Morning on the boat, evening in Bangkok

Every route from Koh Tao to Bangkok begins with a boat trip to Chumphon on the mainland (1.5 to 2.5 hours) followed by a bus, train, or plane. The easiest way is to book just one ticket. The Lomprayah catamaran at 10:15 AM connects with a bus that arrives in Khao San Road at 8:30 PM for 1,250 baht. Boonsiri offers the same connection at 10:00 AM for the same price. Both companies also sell direct tickets to the airport – the part most travelers need.

Check current flight times and seat availability from Koh Tao to Bangkok on 12Go.

The most comfortable option is the 3:00 PM ferry to Chumphon Station and from there the night train to Bangkok at dawn. The fastest is the 3:00 PM ferry to Chumphon Airport and the 7:30 PM Nok Air flight, arriving in Don Mueang at 8:30 PM. I would recommend taking the 10:15 AM ferry and the bus, unless you absolutely want to take the night train.

Where to stay in Bangkok

This route ends in Bangkok. Search for hotels in Bangkok for your travel dates or narrow your search to a specific region. Filter for hotels with free cancellation if you'd like to book a room and decide later.

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My picks in Bangkok in every price category

  • Millennium Hilton Bangkok · Luxury · 5 stars · 4.6 (12,976)
  • Centara Watergate Pavilion Hotel Bangkok · Mid-range · 4 stars · 4.5 (4,456)
  • Old Capital Bike InnCheap · 3 stars · 4.9 (386)

    • Key facts

    The journey to Khao San by boat and bus costs 1,250 Baht and lasts from 10:15 am to 8:30 pm.

    The ferries from Lomprayah at 10:15 and from Boonsiri at 10:00 both reach Khao San Road at 20:30. The afternoon boats arrive around 1:00, and the slow ferry from Lomprayah at 12:30 with a connecting bus costs 850 baht.

    Boonsiri arrives at Suvarnabhumi at 9:30 PM for ฿1,500

    The Lomprayah airport bus arrives at Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang at 11:00 PM for 1,750 baht. Be sure to book a flight for the following morning.

    The boat at 3:00 PM meets the night trains.

    The train arrives at Chumphon station at 5:30 PM for 900 Baht. Between 8:51 PM and 11:56 PM, six trains depart for Bangkok, arriving there between 3:45 AM and 7:30 AM.

    Fly from Chumphon and you will arrive in Bangkok at 8:30 pm.

    The boat departing at 3:00 PM arrives at Chumphon Airport at 6:00 PM for 1,000 Baht, in time for the Nok Air flight to Don Mueang at 7:30 PM.

    Everything starts at Mae Haad Pier.

    Lomprayah and Boonsiri have their own piers there. Please check in 30 minutes before the boat's departure to receive a boarding sticker.

    Take a day off sometime between October and December.

    During the harsh season in the Gulf of Mexico, boats may not operate for a day or two. Therefore, do not plan your return flight for the same day as your crossing.

    All routes from Koh Tao to Bangkok compared

    Lomprayah and Boonsiri timetables and prices are taken from their own 2026 timetables. Train timetables are from Barrow's Thai Tracks timetable, and berth prices are from 12Go and Seat61. Flights and the overnight ferry are listed on 12Go for a weekday in mid-November, for which the operators do not publish timetables.

    Bookable departures · updated daily

    Koh Tao → Bangkok: 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.

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    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.

    Find out about live boat and bus connections from Koh Tao to Bangkok.

    12Go shows tickets from Lomprayah and Boonsiri to Khao San and the airports, combined boat and train tickets, and flight connections with seats for your desired date.

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    To Khao San Road by boat and bus

    This is the convenient option. The Lomprayah catamaran departs at 10:15 AM and takes 1.5 hours to reach Thung Makham Noi Pier near Chumphon. A bus awaits there, and you'll arrive in Khao San or Pinklao at 8:30 PM for 1,250 baht or 1,550 baht with a VIP seat, respectively. The Boonsiri ferry departs at 10:00 AM and also arrives in Khao San at 8:30 PM for 1,250 baht. The slower Lomprayah ferry departs at 12:30 PM and takes 2.5 hours to reach the pier, but the connecting bus arrives in Khao San at 11:45 PM for 850 baht. This saves 400 baht but means a late night out.

