One morning by boat, then a long afternoon on the road

Koh Tao is located in the Gulf of Thailand, while Phuket lies in the Andaman Sea, on the other side of the peninsula. Therefore, there is no direct ferry connection between the two islands. Each ticket includes a boat trip to the mainland followed by a bus journey of approximately 290 km (180 miles) by road, or a boat trip to Koh Samui followed by a flight. The easiest option is the Lomprayah catamaran departing from Mae Haad at 9:30 am. From there, you'll meet a coach at Donsak Pier and arrive at the office in Phuket at 6:30 pm. The trip costs 1,600 baht.

Check the latest flight times and seat availability from Koh Tao to Phuket on 12Go.

The same boat with a van will take you to Phuket Airport around 6:00 PM or to your hotel in Patong, Kata, or Karon around 8:00 PM. Songserm's speedboat with a van departs at 11:30 AM and arrives at Phuket 2 bus station at 7:00 PM, and the night boat will take you there around noon. If you need to catch a flight from Phuket, I would recommend flying from Koh Samui instead, as the overland journey often takes so long that you'll miss your flight.

Where to stay in Phuket

This route ends in Phuket. Search for hotels in Phuket 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 recommendations in every price category in Phuket

  • Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket · Luxury · 5 stars · 4.7 (6,964)
  • Soul Villas By The Beach · Mid-range price · 4 stars · 4.9 (424)
  • Isara Boutique Hotel and Café · Budget · 3 stars · 4.7 (640)

    • Key facts

    Lomprayah's train at 9:30 a.m. reaches Phuket at 6:30 p.m. for 1,600 baht.

    One ticket, catamaran to Donsak pier and then by bus across, arrival at the Lomprayah office in Wichit, west of Phuket Town.

    Buy the ticket that will take you to your accommodation.

    Agencies sell the same boat, which departs at 9:30 am, together with a minibus to Patong, Kata, Karon, Kamala, Bang Tao or the airport for about 1,600–1,750 baht; arrival between about 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm.

    Departure by 11:30 am to arrive on the same day

    Songserm's speedboat and minibus at 11:30 am, the last option of the day, reach Phuket 2 bus station around 7:00 pm for about 1,800 baht.

    Flying first means a boat trip to Samui.

    Koh Tao has no airport. The speedboat at 7:05 a.m. reaches Samui Airport around 9:30 a.m., and Bangkok Airways flies to Phuket in about an hour for around 3,700 baht.

    The night boat departs at 9:00 PM.

    The ship travels overnight to Surat Thani and connects with buses that arrive at the Phuket bus stations around 12:00 to 13:00. The fare is approximately 1,250–1,550 baht.

    October to December is the rough season on the Gulf of Mexico.

    It is possible that boat connections may be cancelled for a day or two, so please plan an extra day before your flight home.

    All routes from Koh Tao to Phuket compared

    Boat and bus schedules and prices from 12Go for a weekday in mid-November, as well as the Lomprayah timetable for 2026 (departing at 9:30 am). Flights from 12Go and the Samui ferry are also included in our Koh Tao to Koh Samui travel guide.

    Check the current flight tickets from Koh Tao to Phuket.

    12Go sells the Lomprayah tickets with every departure, the Songserm speedboat and night boat combinations, with seats for your companion.

    Sponsored link – We may receive a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

    Lomprayah's boat and bus

    The Lomprayah catamaran ferry departing from Mae Haad at 9:30 am is the most popular option and my recommendation. It travels to Donsak Pier on the mainland near Surat Thani, where a bus takes you onward across the peninsula in about five hours. Arrival at the Lomprayah office in Wichit, west of Phuket Town, is at 6:30 pm. The ticket costs 1,600 baht. From the office, you'll need a taxi to reach your beach. If you're staying in Patong, Kata, or Karon, the van options listed below will save you this last step.

