Krabi to Koh Samui

How to Go from Krabi to Koh Samui

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You have a variety of options when it comes to traveling from Krabi to Koh Samui in Thailand and the decision that you’ll take will be about speed and convenience or cost. This is a well-traveled route and there are plenty of options for transport.  The great news is that because this is a well-traveled route there are combination tickets available, so you don’t have to worry about missing connections!  This guide covers you whether you’re going from Krabi to Koh Samui or Koh Samui to Krabi as you’ll need to know the best way to travel between these two destinations.  There are several options for transport between Krabi and Koh Samui, but what’s the best way to go from Krabi to Koh Samui?  And what are the options for traveling to Koh Samui from Krabi?  Here’s our guide on how to get to Koh Samui from Krabi.

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#1 BUS + FERRY TICKET COMBO

bus and boat combo ticket

Easiest Way from Krabi to Koh Samui

The cheapest way to get to Koh Samui from Krabi is to take the combined Bus + Boat ticket – all connections are guaranteed. And it’s really easy.

Book your bus + ferry tickets here

When you’re traveling in Thailand, you’ll find (as we do) that you spend an inordinate amount of time crisscrossing the country to get to your next destination. However, as the major routes are pretty well traveled now, they are well covered by transport providers.  And as time has gone on, the routes are much, much better served by combination tickets, which means that you don’t have to worry about missing transit connections!

Where is Koh Samui

Koh Samui is an island off the east coast of Thailand in the Gulf of Thailand.  It’s located in the Chumphon Archipelago and is Thailand’s second-biggest island (after Phuket).  It’s about 260 kilometers (161 miles) between Koh Samui and Krabi.

How to Go from Krabi to Koh Samui – Transport Options

In this guide on how to go from Krabi to Koh Samui, we’ll cover the fastest way to travel from Krabi to Koh Samui, the easiest way to go to Koh Samui from Krabi, and the cheapest way to get to Koh Samui from Krabi, as well as the most fun way to get to Koh Samui from Krabi.  There are several routes that you can take from Krabi to Koh Koh Samui, and it will take you from about an hour up to 5 hours to travel from Krabi to Koh Samui. 

How to get to Koh Samui from Krabi

For transport from Koh Samui to Krabi, then you have several options.  I’ll start with the easiest and most traveled route, which also happens to be the cheapest and will work up to the quickest and most expensive.

Combined Tickets Buses + Ferries from Krabi to Koh Samui

The easiest way to travel this route is to take a combined van (or bus) and ferry ticket.  It means you’ll get picked up from your accommodation in Krabi and dropped off at your hotel in Koh Samui.  The combined ticket also means that you CANNOT miss the connection.  Easy peasy.

Buy a combo van + ferry ticket from Krabi to Koh Samui here.

There are options from Krabi Town or Ao Nang.  And then there are options to take the speedboat or the ferry.  Speed means more expensive, but only slightly.  Some of the operators also run large buses rather than vans, which is a little cheaper, but slower.

The first van/bus of the day leaves Krabi at 08:00 (but most leave at 09:00) and the last one leaves at 13:30.  This type of trip takes between 3 hours and 45 minutes to 5 hours, depending on which option you go for.

Select options and book tickets to Koh Samui from Krabi here.

The vans pick you up from your hotel in Krabi and take you to the ferry port at Donsak Pier (to the east of Surat Thani), where you’ll be taken straight to the ferry port.  The ferry from Donsak Pier then takes you to the island of Koh Samui.  Some boats will take you to Na Thon Pier, others will take you to Lipa Noi Pier.  Some tickets include a transfer on Koh Samui (and some don’t).  We opted for one that didn’t as we were renting motorbikes once we arrived on the island.

Book a combo ticket from Krabi to Koh Samui here.

Donsak Pier Ferry

Flight from Krabi to Koh Samui

This is the fastest way to go to Koh Samui from Krabi, however, you will need to factor in getting to the airport in Krabi.  Krabi airport is about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from the center of Krabi town and you can easily take a songthaew, bus, or taxi from Krabi Airport to the city in about 17 minutes.  You can pre-book a  private transfer to Krabi Airport from Ao Nang or Krabi with Welcome pickups here.

If you take a taxi from Krabi to the airport, then you’ll need to negotiate (although it should cost around 350 THB, depending on where you’re leaving from).  You can also take a public bus, there are several routes that run to Krabi Airport from Ao Nang, from the bus terminal, and from Krabi town center, they take about 30 minutes, and run from 06:00 to 00:00.  These public buses cost 90 THB and run every 30 minutes or so.

There is one flight a day that goes from Krabi to Koh Samui and it takes about an hour.  Seats are obviously limited, with just one plane. It’s operated by Bangkok Air and you can reserve your seats here.

The flight to Koh Samui from Krabi leaves at 14:00.  Book your tickets early to guarantee your travel dates.

Arriving on Koh Koh Samui

Ferries to Koh Samui arrive either at Na Thon Pier or Lipa Noi Pier – check carefully where yours arrives when planning onward travel, especially if you’ve bought a ticket that doesn’t include an onward transfer.

Koh Samui Pier

The quickest way to get from Krabi to Koh Samui

The quickest way to get from Krabi to Koh Samui is to fly.  Even taking into account transfer times at both ends and check in this is still the quickest way to go.  There’s only one flight a day, so you’ll want to book your ticket asap.

The easiest way to go to Koh Samui from Krabi

While flying is quick, you’ll still need to arrange transport at either end and sit around waiting after check-in.  The easiest way to go from Krabi to Koh Samui (in my mind) is to take a combo bus and ferry ticket.  The combo ticket means that you can’t miss the connection.  Book a bus and ferry ticket to Koh Samui from Krabi here.

The cheapest way to go from Krabi to Koh Samui

The cheapest way to get to Koh Samui from Krabi is to take a bus + ferry combined ticket  – reserve your seats here.

The best way to go from Krabi to Koh Samui

Getting picked up from your hotel and dropped at your hotel at the other end, as well as having a confirmed connection means, for me, that the combo bus and ferry ticket is the best and easiest option.

Map of Transport Options for Krabi to Koh Samui

You can see the full map for Krabi to Koh Samui here

Map of Krabi to Koh Samui

Popular Routes in Thailand

Want to know more about different forms of transport in Thailand? Our guide to Thailand transport is here. And here’s how to travel some of the popular routes around Thailand, your options, and how we did it.

Travel Tips for Exploring Thailand

Final Words on How to Go from Krabi to Koh Samui

This is an easy route to travel in Thailand.  Whether you choose to go for the quick option and fly, or the cheapest (and to my mind) easiest option, with the van/bus and ferry option, you don’t need to worry about this trip, just remember to book tickets in plenty of time to get your preferred travel departure time!

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AUTHOR

Sarah Carter
Sarah Carter is an avid reader, writer and traveller. She loves hiking, sailing, skiing and exploring the world through food. She left a successful career in IT security and compliance in both the UK and US to travel the world with husband and partner in adventure, Nigel.

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