Suratthani : hotel in Thailand and transport

How to get there

Bangkok to Surat Thani

By Car
Surat Thani can be most conveniently reached by car from Bangkok by taking Highway No. 4 to Chumphon via Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan, and thence onto Highway No. 41 and Highway No. 401.

By Bus
Air-conditioned buses, varying in 3 types, depart from Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal to Surat Thani everyday at the following times:
VIP Bus: 7 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.
Standard 1 Bus (blue colour): 9 a.m., 9.30 a.m., 8 p.m. and 8.30 p.m.
Standard 2 Bus (orange colour): 9.30 a.m. and 8.45 p.m.

By Train
Trains leave Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Railway Station 10 times daily from 12 noon-10.50 p.m. The trip takes approximately 13 hours. For further details, please call 1690, 0 2223 7010, 0 2223 7020 or visit www.srt.or.th.

Surat Thani Railway Station is 12 kilometres from town. A bus service between the station and the town is available.

By Air
Thai Airways has 2 daily flights connecting Bangkok with Surat Thani, with flying time being 70 minutes. For more information, contact their Bangkok office at tel. 1566, 0 2280 0060, 0 2628 2000 or view their website at www.thaiairways.com.

To Koh Pha-Ngan

Koh Samui - Express Boats

Songerm Co. express boats to Koh Pha-Ngan leave from the Na Thon pier on Koh Sami every day November to May at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., the remainder of the year 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.. The trip takes 50 minutes and costs Baht 50 one way. Boats back to Samui leave Pha-Ngan's Thong Sala pier at 6.15 and 1 p.m. daily; in this direction the fare is Baht 60.

Koh Samui - Other Boats

A small boat goes direct from Samui's Bang Rak (near Bo Phut village) to Hat Rin on Ko Pha-Ngan for Baht 50 to Baht 60 (depending on who's got the concession, the boat sometimes leaves from Bo Phut instead). This boat departs Bang Rak/Bo Phut just about every day at 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., depending on the weather and number of prospective passengers, and takes 40 to 45 minutes to reach the bay at Hat Rin. In the reverse direction it usually leaves at 9.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m. and takes 30 to 40 minutes.

From January to September there is also one boat a day from Hat Mae Nam on Samui to Ao Thong Nai Pan on Pha-Ngan, with a stop at Hat Rin. The fares are Baht 120 and Baht 60 respectively and the boat usually leaves Mae Nai Pan around 8 a.m.. A new company called Rossarin Tour has 35-passenger speed boats that go between Samui's Hat Mae Nam and Thong Sala for Baht 150; this boat only takes about half an hour to reach Thong Sala.

Surat Thani - Night Ferry

Your can also take a slow might ferry direct to Pha-Ngan from the Ban Don pier in Surat. It leaves nightly at 11 p.m., takes 61/2 hours to arrive at Thong Sala, and coasts Baht 100 on the upper deck, Baht 60 on the lower. As with the night ferry to Samui, don't leave your bags unattended on the boat there have been several reports of theft.

Surat Thani - Other Boats

A couple of years ago a fast jet boat and another express boat competed with Songserm for about a year, but Songserm immediately dropped its fares to a loss level and ran them out of business. With increasing tourism in the islands, it's only a matter of time before someone else steps in and gives Songserm a run for its money.

To Ko Tao

Subject to weather conditions, there are daily express boats between Thong Sala and Ko Tao, 47 km north, at 2.30 p.m. The trip takes 2 1/2 hours and costs Baht 150 one way. Rossarin Tour operates speed boats between Thong Sala and Ka Tao a couple of times a day for Baht 350 per person; the crossing only takes about an hour.

Train/Bus/Boat Combinations

At Bangkok's Hualamphong station you can purchase train tickets that include a bus from the Surat Thani train station (Phun Phin) to the Ban Don pier and then a ferry to ko Pha-Ngan. These generally cost around 30 to 50 Baht more than baying each ticket separately yourself.