Koh Tao has no airport, so everyone arrives by boat. From Bangkok the usual routes are an overnight bus or train to Chumphon followed by a catamaran (about two hours at sea), or a flight to Samui or Surat Thani followed by a boat. From Koh Samui and Koh Phangan there are several boats a day.
Koh Tao is the smallest and most northerly of the three main Gulf islands, out in the sea east of Chumphon province. Chumphon is the closest mainland port, which is why most people coming from Bangkok go that way. Travelers already on Samui or Phangan simply take the island boats north.
Times and prices on this page come from Lomprayah's published 2026 timetable, checked in October 2026, because it is the most complete timetable we could verify. Other companies, including Songserm and Seatran, also serve Koh Tao. For the island itself, see our Koh Tao island guide.
Koh Tao connections at a glance (Lomprayah, 2026)
- Arrival pier on Koh Tao
- Mae Haad, on the west coast
- Chumphon pier to Koh Tao
- Catamaran 07:00 and 13:15, about 1 hour 45 minutes, 750 baht; slow ferry 05:45, about 2½ hours, 450 baht
- Bangkok to Koh Tao
- Overnight bus + boat from Pinklao, 21:00 or 21:30, arriving 08:15–08:30, 850–1,550 baht
- Koh Phangan to Koh Tao
- Five departures a day with hotel pickup, about 2 hours, 800 baht
- Koh Samui to Koh Tao
- Three departures a day with hotel pickup, 700–850 baht
The overnight bus and boat from Bangkok
The simplest budget option is a single ticket from Bangkok that combines an overnight bus to Chumphon with the morning boat. Lomprayah sells it from its office at Pinklao, on the Thonburi side of the river:
| Bangkok (Pinklao) to Koh Tao | Departs | Arrives | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus + slow ferry | 21:00 | 08:15 | ฿850 |
| Bus + catamaran | 21:30 | 08:30 | ฿1,250 |
| VIP bus + catamaran | 21:30 | 08:30 | ฿1,550 |
That gets you to the island early in the morning with a full day ahead, and it saves a night's accommodation. The downside is a night sitting up on a bus. Keep your passport, money and phone with you rather than in the luggage hold, and keep every part of the ticket until you are on the island. Our guide to long-distance buses in Thailand covers bus classes and safety.
By train to Chumphon, then the boat
Overnight trains on the southern line leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok (long-distance trains no longer start at Hua Lamphong) and reach Chumphon in the early hours. You can lie down in a sleeper berth, which beats a night upright on a bus. Book through the State Railway's D-Ticket website or app; our article on booking Thai trains online shows how, and the guide to night trains explains the classes. Check the current timetable and fare on the railway's own site, as we could not verify them.
Lomprayah runs a van from Chumphon railway station to its pier timed for the boats: its 2026 timetable lists 06:00 from the station arriving on Koh Tao at 08:30, and 12:00 arriving at 15:00, both 900 baht including the boat. Ask what happens if your train is late when you book.
From Chumphon pier: catamaran or slow ferry
Lomprayah's boats leave from Thung Makham Noi pier on the Chumphon coast. There are two kinds of boat on this crossing.
- High-speed catamaran: 07:00 (arriving 08:45) and 13:15 (arriving 15:00), 750 baht. Faster, but on a rough day the motion is sharp.
- Slow ferry: 05:45, arriving 08:15, 450 baht. Cheaper and steadier in a swell, with more deck space.
Lomprayah also lists vans from hotels in Chumphon town and from Chumphon airport. The airport connection leaves at 09:00 and reaches Koh Tao at 15:00 (1,000 baht), so it suits morning flights from Bangkok. Our guide to domestic flights in Thailand covers airlines and baggage rules.
Going back to the mainland, the 2026 timetable has catamarans from Koh Tao to Chumphon pier at 10:15 and 15:00 (750 baht) and a slow ferry at 12:30 (450 baht). The Bangkok through-ticket leaves Koh Tao at 10:15 and reaches Pinklao at about 20:30.
What about the night boat?
Older guidebooks describe a slow overnight boat from the mainland to Koh Tao, carrying cargo and budget travelers. We could not find a current official timetable for it from any operator, so we cannot say when, or whether, it runs in 2026. If you want to try it, ask at the pier in Chumphon or Surat Thani, and treat any schedule you find online as unconfirmed.