    There is only one departure per day, so it is advisable to book a few days in advance from December to March. The reviews on 12Go mainly concern the second half of the journey – long waits at the pier or an aging bus – and less the ship itself. Therefore, expect the 6:30 pm departure to be slightly delayed.

    Pick-up from your hotel or airport

    Several travel agencies offer the same 9:30 AM boat trip with a private van from Donsak. These tickets are recommended if you already know your accommodation. On a weekday in November, 12Go offered the following departure times: Phuket Airport approximately 6:00–7:00 PM, Phuket Town 6:30–7:15 PM, Bang Tao and Surin 6:30–7:30 PM, Patong and Kamala 7:30–8:00 PM, and Kata and Karon approximately 8:00–8:30 PM. Prices range from approximately 1,600 to 1,750 baht. The vans visit the island's beaches in a predetermined order, with the beaches on the south coast being visited last.

    Check that your ticket specifies your beach, not just Phuket. One 12Go user booked a trip to Kata and ended up in Phuket Town, having to find a taxi.

    Songserms 11:30 Speedboat

    For those who prefer a more relaxed start to their day, there's a bus service: the Songserm speedboat departs at 11:30 AM, followed by a minibus that arrives at Phuket 2 bus station, north of Phuket Town, around 7:00 PM (approximately 1,800 Baht). The Koh Tao Booking Center offers a similar ticket departing at 11:00 AM and arriving at 7:30 PM. These are the last departures available for same-day arrivals in Phuket.

    The best-rated hotels in Phuket

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

  • #2SAii Laguna Phuket 4.7 (5,335 reviews) A beachfront resort on Bang Tao Beach with a relaxed lagoon setting within the Laguna Phuket complex. Check prices
  • #3 Banyan Tree Phuket 4.8 (4,448 reviews) Award-winning luxury resort in northern Phuket, known for its villas with private pools and an exceptional spa. Check prices
  • #4 Kalima Resort & Spa 4.7 (4,782 reviews) A hillside resort in Patong with an infinity pool, spa, artificial beach, and highly praised staff and restaurant. Check prices

    • Flight over Koh Samui

    Koh Tao has no airport, so you must first take a boat to Samui. Two boats offer direct connections to Samui Airport for 950 baht: the speedboat at 7:05 a.m. (arriving around 9:30 a.m.) and the one at 12:30 p.m. (arriving around 2:40 p.m.). Bangkok Airways offers weekday nonstop flights from Samui to Phuket in November. The flight time is approximately one hour. Departures are at 8:15 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 3:50 p.m., and 6:15 p.m. The price is around 3,700 baht, rising to 5,000 baht or more in December. Allow 90 minutes for a layover at Samui Airport. This way you can take the boat at 7:05 am to catch the flight at 12:30 pm (arrival approx. 1:30 pm) and the boat at 12:30 am to catch the flight at 6:15 pm.

    It costs about three times as much as boat and bus, but you'll arrive at Phuket Airport in the early afternoon. Our travel guides for the Koh Tao–Koh Samui and Koh Samui–Phuket routes provide you with all boat and flight connections.

    The Night Boat

    The cheapest option is the overnight ferry. It departs from Mae Haad at 9:00 PM and offers mattresses on an open deck. You arrive in Surat Thani in the early morning, from where you can continue by bus or minivan to Phuket Bus Station 1 or 2 around noon or 1:00 PM. A ticket costs approximately 1,250–1,550 baht. This saves you a hotel night and leaves the afternoon free, even though you slept on a boat.

    Is it possible to fly from Phuket on the same day?

    Traveling by land is only possible with a late connection. The earliest arrival at Phuket Airport is around 6:00 PM. You should arrive two hours before your international flight. Boats and buses are often delayed, so I wouldn't book before 10:00 PM on the same day. During the peak season from October to December, when boat services can be canceled, you shouldn't even consider this option.

