Surat Thani to Koh Samui
In short
Surat Thani to Koh Samui is about 3.5 to 4 hours by road and car ferry, in our van.
Every way there, side by side
- Time
- About 3.5 to 4 hours
- How often
- Several a day, about 5:30am to 3pm
- Booking
- Lowest cost
Best by group size
Up to 4
- Best way:
- A luxury van for up to 4, onto the car ferry
Up to 10
- Best way:
- A party van for up to 10 onto the car ferry, quoted
20 and more
- Best way:
- A coach for 20 and more, quoted for the trip
The ferry, the catamaran or our van
The fastest way is the Lomprayah catamaran. The easiest for a group of 4 or more is our van onto the Raja car ferry: the bags stay in the van, and it drives off at Samui straight to the villa.
Lomprayah combined ticket
- Door to door:
- About 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes
- Best for:
- The fastest way
- Arrives:
- Nathon
Seatran combined ticket
- Door to door:
- About 3.5 to 4 hours
- Best for:
- The west coast
- Arrives:
- Nathon
Raja Ferry combined ticket
- Door to door:
- About 3.5 hours
- Best for:
- The car ferry
- Arrives:
- Lipa Noi
Phantip combined ticket
- Door to door:
- About 3.5 to 4 hours
- Best for:
- Lowest cost
- Arrives:
- Nathon
Our luxury van on the car ferry
- Door to door:
- About 3 to 4 hours
- Best for:
- The easiest way: from ฿6,500 for 10 hours, plus the ferry
- Arrives:
- Your villa
How long the crossing takes
From Donsak pier the Raja car ferry takes about 1.5 hours to Lipa Noi, Seatran about 1.5 hours to Nathon, and the Lomprayah catamaran about 45 minutes to Nathon.
- Raja Ferry: the car ferry, for foot passengers and vans.
- Seatran: to Nathon, on the west coast.
- Lomprayah: the fastest catamaran, passengers only.
Ask Tanner which boat fits your flight.
- About 3.5 to 4 hours from Surat Thani airport
- Bus and ferry on one ticket
- Raja car ferry hourly, 5am to 7pm
- The Lomprayah catamaran, about 45 minutes
Where the ferries leave from
The Surat Thani to Koh Samui ferry leaves from Donsak pier, 66 km from Surat Thani town and 92 km from the airport, from early morning to early evening.
- Donsak pier: the mainland pier for Raja, Seatran, Lomprayah and Boonsiri.
- From the airport: combined-ticket coaches leave from about 9am, the last at about 4pm.
- From the train: coaches leave Phun Phin station for Donsak from about 5:30am.
Insider tip: the Raja and Seatran piers are about 1 km apart, so match your pier to your ticket. Landing late? Ask Tanner to keep the van on the 7pm Raja ferry.
How combined tickets work
The Surat Thani to Koh Samui bus is really a combined ticket: a coach from the airport, the train station or town to Donsak, then the ferry. The coach waits for the boat it's sold with.
- The counters: in arrivals at Surat Thani airport.
Rather skip the counters and the coach? Ask Tanner for the van instead.
Coming by train
There's no Surat Thani to Koh Samui train: the line stops at Phun Phin station, 14 to 16 km west of town. Overnight sleepers from Bangkok arrive early in the morning, and from the station it's about 3.5 to 4 hours to Samui.
- The connection: combined coaches leave Phun Phin for Donsak from about 5:30am.
- Bangkok to the island: see Bangkok to Koh Samui.
Ask Tanner to have the van meet the train at Phun Phin.
Our van on the car ferry
Our van meets the group at Surat Thani airport, drives the 92 km to Donsak pier in about 1.5 hours, rolls onto the Raja car ferry, and drives off on Samui to your villa door.
- The bags: loaded once, at the airport, with drinks on ice.
- The van: a luxury van for up to 4 or a party van for up to 10, crossing with the group.
- Flying to Samui instead: see Koh Samui airport transfer.
Plan it with Tanner.
AIWhat the combined tickets cost
A Surat Thani to Koh Samui combined ticket from the airport runs from about ฿330 on Phantip to about ฿850 on Lomprayah (checked October 2026).
Made your own way to Donsak? The ferry alone is about ฿170 on foot on Seatran or ฿220 on Raja. Ask Tanner to book the car ferry with the van.
Phantip, coach and Seatran car ferry
- Leaves the airport:
- Several a day, about 5:30am to 3pm
- Lands on Samui:
- Nathon
- A seat (checked October 2026):
- About ฿330 to ฿520
Raja, coach and car ferry
- Leaves the airport:
- 9am
- Lands on Samui:
- Lipa Noi
- A seat (checked October 2026):
- About ฿550
Lomprayah, coach and catamaran
- Leaves the airport:
- 9:30am and 12:30pm
- Lands on Samui:
- Nathon
- A seat (checked October 2026):
- About ฿850
Boonsiri, coach and catamaran
- Leaves the airport:
- 11:30am
- Lands on Samui:
- Nathon
- A seat (checked October 2026):
- About ฿850
Late flights and the last boats
The last combined tickets leave the airport at about 4pm, and the Raja car ferry runs hourly from Donsak between 5am and 7pm. There's no regular night boat.
