Chumphon to Koh Tao: Ferry Times, Prices & Best Route (2026)

Featured image: H. Pollmeier., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Quick answer: fastest versus cheapest

Our pick for most travellers is the direct catamaran. Booking sites list it at about 1h45 for ฿750, with sailings around 07:00 and 13:15 from Chumphon. Combo tickets pair a bus or minivan with a boat. They run from about ฿450 to ฿1,000 and take roughly 2h45 to 6h25. Timetables and fares move with the season, so confirm every time and price below on the operator's site before you pay.

Chumphon to Koh Tao: compare your options at a glance

Three setups cover almost every traveller. The table uses figures listed on booking sites in November 2026, so treat each one as a guide and not a promise.

• Direct: fastest, one ticket, and the lowest risk of a missed connection.
• Station combo: pickup is bundled, but a late bus can cost you the boat.
• Airport combo: the priciest and slowest, so use it only when you land in Chumphon.

Direct ferry from Chumphon: pier, time, duration, price

Lomprayah runs catamarans on this route, and booking sites list it as the only operator. Its sailings leave Thung Makham Noi Pier at about 07:00 and 13:15 and reach Mae Haad Pier at about 08:45 and 15:00 to 15:15. One site prints 13:30 for the afternoon sailing, so confirm against the Lomprayah official timetable. Distance is about 70 km. One booking site also lists a 05:45 sailing at ฿450 taking 2h30, and we'd treat that as unconfirmed until the operator shows it. Pier names also differ between sites. Some listings use Boonsiri Chumphon Pier for 06:45 and 13:00 departures. Read the pier named on your ticket and go there. We'd arrive 30 minutes before departure with ticket and ID ready.

Bus or minivan plus boat combos: when they make sense

Combos make sense when your arrival time misses the 07:00 catamaran or the ฿750 fare stretches your budget. Listed station departures include about 05:15 at ฿600, 06:00 at ฿900 and 12:00 at ฿900, with journeys of 2h45 to 3h15. A shared minivan from the station or town listing at ฿450 takes about 3h15 to 3h30. Our concern is the missed connection. One booking site says buses can run 30 minutes early or late. Your boat will not wait for a late bus, so we'd choose a combo only with a ticket that covers both legs. If you can afford ฿750, we'd skip the gamble.

Getting to the pier from Chumphon airport, train station and bus terminal

Distances to the pier are about 36 km from Chumphon Airport and about 17 km from both the railway station and the bus terminal. Rail timetables sit with the State Railway of Thailand. You have two choices. A combo ticket with pickup built in is simpler, because the operator moves you to the boat. A separate taxi or songthaew gives flexibility, but we can't quote a reliable fare. Ask for a price and agree it before you ride. If a shuttle collects you for a bus, show up early. One booking site asks for 60 minutes before the bus departs, because latecomers risk missing it.

Arriving from Bangkok by overnight train or bus: timing it right

Many travellers reach Chumphon on an early train or bus from Bangkok. Our full breakdown is in Bangkok to Koh Tao by train and boat. The rule we'd use is simple. For the 07:00 catamaran, plan to be at the pier by about 06:30 and allow for the 17 km transfer from the station. If your arrival cuts that close, book the 13:15 sailing instead. A late train then costs you a few hours and not a ticket. Combo options from the station also leave around 06:00, so a late arrival can miss those too. Train times change, so confirm yours with the railway before you book the boat.

Booking: operator, aggregator or the pier

Booking with the operator avoids extra fees and gives you its own timetable. Our Koh Tao ferry guide covers the main companies. Aggregators show several options at once, including combos with pickups. Both Baolau and Direct Ferries state that listed prices exclude their service fees, so compare the final total. Some aggregator listings also flag instant confirmation, refund and amend options. Buying at the pier saves the fee but risks a full sailing in busy weeks. We'd book direct for the catamaran and use an aggregator only for combos. Keep your voucher or QR code on your phone, since you Don't need paper.

Weather, cancellations and holiday schedule changes

One booking site says ferries usually run in rain, while rough seas stop speedboats more often. Chumphon to Koh Tao by speedboat is not listed as offered, so the catamaran is your realistic boat. If a sailing is cancelled for weather, expect to rebook onto the next service or ask for a refund. Confirm the exact policy with your operator. Timetables can also shift seasonally and over public holidays. Direct Ferries lists about 20 weekly sailings on the reverse Koh Tao to Chumphon route, but that is not a guarantee for your date. Build one spare day into any onward flight.

What you can and can't bring: luggage, bikes, pets, documents

Direct Ferries says operators on the reverse route allow no cars, bicycles or pets. It adds that guide and assistance dogs may follow different rules, so ask before you book. We have no verified baggage allowance, so check the weight and size limits with the operator. Documents depend on your nationality. Bring a passport and the ticket confirmation, and check Thailand's official immigration pages for entry rules.

Arriving on Koh Tao: pier, first hour, choosing a beach

Mae Haad Pier is the main entry point, and the direct catamaran lands there. Some combo tickets instead drop at Boonsiri Pier on Koh Tao. Check your drop-off before you pay. For your first hour, ask your dive shop or resort about pickup before you land. If you're booking on arrival, store your bags and compare two or three beaches in person. Pick the one that matches your plan, whether that is dive-centre access or a quieter stay.

Onward travel from Koh Tao

From Koh Tao, ferries run on to Koh Phangan, Koh Samui and Phuket. Our guide to Koh Tao to Koh Samui by ferry covers the most-travelled hop. Leave a buffer if you have a flight, because sailings run on seasonal schedules.