A ticket across the peninsula
Krabi is located on the Andaman coast and Koh Tao in the Persian Gulf, so there's no direct boat connection. However, the crossing is easier than you might think. Lomprayah and Boonsiri offer a combination ticket that includes a bus ride across the peninsula to the Persian Gulf, followed by a catamaran trip with stops in Samui and Phangan before reaching Koh Tao. The Lomprayah ferry departs at 8:00 AM from their office in Krabi Town, arriving in Mae Haad at 2:15 PM and costs 1,300 baht. Additional departures are at 9:30 AM, 11:30 AM, and 1:00 PM. Both ferry companies offer a pick-up service from hotels in Ao Nang.
Check the latest flight times and seat availability for Krabi → Koh Tao on 12Go.
If you prefer to travel overnight, you can take a minibus to Surat Thani in the afternoon and catch the night boat at 9:00 PM, which arrives on Koh Tao at sunrise. Flying isn't a good option, as the only daily flight to Samui lands too late in the afternoon to allow for the boat trip. I would recommend the 8:00 AM departure if you're comfortable with an early start.
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
Lomprayah's departure at 8:00 am lands at 2:15 pm for 1,300 baht.
From the office in Krabi Town, there are further departures at 9:30, 11:30 and 13:00. Pick-up in Krabi Town costs an additional 100 Baht, and from a hotel in Ao Nang, 150 Baht.
Boonsiri will pick you up in Ao Nang at 9:00 AM.
Hotel transfers from Ao Nang, Ao Nammao, Nopparat Thara, Klong Muang and Tubkaek reach Koh Tao at 16:25 for 1,300 Baht, the same price as from the branch in Krabi at 10:00.
The speedboat departing at 13:00 Direct is the fastest boat.
The last departure from Lomprayah that day lands at 18:00 for ฿1.600, and the speedboat at 09:30 lands at 16:00 for ฿1.400.
The night boat leaves Surat Thani at 9:00 PM.
In the afternoon, minibuses from Krabi and Ao Nang reach Surat Thani around 6:30 pm, and the boat arrives in Mae Haad around 5:00 to 6:00 am. The total cost is approximately 850–1750 baht.
The trip on the day boats takes 6 to 7.5 hours.
It's about 190 km by car to the Donsak pier on the Gulf, then the catamaran docks in Samui and Phangan on its way to Koh Tao.
The rough season in the Gulf of Mexico lasts from October to December.
During rough seas in these months, ships may be unable to sail for a day or two. Therefore, please allow an extra day before your onward flight.
All routes from Krabi to Koh Tao compared
The timetables and fares for Lomprayah and Boonsiri are taken from their own 2026 timetables; the minibus and night boat combinations are from 12Go for a mid-November weekday when the operators do not print timetables.
Check the current ticket prices from Krabi to Koh Tao.
12Go shows the tickets for Lomprayah and Boonsiri with the pick-up points in Krabi and Ao Nang, as well as the combinations with the night boat, including seats for your companion.
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Lomprayah from Krabi Town
Lomprayah offers four daily departures from its office in Krabi Town. The 8:00 AM and 11:30 AM departures involve a bus transfer to the Gulf, followed by a catamaran crossing Nathon on Samui and Phangan. Arrival in Mae Haad is at 2:15 PM and 5:45 PM, respectively, for 1,300 baht. The 9:30 AM departure includes a speedboat transfer and arrives in Mae Haad at 4:00 PM for 1,400 baht. The direct speedboat at 1:00 PM arrives in Mae Haad at 6:00 PM for 1,600 baht – the latest and fastest option. Booking portals list both speedboats under the name Lomlahkkhirin; it is the same service.
If you are staying overnight in the city, the bus will pick you up at designated stops such as the pier, Walking Street, and the night market for an additional 100 baht. The same ticket also allows you to make a stopover in Samui or Phangan if you wish to break up your journey.
