Cheap flights to Koh Samui. How to get to Koh Samui from Bangkok
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Updated: November 26, 2018 Oleg Lazhechnikov
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There are several ways to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui. If you don’t count the exotic ones, like “walking” and “hitchhiking,” then there are 7 travel options left, and which one is yours - decide according to the situation and individual financial capabilities.
Koh Samui is an island, so when choosing any form of land transport, you need to consider the ferry crossing at the end of the journey. There are only three places from which you can get from the mainland to Koh Samui: Chumphon, Surat Thani and Donsak. Lompraya's catamarans operate from the pier in Chumphon, which is 470 km from Bangkok on the way to Donsak, and from the Tapee Pier in Surat Thani. The remaining ferry companies are based in Donsak, from which it is about 40 km in a straight line to Koh Samui.
The most comfortable and fastest way to deliver yourself from Bangkok. Or more precisely, there are two ways, and one is comfortable, and the second is comparable to traveling by bus + ferry.
Airplane from Bangkok Airways
Bangkok Airways has a monopoly on Koh Samui, so only this airline has direct flights to the island. I wrote separately about this, read it if you want to get from Russia directly to Koh Samui.
Bangkok Airways operates its flights from Suvarnabhumi Airport, making it very convenient. After all, tourists from Russia and many other countries fly to this airport. However, you must understand that if your flight is delayed, then you risk not making it to the Bangkok-Samui shoulder, so you might want to think about spending the night in the capital (we are staying there, read our review). This airline also cooperates with others, like Emirates, and they offer single tickets with a transfer in Bangkok. In this case, you no longer have to worry about the delay of the first shoulder. And, by the way, sometimes such tickets can be cheaper than if you bought each segment separately.
The price for the Bangkok-Samui flight is appropriate: from 3,500 baht per person, although the flight is only an hour. Occasionally there are promotions and then a ticket can be bought for about 2,500 baht. We once flew with the whole family on Bangkok Airways, you can read.
If you are going to buy air tickets, I advise you to do it through Aviasales.ru and we use them ourselves, they are very convenient services.
Airplane from AirAsia and NokAir
Airasia and NokAir airlines fly from the second airport in Bangkok - . That is, if you arrived at, then you need at least another hour to get to another airport.
The second disadvantage of these airlines is that they fly not to the island of Koh Samui itself (since Bangkok Airways has a monopoly there), but to the mainland in the cities of Surathani or Nakorn Si Thammarat. Please note, when you buy tickets, it will be written about transfer to Samui. That is, the price of the air ticket also includes a bus from Surathani Airport (or Nakorn Si Thammarat) to the pier and a ferry crossing.
I think it is obvious that the option of flying from Airasia/Nokair is not very comfortable and does not save much time. For families with children, I would recommend paying a little extra and flying with Bangkok Airways. And budget travelers can also go by bus from Bangkok, since when they need to save money, there is no time for planes.
Train + ferry
How to buy a train ticket online
You can buy a combined train/bus/ferry ticket at the Hua Lamphong ticket office or at any travel agency on the streets of Bangkok. In my opinion, if you are going to buy tickets from an agency, it is better to do it in advance and via the Internet.
Lompraya is a large, well-known company that has been engaged in the maritime transportation of passengers in the Gulf of Thailand for a long time. They do not sell combined train+catamaran tickets. I recommend buying tickets for Lompraya in advance, online. During high season, obtaining tickets directly from the Lompraya office can be difficult. Tickets to Samui cost about 1,100 baht, the price can be checked on their website.
Upon arrival in Chumphon, look for Lompraya buses or minibuses in the square. If you need the Lompraya office, it is located right there, at the railway station (10.502861, 99.175848) on platform 1. If the weather is good, you will reach the Lompraya pier on Koh Samui after 1.5 hours of travel, and at the same time you will see the islands of Koh Tao and Phangan .
Disadvantages: long travel time, long connections between modes of transport, risk of being left on the shore due to a storm, if there are waves, it won’t be enough, two ferries a day
Pros: comfortable seats on the train, you can sleep.
Train to Surat Thani, bus to Donsak pier, ferry
In Surat Thani, to the left of the exit from the station you will see several buses from different companies and stands with prices - this is a transfer to Donsak, or you can buy a combined bus + ferry ticket from them for 300-350 baht.
As an option, the Songserm Express company offers train+bus+ferry joint tickets. When purchasing online, you will be offered several options that differ in the class of the car and the location of the shelf. TRAIN TICKETS MUST BE PICKED UP FROM THE OFFICE - read the conditions when booking. The price ranges from 1280 to 1980 baht per person. Trains depart from Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok: 17:05, 18:30, 19:30 - in short, all night trains that travel for 12-13 hours.