Land after 4pm and the counters can't help, but a van can still make the evening car ferry.
Tanner's pick: our van on the Raja car ferry for four or more, the Lomprayah catamaran if it's just two of you. Ask Tanner to watch your flight and hold the van for a late landing.
Going back to the airport
The first Raja car ferry leaves Lipa Noi at 5am, and combined tickets to the airport run from about 5am until mid-afternoon, taking 3 to 4 hours. The Lomprayah catamaran leaves Nathon at 8:30am and reaches the airport at about 11:30am.
Flying out before noon? Ask Tanner to put the van on the first ferry.
Surat Thani to Koh Samui in short
- Door to door from Surat Thani airport: about 3.5 to 4 hours.
- The ferries leave from Donsak pier, 92 km from the airport and 66 km from Surat Thani town.
- Fastest boat: the Lomprayah catamaran, about 45 minutes across.
- Combined tickets from about ฿330 to about ฿850 a seat.
- Last combined tickets from the airport: about 4pm.
- No train to the island, and no regular night boat; the last Raja ferry leaves at 7pm.
Checked October 2026.
The best months for Samui
February to April is Samui's driest stretch, the weather stays good through August, and November is the wettest month, the Thai Meteorological Department says (checked November 2026).
November is the wettest month, and from October to December the boats cross on choppier water. Insider tip: in the monsoon months, cross the night before any flight home before about 11am.
See our Koh Samui guide and every route on Getting around Thailand.
Ask Tanner which week the sea is calmest for your dates.
Before you travel
Ferries leave Donsak pier, 92 km from the airport
Raja and Seatran piers are 1 km apart: match your ticket
The last combined ticket from the airport is about 4pm
The last Raja car ferry leaves Donsak at 7pm
Monsoon months: cross the night before an early flight
No alcohol at public piers or on scheduled boats
The alcohol ban at public piers and on scheduled boats runs from 12 May 2026.
Checked Nov 2026
Tanner's offer
Onto the car ferry, bags in the van
Met at Surat Thani airport, across on the Raja car ferry, and off at Samui straight to the villa.
See the private option →
Written by Tanner Altman · Updated 7 November 2026
Questions
Questions about Surat Thani to Koh Samui
How long does the ferry take from Surat Thani to Koh Samui?
About 45 minutes on the Lomprayah catamaran to about 1.5 hours on the Raja or Seatran car ferry from Donsak, and about 3.5 to 4 hours door to door from Surat Thani airport.
How much is the bus and ferry to Samui?
From about ฿330 on Phantip to about ฿850 on Lomprayah from the airport (checked October 2026). For a group with bags, our van on the car ferry is the easier way across.
Where does the ferry to Koh Samui leave from?
Donsak pier, 66 km from Surat Thani town. The Raja car ferry sails hourly from 5am to 7pm, and Seatran, Lomprayah and Boonsiri boats leave from Donsak too.
How far is it from Surat Thani to Koh Samui?
The Surat Thani to Koh Samui distance is about 92 km by road from the airport to Donsak pier, about 1.5 hours, then 45 minutes to 1.5 hours on the boat.
When is the best time to go to Koh Samui?
February to April is the driest stretch, and the weather stays good through August, the Thai Meteorological Department says. November is the wettest month of the year.
Can a van take us onto the ferry to Koh Samui?
Yes. Our van drives onto the Raja car ferry with the group and the bags, and drives off at Lipa Noi to the villa. A luxury van for up to 4 is ฿6,500 for 10 hours, plus the ferry.
How do I book a ferry from Surat Thani to Koh Samui?
Buy a combined bus-and-ferry ticket at the arrivals counters, or online with the operator before you fly. With our van, Tanner books the car ferry for you.
Which month should you avoid on Koh Samui?
November, the wettest month. From October to December the boats run on choppier water, so check yours the day before, and cross the night before an early flight.
Is there a train from Surat Thani to Koh Samui?
No. Trains stop at Phun Phin station, west of Surat Thani town, and combined coaches leave there for Donsak from about 5:30am. Allow about 3.5 to 4 hours from the station to Samui.
Is there a night boat to Koh Samui?
No regular one. The last Raja car ferry leaves Donsak at 7pm, so on a late flight Tanner either gets the van onto that boat or books a night near the pier.
Plan it
Plan it with Tanner
Are you in Thailand now?
Last checked 29 October 2026
Sources
Credits: top photo by Photo: Renek78 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.