Koh Phangan has no airport, so every visitor arrives by boat, either via Koh Samui, which has its own airport and is by far the most common gateway, or directly from the mainland at Surat Thani. Which route makes sense depends entirely on where you’re coming from and whether you’re flying in specifically for Koh Phangan or adding it onto a Samui trip. This guide explains how to get to Koh Phangan from Koh Samui, the mainland, Koh Tao and Chumphon, with departure times, crossing times and fares for each operator, plus the car ferry option if you’re bringing a vehicle.
Quick answers
- Fastest: 20 to 35 minutes from Koh Samui to Thong Sala on a speedboat or catamaran.
- Cheapest from Samui: 250 THB on the 11:00 Lomprayah ferry from Pralarn. Most other boats cost 350 THB.
- From the mainland: 290 THB on the Raja or Seatran Ferry car ferries from Donsak, 2 h 30. Lomprayah catamarans take 1 h 30 to 1 h 45 for 550 THB.
- From Koh Tao: 450 to 700 THB on Lomprayah, 45 minutes to 1 h 40. Songserm takes 2 hours for 500 THB.
Koh Phangan Ferries at a Glance
| Starting point | Operators | Crossing | Adult fare (THB) | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koh Samui to Thong Sala | Lomprayah, Seatran Discovery, Songserm | 20 to 35 min | 250–350 | Fastest crossing. Sailings from 08:00 to 17:30. |
| Koh Samui to Haad Rin | Haad Rin Queen | 25 to 50 min | From 199 by boat, from 495 by speedboat | Skips the road transfer from Thong Sala. |
| Donsak | Raja Ferry, Seatran Ferry, Lomprayah | 1 h 30 to 2 h 30 | 270–550 | Cheapest mainland link: the 270 THB Raja Ferry and 290 THB Seatran Ferry car ferries. |
| Koh Tao | Lomprayah, Songserm | 45 min to 2 h | 450–700 | Six Lomprayah departures. |
| Chumphon | Lomprayah, Boonsiri | 3 h 30 to 4 h 30 | 900–1,100 | Long crossing with a stop or a change at Koh Tao on some sailings. |
| Full Moon nights | Speedboat Samui | 25 to 30 min | 1,400 return | Special boats on party nights only. |
See the sailings and fares for your date.
From Koh Samui (the Most Common Route)
Most visitors reach Koh Phangan by ferry from Koh Samui, since Samui has the region’s international airport and the crossing itself is short. Three operators run speedboats and catamarans to Thong Sala from early morning to early evening:
| Operator | Samui pier | Departures | Crossing | Adult fare (THB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lomprayah | Pralarn (Maenam), Bangrak, Nathon | Pralarn 08:00, 11:00, 12:30, 14:30 Bangrak 08:00, 09:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:15, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30, 17:30 Nathon 12:15, 16:00 | 20 to 30 min | 350 250 on the 11:00 from Pralarn and the 12:15 from Bangrak |
| Seatran Discovery | Bangrak Tourism Port | 08:00, 09:30, 12:30, 14:30 | 30 to 35 min | 350 |
| Songserm | Bangrak, Nathon | 09:30, 10:30, 11:30, 14:00, 16:29, 17:15 | 20 to 30 min | 350 Child 250–300 |
Seatran Discovery’s 08:00 and 12:30 are catamarans, and its 09:30 and 14:30 are high-speed ferries. These are boat-only tickets. Lomprayah also sells a boat-plus-van ticket to any hotel on Koh Phangan for 550 THB, or 450 THB on the 11:00 ferry. Seatran Discovery’s own boats leave from Bangrak, while its car-ferry namesake, Seatran Ferry, sails from Donsak and is covered below.
Most services land at Thong Sala, Koh Phangan’s main pier. Book at least a day ahead in high season and around the Full Moon Party specifically, when demand on this route spikes hard. See our Koh Samui flight vs ferry guide for the first leg if you’re flying in from Bangkok or abroad.
Straight to Haad Rin from Koh Samui
If Haad Rin is your base, Haad Rin Queen runs from Big Buddha Pier on Koh Samui straight to Haad Rin, which skips the road transfer from Thong Sala. Regular boats leave at 10:30 and 17:00, take about 50 minutes and cost roughly 199 THB. Speedboats leave at 15:00 and 18:30, take 25 to 30 minutes and cost roughly 495 THB. There are two piers near Big Buddha, so make sure your ticket names the one Haad Rin Queen uses.