    The afternoon boats from Lomprayah (3:00 PM) and Boonsiri (2:45 PM) arrive in Khao San Road at 12:45 AM and 1:00 AM, respectively. This is ideal for a late arrival with a hotel on Khao San Road and few other plans. Lomprayah also offers a 10:15 AM service to Phaya Thai Airport Link Station and Hua Lamphong for 1,550 baht, arriving at 11:00 PM.

    Directly to the airports

    Both companies offer boat and bus connections to the airports. The Boonsiri ticket is cheaper. The 10:00 AM boat and bus service arrives at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 9:30 PM for 1,500 baht, while the 2:45 PM service arrives at either Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang Airport at 2:00 AM, also for 1,500 baht. The Lomprayah service departs at 10:15 AM and arrives at either airport at 11:00 PM for 1,750 baht, or 2,050 baht with a VIP seat.

    None of these options offer enough flexibility for a same-day flight. Therefore, book a flight for the following morning and stay overnight near the airport, or fly from Samui instead.

    Night trains from Chumphon to Bangkok

    For train times, please refer to the Barrow's Thai Tracks timetable. A second-class sleeper berth with air conditioning costs approximately 640–650 baht with 12Go and 729 baht according to the Seat61 fare list.

    The best-rated hotels in Bangkok

    Here is my ranking of the 10 best hotels in Bangkok. Each button will take you directly to the hotel's page on Booking.com, where you have already entered your travel dates.

  • #2 Shangri-La Bangkok 4.6 (11,460 reviews) Luxurious river hotel in Bang Rak overlooking the Chao Phraya River, with first-class service and comprehensive resort facilities. Check prices
  • #3 Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok 4.7 (6,977 reviews) The Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok solves the biggest problem in the Siam district – the lack of quiet places to sleep – with an idyllic resort garden featuring saltwater pools. Check prices
  • #4 Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok 4.7 (6,702 reviews) A legendary riverside hotel in Bangkok's Bang Rak district with elegant rooms, world-class dining, and a renowned spa. Check prices

    • The night train from Chumphon

    Taking the train is the most comfortable way to return home, as you sleep in a sleeper car instead of on a bus seat and arrive in the morning. Take the catamaran from Lomprayah at 3:00 PM to Chumphon Station, arriving at 5:30 PM for 900 baht, or the one from Boonsiri at 2:45 PM, also arriving at 5:30 PM for 900 baht. The slower ferry from Lomprayah at 12:30 PM is the cheaper option, reaching the station at 4:00 PM for 600 baht. This leaves you a few hours for dinner in town before continuing your journey by train.

    Between 8:51 PM and 11:56 PM, six trains depart from Chumphon to Bangkok. I would book train number 86 at 10:19 PM (arriving at 6:10 AM) and train number 84 at 11:18 PM (arriving at 7:05 AM), as they arrive after 6:00 AM and not in the middle of the night. The 8:51 PM train only offers seating and arrives at 3:45 AM. A second-class sleeper berth with air conditioning costs approximately 650–730 baht. Book as early as possible in December and January, as the best berths sell out quickly.

    Flight from Chumphon or Koh Samui

    Chumphon Airport is the cheapest option. Lomprayah's boat and van departs at 3:00 PM and arrives at 6:00 PM for 1,000 baht, while Nok Air's 7:30 PM flight lands at Don Mueang at 8:30 PM for approximately 1,700 baht on a weekday in November. Thai AirAsia's 9:00 AM flight requires an overnight stay in Chumphon and, starting in mid-December, offers an additional 3:40 PM flight, which connects with the 10:15 AM Lomprayah boat (departing the airport at 1:00 PM).