Disadvantages of this method of getting from Bangkok to Samui: long travel time, uncomfortable temperature, two transfers.
Pros: buying tickets in one place, you can sleep on the train, more comfortable seats than on the bus.
Bus + ferry
By bus to the pier in Donsak and ferry crossing
Donsak is the closest point to Koh Samui on the mainland. To get from Bangkok to Donsak, you need to get from Suvarnaphumi Airport to Sai Tai Mai South Bus Station (13.780589,100.422699). There are several routes, but the most reliable, especially if you are in Thailand for the first time, is a metered taxi (it’s not a problem to leave the airport by meter, you need a Public Taxi counter). Tell the driver that you want the New Saitai because there is also the old Saitai.
Travel time by bus is about 13 hours, so my advice to you is not to skimp on buying a VIP ticket. The ticket office is located on the third floor of the bus station. The cost of a regular ticket is about 800 baht, and a VIP ticket will cost 1,500. But the VIP has more comfortable seats that recline almost horizontally. Before checking your suitcase into the luggage compartment, take out your warm clothes, they may come in handy. Usually the air conditioning on buses runs at full capacity, and there is a real chance of catching a cold.
Depending on which ferry you were sold a ticket for, in Donsak you will be taken to one of two piers:
— Raja Ferry, whose ships arrive in Koh Samui in the area.
- Seatran Ferry, whose ships arrive at Koh Samui in the administrative center.
The crossing time is approximately the same for both companies – 1.5 hours.
Cons: travel time, temperature may not be comfortable.
Pros: price
By bus to Chumphon and transfer to the Lompraya catamaran
The second bus solution is to purchase a comprehensive ticket at the Lomprayah office. Lompraya's Bangkok office is located on Rambuttri Road (13.759342, 100.498595). You can take a risk and try to buy a combined bus+catamaran ticket upon arrival, but I would advise you to take care of this in advance and book your tickets online on their website. According to the schedule on the website, the cost of one comprehensive ticket is 1,450 baht for the evening flight at 21:00, and 1,400 baht for the morning flight at 06:00.
A significant part of the route, almost 9 hours of travel from Bangkok to Chumphon, is spent on a bus, with one stop for the toilet and a snack. The route by sea passes through Koh Tao and Koh Phangan, and ends at the northern pier 3.5 hours after leaving Chumphon.
During check-in at the Lompraya office in Bangkok, which takes place two hours before departure, you will be covered with stickers and will be guided by the hand until your arrival in Koh Samui. The entire trip from Bangkok to Koh Samui was rehearsed like clockwork.
Disadvantages: travel time, ticket reservation in English, if there are waves, you will vomit on the catamaran.
Pros: price.
How to buy a bus ticket online
Bus tickets can now be purchased online only on the website. There you can choose both combined tickets and, for example, only Bangkok-Surat Thani. Decide for yourself what suits you best. Lompraya is there too.
Payment by bank card or PayPal, electronic bus/ferry ticket, very convenient!
Rented car + ferry
It is better to reserve a car online from a reputable company. They will deliver you a car with a full tank of fuel, insurance and in good technical condition, which is important on such a long route - from Bangkok to Samui, about 730 km. Read all the details about the link.
On average, the cost of renting a regular passenger car costs about 1,000 baht per day. The price range for official distributors is from 800 to 3,500 thousand baht. The deposit for a car is usually around 10,000 baht. This amount is frozen on your card until the car is returned (that's why it's good).
From Suvarnabhumi Airport to the piers of Donsak there is a multi-lane highway with excellent quality road surface. If you have driving skills on roads with left-hand traffic, you can complete the journey in 8-9 hours with short rest stops. With average fuel consumption on the highway, even 10 liters per hundred, you will burn 70 liters of gasoline. This is 2000 baht. The ferry crossing from Donsak to Samui costs 470 baht for a driver with a car, and 150 baht for each passenger.
The car is returned at the Samui airport, at the company counter. The minimum cost of this trip option from Bangkok to Samui: 3620 baht (rent 1000 + gasoline 2000 + ferry 620). But this does not take into account the cost of such a service as returning the car to another destination. As a rule, in Thailand all rental companies charge a certain amount for this, for example 5,000 baht. To avoid paying it, you need to rent a car for a period of 5 days or more (this is the case with Hertz).
Cons: travel time, deposit freezing, an international driver's license is required, after a difficult flight you will have to lose a day in Bangkok to rest before the trip, price
Pros: comfort, interesting experience and impressions.
