Koh Tao to Koh Samui: Ferry Times, Piers & Tickets

Featured image: Web Design Samui, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr.

Koh Tao to Koh Samui: the quick answer

Most travellers take a fast boat, which crosses in about 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Slower or multi-stop services take 2 to 3 hours. A Nathon service is listed at 3 hours 45 minutes. Departures from Mae Haad Pier run from about 07:05 to about 16:30, with up to 4 sailings a day on fast-boat listings. Fares we see listed start around ฿450 and reach ฿800, depending on boat and pier. Roughly 65 km of open water separates the islands. Quoted numbers differ because operator, pier, stops, bundled transfer and booking channel all change them. Compare every option on our guide to ferry options to and from Koh Tao.

Fast boat vs slow ferry: time, cost and comfort

We'd pick the fast boat whenever a flight or a tight check-in is involved. We'd choose the slow ferry only when the lowest fare matters more than 2 extra hours. Fast boats can be bumpy, and the front seats are the worst for it. Sit further back if you get queasy. Large bags are stored separately on boarding and collected on arrival.

Which Samui pier should you arrive at?

Three piers appear on Samui listings: Mae Nam, Bangrak and Nathon. Your ticket names one, so read it before you pay. We'd choose by where you sleep or which flight you catch. Measure the pier-to-hotel or pier-to-airport transfer on a map yourself, because distances differ and we can't confirm them here. Many tickets bundle a transfer, so check whether yours does. Slower services usually call at Koh Phangan on the way.

Ferry operators on this route

Three operators appear on this route. Timetables shift by season, so open the official Lomprayah site for your date. Third-party timetables list Lomprayah-branded departures at 09:30, 15:30 and 16:30, with durations from 2 to 3 hours. Always confirm those against the operator before you plan around them.

• Lomprayah: high-speed catamarans, listed from Mae Haad Pier to Mae Nam Pier.
• Lomlahkkhirin: high-speed service, with the earliest listed sailing at about 07:05.
• Songserm: slower ferry to Nathon Pier, around 3 hours 30 minutes, usually via Koh Phangan.

How much does the ferry from Koh Tao to Koh Samui cost?

Listings for the Samui to Tao direction show ฿450 for the slowest ferry and ฿700 for most speedboats. Some speedboat sailings reach ฿800. Fares for Tao to Samui usually sit in a similar band, but confirm for your date. Child fares on those listings were about half, such as ฿350 against ฿700. Three things move the price. Boat type matters most. Bundled hotel or pier transfers add to a bare ticket. Booking channel can add a markup. Budget travellers should compare the cheapest slow ferry against a fast boat plus transfer, then weigh the saved hours.

Schedule: first and last boats

Listings show the earliest departure at about 07:05 and the latest at about 16:30. Counts run from up to 4 sailings a day to roughly 28 to 30 departures a week across operators. Monsoon weather can reduce sailings, and speedboats are cut first. Treat every time here as a guide. Check the operator's timetable for your travel date before you plan anything around it.

How to book your ticket

You can book online through an aggregator, on an operator's own site, or at a guesthouse or local travel shop. Aggregators let you compare operators and often bundle a Samui transfer. Operator sites may show availability closer to sailing time. Travel shops sell at similar rates, but ask about change and refund terms. Book ahead around Full Moon Party dates, when boats can sell out. You Don't need to print the ticket. Show the e-ticket QR code on your phone at Mae Haad Pier.

• Online aggregator: easy comparison, possible markup.
• Operator site: direct terms, narrower choice.
• Guesthouse or travel shop: convenient, confirm refund rules.

Catching a Samui flight or onward connection

Samui has its own airport, and flights are the main reason people make this crossing. We can't give a reliable pier-to-airport time, so build a generous buffer and confirm it with your operator. Avoid the last departure of the day for a same-day flight. A 16:30 sailing listed at 3 hours lands about 19:30. Slow-ferry delays can also eat the whole margin. Put the fast boat in the morning and book your flight for later.

• Mistake: a same-day flight with a thin buffer after arrival.
• Mistake: landing at the wrong pier for your hotel or airport transfer.
• Mistake: assuming your ticket includes a transfer when it doesn't.

Weather, cancellations and seasickness

Ferries usually run in rain. Speedboats are more often stopped by rough seas, especially in monsoon months. Morning departures tend to be calmer. If your boat is cancelled, follow these steps.

• Check your booking for a cancellation message from the seller.
• Move to the next available sailing, or request a refund.
• Re-check your Samui flight, and rebook it if the new arrival is too late.
• If you get motion sick, take tablets before boarding and sit away from the front.

Koh Tao departure day checklist

Everything leaves from Mae Haad Pier, so allow time to reach it from your dive resort or guesthouse. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes before departure for check-in. Keep a small daypack with you, since large bags and dive gear are stored separately. Coming back later? Our guide to reaching Koh Tao from the mainland covers the return leg. Our notes on the Chumphon crossing help if you head north by land. The Bangkok route covers the capital option.