Two catamarans per day and route, plus the night ferry
Chumphon is the closest mainland port to Koh Tao, and the catamaran crossing takes 1 hour and 45 minutes. Two ferry companies offer this service. Lomprayah catamarans depart from Thung Makham Noi pier at 7:00 AM and 1:15 PM, arriving in Mae Haad at 8:45 AM and 3:00 PM for 750 baht. Boonsiri catamarans depart from their own pier at 6:45 AM and 1:00 PM for the same price. Both companies also include transfers from Chumphon railway station and the airport in the ticket price, which most travelers take advantage of, as the piers are located outside the city.
Check the latest flight times and seat availability for Chumphon → Koh Tao on 12Go.
If you arrive in the evening, a night ferry departs at 9:00 PM and arrives around 5:00 AM. I would recommend booking a ticket for the train station or airport rather than driving to the ferry terminal yourself.
Accommodation in Koh Tao
This route ends in Koh Tao. Search for hotels in Koh Tao for your travel dates or narrow your search to the region you wish to visit. Filter for hotels with free cancellation if you'd like to book a room and decide later.
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My picks in every price category on Koh Tao
Key facts
The catamaran costs 750 Baht and the journey takes 1 hour 45 minutes.
Lomprayah at 7:00 and 13:15, Boonsiri at 6:45 and 13:00. The slow ferry to Lomprayah at 5:45 takes 2.5 hours and costs 450 Baht.
It costs 900 baht from the train station.
The vans from Lomprayah depart at 06:00 and 12:00, those from Boonsiri at 06:00 and 11:30, in time for the morning and afternoon boats.
From the airport it costs 1,000 Baht.
The bus from Lomprayah at 09:00 arrives in Koh Tao at 15:00 and the bus from Boonsiri at 09:15 arrives at 14:45, both connecting with the bus from Thai AirAsia at 07:25 from Don Mueang.
The night ferry departs at 9:00 PM.
It lands in Mae Haad around 05:00 and costs about 855–866 Baht on 12Go.
The piers are located outside the city.
Lomprayah departs from Thung Makham Noi and Boonsiri from its own pier in Paknam. The Lomprayah transfer from the train station to the pier costs 150 baht, and from the airport 250–300 baht.
October to December can be difficult.
It is the shortest crossing to Koh Tao, which is advantageous during the rough season in the Gulf, but boats may still be cancelled for a day.
Every boat from Chumphon to Koh Tao
The timetables and prices for Lomprayah and Boonsiri are taken from their own timetables for 2026; the night ferry from 12Go is for a weekday in mid-November.
Bookable departures · updated daily
Chumphon → Koh Tao: 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.
Ferry & Speedboat
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.
Check the live boat connections from Chumphon to Koh Tao.
12Go shows the boats Lomprayah and Boonsiri with pickup at the train station, airport and in the city, as well as the night ferry with seating for your companion.
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From the train station, airport or hotel
From the respective timetables of the shipping companies for 2026. The morning departures meet the boats at 6:45 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., the late morning departures meet the boats at 1:00 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.
From the night train
Most travelers arrive by night train from Bangkok. Suitable trains are the later services: Train 85 from Bangkok Aphiwat at 7:50 PM, arriving in Chumphon at 3:43 AM, and Train 39 at 10:50 PM, arriving at 5:22 AM. Lomprayah and Boonsiri vans both depart from the station at 6:00 AM and will take you to the morning catamarans. You will reach Koh Tao around 8:30 to 8:45 AM for 900 baht. The earlier night trains arrive before midnight, allowing you to stay overnight in Chumphon and take the same van the following morning.
Those who prefer to sleep in a bed and take the afternoon ferry can catch the vans at 11:30 am (Boonsiri) and 12:00 pm (Lomprayah), arriving in Koh Tao at 2:45 pm and 3:00 pm, respectively. The daytime train from Bangkok at 7:30 am arrives at 1:50 pm, after the last van. Therefore, your only options are the overnight ferry or an overnight stay in the city. Our Bangkok to Koh Tao travel guide includes all train connections heading south.
