How to get to Koh Samui from Phuket and back

The islands of Phuket and Koh Samui are separated in a straight line by 270 kilometers and the whole continent. The fact is that Koh Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand on the east side of the mainland (Malacca Peninsula), and Phuket is located on the west side, in the Andaman Sea (see map of Thailand with resorts). It turns out that it is impossible to move directly by land between the islands, as well as by water, unless you swim more than two thousand kilometers around the peninsula. Almost all non-aviation routes take place with a change of transport by ferry + bus or vice versa. At the same time, Koh Samui can only be reached from the mainland by ferry, while Phuket is usually reached by bus over the bridge. Well, there is also an opportunity to fly directly from island to island, although this is far from a budget option. Read more about all the methods below.

Also read articles on the topic:

• All ways to get to Phuket
• All ways to get to Koh Samui
• How to get to Phuket from Bangkok
• How to get to Phuket from Krabi
• How to get to Koh Samui from Bangkok
• How to get to Koh Samui from Pattaya

By plane

There are five daily flights from Phuket Airport to Koh Samui and back by Bangkok Airways. Direct flights are operated by the airline directly between Koh Samui Airport and Phuket Airport. The cost is high, from $ 100 for a one-way flight. Flights are carried out on ATR 72 turboprop aircraft.

The only thing left is to get to/from the airport on Koh Samui, which we have written in detail here, and to /from Phuket airport, which we have here.

You can find and book flights to Phuket on the dates you need through the search form. The search is very flexible and allows you to find flights on different dates, with or without transfers, in both directions or one, etc.:

By taxi

A taxi ride will cost a little more than a plane flight. But you will pay $ 100 per passenger for a plane, and $ 140-200 for a taxi for the whole car, depending on your ability to search and bargain. Therefore, a taxi is obviously more profitable if there are several people. The time will take about 5 hours.

By bus+ferry

Despite the short distance, almost a full day should be allocated for a trip between the islands by bus + ferry. There are no night trips between the islands, so you need to plan your departure in the morning.

There are regular buses and tourist buses. We traditionally recommend using regular buses that depart from bus stations.

Regular buses are the most reliable way, although not the most convenient in terms of departure and arrival locations, as well as schedules. Sometimes you have to do transplants on them. In Phuket, they depart/arrive from the new Phuket bus station (more about Phuket bus station and how to get to it here), arrive/depart from Koh Samui from Don Sak Pier on the mainland. Then from the pier on the Seatran ferry it will be necessary to sail to Koh Samui (about 1.5 hours more), while the cost of the ferry is included in the price of the bus ticket. As a result, the final destination on Koh Samui is Nathon Pier, from where you can already get to the desired location on Koh Samui by songteo minibus or just by taxi. Perhaps in connection with the commissioning of a new bus terminal in Koh Samui in 2014 (Koh Samui bus station on the map), it will soon become the end point of the route. But even in this case, it will be more convenient to get off the bus at Nathon Pier, since from there it is easier to get to the popular beaches on Songtao.

Such a direct regular bus runs only once a day, departs at 09:00. Although some sources mention another bus at 07:00, but perhaps it departs in high season. Travel time in general is about 8 hours, arrival on Koh Samui at 17:00. The cost is 450 baht. Tickets are sold only at the ticket offices of bus stations, they cannot be purchased anywhere else.

If it was not possible to get on this bus, it remains possible to get with transfers via Suratthani (this is the nearest transport hub on Koh Samui). This bus service is more active. So, from Phuket bus station in Suratani, a minivan departs every hour from 07:00 to 17:00, and in 08:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and at 16:00 a large bus departs costing 195 baht. Arriving at Surat Thani Bus Station, you will have to take a bus to Don Sak Pier and then take a ferry to Nathon for about 300 baht, including the ferry.

Now about another way – the company carrier Phantip Travel. This is a well-known company with a developed route network in the south of Thailand and its own transport. This route offers a convenient transfer from 450 baht, including a ferry. Departure daily from Koh Samui at 07:30 and 09:30, from Phuket to 08:00, 09:00, 10:00. It's strange, but on the official website there are exactly 2 buses from Koh Samui to Phuket, and 3 back!?

You can buy tickets at the marina in Nathon on Koh Samui, at the company's offices, at any travel agency, on the company's website http://phantiptravel.com. Company office on Koh Samui: 11/4 Moo 3, Taveeradpakdee Rd, Nathon, about 100 meters from Nathon Pier, landmark - Bank Krungsri.

Departure / arrival takes place from the new bus terminal of Koh Samui and from the Nathon pier, and in Phuket from the company's office, which is located at the bus station. It is convenient that tickets can be purchased at almost any travel agency, while transfers are sold for 600 baht, including delivery from the hotel to the place of departure of the bus. Also, in the process of moving, you will be offered for an additional 200 baht to take you to your hotel at your destination, or to get to one of the affiliated hotels for free, where you will have to stay at least overnight.

And now about the disadvantages of Phantip Travel. Despite the promises to arrive at the place by such and such a time, feel free to add another 5-6 hours minimum. Moving does not always take place on large buses, sometimes they are replaced by minivans. During the route you will have to make 2-3 transfers, wait in different cafes and transport points of the company. Well, at each stage you will be reached with offers of an additional transfer to the hotel and hotel offers. Sometimes divorces happen on the company's routes, when in Phuket passengers are taken not to the bus station, but to a very inconveniently located office, where they will offer the same transfer for 200 baht, and if you do not agree, they will just leave you in this place, and you will have to get there on your own on anything, but no transport nearby There will be no other taxi service.

The ubiquitous company Lompraya also offers its transfers on the route Phuket-Koh Samui and back. Unlike Phantip, Lompraya almost never has any unpleasant surprises, transportation takes place very quickly, but the cost is also high. Part of the route from Phuket takes place by bus, and on Koh Samui by high-speed catamaran.

Departure from Phuket takes place from the company's office in the center Phuket Town (on the map), and on Koh Samui you arrive at Nathon Pier. Only one flight is operated daily: from Phuket to Koh Samui at 10:00, arrival at 16:45; from Koh Samui to Phuket at 12:45, arrival at 21:00. The cost is 750 baht. Information about the schedule and cost on the company's website http://www.lomprayah.com/.

Bus and ferry schedules for Koh Samui