🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The first thing to understand before you arrive in Surat Thani is that the point where you arrive and the point where you're headed are usually in different directions. Most people don't come to see Surat Thani town itself — they use it as a jumping-off point for three main routes: catching a boat to the islands (Samui, Phangan, Tao), heading north to Khao Sok and the Ratchaprapha Dam, or staying in Surat town to eat seafood and explore the area. Arrival points include the airport, the train, and long-distance buses, while there are several piers to choose from depending on which island you're going to. The trick is to plan ahead which island you're aiming for, then pick the pier and boat time to match.
From Surat Thani Airport (URT) — what next
Surat Thani Airport (code URT) is about 25 km from the town center, roughly a 30–40 minute drive into town. It's a popular budget gateway to Koh Samui (much cheaper than flying straight into Samui airport). The main onward transport operator at the airport is Phantip Travel, which sells combined bus+boat tickets to the islands as well as transfers to Khao Sok.
Combined bus+boat ticket to Samui/Phangan/Tao
Buy a single ticket at the Phantip counter in the airport that bundles the coach/van to Donsak pier and the onward ferry to the island — no need to sort out connections yourself. Best if you're heading straight to an island. Total journey runs around 3–5 hours depending on the island and boat time.
Phantip van/bus into town
If you want to stay or eat in Surat town first, there are services into the center and to Phunphin train station. Cheap, running on set departures — good if you're not in a rush and watching your budget.
Taxi / pre-booked transfer
There's a taxi counter outside the terminal — book a whole car straight to your hotel, or arrange a transfer in advance online with a driver waiting with a name sign. Good for small groups, families, or late arrivals.
Grab
You can hail one from the airport, but there aren't as many drivers here as in the big cities, so at times you may wait a while or struggle to find a car. Worth checking the price against the counter taxis first.
Straight talk
If your flight lands at URT after 4 PM, don't push to catch a boat to the islands the same day — the last ferry leaves around 5:00–5:45 PM, and you may not make it to Donsak pier in time. Spending one night in Surat town and heading out the next morning is the safer call, with no last-minute scramble.
Coming by train — get off at Phunphin (Surat Thani)
Southern Line trains from Bangkok (Hua Lamphong / Krung Thep Aphiwat) pass through Surat Thani daily, but know that the actual Surat Thani train station is in Phunphin district, about 13 km from Surat town — not in the center. The popular overnight sleeper leaves Bangkok in the evening and reaches Phunphin around dawn to early morning, just in time to connect to a boat to the islands or a morning van to Khao Sok.
- Bangkok → Phunphin — the sleeper takes around 9–11 hours, leaving in the evening and arriving in the morning, handy for saving a night's hotel cost.
- Leaving Phunphin station — Phantip vans/buses and shared taxis wait in the lot beside the station, with onward connections into town, to the piers, or to Khao Sok.
- Phunphin → Surat town — van/songthaew around ฿30–50 per person, or Grab/private car around ฿200–300.
- Phunphin → Khao Sok — Phantip vans run 3 morning departures (roughly 7:30, 8:30, 9:30 AM); check times ahead.
Tip
Book sleeper tickets in advance through the State Railway's D-Ticket app or an online booking site, because the lower berths sell out fast over long weekends. Lower berths are wider and have a window with a better view, while upper berths are cheaper but a little more awkward to climb in and out of.
Coming by long-distance bus / van
Buses from Bangkok (the Southern Bus Terminal) to Surat Thani take around 10–12 hours, in single- and double-deck air-conditioned coaches with both daytime and overnight departures. They drop you at the Surat Thani bus terminal in town, where you can connect onward to the piers or to Khao Sok. If you're coming from nearby provinces like Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon, Krabi, or Phuket, vans and buses run several times a day to link them up.
- Bangkok → Surat — air-conditioned coach around ฿500–900 depending on the class and operator, with several evening departures.
- Phuket/Krabi → Surat — bus route 465 (Surat–Phuket) and vans run frequently, taking around 3–5 hours.
- Surat bus terminal — the connection point for transport to Donsak pier, into town, and to Khao Sok; you can find Phantip vans here.
Donsak Pier — the main gateway to Koh Samui
Donsak pier is in Don Sak district, about 60–70 km from Surat town (a 1–1.5 hour drive), and it's the main car-ferry pier to Koh Samui. Two big companies run from here: Raja Ferry and Seatran Ferry. The piers are only a few kilometers apart but they're separate — you need to match it to the ticket you're holding. The boats are car ferries, comfortable to ride, and run hourly through the day.
- Raja Ferry (Donsak → Samui) — departs roughly hourly, around 5:00 AM–7:00 PM, crossing to Nathon pier on Koh Samui in about 1.5 hours.
- Seatran Ferry (Donsak → Samui) — similar schedule, hourly around 5:00 AM–7:00 PM, also arriving at Nathon pier.
