Surat Thani Airport serves primarily as a transfer point to the islands (Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao) and also to the national parks of Phang Nga, Khao Sok or Namtok Song Phraek.

The main decision upon arrival is not how to get to the city, but should I go straight to the island/national park or stay overnight in Surat Thani?

Short answer:

• Combined bus + ferry - the best option for most
• Taxi / Grab - fastest but more expensive
• Car hire - only if you are staying on the mainland
• 👉 Personally I wouldn't stay in Surat Thani at all, the town is not very interesting and even in the afternoon there are ferries to the islands

Find bus + ferry connections (12go.asia)

Bus + ferry (best option)

This is the most important transport from the airport.

Most people continue directly to:

• Koh Samui
• Koh Phangan
• Koh Tao

How it works

• you buy one ticket (bus + ferry)
• the bus will take you from the airport to the port
• followed by a ferry
• alternatively, you can also buy a shared minivan from the port straight to your hotel (highly recommended - the most comfortable and cheapest option!)

Major carriers:

• Phantip Travel
• Raja Ferry
• Seatran Ferry
• Lomprayah

These combinations are commonly found on 12go (the easiest booking site to compare all carriers). The 12go search engine works reliably across Asia and I used it here.

You don't need to print anything out, just show your mobile ticket at the counter in the ground transportation building about 50 meters across from the terminal.

You'll get a paper ticket and a sticker on your t-shirt that the staff will recognize you by and assign you to the correct buses.

Book ferry + bus

Real prices and times

• Koh Samui: approx. 500 thb to 900 thb / 3-4 hours
• Koh Phangan: approx. 600 thb to 1 000 thb / 3-4 hours
• Koh Tao: from 900 thb / 5-6 hours

Taxi / Grab / Bolt

The most comfortable, but significantly more expensive. Only use if your destination is Surat Thani town and you have a lot of luggage or want to go straight to your hotel.

There's an official taxi stand right outside the terminal, but I definitely recommend the Grab or Bolt apps, which show the price upfront and eliminate haggling.

Plus, you can pay by card.

Approximate prices

• Surat Thani city: from 400 thb
• Donsak Pier (ferries): from 1 500 thb
• Khao Sok: from 1 700 thb

Times

• City: 30 minutes
• Port: 1 h 15 min

Find the best hotel in Surat Thani

Bus to Surat Thani

If your destination is Surat Thani and you want to save money, you can use the bus company Phantip Travel.

• 120 thb
• They run about 1x per hour
• the ride takes 45 minutes

Detailed timetable: phantiptravel.com

Car rental

It only makes sense if you are staying on the mainland and want to tour the beautiful national parks of southern Thailand.

I drove a car in Thailand and it was surprisingly cool, much more comfortable than in some European countries (Greece, Italy).

Prices here are not high and range from 1 000 thb per day.

Car rental counters can be found in the ground transportation building about 50 meters opposite the terminal.

Most common mistakes

1️⃣ Transportation solutions on site
Better to buy a combined ticket in advance via 12go.asia.

2️⃣ Taxi to the port for 1 person
Significantly more expensive than buying a combined bus + ferry ticket.

3️⃣ Unnecessary overnight stay in the city
You can usually continue straight to the islands without stopping in Surat Thani.