The island of Koh Samui is one of the most famous and popular places in Thailand, located slightly off the eastern coast of the continent, in the Gulf of Thailand. Full of beautiful beaches and coconut trees and mountainous rainforest, Samui truly boasts an abundance of stunning scenery and is popular with tourists from all over the world, backpackers and luxury travelers alike. Koh Samui has its own airport. For more flight options, you can head to the mainland and Surat Thani International Airport. There are many ways to travel from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport. We describe each of them in detail below.
Travel options from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport
Once your visit to Koh Samui is over and you want to continue exploring Thailand, there are plenty of options for getting around the area. You can fly direct from Samui International Airport or return to the mainland first to take advantage of more transportation options that will allow you to travel throughout Southeast Asia. From Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport you’ll first need to take a ferry, but what happens next will depend on your budget and schedule. There are buses, minibuses, taxis and combinations of all three, including direct shuttle services or those that stop at multiple locations, and prices range from very affordable to expensive.
Why go to Surat Thani Airport?
Given that Koh Samui has its own airport, why would you want or need to go to Surat Thani Airport? Samui International Airport, owned and operated by Bangkok Airways, has a monopoly on flights to and from Samui, and the number of flights departing each day is quite limited compared to other airports in the region. From here you can fly with Bangkok Airways to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Hong Kong, Krabi, Pattaya U-Tapao, Phuket and Singapore, and there is also a flight to Phnom Penh with Cambodia Airways.
Surat Thani Airport offers more popular routes
To expand your flight options, fly from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport, where there are more airlines and a greater choice of flights to any of Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, as well as flights to Chiang Mai (ideal if you’re going to northern Thailand) plus flight to Kuala Lumpur.
Traveling from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport also expands your transportation options. From the airport you can take buses to other cities in Thailand. Therefore, a transfer from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport is not as absurd as it may seem at first.
Ferry and bus from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport
As you might expect, the cheapest way to get from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport is by ferry and bus. You can save even more money by traveling on your own, i.e. buying a ferry ticket to the continent and then traveling by public bus. However, this can cause additional time and complications, and the price difference is usually not significant. Combining tickets are available online and can be booked via the travel website 12 Goso you’ll still get a good price for a combined ferry and bus ticket and save yourself the hassle of finding the right bus.
From Nathon Koh Samui Pier to Surat Thani Airport with Phantip Travel
| Nathon’s dock | Surat Thani Airport | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06:00 | 10:45 | 4 hours 45 minutes | €13 |
| 08:00 | 11:45 | 3 hours 45 minutes | €13 |
| 10:00 | 13:45 | 3 hours 45 minutes | €13 |
| 12:00 | 15:45 | 3 hours 45 minutes | €13 |
| 14:00 | 17:45 | 3 hours 45 minutes | €13 |
If you make a reservation 12 Go, you will see many options for the above-mentioned tickets combined with Phantip. Phantip is a large and respected Thai shipping company that uses Seatran ferry services from Koh Samui to Donsak Pier near Surat Thani. There are five daily departures at 6am, 8am, 10am, 12pm and 2pm, and all but one have an advertised duration of 3 hours and 45 minutes from Koh Samui to Koh Samui Airport. . These are combined tickets, i.e. all-inclusive, where you pay a fixed price that includes both the ferry and the bus from the pier to the airport. Plus, when you book through 12Go, you’re guaranteed all connections, meaning that if your ferry is delayed, your bus will be waiting for you on the mainland to complete the second part of your trip to the airport.
From Koh Samui hotel to Surat Thani Airport with Phantip Travel
| Koh Samui hotel | Surat Thani Airport | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06:30 | 11:45 | 5 hours 15 minutes | €17 |
| 08:30 | 13:45 | 5 hours 15 minutes | €17 |
| 10:30 | 15:45 | 5 hours 15 minutes | €17 |
| 12:30 | 17:45 | 5 hours 15 minutes | €17 |
There is also an additional Phantip option which includes hotel pickup in Koh Samui. This option does incur additional costs, but provides travelers with maximum convenience as you are picked up right at your hotel door and don’t have to worry about anything else throughout your journey from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport. The disadvantage is that this increases your overall journey time, depending on when you are picked up from your hotel, as the minibus will most likely stop at several different hotels and pick up multiple people. You can use this service four times daily, coinciding with Seatran ferries, with hotel pick-up times listed at 6:30, 8:30, 10:30 and 12:30 and a total journey time to Surat Thani Airport announced, approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes.
Despite the extra travel time, it’s still a very convenient way to travel if you don’t mind waiting a while. Another thing to keep in mind with this service is that it does not reach all hotels as some are outside the pickup area. You will therefore need to check this before booking.
From Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport by ferry and minibus
Traveling by ferry and bus will save you money, but if you want to get to Surat Thani Airport faster than the above options, consider combined ferry and minibus tickets. If you travel on this route, you can choose from several carriers, so you can easily adapt to your schedule, with departures in the morning and early afternoon. Another advantage of having multiple ferries is that there are more options for ferry departure points, so you are not limited to Seatran Pier in Nathon. This can be more convenient for travelers because you can choose the docking station closest to where you are staying.
From Koh Samui Nathon Pier to Surat Thani Airport from Lomprayah
The fastest ferry and minibus from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport is from Lomprayah (another well-known and respected Thai transport company). Their connection is the fastest because you travel to Surat Thani by speedboat rather than by ferry, then board a minibus to the airport. This service departs Nathon Pier at 8:30 AM and arrives at Surat Thani Airport at 11:30 AM, taking just 3 hours. The next one leaves at 8:30 from Maenam Pier, even faster and the journey takes 2.5 hours. The last option departs Nathon Pier at 11:45 AM and arrives at Surat Thani Airport at 2:30 PM. However, speed comes at a price: it is the most expensive option if you are looking for minibuses or buses, but can be booked via 12 Go for greater comfort.
Cheaper options from Raja Ferry and Seatran
There are also cheaper combined tickets, perfect if you’d rather save some money for other expenses. Raja Ferry and Seatran offer these tickets which include all guaranteed connections, with the minibus portion of the journey operated directly by Raja Ferry or Seatran and not by a third party. The total journey time from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport is 4 or 5 hours, depending on the ferry you choose. Seatran departs at 6am, 7am, 9am, 10am, 12am, 1pm and 2pm, all 4 hours and departing from Nathon Dock.
Ferry timetable from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport
| Koh Samui | Airport | Duration | Business | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05:00 | 10:00 | 5 hours | Raja Ferry | €13 |
| 06:00 | 10:00 | 4 hours | Seatran Ferry | €13 |
| 07:00 | 11:00 | 4 hours | Seatran Ferry | €13 |
| 07:00 | 11:00 | 5 hours | Raja Ferry | €13 |
| 09:00 | 1:00 p.m | 4 hours | Seatran Ferry | €13 |
| 09:00 | 1:00 p.m | 4 hours | Raja Ferry | €13 |
| 10:00 | 14:00 | 4 hours | Seatran Ferry | €13 |
| 10:00 | 16:00 | 6 hours | Raja Ferry | €13 |
| 11:00 | 15:00 | 4 hours | Seatran Ferry | €13 |
| 11:00 | 16:00 | 5 hours | Raja Ferry | €13 |
| 12:00 | 16:00 | 4 hours | Seatran Ferry | €13 |
| 1:00 p.m | five in the afternoon | 4 hours | Seatran Ferry | €13 |
| 1:00 p.m | 17:30 | 4.5 hours | Raja Ferry | €13 |
| 1:00 p.m | five in the afternoon | 5 hours | Raja Ferry | €13 |
| 14:00 | 18:00 | 4 hours | Seatran Ferry | €13 |
| 14:00 | 19:00 | 5 hours | Raja Ferry | €13 |
The Raja Ferry departs at 5:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, all from Lipa Noi Pier, and the cruise takes 4 to 5 hours.
The cost of these combined ferry and minibus tickets is the same regardless of whether you choose the Seatran or Raja ferry and regardless of the departure time. In summary, passengers can purchase ferry and bus tickets separately and potentially save some money, but given the availability of many combination tickets at affordable prices, the best way to travel from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Airport is to purchase a combined ticket that includes ferry transfers and by bus or minibus. Bus transfers are slightly cheaper, but with minibuses you have more flexibility with timetables and departure points.
How long is the ferry from Koh Samui to Surat Thani?
The ferry journey usually takes about 1.5 hours. Plus it’s an hour and a half away. Lomprayah offers a faster option with a smaller boat and its pier is almost in Surat Thani town.
Distance from Surat Thani Airport to Koh Samui?
The distance from Surat Thani Airport to Koh Samui is approximately 128 km, of which 66 km is by land and the rest by water.
Distance from Koh Samui to Surat Thani?
The distance from Nathon Pier on Koh Samui to Surat Thani is approximately 97 km. The tour includes a ferry crossing to Donsak Pier, approximately 33 km long, followed by a 64 km road trip.
Travel options from Koh Samui to Surat Thani train station
The recommended option for traveling from Koh Samui to Surat Thani Railway Station is to purchase a combined ticket, which includes both a ferry and a bus or minibus transfer. Bus ticket prices are usually cheaper, but with minibuses there is more flexibility in terms of timetables and departure points.
What are the ferry options from Koh Samui to Surat Thani?
Seatran Ferry and Raja Ferry depart every hour between 05:00 and 19:00. They depart from their docks in Donsak towards Koh Samui. Both companies offer similar rates and the journey takes approximately 1.5 hours.