compared here, not scored.

Key takeaways

• Only Raja Ferry (Lipa Noi) and Seatran Ferry (Nathon) carry cars and motorbikes. Every fast boat is foot passengers only.
• Lomprayah sails from Maenam; Seatran Discovery and Haad Rin Queen from Bang Rak. Check the pier name on the ticket, not just the brand.
• “Seatran” is two services: a slow car ferry to Donsak and a catamaran to Phangan and Tao. Aggregators often blur them.
• Fares checked 2026-10-01. Rows marked unverified were not matched to an operator page.

Pier details, taxi fares and facilities are on the Koh Samui pier guide.

What Do the Ferries Cost and How Long Do They Take?

Fares run from 120 THB (~3.50 USD) on the Raja car ferry to about 700 THB (~20 USD) on the longest catamaran leg. The Donsak car ferries take 80-100 minutes, the Phangan catamarans 30-45 minutes and the Tao catamarans about 1h30-2h. Sources: Nation Thailand, Direct Ferries, 12Go and operator pages, checked 2026-10-01.

Agent prices include a markup over operator fares. The step-by-step routes are in the Surat Thani to Koh Samui, Samui to Phangan and Samui to Koh Tao guides.

What Is the Difference Between Seatran Ferry and Seatran Discovery?

Seatran Ferry is the Donsak-Nathon car ferry. Seatran Discovery is a separate high-speed catamaran service from Bang Rak to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao with no vehicle deck. They share a brand family, so tickets and reviews get mixed up. Check which pier and destination your ticket names.

Seatran Ferry: passenger fare 180 THB since 14 March 2026, child 90 THB, big motorbike 340 THB, car 580 THB (Nation Thailand, 2026). Sailings are hourly from 05:00 to 19:00 and a Seatran Facebook post (seen in a search result, 2026-09-30) announced a first Donsak sailing at 04:45 from 3 August 2026. Aggregators list lower vehicle fares (motorbike 190, car 450 THB on Bookaway); confirm at the pier. A ferry listing site gives 463 seats with air-conditioned cabins, deck seating, toilets and a snack counter.

Seatran Discovery: departures from Bang Rak at about 08:00, 13:00 and 16:30 (12Go, 2026-09). Its own site also lists Nathon and Maenam as departure points, but publishes no timetable or fare grid, so we plan around Bang Rak. See Bang Rak Beach for the area.

What Does Lomprayah Offer From Koh Samui?

Lomprayah runs catamarans from Maenam pier to Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Chumphon (about 3h45m, not daily). It has sailed since 1996 and lists seven catamarans (lomprayah.com, 2026). No vehicles.

The Samui-Phangan sailings leave at about 08:00, 12:30 and 16:30. Siamtickets also lists Lomprayah departures from Bang Rak and Na Thon, but we found no second source, so use Maenam (Maenam Beach) unless your ticket says otherwise. Lomprayah also sails Donsak-Nathon in about 45 minutes, covered in the Surat Thani guide.

What Does Raja Ferry Offer From Koh Samui?

Raja Ferry runs a vehicle ferry from Lipa Noi to Donsak, first sailing 05:00. The operator lists 210 THB; agents show 120-180 THB. It takes bicycles, motorbikes, cars and trucks up to 12 wheels (rajaferryport.com, 2026).

Car fares are reported at about 420-590 THB; confirm at the pier. Raja also sells bus-and-ferry combinations and its site lists Donsak to Thong Sala (Koh Phangan) at 280 THB. The Samui to Phangan leg from Lipa Noi (about 130 THB, 60-75 min) is unverified. Pier area: Lipa Noi Beach.

Does Songserm Still Sail From Nathon?

Songserm lists boats from Nathon pier, for example 10:30 to Thong Sala (about 1 hour) and 10:30 to Koh Tao (about 3h45m) on ferrysamui.com sample pages, and its own site says services run daily. We could not confirm current fares or full timetables, so every Songserm figure here is unverified.

Aggregators list 200-250 THB to Phangan. No vehicles. Songserm’s site advises booking 3-5 days ahead in December-March. Agent listings also still show Songserm Donsak-Nathon crossings, which we could not confirm. Area: Nathon Beach.

What Is Haad Rin Queen?

Haad Rin Queen is the only scheduled boat that lands at Haad Rin, the Full Moon Party beach, leaving Bang Rak (Big Buddha) pier. Everything about it is unverified: sources disagree on the operator, the crossing time (20 to 50 minutes) and the departures.