Night ferry
I present this option in a separate section for a simple reason - all previous methods (except for plane and car rental) include a joint ticket. That is, you have in your hands all the tickets for all types of transport all the way to Koh Samui. Moreover, the routes of combined tickets are worked out in such a way that you physically cannot be late for a single leg and are sure to catch the last ferry to Samui. Planes, of course, will fly. The car - you won’t leave it in any case and the night ferry doesn’t smile at you at all. Why?
The overnight ferry is a passenger ship (does not carry equipment) that departs at 23:00 directly from the city of Surat Thani. I repeat - straight from the city, despite the fact that the city does not seem to be at all by the sea. Surat Thani has a large river and a network of canals, so on the banks of one of the canals there is a Bandon pier, with a ticket office where you buy a ferry ticket for 200 baht and sleep for almost seven hours on the ferry. The ferry arrives at the Nathon pier at 5:30 am. By the way, it also departs from Samui at 21:00 (that is, two hours after all the last ferries on the island) and docks in Bandon at 3:30 at night. Just for reference.
I would only recommend the overnight ferry if you somehow end up in Surat Thani and absolutely cannot get to the ferries near Donsak on time. Well, if, for some reason, you arrived at the ferries near Donsak and did not have time to leave, then I would advise you not to catch a taxi to Surat Thani. Firstly, it is not cheap - it costs at least 1500-1700 baht. Secondly, the drive is about forty minutes. Then you have to wait a long time for departure and hang out on board all night. It will be much more comfortable to spend the night near the piers in one of the motels for 350 - 650 baht in a room with air conditioning.
How to get to your beach on Koh Samui
If you are not going to rent a car or scooter, then there are only four transportation options for those who have just arrived on Koh Samui: transfer from the hotel, taxi, songthaew, minibus.
If you come to Samui and are looking for accommodation for a short period while you are looking for a house, you can book through RoomGuru, this is simply a mega-service, you can immediately see in which booking system (Booking, Agoda, Hotels, etc.) the hotel you need is cheaper. I also have my own detailed review. And I recommend reading it to make it easier to choose where to go if you haven’t already.
Taxi via the Internet
Anyone who wants a minimum of physical movements can order a transfer to in advance via the Internet. You will be met in the arrivals hall, your luggage will be taken, you will be put in a car and taken to your desired location. The good thing about this method is that there are no problems at all. And sometimes it will be even cheaper than taking a transfer from the hotel; sometimes they raise prices.
Where can you leave on the spot?
Raja Ferry Pier on Lipa Noi. Immediately after the exit there are two large corrals for equipment. The covered corral is for departing cars, and the open corral is for those arriving. There you will find taxi drivers and a transfer waiting for you.
Cytran Ferry Pier in Nathon. At the end of the pier, in a small area there are a bunch of taxi drivers and songthaews (pickup minibuses). If you are traveling with up to seven people, then by pre-order you can order a minibus from the Grand Sea Discovery company.
Lompraya Pier, Maenam. Here you can either order a taxi or take the company’s minibuses. The third option is to walk to the ring road and catch a songthaew.
Koh Samui Airport. Only taxis and minibuses are available. And a transfer if you ordered it. By the way, if you are not sure that you will find the right place on your own, if you do not have a map with the name of the hotel/villa or a business card with directions, do not refuse the transfer of the meeting party, save yourself some nerves.
Travel prices
Taxi
Previously, the cost of taxis was fixed, starting from 400 baht to the nearest beach and ending at 1000 baht for delivery to the opposite end of the island. After the military coup in 2013, they tried to bring taxi prices in the main resort areas - Pattaya, Phuket and Samui - under control, but it seems that it did not work out.
If you are lucky enough to go by the meter, then you will definitely be charged 50 baht - the minimum tariff, plus 50 baht service fee, for this money you can travel 2 km. You pay for the rest of the journey according to the meter, 12 baht per kilometer.
Songthaew (pickup minibus)
Travel within one beach costs about 20 baht in the daytime, during official working hours. To travel across half the island you will be asked about 100 baht.
There are only three songthaew routes:
- Nathon-Lamai runs along the southern part of the island;
— Nathon–Chaweng passes through the northern part of Samui;
— Nathon–Big Buddha–Chaweng, also in the north.
At night, that is, from 18:00, songthaew drivers begin to work for themselves, and prices rise accordingly.
Minibass
— At the airport they charge from 150 to 650 baht per person for delivery to any place on the island, depending on the distance. If there are two or more of you, the price is proportionally reduced, and the amount is charged for the number of people. Where one person will pay 350 baht for travel to Bo Phut beach, two will pay 400 baht, and seven will pay 1,000 baht.
— In Nathon, a Grand Sea Discovery minibus can be ordered by phone at a price of 700 to 800 baht per car.