    Samui is served by significantly more flights. Bangkok Airways offers approximately 20 daily flights to Suvarnabhumi Airport. The 7:05 AM speedboat with airport transfer arrives at Samui Airport around 9:30 AM for 950 Baht and is suitable for flights departing from approximately 11:00 AM. The 12:30 PM boat arrives at Samui around 2:40 PM and is suitable for flights departing from approximately 4:30 PM. From Surat Thani Airport, with its more affordable flights to Don Mueang, you can reach Samui at 11:00 AM via the 7:05 AM speedboat for 1,200 Baht. All information regarding boats and flights can be found in our travel guides for the Koh Tao–Koh Samui and Koh Samui–Bangkok routes.

    The Night Boat

    The slow night boat to Surat Thani departs from Mae Haad at 9:00 or 10:00 PM. Booking websites often offer it together with a minibus to Bangkok, which arrives the next day around 1:00 or 2:00 PM and costs approximately 1,350–1,450 baht. It costs about the same as the daytime trip by boat and bus, but takes longer and is therefore only worthwhile if you plan to spend an extra day on the island.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Frequently asked questions about the route from Koh Tao to Bangkok.

    Take the Lomprayah catamaran at 10:15 AM, followed by the bus or the one from Boonsiri at 10:00 AM. Both arrive in Khao San at 8:30 PM for 1,250 baht. Alternatively, you can take the boat to Chumphon at 3:00 PM and from there book a night train or the Nok Air flight at 7:30 PM.

    Approximately 10 hours by boat and bus (10:15 → 20:30), approximately 5.5 hours by boat at 15:00 and flight at 19:30 from Chumphon, and approximately 15 hours by boat at 15:00 and a night train.

    Yes. Boonsiri's boat and bus depart at 10:00 AM and arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 9:30 PM for 1,500 baht, and Lomprayah's boat departs at 10:15 AM and arrives at either Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang Airport at 11:00 PM for 1,750 baht. Plan for a flight the following morning.

    From Chumphon, the afternoon boats operated by Lomprayah and Boonsiri arrive at Chumphon station at 5:30 PM for 900 baht. Between 8:51 PM and 11:56 PM, six trains depart for Bangkok, arriving there between 3:45 AM and 7:30 AM.

    The ferry and bus from Lomprayah at 12:30 to Khao San cost 850 Baht, or the ferry at 12:30 to Chumphon railway station for 600 Baht plus a train seat for about 650–730 Baht.

    Koh Tao has no airport. Fly from Chumphon (Nok Air at 7:30 pm after the 3:00 pm boat departure) or from Koh Samui, which is frequently served by Bangkok Airways. From there, the transfer by boat and airport to Koh Tao costs 950 baht.

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    Continue your journey from Bangkok

    The next stage, with the fastest and cheapest way to get there.

  • Bangkok – Ayutthaya: Fastest long-distance train, 3rd class, 50–80 min. Cheapest regional train, approx. 15–20 ฿. Compare all 6 options.
  • Bangkok–Buriram: Fastest flight with Thai AirAsia, 1 hour flight time, approximately 4 hours door-to-door. Cheapest connection: Express No. 71 or Rapid No. 135, approximately 175–450 Baht. Compare all 7 options.
  • Bangkok – Chiang Mai: Fastest flight (1 hr 10–20 min + airport time), cheapest express bus ($16–$25). Compare all 6 options.
  • Bangkok – Chiang Rai: Fastest flight, Don Mueang, 80–95 min. Cheapest night bus, Transport Co., approx. 720–840 ฿. Compare all 5 options.
  • Bangkok-Chumphon: Cheapest Suwannatee bus connection, approx. 400 ฿. Compare all 7 options.
  • Bangkok–Hua Hin: Fastest special train No. 43, 3 hours | Cheapest regional train, 44 ฿ | Compare all 8 connections

    • Return journey? Bangkok to Koh Tao – All 27 routes from Bangkok

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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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