From Ao Nang
Most travelers stay overnight in Ao Nang, and both companies offer a pick-up service there. Lomprayah picks up passengers from Ao Nang hotels about an hour before departure: at 7:00 AM for the 8:00 AM departure and at 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, and 12:00 PM for later departures. The hotel transfer fee is 150 baht. Boonsiri offers a transfer from Ao Nang to Ao Nammao, Nopparat Thara, Klong Muang, and Tubkaek. Departure is at 9:00 AM, arriving on Koh Tao at 4:25 PM. The price is 1,300 baht, with no additional charges. Railay is not accessible by car; from there, you must first take a longtail boat to Ao Nang.
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.
Overnight stay in the van and on the Surat Thani night boat
Surat Thani is only about 155 km from Krabi, so you can spend the day at the beach and still stay overnight along the way. Minibuses run from Krabi bus station to Surat Thani during the day. The journey takes approximately 3 hours and costs 225–305 baht. The last reliable bus is at 3:00 PM, arriving in the city around 6:00 PM. In the afternoon, minibuses depart from Ao Nang between 3:00 and 4:00 PM, reaching the city around 6:30 PM. The fare is 244–338 baht. The night boat departs from the Ban Don riverbank at 9:00 PM and arrives in Mae Haad between 5:00 and 6:00 AM. The crossing, with mattresses on the open deck, costs approximately 770–1,040 baht.
The booking portals offer van and night boat trips together. The boats depart from Krabi or Ao Nang between approximately 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm and cost about 850–1,750 baht. It's the cheapest option, and you'll reach your destination before the day boats. For more information about the night boat, see our travel guide from Surat Thani to Koh Tao.
Flight over Koh Samui
Bangkok Airways flies once daily from Krabi to Koh Samui in October and November, departing at 1:45 PM and landing at 2:30 PM. From mid-December, there is a second flight at 6:25 PM for approximately 4,800 Baht. The 1:45 PM flight lands too late to catch the afternoon boats to Koh Tao. Therefore, flying this route is only worthwhile if you plan to spend a night on Koh Samui beforehand. Our travel guide for the Krabi–Koh Samui route includes flights and boat trips.
From Koh Tao to Krabi, Ao Nang and Railay
The return journey with Lomprayah departs from Mae Haad at 7:05 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11:00 AM. The ferry arrives at their office in Krabi at 1:00 PM, 3:30 PM, and 4:00 PM. The 9:30 AM ferry also stops at hotels in Ao Nang at 4:30 PM for 1,450 Baht. Our Koh Tao to Krabi travel guide includes all stops in Krabi Town, Ao Nang, and Railay, as well as information on the evening flight from Krabi Airport and the overnight ferry.
Are you planning the rest of the trip?
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about traveling from Krabi to Koh Tao.
Take the Lomprayah combined bus and catamaran from their office in Krabi at 8:00 or 11:30 for 1,300 baht (arriving at 2:15 or 5:45 pm) or the Boonsiri service at 9:00 am from hotels in Ao Nang (arriving at 4:25 pm, also 1,300 baht). In the afternoon, a minibus will take you to Surat Thani, from where you will catch the night boat at 9:00 pm.
Not exactly, because Krabi is on the Andaman coast and Koh Tao is in the Persian Gulf. Each ticket includes a bus trip across the peninsula plus a boat trip, sold jointly by Lomprayah and Boonsiri.
Approximately 6 to 7.5 hours during the day (08:00 → 14:15 with Lomprayah, 09:00 → 16:25 with Boonsiri from Ao Nang) and approximately 14 to 15 hours overnight by van and night boat.
Tickets for the Lomprayah and Boonsiri catamarans cost 1,300 baht, for the Lomprayah speedboats 1,400–1,600 baht, plus 150 baht for the Lomprayah pick-up service in Ao Nang. A van and night boat together cost approximately 850–1,750 baht.
Yes. The Boonsiri hotel transfer departs from Ao Nang at 9:00 AM and arrives in Koh Tao at 4:25 PM for 1,300 baht. Lomprayah picks up guests from hotels in Ao Nang about an hour before departure for an additional 150 baht. In the afternoon, minibuses depart from Ao Nang to Surat Thani by night boat.
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Further from Koh Tao
The next stage, with the fastest and cheapest way to get there.
Return journey? From Koh Tao to Krabi – All routes 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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