From the Mainland (Surat Thani and Donsak)
Traveling overland through Surat Thani, whether by train, bus, or a budget flight into Surat Thani’s own airport, is the standard route for travelers not routing through Koh Samui at all, and it’s usually the cheapest way to reach Koh Phangan overall:
| Operator | Donsak pier | Departures | Crossing | Adult fare (THB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raja Ferry (car ferry) | Raja Ferry Port | 04:00, 05:00, 07:00, 11:00, 14:00, 18:00 | 2 h 30 | 270 |
| Seatran Ferry (car ferry) | Seatran Ferry Pier | 05:30, 08:30, 11:30, 14:30, 17:30 | 2 h 30 | 290 510 with hotel drop-off, 3 h 30 in total |
| Lomprayah (catamaran) | Lomprayah Donsak pier | 11:00, 15:00 | 1 h 45 / 1 h 30 | 550 750 with a van to your hotel |
Raja Ferry, Seatran Ferry and Lomprayah each use their own pier at Donsak, so check which one your ticket names. The two car ferries land at Thong Sala. The Seatran Ferry hotel drop-off ticket covers hotels on Koh Phangan except Thong Nai Pan, and the 17:30 sailing is ferry-only. Raja may add extra sailings between the end of December and the end of April when the car queue is long.
Night Boat from Surat Thani Town
A night boat sails from the Surat Thani night boat pier in town, which is not the Donsak pier, to Thong Sala. Udomrat Tour sells the 22:00 sailing, which arrives at 05:00 the next morning after about 7 hours on a sleeper ferry. In a checkout for two travelers on 10 November the total was 990 THB, and an agent listing shows about 495 THB a seat. Ask about child and infant fares when you book.
Each passenger may bring one bag up to 10 kg and 24 inches, and larger bags of 28 to 30 inches cost 200 THB each. Show your e-ticket as a PDF with the name matching your ID, and note that animals are not allowed. The seller warns that you may be given an extra mattress instead of the bed shown when you booked. Other agents list night boats at 22:00 and 23:00, but we have not checked them for a date, so do not count on one every night.
From Chumphon
Chumphon is the gateway for travelers coming south by train or bus from Bangkok. The trip takes 3 h 30 to 4 h 30 and, on some boats, includes a stop or a change at Koh Tao. If you want to stop on Koh Tao first, see our Koh Tao ferry guide.
| Operator | Chumphon pier | Departures | Total time | Adult fare (THB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lomprayah | Thung Makham Noi | About 06:00 (ferry, then a catamaran from Koh Tao) 07:00 (catamaran) 13:15 (catamaran) | 4 h 30 3 h 30 3 h 30 | 900 1,100 1,100 |
| Boonsiri | Paknam pier | 06:45, 13:00 (stops at Koh Tao) | 3 h 45 | About 1,090 |
Lomprayah sells a transfer from Chumphon town to its pier for 150 THB. It also sells a bus-plus-catamaran ticket from Chumphon Airport that leaves at 09:00 and reaches Koh Phangan at 16:45 for 1,350 THB, or 1,550 THB with a van to your hotel.
From Koh Tao
Lomprayah and Songserm both sail between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, so if you’re island-hopping from Koh Tao’s dive sites you can skip Samui. The crossing takes 45 minutes to 1 h 40 on Lomprayah and 2 hours on Songserm. This is the natural add-on for a trip that also includes diving, since Koh Tao and Koh Phangan share the same operators and roughly the same booking process.
| Operator | Departures | Crossing | Boat | Adult fare (THB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lomprayah | 07:05 09:15 09:30 12:30 15:30 16:30 | 45 min 1 h 15 1 h 1 h 1 h 15 1 h 40 | Speedboat Catamaran Catamaran Speedboat Catamaran Ferry | 700 600 600 700 600 450 |
| Songserm | 09:30 | 2 h | Boat | 500 |
Lomprayah sells a boat-plus-van ticket to any hotel on Koh Phangan for 200 THB more than the boat-only fare on most of these sailings.
Full Moon Party Boats
On party nights, Speedboat Samui runs special speedboats from Koh Samui to Haad Rin, with departures every hour from 18:00 to 23:00 and a 25 to 30 minute crossing. The return package costs 1,400 THB per person and includes the hotel pickup on Samui from Chaweng, Lamai, Bophut, Maenam, Bangrak or Bang Por, the Haad Rin pier fee and a boat back between 01:00 and 06:00 the next morning. The party entrance fee of 200 THB is not included. See our Full Moon Party guide for the full plan.
The next party nights listed in the boat seller’s booking calendar are below. The calendar runs well beyond these dates.
| Party night | Return boat package (THB per person) |
|---|---|
| Thu 24 Dec 2026 | 1,400 |
| Thu 31 Dec 2026, New Year’s Eve | 1,800 |
| Fri 22 Jan 2027 | 1,400 |
| Mon 22 Feb 2027 | 1,400 |
| Mon 22 Mar 2027 | 1,400 |
| Wed 21 Apr 2027 | 1,400 |
| Fri 21 May 2027 | 1,400 |
| Sat 19 Jun 2027 | 1,400 |
| Tue 20 Jul 2027 | 1,400 |
| Tue 17 Aug 2027 | 1,400 |
| Wed 15 Sep 2027 | 1,400 |
| Sat 16 Oct 2027 | 1,400 |
| Sat 13 Nov 2027 | 1,400 |
| Mon 13 Dec 2027 | 1,400 |
| Fri 31 Dec 2027, New Year’s Eve | 1,800 |
From Thong Sala to Haad Rin, Chaloklum and Thong Nai Pan
Most boats land at Thong Sala, so the last leg is usually a shared songthaew or a taxi. Two local transfer companies publish their prices, and they are company rates, not an island-wide official tariff, so confirm the final price before you board.
