Bangkok to Koh Samet: Bus, Ferry & Transfer Guide

Featured image: Bjørn Erik Pedersen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Bangkok to Koh Samet: the quick answer

Simplest route: a big bus from Ekkamai (Eastern) Terminal to Ban Phe, then a boat. Buses to Nuan Thip Pier run about every 2 hours between 05:00 and 18:00. Fares are roughly ฿250–300, and the ride takes 3–5 hours depending on traffic. A bus-plus-ferry combo from Ekkamai costs about ฿375 and takes 4–5 hours. Cheapest: the same bus plus the ฿100 slow boat. Rail is not an option, so check the State Railway of Thailand site only if services change. Samet works best as an overnight break, and our guide to other trips out of Bangkok covers the shorter alternatives. All fares and times here are approximate for 2026, so check before you travel.

Bangkok to Koh Samet at a glance

Use this table to compare the realistic ways to reach the island. Prices are approximate 2026 ranges in baht.

• Skip the combo ticket if you are unsure which pier it uses.
• Skip the private car on Friday evening, when road traffic is slowest.

By bus from Ekkamai or Mo Chit to Ban Phe

Ekkamai (Eastern) Terminal is the main departure point. Big buses leave about every 2 hours from 05:00 to 18:00 and drop you at Nuan Thip Pier in Ban Phe. Fares run roughly ฿250–300 depending on the bus. Hourly minibuses also leave Ekkamai, but a big bus is the steadier choice. Mo Chit Bus Station has a few combo departures at 07:00, 09:00 and 11:00 for about ฿390–480. Traffic explains most of the 3–5 hour range. A midday weekday run is quicker than a Friday-evening one. Buses return to Bangkok every couple of hours, so confirm the last departure at Ban Phe before you plan a Sunday return.

By minibus, taxi or private car

A private taxi or car removes the terminal transfer and suits groups with heavy bags. Agree the fare and the exact drop-off pier before you leave. Fares for this run vary widely, so get a quote from your hotel or driver instead of relying on a printed price. Drivers can drop you at any Ban Phe pier, which helps if your speedboat leaves from a specific one. Ban Phe has at least five piers, so naming yours matters. Hourly minibuses from Ekkamai sit between bus and taxi on cost and comfort.

From Suvarnabhumi or U-Tapao airport

Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is about 175 km from Ban Phe. At least two daily minibuses run direct between the airport transport centre and the Ban Phe ferry piers. Confirm departure times and fares with the operator before you fly. Missing that minibus leaves you with a city transfer to Ekkamai, which adds hours. U-Tapao (UTP) is about 60 km from Ban Phe. Domestic AirAsia, Bangkok Airways and Thai Lion Air services use it. Do not assume a direct Bangkok flight there; check each airline for current routes.

Ban Phe to Koh Samet: ferry and speedboat

Ban Phe has at least five piers that send boats to Koh Samet. Slow boats leave roughly hourly from 07:00 to 19:00. They take about 40 minutes, cost around ฿100, and land at Nadan Pier on the north coast. Speedboats take 10–20 minutes and cost about ฿150–200. They drop you at beaches around the island. A private charter can reach a couple of thousand baht. Return slow boats run about hourly from 08:00 to 18:00. Outside busy holidays you rarely need to pre-book. A national park entrance fee applies on the island; confirm the current amount with the national park authority.

Getting around Koh Samet once you land

Green songthaews wait at Nadan Pier and charge ฿20–200 per person, depending on distance. You can flag them down along the road, except in the far south. Bicycles rent for about ฿150–200 a day. Motorbikes run ฿300–500 a day, with prices rising toward the south. Golf carts cost about ฿1,000 a day. The far southern road gets steep, so weigh that before you rent a bicycle. Ao Noi Na to Haad Sai Kaew and Ao Tubtim to Ao Wong Duean are both walkable stretches.

Which route to choose

Match the pier to your beach. A slow boat means Nadan Pier plus a songthaew. A speedboat lands near your resort, which saves time with luggage and helps if you arrive after dark. On a tight budget, take the big bus and the ฿100 slow boat. With heavy bags or a group of four, a private car plus speedboat costs more but removes two transfers. Arriving late, book the speedboat or a combo and confirm last departures. For another transport-heavy outing, compare this with our guide to the Bangkok to Kanchanaburi trip.

Day trip or overnight? How many days to allow

One-way transit takes half a day, so a Bangkok day trip to Samet is poor value. Two nights is the realistic floor for a weekend. Add a third night if you want to rent a bike and explore the south. With only one day, a short trip suits better. Bang Krachao Guide: Bangkok's Green Lung by Bike works as a half-day escape near the city. Floating-market options include Damnoen Saduak. A calmer alternative is Amphawa.

Common mistakes on the Bangkok to Koh Samet run

Most problems come from piers and timing. Check each point below before you leave Bangkok.

• Waiting at the wrong pier with a prepaid combo ticket. Ask the Ban Phe ticket kiosk which pier your ferry uses.
• Losing the paper return ticket. You need it to board the ferry back from Koh Samet.
• Missing the last ferry or bus. Confirm last departures with the operator before you travel.
• Traveling Friday evening or Sunday afternoon. Weekend traffic stretches the 3–5 hour bus ride.
• Assuming a speedboat and slow boat drop you in the same place. Slow boats land at Nadan Pier; speedboats land at beaches.

What a return journey costs in practice

Plan the Bangkok-to-Koh Samet fare as separate road, boat and island-transfer costs. From Ekkamai, the big bus to Ban Phe is about ฿250–300 each way. The slow boat is around ฿100 each way and takes about 40 minutes. This is the lowest-cost route, but it arrives at Nadan Pier rather than directly at a resort.

A bus-and-ferry combo from Ekkamai is about ฿375 each way. Mo Chit combos are roughly ฿390–480. Check whether the ferry is included and which Ban Phe pier it uses before paying.

Set aside a separate amount for getting from Nadan Pier to your accommodation. Green songthaews cost about ฿20–200 per person, depending on distance. A speedboat costs roughly ฿150–200 and can land at beaches around the island. The national park entrance fee is additional; confirm the current amount with the park authority.