The best-rated hotels in Koh Tao
Here is my ranking of the 10 best hotels in Koh Tao. Each button opens the hotel on Booking.com, where you have already entered your travel dates.
From Chumphon Airport
The Thai AirAsia flight departing Don Mueang at 7:25 a.m. lands at 8:30 a.m. Both ferry companies offer connecting flights. The bus and catamaran from Lomprayah departing at 9:00 a.m. arrive in Koh Tao at 3:00 p.m., while the one from Boonsiri departing at 9:15 a.m. arrives at 2:45 p.m. – both cost 1,000 baht. The wait at the pier is quite long for the short crossing, so bring a book. The transfer from the airport to the pier alone costs 250–300 baht if you have already booked the boat.
The night ferry
The slow overnight ferry departs Chumphon at 9:00 PM and arrives in Mae Haad around 5:00 AM. The cabins are shared, and there is an outside deck. The fare is approximately 855–866 baht (according to 12Go). It is suitable for those arriving in Chumphon in the evening, for example, on an early night train or a late bus, and who prefer to sleep on the ferry rather than in the city. Since you arrive before the island wakes up, it is advisable to book a cabin that can be occupied early.
From Koh Tao to Chumphon
For the return journey, Lomprayah catamarans depart Mae Haad at 10:15 AM and 3:00 PM, arriving at Thung Makham Noi pier at 11:45 AM and 4:45 PM for 750 baht. The 12:30 PM ferry arrives at Thung Makham Noi at 3:00 PM for 450 baht. Boonsiri departs at 10:00 AM and 2:45 PM, arriving at the pier at 11:45 AM and 4:45 PM for 750 baht. Lomprayah vans reach the train station at 12:45 PM, 4:00 PM, or 5:30 PM, and the airport at 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM, or 6:00 PM. Boonsiri arrives at the train station at 12:30 or 17:30 and at the airport at 13:30 or 18:20.
For the overnight train to Bangkok, the best option is to take a boat to the train station in the afternoon. Six trains depart between 8:51 pm and 11:56 pm. Alternatively, you can take a boat from Lomprayah at 3:00 pm to the airport, allowing you to catch the 7:30 pm Nok Air flight to Don Mueang. All train and flight connections can be found in our Koh Tao to Bangkok travel guide.
Are you planning the rest of the trip?
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about the connection from Chumphon to Koh Tao.
1 hour 45 minutes with the catamarans from Lomprayah and Boonsiri, 2.5 hours with the slow ferry from Lomprayah at 05:45 am and about 8 hours with the night ferry at 21:00 am.
750 Baht by catamaran from the pier, 900 Baht by minibus from the train station or town, 1,000 Baht from the airport, 450 Baht by the slow ferry from Lomprayah and about 855–866 Baht by the night ferry.
Boonsiri departs at 6:45 AM and 1:00 PM, Lomprayah at 7:00 AM and 1:15 PM. There is also a ferry at 5:45 AM and a night ferry at 9:00 PM. Shuttle buses run at 6:00 AM and either 11:30 AM or 12:00 PM.
Purchase a ticket at the train station for Lomprayah or Boonsiri (900 Baht), including transfer to the pier. Both vans depart at 6:00 AM and arrive around 8:30 to 8:45 AM. In the afternoon, boats depart at 11:30 AM (Boonsiri) and 12:00 PM (Lomprayah).
Chumphon. The catamaran journey from Chumphon takes 1 hour 45 minutes, compared to 3 hours 45 minutes from Donsak near Surat Thani. Trains from Bangkok arrive in Chumphon first. Surat Thani is a good choice if you are traveling to Koh Samui or Koh Phangan first.
Lomprayah departs Mae Haad at 10:15, 12:30 and 15:00 and Boonsiri at 10:00 and 14:45, reaching Chumphon in 1 hour 45 minutes (2.5 hours by the slow ferry at 12:30) for 450–750 Baht, from where you can continue by minibus to the train station and the airport.
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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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