Direct Ferries shows 27 weekly sailings and ties the service to Songserm, while other sites call it a separate boat. It is a smaller boat than the catamarans, so the October-December swell hits it harder. Foot passengers only.

What Are the Luggage Rules and Comfort Like?

Lomprayah allows about 20 kg a person, bags up to 1 m long, and charges 300 THB for water-sports gear and 100 THB for a bicycle (siamtickets, 2026); arrive 30 minutes early. We found no published limits for the other companies, so treat 20 kg as common and check your ticket.

Comfort differs by hull. Lomprayah catamarans are air-conditioned with assigned seats. Seatran Ferry has air-conditioned cabins, deck seating and a snack counter. Raja’s car ferry has open decks, and you can stay with your vehicle. Songserm and Haad Rin Queen are the simplest.

Which Company Is the Most Reliable?

No operator publishes punctuality figures and we found no sourced on-time statistics, so we do not rank reliability. The one consistent report is weather: the Nov-Dec monsoon delays or cancels sailings, and smaller boats such as Songserm and Haad Rin Queen go first. Keep a buffer day before a flight.

Peak weeks (December-January, Full Moon Party) sell out: the fast boats have only 2-3 sailings a day, and Raja’s vehicle slots fill. A missed catamaran can cost half a day.

How Do I Buy a Ferry Ticket?

Tickets are sold three ways: on the operator’s site or app (lomprayah.com, seatrandiscovery.com, rajaferryport.com, songserm.com), at pier counters and Samui travel agents, and through aggregators such as 12Go and Direct Ferries. Aggregators add a markup but offer one checkout and often bus or minivan combinations.

Check the pier, date and passenger type on the e-ticket. Vehicle fares are usually bought at the pier; Direct Ferries lists the Donsak routes as “no cars”, which is a limit of online sales, not an operating rule. See how to get to Koh Samui for the whole journey, and scooter rental before taking a bike across.

Which Company for Which Trip?

Pick by destination and what you carry, not by brand. There is no overall best company. For a timed or private boat instead of a scheduled one, see speedboats from Koh Samui.

• Mainland with a car or scooter: Raja Ferry from Lipa Noi, or Seatran Ferry from Nathon.
• Mainland on foot, cheapest: Raja Ferry or Seatran Ferry, 120-210 THB.
• Phangan from the north coast: Lomprayah from Maenam, about 30 minutes.
• Phangan from near the airport: Seatran Discovery from Bang Rak.
• Haad Rin straight: Haad Rin Queen from Bang Rak (unverified times).
• Koh Tao: Lomprayah (85-95 minutes) or Seatran Discovery (115-125 minutes).
• Staying in Nathon: Seatran Ferry, or Songserm if you confirm its times.

FAQ

Which ferry company is best for Koh Samui?

None is best for every trip. Raja Ferry and Seatran Ferry suit mainland and vehicle crossings, Lomprayah and Seatran Discovery suit Koh Phangan and Koh Tao on foot. Choose by the pier near your hotel and your destination, and compare dates, since only 2-3 fast sailings run daily.

Are Seatran Ferry and Seatran Discovery the same company?

They are separate services under one brand family. Seatran Ferry is the Donsak-Nathon car ferry (180 THB, hourly). Seatran Discovery is the Bang Rak catamaran to Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (300-600 THB) with no vehicles. Tickets and reviews are often mixed up, so check the route.

Which ferry takes a car or motorbike from Koh Samui?

Raja Ferry from Lipa Noi and Seatran Ferry from Nathon, both to Donsak. Seatran lists 340 THB for a big motorbike and 580 THB for a car (Nation Thailand, 2026); Raja car fares are reported at 420-590 THB. Lomprayah, Seatran Discovery, Songserm and Haad Rin Queen carry passengers only.

Which ferry is the cheapest from Koh Samui?

Raja Ferry from Lipa Noi, at 120-210 THB (~3.50-6 USD) to Donsak in October 2026 listings, with Seatran Ferry at 180 THB. Phangan fast boats cost 250-355 THB. Agent bookings add a markup, so operator counters are usually cheaper.

Does Lomprayah leave from Maenam or Nathon?

Maenam for the Phangan, Tao and Chumphon catamarans on current sources. Its Donsak catamaran lands at Nathon. One agent also lists Bang Rak and Na Thon departures, which we could not confirm, so read the pier on your ticket.

How early should I arrive for the ferry?

Lomprayah asks for check-in 30 minutes before departure, and Maenam check-in closes about 15 minutes before. For car ferries, arrive 30-60 minutes early in December-February and July-August so the vehicle queue does not cost you a sailing.