Fly to Surat Thani if you have little time, take the night train if you don't have much time.
The distance from Bangkok to Khao Sok is approximately 720 km. Since there is no direct train or bus connection, every route goes via Surat Thani, the nearest city with an airport and train station. The fastest option is a morning flight from Don Mueang to Surat Thani (approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, 1,000–1,650 baht). From there, the last 100 km are covered by car or minibus, allowing you to reach the jungle by early afternoon. The classic option is to take the overnight train to Surat Thani and then a bus from the station in the morning. This saves you an overnight stay and allows you to reach Khao Sok by mid-morning.
Check the latest flight times and seat availability for flights from Bangkok to Surat Thani Airport on 12Go.
The cheapest single ticket is a night bus that departs from Khao San Road at 7:00 PM and reaches Khao Sok at around 10:30 AM; a transfer is required along the way.
Key facts
It's approximately 720 km.
Khao Sok is located approximately 720 km from Bangkok in the hills between Surat Thani and the Andaman coast. Surat Thani airport is about 100 km away and the railway station about 107 km from the village.
Flights to Surat Thani take approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Approximately a dozen flights depart daily from Don Mueang to Surat Thani starting at 6:50 a.m. (approx. 1,000–1,650 baht), with several more departing from Suvarnabhumi. A morning flight connects with buses and minibuses to Khao Sok.
There is no train connection to Khao Sok.
The nearest train station is Surat Thani in Phun Phin. Night trains from Krung Thep Aphiwat take 9 to 11 hours, and buses from the station forecourt reach Khao Sok in about two hours.
The night buses depart around 7:00 PM.
Buses that travel all the way to Khao Sok depart from Khao San Road and the southern bus station between 6:40 PM and 7:00 PM, arriving between 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM. Fares are approximately 800–1260 baht (according to 12Go). Most passengers transfer to a minibus along the way.
Renting a car from Surat Thani airport costs about 1,900 baht.
12Go lists cars from Surat Thani airport to hotels in Khao Sok from about 1,860 Baht, the journey takes about one and a half hours, and a bus and minivan ticket from about 350 Baht.
Leave Khao Sok in the early afternoon to return.
Buses to Bangkok depart from Khao Sok between 2:00 PM and 4:30 PM and arrive at dawn. The last vans and buses to Surat Thani depart on the night train between 2:00 PM and 2:40 PM.
All routes from Bangkok to Khao Sok compared
Distances from OSRM routes via OpenStreetMap; flights from the 12Go board; train timetables from the State Railways timetable of December 2025 via Richard Barrow's Thai Train Guide, as in our Bangkok to Phuket travel guide; bus, van and car prices from the 12Go board for November 12, 2026, including booking fee.
Bookable departures · updated daily
Bangkok → Surat Thani Airport: Departure times you can book now
All flights currently bookable via 12Go on this route, sorted by booking class. The prices shown are distributed across the different booking classes; the exact price for a seat and a specific date can be found on the booking page.
Flight
12Go timetables and fares are updated daily. Services that operate only locally—regular trains, weekend trips, and ferry terminal tickets—are not listed; these can be found in the table above. Sponsored link: We may receive a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
Bangkok → Surat Thani Airport
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Fly to Surat Thani
The nearest airport to Khao Sok is Surat Thani, about 100 km from the village. Around a dozen flights depart daily from Don Mueang Airport with Thai AirAsia, Nok Air, and Thai Lion Air, starting at 6:50 am. The flight time is 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 20 minutes, and the price is approximately 1,000–1,650 baht. Additional flights depart from Suvarnabhumi Airport. It is recommended to take a morning flight, as buses and minibuses to Khao Sok only run during the day, and you will likely want to reach the village or the lake before nightfall.
The easiest way to get to your hotel from the airport is by car. The drive takes about an hour and a half and costs approximately 1,900 baht with 12Go. For budget-conscious travelers, 12Go offers a bus and minivan ticket from the airport starting at around 350 baht. There are ten departures from 8:15 a.m. onwards. The transfer is at the minivan office in Phanom. If you want to go directly to Cheow Lan Lake, the pier is only about 65 km from the airport. Therefore, ask your raft rental company about a pick-up service.
Or fly to Phuket or Krabi.
Phuket is served by significantly more frequent flights from Bangkok, and Krabi also offers a wide range of connections. If the prices or flight times from Surat Thani don't suit you, fly to one of these airports instead. The onward journey is longer: approximately 145 km from Phuket Airport and 150 km from Krabi Airport, which translates to two to three hours by car for around 2,500–3,500 baht. This option is well-suited if you plan to visit the beaches of the Andaman Sea afterward. My travel guides for the routes from Phuket to Khao Sok and from Krabi to Khao Sok describe the connections by car, van, and bus from the respective airports.
The night train and the morning bus
If I had the time, I would take the night train. Sleeper cars run every evening from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Surat Thani. The station is located in Phun Phin, about 14 km outside of Surat Thani. Express train No. 83 departs at 6:50 pm and arrives at 4:58 am, while express train No. 85 departs at 7:50 pm and arrives at 6:23 am. An air-conditioned second-class sleeper berth costs around 700–900 baht; berths with a fan are cheaper. During peak season, it's advisable to book several weeks in advance on the national railway's website or through 12Go.
