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Updated January 2026
Did you go scuba diving in Koh Tao, have a few coconuts on the beach, ate some yummy food, and generally enjoyed all the little island in the Gulf of Thailand has to offer? Great, I hope you had a fantastic trip!
Once the time has come to go back to reality you need to start thinking about how to get from Koh Tao to Bangkok. There are a few options depending on your budget and how much time you have and I will walk you through them. This way, you find the easiest way to get off the island and enjoy your holiday glow just a little longer.
Read more:
A Foodie’s Guide to Koh Tao Restaurants.
The Ultimate Travel Guide to Koh Tao, Thailand.
How to get from Koh Tao to Bangkok?
To be honest, getting from Koh Tao to Bangkok is always a bit of a pain. It is a long trip, there is just no way around it. When picking the best route make sure you not only compare prices but also travel times. While flying may seem faster at first glance, adding wait times, check-in, and getting from the airport to the city center in Bangkok can add up quickly and you may not save as much as you think.
But first: all ways from Koh Tao to Bangkok start with a trip on the ferry or the speedboat, you are on an island after all. To be honest, I was a bit shocked during my recent departure by how unorganized and busy the Mae Haad pier in Koh Tao was. I guess I didn’t notice during my last two trips as it was Covid and only a few visitors were coming and going but this time…wow. They need to upgrade this pier asap I think.
That said, as with many things in Thailand it always works out and the worst thing that happened was me standing in the glaring sun for 30 minutes and sweating like I never sweated before.
Be at the pier at least half an hour before your boat’s departure to check in. There are signs which operators check in where. Bring your voucher and you will get a ticket and a sticker for your shirt with your destination.
At the moment most boats are ferries but I have also gone and arrived by speedboat in Koh Tao, it will depend on the season and how many people they are expecting. On your way to the boat, you will also get a sticker for your big luggage. The crew will let you know what to do with it – sometimes you will drop it at the bow inside, other times you will leave it on the pier and they will stow it for you. Don’t worry about it too much, again it is one of these things that always work out in Thailand.
Officially Lomprayah says that any luggage over 20kg will cost extra and they have recently installed a scale right on the pier, will weigh, and charge if you are over.
Personally, I prefer the ferries because they have aircon inside, comfy seats, a proper toilet, and a snack bar. I will take those perks over a slightly earlier arrival any day.
You have the option to take a ferry to Koh Samui, Chumphon, or Surat Thani. Which one you choose will depend on how you travel to Bangkok from there.
Read more about staying in Koh Samui:
Visiting a true elephant sanctuary in Koh Samui.
Exploring Koh Samui with Tongsai Bay Hotel.
Koh Tao to Bangkok – Ferry & Fly
A very popular option to get from Koh Tao to Bangkok is taking a ferry and then flying. All three destinations, Koh Samui, Chumphon, and Surat Thani, have an airport and this airport has flights to Bangkok. Which you choose will usually depend on timing and connections, sometimes you need to leave or arrive at a certain time and one option will be better suited than another.
Nok Air used to offer a ferry ’n fly deal on their website however, these don’t show dates at the moment. So you will need to put your own combination together. Keep in mind to include enough of a buffer in case your boat is delayed or there is traffic on the way to the airport. Especially in Surat Thani, I have cut it way too close for my liking…
What the different boats have in common is that you can buy an inexpensive ticket for an airport transfer at your destination. Definitely make use of this service because taxis in these areas can be quite pricey.
Personally, I love Koh Samui airport. I think ‘cute’ is a great way to describe it. Thai-style houses, orchids everywhere, and a little shuttle train to take you to and from your plane. The one downside: only Bangkok Airways flies from Koh Samui to Bangkok and they are quite a bit more expensive than AirAsia & Co. A big advantage when you fly with them though is a generous luggage allowance and lounge access for all classes at the airport.
If you fly from Chumphon or Surat Thani you can use a discount airline but keep in mind that you will pay quite a bit more if you have checked luggage.
Koh Tao to Bangkok – Ferry & Bus
The most popular option how to get from Koh Tao to Bangkok amongst backpackers, budget travelers, and very tiny people is the ferry & bus combo from Lomprayah. Unlike the other ways, here your connection will be guaranteed as the busses and the ferries both belong to Lomprayah.
This option to me can be a hit or a miss depending on where you end up sitting on the bus. The seats do recline which can be a blessing or a curse, and during your 7-hour drive, you may or may not stop to get food and stretch your legs. I’d say, come prepared.
Most of these trips go via Chumphon, a great pier to stock up on food and use the toilet (there is one on the bus but eeek). At the moment ferries leave Koh Tao either at 10h15 or 14h45 and will arrive in Bangkok just in time for dinner or just after midnight. Do check the times before you book – at least when going from Bangkok to Koh Tao there is a night bus option which may leave you stranded at Chumphon pier in the middle of the night for a bit.