From Koh Samui and Koh Phangan
Koh Tao is the last stop on the boats that run north from Samui via Phangan. Lomprayah's 2026 timetable, with hotel pickup included, lists:
| From | Departures (with hotel pickup) | Arrives Koh Tao | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Phangan | 07:30, 07:45 (speedboat), 12:00, 12:05 (direct), 15:45 | About 2 hours later | ฿800 |
| Koh Samui (Pralarn pier area) | 06:30, 09:15 (slow ferry), 10:30 | 09:30, 13:30, 14:15 | ฿700–850 |
The pickup times are earlier than the actual sailings, so the time at sea is shorter than the table suggests. Songserm and Seatran also run between the islands; compare their times on their own sites. If you are coming from the mainland via Samui, our guide to getting to Koh Samui covers flights and the Donsak ferries, and our Koh Phangan guide covers that island. The Gulf island-hopping route puts all three together.
Flying from Samui or Surat Thani after Koh Tao? Count the boat time backwards. From Koh Tao to Samui takes most of a morning, and to Surat Thani airport most of a day. Book the boat that arrives with several hours to spare, not the one that arrives just in time.
Rough seas and the monsoon
On the Koh Tao crossing, the season matters more than the operator. Long-term rainfall figures from the Thai Meteorological Department for Koh Samui, the nearest station, put the wet season at October to December. Northeast winds in that period make the crossing rough and can delay or cancel boats. Seasickness tablets taken before you board help many people; a pharmacist can advise (see our guide to medicines at Thai pharmacies). Our guide to the best time to visit the islands compares the Gulf with the Andaman coast.
Boat accidents in Thai waters have killed passengers, including British travelers, according to the UK Foreign Office, which names overloading, poor maintenance and monsoon seas as the usual causes. On the open-water run to Koh Tao, pick an established operator, find the life jackets when you board, and walk away from a boat that is packed beyond its seats. The guide to ferries in Thailand has more on boat safety.
Divers: the flight home is the problem, not the boat. The Divers Alert Network recommends at least 18 hours between your last dive and a flight after several days of diving. If you are doing a course, plan the boat and flight with that in mind; see learning to dive on Koh Tao.
Arriving at Mae Haad
All the main boats arrive at Mae Haad pier on the west coast. Shared pickups and taxis wait at the pier for Sairee Beach to the north and Chalok Baan Kao to the south. Many dive schools and hotels collect guests if you tell them which boat you are on. The roads to the east-coast bays are steep and rough in places, so think twice before renting a scooter straight off the boat with a heavy bag.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way from Bangkok to Koh Tao?
The overnight bus and slow ferry is usually the cheapest single ticket: Lomprayah lists 850 baht from its Pinklao office in Bangkok, leaving at 21:00 and arriving at 08:15 (2026 timetable). The faster catamaran version costs 1,250 baht, or 1,550 baht with a VIP bus.
How long is the ferry from Chumphon to Koh Tao?
Lomprayah's high-speed catamaran takes about 1 hour 45 minutes from Thung Makham Noi pier, and its slow ferry about two and a half hours. Times are longer when the sea is rough, which is most likely from October to December.
Can I fly to Koh Tao?
No, Koh Tao has no airport. The nearest airports are Chumphon, Koh Samui and Surat Thani. Lomprayah sells combined tickets from Chumphon airport and Surat Thani airport, and boats from Samui take a few hours.
How do I get from Koh Phangan to Koh Tao?
Several boats run each day. Lomprayah's 2026 timetable lists five departures with hotel pickup, the first at 07:30 and the last at 15:45, at 800 baht, taking about two hours. Songserm and Seatran also operate between the two islands.
Sources
- Lomprayah – Timetable 2026 (PDF flipbook) (checked October 2026)
- Lomprayah – Routes and destinations (checked October 2026)
- Seatran Ferry – Passenger routes including Koh Tao (Mae Haad) (checked October 2026)
- Songserm – Express boats between Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Long-distance trains move to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (checked October 2026)
- UK Foreign Office – Thailand: safety and security (sea travel) (checked October 2026)
- Divers Alert Network – Flying after diving (checked October 2026)