Stop over in Surat Thani

You want to take the ship from the Thai mainland to Ko Samui? Then you also come to the provincial capital Surat Thani.

The city of Surat Thani is located directly on the Gulf of Thailand and has around 125,000 inhabitants. Surat Thani is important for travelers because there is an airport and a port, a train station and a bus station.

By bus, train and boat from Bangkok to Ko Samui and Ko Phangan

The fastest means of transport is of course the plane if you want to travel from Bangkok to Ko Samui or the neighboring islands of Ko Phangan or Ko Tao. However, if you are traveling by bus and train, you drive to Surat Thani and then get on one of the ferries to reach your destination on one of the islands.

And here you have the choice again, for example between a car ferry from Surat Thani to Ko Samui or a fast ferry, which reaches Ko Samui in a little less time but is also a little more expensive.

For example, when I was on Ko Samui and went on a trip to Surat Thani, I first took the fast ferry from Ko Samui to Surat Thani and then returned with the slightly slower car ferry.

Ferry Donsak Pier Surat Thani

Fast ferry from Ko Samui to Surat Thani

Important note on the Surat Thani – Ko Samui ferry:

The ferry terminal to Ko Samui is outside of Surat Thani, more specifically near the town of Surat Thani. Buses run from the bus station to the ferry terminal, the bus journey takes around 45 minutes. Your ferry to Ko Samui departs from Donsak Pier. Tickets and timetables are available on ferrysamui.com.

Oh yes, in case you are wondering where you actually arrive on Ko Samui: The ferries operate between Donsak Pier and the town of Nathon on Ko Samui in the northwest of the island.

By train from Bangkok to Malaysia

There is also a southern railway station just outside the city, about 15 kilometers from Surat Thani. The Southern Railway is the railway line connecting Bangkok with Malaysia.