Koh Tao to Bangkok – Ferry & Train
If you want to be somewhere between comfort and budget I recommend you take the ferry to Chumphon and then board a train from Chumphon to Bangkok. Traveling with a sleeper train in Thailand is something of a rite of passage for travelers, even if you have left your backpacking days behind.
On my way from Bangkok to Koh Tao I had done the bus & ferry combo, just making it since the nice lady assigned me the seat all the way in the front and no seat neighbor. I was not keen to test my luck coming back from Koh Tao to Bangkok. Flying was expensive since I always have to pay extra for my dive luggage but luckily my friend told me about the train from Chumphon to Bangkok. I was intrigued because she claimed how comfortable it was compared to the bus and I was planning a trip to India and felt it was time to get used to train travel again.
You cannot book your ferry and train on one ticket but since the sleeper train to Bangkok leaves Chumphon at 21h25 your chances of missing it are pretty slim. I got my tickets from Island Travel Koh Tao that also organized my transfer from the Chumphon pier to the train station with Lomprayah.
Alternatively, you can book your tickets via 12Go separately, however, with that option, you will need to pick up your train ticket at the station or have it sent to you (don’t worry, they explain all your options when you book).
Once in Chumphon a bus will take you to the train station and chances are you will have a few hours to spare. There are plenty of restaurants in the vicinity where you can make camp – as long as you eat and drink something nobody will mind, they are used to train travelers.
I ended up at Aeki’s Bar, literally right by the station, a restaurant/bar/muay thai training center hybrid. They were lovely, and have some great food, cold beers, wifi, and enough outlets to charge various devices before getting on the train. There are no charging points on the train!
I left way too early but since I was told that the train sometimes comes early I didn’t want to take my chances. If you have your ticket already there is nothing to do but go to the platform – for me, this was platform 1 but there is also an information desk if you are unsure where to go. Once the train arrived a conductor ushered us to the far right of the platform – when in doubt just follow the crowd.
The car numbers are shown on the outside and if you can, find the right one before getting on.
For the sleeper trains in Thailand, you have the choice between 1st class and 2nd class, some trains will also differentiate between aircon and fan though my train only had aircon. If you are booking 1st class you will share a compartment with one other person and all you have to choose is top or bottom bunk. In the second class, there are bunks on the left and on the right, top and bottom. When I boarded the train the steward had already been around to convert the seats into the bottom beds and folded down the top beds.
Regardless of the class, you will have a thin mattress with a sheet, a pillow in a pillowcase, and a cotton blanket still plastic-wrapped upon arrival. It’s not Egyptian cotton, to be honest, but it wasn’t bad either. I used my scarf to cover my pillow just because I could but I wouldn’t have bothered with a sleeping bag liner or such.
Each bed also has a curtain with the bed/seat number on it and the top bed has a little ladder so you can climb up. Let’s just say don’t book your ticket last minute like I did as you want the option to choose the bottom bunk – way better. These ladders are tricky to get up and down from!
If you have a normal size suitcase you might have a problem: there are spaces below the seats for storage however try as I might my Rimowa wouldn’t fit and so I just put it to the side of the tiny corridor. What are you gonna do?!
Once in my little bunk, it was actually quite cozy and I got a decent amount of sleep. Do make sure to pack the following though:
- Eyemask – the light is bright and will not get shut off
- Earplugs and/or noise-canceling headphones – the train is loud and some people think it’s acceptable to watch videos without headphones at 5 am
- Drinking water – also good for brushing your teeth
- Toilet paper & hand sanitizer – there was toilet paper and basins with soap, but you never know
Wear whatever you want to wear for sleeping when getting on the train. I didn’t and had to do some contortionist-like moves to change behind the curtain in my top bunk. And no, you cannot change in the toilets as they have just enough space for your two feet. Obviously bring some flip-flips or such, should go without saying, but do not use the toilet without shoes.
On that notion: there are toilets, it’s a train and thus the toilets are grim. Allegedly there is a squatting toilet and a western toilet in each car but I missed the latter. Thus I managed to pee twice squatting on a moving train, something to be proud of I think! Another rite of passage.
In the morning the steward will come around and start converting beds back into seats. I guess technically you can sleep in if you are in the top bunk, however, if you are on the bottom no such luck. On my trip, he already started at 6.30 am. This is also the time when snack vendors will come around and you can even get a coffee.
We pulled into Bang Sue Railway Station an hour early (unheard of when traveling by train in Germany!. The Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in the Bang Sue is pretty new for long-distance trains that moved here from Hua Lamphong only earlier this year.
From here you can get a taxi, a Grab, or catch the MRT to your next destination in Bangkok. I was lucky enough to be invited to the beautiful Capella Bangkok but even if you are not – the train is not so bad so you should feel just fine once you arrive.
Read more about getting around in Thailand:
How to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao.
3 Ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Phi Phi.
How to get from Bangkok to Phuket.