    The safest option is to fly from Samui. Taking the 7:05 AM boat and the 12:30 PM flight, you'll arrive at Phuket Airport around 1:30 PM. Alternatively, you can arrive the day before and stay overnight in Phuket. Our "Accommodation in Phuket" guidebook provides information on beaches near the airport.

    Are you planning the rest of the trip?

    Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Take the Lomprayah catamaran and bus at 9:30 AM, arriving in Phuket at 6:30 PM for 1,600 baht, or an alternative connection by minivan to your hotel or the airport. Songserm's speedboat and minivan at 11:30 AM arrive around 7:00 PM, and the night boat and bus at 9:00 PM reach Phuket around noon. Alternatively, you can take a boat to Koh Samui and fly from there.

    Not exactly. Koh Tao is located in the Gulf and Phuket on the Andaman coast, so each ticket includes either a boat trip to Donsak or Surat Thani on the mainland plus a bus or minibus trip across the peninsula, or a boat trip to Koh Samui plus a flight.

    Approximately 9 hours by boat and bus (09:30 → 18:30), up to 11 hours with hotel transfer in Kata or Karon, approximately 6.5 hours by plane from Samui with the boat at 07:05 and the plane at 12:30, and approximately 15 to 16 hours by night boat.

    The journey by Lomprayah's boat and bus costs 1,600 baht, by van to the hotel or airport approximately 1,600–1,750 baht, by Songserm about 1,800 baht, and by night boat about 1,250–1,550 baht. The boat crossing to Samui Airport costs 950 baht, and the flight itself about 3,700 baht.

    From Donsak Pier to Phuket, it's about 290 km by road after the boat trip from Koh Tao to the mainland. The flight from Samui to Phuket takes about an hour.

    Not from Koh Tao, as there is no airport there. Take the speedboat at 7:05 am or 12:30 pm to Samui Airport (950 baht) and fly to Phuket with Bangkok Airways. On a weekday in November, there are six flights daily, the flight time is about one hour, and the price is approximately 3,700 baht.

    Only one late connection is available. The earliest arrival time at the airport is around 6:00 PM, and the journey often takes longer than expected. Therefore, I wouldn't book a flight before 10:00 PM. Taking the 7:05 AM ferry to Samui and the 12:30 PM flight will get you to Phuket Airport around 1:30 PM – the more reliable option.

    No. Phuket has no railway network, so every route ends on the road. Trains are only an option if you are traveling from Chumphon or Surat Thani to Bangkok.

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    Onward journey from Phuket

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

  • Phuket–Bangkok: Fastest flight, 1 hr 20–35 min (+ airport time) | Cheapest option: Minivan + sleeper car via Surat Thani, $17–$57 depending on class | Compare all 4 options
  • Phuket – Chiang Mai: Fastest direct flight, approximately 2 hours flight time, approximately 4.5 hours door-to-door. Cheapest direct flight, approximately 1,800–3,600 ฿ (without baggage). Compare all 5 options.
  • Phuket Khao Lak: Fastest airport taxi counter, 80–100 min. Cheapest public bus, 130–250 ฿ at the counter, approx. 270 ฿ online. Compare all 5 options.
  • Phuket – Khao Sok: Fastest car or transfer (pre-booked), 2.5–3 hours from the airport, 3–3.5 hours from the southern beaches. Cheapest bus: 370 Baht with 12Go, less at the ticket counter. Compare all 4 options.
  • Phuket – Koh Lanta: Fastest speedboat (approx. 1.5 hours) | Cheapest minivan via Krabi (approx. 750 ฿, door-to-door approx. 1,300 ฿) | Compare all 5 options
  • Phuket – Koh Lipe: Fastest connection: Other speedboats from Rassada on the 12Go route, 5–7 hours, sometimes with a transfer. Cheapest connection: Bus to Hat Yai, then van and speedboat via Pak Bara, 440–684 baht plus 950 baht. Compare all 4 routes.

    • Return journey? From Phuket to Koh Tao – All 13 routes from Phuket

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