- Foot-passenger fare — around ฿130–200 per person (boat-only ticket, not including onward transport).
- You can take a vehicle aboard — cars around ฿700–900, motorbikes around ฿150–250, handy if you plan to drive around the island.
Straight talk
If you bought a combined bus+boat ticket back at the airport or in town, you don't need to worry about which pier — the bus drops you at the one matching your boat. But if you're coming under your own steam in a private or rental car, double-check whether you're boarding Raja or Seatran, because turning up at the wrong pier means doubling back to the other one and losing time. Aim to reach the pier at least 30 minutes before departure.
In-town Tapi Pier + Lomprayah — for Phangan and Tao
Besides Donsak, Surat town itself has Tapi Pier, the departure point for the high-speed catamarans of Lomprayah, running the Surat–Koh Phangan–Koh Tao–Chumphon route. It's handy for anyone heading straight to Koh Phangan or Koh Tao without going all the way out to Donsak. Seatran Discovery also sells combined tickets onto a speedboat to Koh Tao via Donsak.
- Lomprayah (Tapi → Phangan) — speed catamaran, around 2.5–3 hours, stopping at Samui before continuing to Phangan, with only a few departures a day, so book ahead.
- Lomprayah (Tapi → Koh Tao) — continuing on from Phangan, around 3.5–4 hours total, the popular route to dive at Koh Tao.
- Speedboat vs ferry — speedboats are faster and more direct but cost more and rock more in rough seas; car ferries are slower but steadier and cheaper.
- Combined ticket from the airport — both Lomprayah and Seatran offer tickets bundling the transfer from URT to the pier, one ticket and done.
Picking your boat
If you're aiming for Koh Samui, the ferry from Donsak (Raja/Seatran) is convenient and cheap. If you're aiming for Koh Phangan or Koh Tao, the Lomprayah speedboat from Tapi pier is more direct. If you get seasick easily, the larger car ferries are steadier than the speedboats — and pack motion-sickness pills just in case during the monsoon season.
How to reach Khao Sok / Ratchaprapha Dam
Khao Sok National Park and the Ratchaprapha Dam (Cheow Lan) are in the northwest of the province, about 100–110 km from Surat town — roughly a 2–2.5 hour drive. Most people reach Khao Sok via Phantip vans leaving from the airport, Phunphin train station, or town, getting off at the Khao Sok park entrance. To visit Cheow Lan Lake you then take another vehicle to the dam's pier.
Phantip van (morning departures)
The easiest option. Phantip vans leave from the airport, Phunphin station, and town, dropping you at the Khao Sok entrance. The van pickup point at Phunphin station is in the lot on your left as you exit the station building. Book ahead, since there are only a few departures.
Surat–Phuket/Takua Pa bus
Buses (such as route 465) that pass Khao Sok will let you off at the park entrance if you tell the driver. Cheap, but you'll have a short walk to the guesthouses down the Khao Sok side road.
Private car / taxi charter
The fastest and most comfortable, taking you straight to your accommodation. Good for groups or families with lots of luggage, around 2 hours. Price depends on the pickup point and number of people.
Straight talk
Cheow Lan Lake (Ratchaprapha Dam) is in a different spot from Khao Sok village — about 60 km apart. To reach the lake you take a vehicle to the dam's pier and then a longtail boat. If you want to stay in a floating raft house out on the lake, it's best to book a package that includes the transfer and boat, so you don't have to juggle several connections yourself.
Getting around Surat town
Surat town isn't big — the seafood spots, riverside market, and accommodation aren't far apart, and you can walk some stretches. But the main public transport is still songthaews and the colorful local "frog-head" tuk-tuks that are a local trademark. Grab is available but with fewer drivers than in the big cities.
- Songthaew — runs the main routes in town, around ฿15–30 per person; keep small cash ready to pay.
- Frog-head tuk-tuk — a cute local three-wheeler, good for short hops in town; agree on the price before you get in.
- Grab — works in town, but waits can be long at times; better during the day than late at night.
- Motorbike rental — there are rental shops in town, around ฿200–300/day, good if you want to ride around town and visit the temples over in the Chaiya area.
Quick summary — what to use when
Heading to Koh Samui
Buy a combined bus+boat ticket from URT airport or in town, then take the Raja/Seatran ferry from Donsak pier — the easiest and best value.
Heading to Phangan/Koh Tao
Take the Lomprayah speedboat from Tapi pier in town, or a combined Seatran Discovery ticket — more direct and a time-saver.
Heading to Khao Sok/Cheow Lan
Catch a morning Phantip van from Phunphin/airport/town, or book a package that bundles the transfer and boat to stay in a lake raft house.
Plan your whole Surat Thani trip — where to stay, what to see, what to eat, and how to get around
See the Surat Thani travel guide →