Buses to Phuket depart from the station forecourt on route 401, passing through Khao Sok. They leave at approximately 6:40, 7:20, 9:20, 10:20, and 13:45, and the journey takes about two hours. Tickets cost approximately 280–305 baht with a 12Go card and are cheaper at the ticket counter. Alternatively, you can take the 6:50 PM train, which connects with the 6:40 AM bus, and arrive in Khao Sok around 9:00 AM. Travel agencies opposite the station also offer minibus and private car bookings.
The night bus
Buses to Khao Sok leave Bangkok in the evening. A Montanatip bus departs from its office on Khao San Road at 7:00 PM and arrives at the Khao Sok van station around 10:30 AM. The 12Go ticket costs approximately 950–1,080 baht. A combined bus and van ticket from the Southern Bus Station departs at 6:50 PM and arrives around 9:30 AM. It costs approximately 1,100 baht. The Twin 2000 van departs at 6:40 PM for about 800 baht.
The journey takes about 15 hours, and most tickets include a transfer to a minibus in Surat Thani or Phanom early in the morning. Therefore, make sure your ticket and mobile phone are charged. It's the cheapest one-way ticket, but the sleeper car costs about the same including the bus fare, and you can lie down comfortably.
Where you arrive in Khao Sok
Buses and the cheaper minibuses stop at the Khao Sok bus station on Route 401, where the village road branches off. The guesthouses are located about 2 km up this road to the park administration building. Inform your hotel of your arrival time; many offer a pick-up service. Alternatively, taxis are readily available at the intersection for up to 80 baht per person. Cars and hotel transfers will take you directly to your hotel.
Khao Sok Back to Bangkok
Night buses depart from Khao Sok to Bangkok between 2:00 PM and 4:30 PM, arriving at Khao San Road, Ratchadamnoen Road, or the southern bus station between 5:00 AM and 6:30 AM, depending on the operator. The fare with 12Go costs approximately 550–1,260 baht. These buses are operated by Krungsiam, Montanatip, Bangkok Travel Plus, and Jarinthon.
For train travel, a night train to Surat Thani is recommended. Phantip vans run from Khao Sok to Surat Thani approximately hourly between 6:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. for about 225 baht. Buses run until about 2:40 p.m.; the journey takes two to two and a half hours. Fast train No. 168 departs Phun Phin at 6:32 p.m., express train No. 86 at 7:31 p.m., and express train No. 84 at 8:23 p.m. Arrival in Bangkok is between 5:10 a.m. and 7:05 a.m. 12Go also offers a van at 5:00 p.m. connecting to a night train that arrives at 7:30 a.m. for about 1,350 baht.
To fly, take a car or minibus to Surat Thani Airport (approximately a 1.5-hour drive) and leave Khao Sok at least four hours before your flight. The 12Go ticket for the minibus and flight departing at 3:00 PM arrives at Don Mueang at 8:00 PM and costs approximately 1,500 Baht.
Khao Sok → Bangkok: Departure times you can book now
bus
Minivan
Check the bus connections from Khao Sok to Bangkok.
The 12Go board for the return journey to Bangkok using night buses and minibuses.
More about Khao Sok and the south
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about the Bangkok–Khao Sok route.
The route is approximately 720 km by road. This equates to 5 to 6 hours door-to-door with a flight to Surat Thani followed by a car journey, 13 to 15 hours by night train and bus, or approximately 15 hours by night bus.
Not directly to Khao Sok. Night trains run every evening from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Surat Thani (Phun Phin), and buses from the station reach Khao Sok in about two hours. The express train No. 83 at 6:50 p.m. connects with the bus at 6:40 a.m.
You can buy a ticket from Khao San Road or the southern bus station. Departure is around 6:40 to 7:00 PM, arrival around 9:30 to 10:30 AM. The price is approximately 800–1260 baht. In most cases, a transfer to a minibus is included.
Surat Thani is about 100 km away and can be reached by car in an hour and a half. Phuket and Krabi are about 145 to 150 km away and can be reached in two to three hours, but offer more flight connections.
Approximately 1 hour 10 to 1 hour 20. About a dozen flights per day depart from Don Mueang starting at 06:50 for about ฿1,000–1,650, and a few depart from Suvarnabhumi.
A rental car from 12Go costs approximately 1,860 baht, and the drive to the hotel takes about an hour and a half. A ticket for a bus or minibus from the airport costs approximately 350 baht.
A night bus from Khao Sok departs between 2:00 PM and 4:30 PM and arrives at its destination at dawn. The cost is approximately 550–1260 Baht. Alternatively, you can take a minibus to Surat Thani in the afternoon and catch a night bus from there, or drive to Surat Thani Airport to catch a flight.
Two or three nights, one or two in the village for the hiking trails and the river, and one at Cheow Lan Lake. From Bangkok, that's a long journey for just one night.
Where to stay in Thailand
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I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled throughout the country from there. The guidebooks reflect my personal opinion and are written as I would explain things to a friend planning a trip.
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