By Train


At Bangkok railway station (Hua Lamphong) you will find a color marked ticket counter on the left side of the counters. There you can buy the combined tickets. You can choose your mode of transportation - 1st or 2nd class, seat or sleeper (recommended) and A/C or Fan.

Price for a combined ticket is app. 800 Baht for 2nd class and app. 1,200 Baht for 1stclass. You also can buy just the train ticket. Tickets for a night-train can be booked at Bangkok Railway Station and many travel agencies in Bangkok.

Traveling from Bangkok
The most convenient way to go to Koh Tao is with the night train and by purchasing a "combination ticket" which includes:
- Train ticket-align: Bus transfer from Surat Thani railway station to ferry pier
- Train ticket-align: Bus transfer from Chumphon railway station to ferry pier
- Express boat ticket

Travelling from Butterworth (Malaysia)
Tickets can be purchased at the railway station in Butterworth or at the ferry terminal in Georgetown Penang. There is only one train per day leaving Butterworth at 14:10 pm. At the border you have to leave the train with your baggage. After the checkpoint you will travel further to Hat Yai with the same train. As you arrive at 11:00 pm. at Surat Thani or Chumphon you have to stay overnight and proceed with your journey the next morning. Just ask your hotel to arrange the transfer and ferry.

Car Spleepers
Departure on early evening and about 2 hours after your departure. There are several services on the web for hotels in Bangkok. If this will be your first trip to Thailand.

If you use the train, it stops at Chumphon or Surat Thani railway station. You then take a bus to ferry piers (combi-tickets available). 

For more information
Chumphon Railway StationTel. 0 7751 1103
Hua Lamphong Railway Station (Bangkok)Tel. 0 2220 4334
Surat Thani Railway StationTel. 0 7731 1213

By Plane

getting to koh tao
* Direct flight to Chumphon followed by bus/ferry transfer to Koh Tao.
* Direct flight to Koh Samui followed by ferry transfer to Koh Tao.
* Direct flight to Surat Thani followed by bus/ferry transfer to Koh Tao.

Direct flight to Chumphon - transfer to Koh Tao
Two low cost airlines are offering services on this route. Nok Air offers good connections when going from Koh Tao to Bangkok. Solar Air also has services using a small plane which accommodates only 18 passengers. Check the boat timetables to Koh Tao Island.

Direct flight to Koh Samui - transfer to Koh Tao
There are two airlines offering services, Bangkok Airways and 2 flights daily by Thai Airways, with the former operating more flights to/from Bangkok. making it convenient for baot connections.

Direct flight to Surat Thani - transfer to Koh Tao
Or you can fly to Surat Thani (Thai Airways , Air Asia or Nok Air). From the airport there are minibuses which shuttle up to Donsak's port, the ferry boats place of departure. Thai Airways international has 2 daily flights connecting Bangkok with Surat Thani. The flight time is approximately 70 minutes.

Flights to/from ChumphonDirect flights to/from Koh SamuiFlights to/from Surat Thani
1.) Nok Air1.) Bangkok Airways1.) Air Asia 
2.) Solar Air2.) Thai Airways 2.) Nok Air 
3.) Thai Airways

By Bus


A combined bus/boat ticket
The cheapest and most popular way, there are tow companies who offer this service, Lomprayah Catamaran and Songserm Express. There air-conditioned buses depart from Khao San Road in Bangkok and arrive in at their own piers at chumphon. The boat journey to Koh Tao is between 2 and 3 hours depending on the boat.

Government Bus
All government southern bus routes depart from the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok and have direct routes to Chumphon and Suratthani Provinces.

For more information
Bangkok Southern Bus TerminalTel. 0 2435 1199
Chumphon Bus TerminalTel. 0 7757 6803
Surat Thani Bus TerminalTel. Tel. 0 7720 0032

By Boat

getting to koh tao

The only way to get to Koh Tao is by boat. Services run from the mainland leaving chumphon and Surat Thani, and from the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.

Koh Phangan & Koh Samui Route
There are three boats which operate between these two neighbouring islands and Koh Tao. They area Lomprayah Catamaran, Seatran Discovery and Songserm Express.

Chumphon & Surat Thani Route
Chumphon is the closest part of the mainland to Koh Tao, and so travel time by boat is the quickest and shortest compared whit Surat Thani. Two boats offer services between the mainland and Koh Tao, Lomprayah Catamaran and Songserm Express. There are also night boats (sleeping boat) and ferries available comfort on mattresses, Journey time on these boats is approximately 6 hours to/from Chumphon and 9 hours to/from Surat Thani.