| To | Shared ride, per person | Private car, 1 to 2 passengers | Time by car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haad Rin | from 200 | 600 | about 30 min |
| Chaloklum | from 300 | 600 | about 30 min |
| Thong Nai Pan | from 500 | 1,200 | about 55 min |
Prices can rise very early in the morning or late at night, and large luggage can add a surcharge. The shared company suggests booking 20 to 30 minutes ahead. There is no fixed songthaew timetable, because shared rides leave when there are passengers, and not every songthaew at the pier sells at these prices. Ask about child fares and Full Moon Party rates before you set off.
Bringing a Vehicle
If you need your own car or a larger motorbike on the island rather than renting locally, Seatran Ferry and Raja Ferry both run genuine car ferries from their own piers at Donsak, a slower crossing than the high-speed catamarans but the only way to bring a vehicle across. Most visitors don’t bother, renting a scooter on arrival is simpler and cheaper for a normal trip, see our getting around Koh Phangan guide for local rental options.
Which Option Should You Choose?
Flying into Samui first: take any of the Samui to Thong Sala boats, the crossing is 20 to 35 minutes whichever operator you pick. Coming overland from Bangkok or elsewhere on the mainland without visiting Samui: go via Surat Thani and Donsak, the Lomprayah catamaran is the fastest at 1 h 30 to 1 h 45, while the Raja and Seatran car ferries are the cheapest at 290 THB. Traveling on a tight budget: the 250 THB Lomprayah ferry from Pralarn and the 290 THB Donsak car ferries are the cheapest options. Combining with Koh Tao: book the direct Koh Tao to Koh Phangan leg rather than routing back through Samui. For the rest of the island, see our island guide.
Children, Baggage and Check-In
Rules differ by operator, so look at this before you pack:
| Operator | Children | Baggage | Arrive at the pier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lomprayah | Under 2 free; half fare from 2 to 10 | 20 kg, then 200 THB extra; small bags free | 60 minutes before |
| Seatran Discovery | Under 100 cm free on a lap; over 100 cm pays the adult fare | One suitcase up to 26 inches plus one carry-on | 30 minutes before |
| Seatran Ferry | Under 100 cm free; 100 to 150 cm half fare | A large suitcase needs an extra passenger seat | See your ticket |
| Raja Ferry | 135 THB for children over 100 cm and up to 120 cm; child tickets are bought at the pier | See your ticket | See your ticket |
| Songserm | Under 3 free; child fares of 250–300 THB are shown at booking | 20 kg, extra weight charged per kilo | See your ticket |
Getting There from Bangkok
There’s no single ticket that gets you all the way from Bangkok to Koh Phangan, the trip always breaks into an overland leg to Surat Thani followed by a ferry. The overnight train from Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat station to Surat Thani takes around 9-11 hours and is a popular choice specifically because it lets you sleep through the least interesting part of the journey, arriving in the morning in time to catch a mid-morning ferry. A budget flight into Surat Thani Airport is faster overall (roughly 1 hour 15 minutes in the air) but adds an airport transfer to the pier on both ends. Overnight buses cover the same route as the train at a lower price but with less comfort. Most travel agents and ferry websites sell these as combined bus-or-train-plus-ferry tickets, which is usually simpler than booking each leg separately.
Find a Room Near Your Pier
Most boats arrive at Thong Sala, while Haad Rin Queen lands at Haad Rin. Move the map to the beach you want and set your dates to see current room prices.
Booking Tips
Book your ferry a day or two ahead in high season, and at least a week ahead around the Full Moon Party, when every route into Koh Phangan sees a spike in demand and the popular morning departures sell out first. If your accommodation is in Haad Rin, the direct Haad Rin Queen service or a Thong Sala arrival plus a pre-arranged hotel transfer both work, check what your specific property recommends, since songthaew availability at the pier varies with how busy the day is. From roughly October through January the sea can be rough and sailings can be delayed or cancelled in bad weather, so leave a buffer before any flight, and see the calmest months for the crossing. See our where to stay in Koh Phangan guide if you haven’t settled on an area yet, it’s worth deciding before you book your ferry pier and time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I book a through-ticket from Bangkok to Koh Phangan?
Yes, most ferry operators and booking sites sell combined bus-or-train-plus-ferry tickets from Bangkok via Surat Thani.
Which pier should I use if I’m staying in Haad Rin?
Haad Rin Queen sails from Big Buddha Pier on Koh Samui straight to Haad Rin, saving you the road transfer that everyone arriving at Thong Sala has to make.
How much does the ferry to Koh Phangan cost?
From Koh Samui a boat costs 250 to 350 THB. From Donsak the car ferries cost 290 THB and the Lomprayah catamaran 550 THB. From Koh Tao, fares run from 450 to 700 THB.