HOW TO GET HERE?
You hesitate between the train or the bus? The plane? Fares? No need to go farther, you are at the right place!
This page is in a sense home to "transport" columns, which are presented to you in a general way. Then before beginning to
click everywhere, if you wish for information on various kinds of public transport, read continuation, on the
other hand, if you want directly to get acquainted with timetables or fares, click links within the
framework of the top of the page, and you will be steered towards pages in question which also
contain some explanations on each of various means of transportation.
The organization, let you be leaded!
Know that Thailand is extremely well organized when it comes to the purpose of transport, you only have to
get yourselves the ticket for the destination of your dreams and let you be leaded!
To navigate in this page, click links below:
BY PLANE
THE MOST EXPENSIVE BUT THE FASTEST!
It is by far the most expensive means to be taken to come here, but obviously the fastest, ideal for the persons
who have only a little time.
The only company which connects Koh Samui with direct flights is Bangkok Airways.
If you wish to come here rather quickly and still not too much expensive, you can fly to Suratthani (Thai Airways), from the airport there are minibuses which
shuttle (about 1 driving hour) up to Donsak's port, ferry boats place of departure. On the
other hand, do not go by evening flights because, on your arrival, there won't be anymore available ferry boats for Samui and you
should spend a night in Suratthani.
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BY TRAIN
THE TRAIN, A NICE MEANS!
On trains, service is impeccable and timetables are generally respected in the minute! Well, it is true trains are not
fast (for example 600 km in 12 hours), set apart it, trains remain a very pleasant and sure means
of locomotion.
Car-sleepers Car-sleepers, departure on early evening
and about 2 hours after your departure, the personnel comes to make your bed (clean sheets). There
is a berth at the top and one below, if you are tall, we advise you the bottom couchette
(a little more expensive though) because more spacious and airier.
To have something to eat on your journey
You can have a snack in some trains, but generally it is terrible and rather expensive.
We suggest you to stock up with food in stations or in the surroundings, because in any Thai city,
there is always a market or itinerant stands near by to eat.
When you will cross stations, there are almost always people who get on the train (with the exception of night trains) or
by the window who will sell to you a wide range of delicious food, cheap and good.
Coaches are non-smoking but you can go smoke in spaces between them.
An advice: book your ticket!
At least 2-3 days in advance if you want to be sure to be able to travel in the foreseen date. Air-conditioning car-sleepers are real "refrigerators", if you are "sensitive to the cold" prefer
carriages 2-nd class with fan.
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BY BUS
THE BUS, ECONOMIC
Here is the most economic means of transport (except for the VIP), rather fast, and it is necessary all the same to say it, relatively practical.
There are several categories of coaches, the regional (non air-conditioning, wide opened windows), the air-conditioning and the VIP.
The air-conditioning
For the second, we could even separate it in 2 categories:
1) For "Farangs" (= occidental white man)
2) For Thais
For "Farangs", ticket bought on Khao San Road (Bangkok) or in an agency, a bus which you take from a tourist place, to
another tourist place, generally well enough, organized with boat connections.
For the Thai one, air-conditioning, the one that we advise you, nice coach, ticket to be bought
on the departure (come at least 1 hour earlier) at the bus stations.
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They (almost) all travel by night. You leave Bangkok between 5.30 and 8 pm and journey
lasts generally 10-12 hours until Suratthani, about 650 kilometres south of Bangkok.
On all the coaches, they put on a movie (in Thai language or sometimes in English) or the Thai TV
during 2 hours after your departure.
All stop one or several times during the route at local kinds of truck stop restaurants, in the middle
of the night, all lights on, and everybody up to go eat and to go to toilet. VIP buses mainly have their
own bathrooms.
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The VIP ("very important person")
Very comfortable, 24 seats, folding seats bed way (or almost), place enough for legs, briefly it
is good, but as expensive as a car-sleepers ticket, it is up to you.
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BY BOAT
"FERRY, EXPRESS BOAT OR SPEED BOAT?"
ON THE ISLAND
For that rubric, we do not give you too many details, as the page which refers to it is
very complete (with small photos also), and you will have the impression that we repeat ourselves...
Well, a small advice, wear glasses while riding motorcycle!
Did you choose?
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Samui's Comprehensive Information Gateway