Russian speaking taxi
These are compatriots who illegally earn extra money as a cab driver. They do not have meters, the price for transportation is negotiable. They do not advertise their work, they do not stand on the piers or at the airport, and you can find them either on the advice of a real estate agency or on your own on social networks and communities on Koh Samui. The price is usually 100-200 baht more due to the fact that the service is provided by a Russian-speaking driver.
Berths map
Well, as a summary of all of the above, here is a map where various services on Samui and Koh Phangan are marked, including transport ones: piers, bus stations and railway stations. To make it easier for you to navigate, otherwise the devil himself will break his leg with these route options. I strongly recommend that you take a good look at where the Surat Thani airport is, where the city of Surat Thani itself is, where Donsak is and where the piers on Koh Samui are. These are four completely different places that constantly confuse people. Don't get confused)
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- car rental for a day - $25;
- gasoline - $70;
- fee for toll sections of the road - $10;
- crossing - $13 per car with driver + $4 per person.
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If you are traveling to Thailand on your own, then the question of how to get to Samui is probably very relevant, especially in recent years, because the second largest island of the Kingdom is gaining popularity every year.
But, unfortunately, there are no direct flights to Samui, neither from Moscow, nor from St. Petersburg, nor from Yekaterinburg, nor from Samara, nor from Irkutsk, nor from Novosibirsk, nor from Vladivostok.
Flight
Flights to Samui are only possible with a transfer. Therefore, when planning a vacation, you can visit not only Samui, but also Bangkok or Phuket. For example, it is possible to select only a connecting flight with a transfer of several hours; if desired, you can stay for a longer period, since there is no need to apply for a visa to Thailand, it is issued upon arrival.
Getting to the island is not at all difficult, since transport in Thailand and communications between cities are very well developed.
Moscow-Samui
The flight Moscow – Samui is operated by the following airlines: Cathay Pacific, Aeroflot, Transaero, Thai Airways, S7, Finnair, Air France, Austrian, Bangkok Airways, Emirates, British Airways, Chinese Airlines, Qantas, China Eastern Airlines, Etihad, KLM, Qatar Airways, Korean Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Tyrolean Airways, Lufthansa, Emirates, Air China.
Naturally, more companies fly from Moscow. Keep in mind that it will most likely be faster to fly via Asian lines.
St. Petersburg – Samui
Flight St. Petersburg – Samui – Aeroflot, Air Astana, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Finnair, Air France, Austrian, Singapore Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Bangkok Airways Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Finnair, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, British Airways, Ukraine Intl Airlines .
Flight Irkutsk – Samui: Bangkok Airways, Aeroflot, Thai Airways, S7, Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Cathay Pacific.
When planning an independent trip to Samui, pay attention to special offers from airlines and keep in mind that fares and flights change depending on the time of travel.
How to get there more conveniently
As a rule, it is often more convenient and faster to get direct flights, for example, to Phuket or Bangkok, and only then go to Samui.
Bangkok-Samui
You can get to Koh Samui from Bangkok not only by air, but also by train. From Hua Lamphong Station, go to Surat Thani, then take a boat to the island. The travel time will be about a day for everything.
You can get comfortably, and most importantly, faster from Bangkok to Samui by buses, which are equipped with air conditioning and comfortable seats. There are many options - after all, Bangkok is not only the capital, but also the transport network of Thailand. Here are all the departure and arrival points of all routes: trains, buses, planes, boats.
Samui and Bangkok do not have direct land connections. But transfers are not a problem - the transport system in Taya is excellent and you won’t have to waste time waiting for the next vehicle.
Rental and ferry
You can also choose an extreme way to get there - on foot in combination with hitchhiking. But it is more acceptable and interesting to rent a car.
From the capital of Thaya to the island – 730 kilometers (8\9 hours of travel with stops for a “smoke break”). Renting a car costs on average about 1,000 baht. Deposit for a car is 10,000 baht.
This amount is frozen in your personal account until the car is returned at Samui airport.
Maximum fuel consumption is 70 liters (2,000 baht). The cost of ferry crossing with a car is 470 baht and 150 for each passenger.
With average fuel consumption on the highway, even 10 liters per hundred, you will burn 70 liters of gasoline. This is 2000 baht. The ferry crossing from Donsak to Samui costs 470 baht for a driver with a car, and 150 baht for each passenger.
How to travel around Thailand is up to you to decide, based on your personal preferences and time resources. Of course, traveling by land is much more interesting, as you will see more around you and experience the local flavor to the fullest.
Depending on the remoteness and characteristics of the holiday, you may think...
There are many options for getting from Bangkok to Koh Samui. After all, Bangkok is not only the capital, but also the transport hub of Thailand. All routes begin and end here: be it train, bus or plane.
Despite the high price, the destination is extremely popular: during the high season, more than 20 flights fly daily - all from Suvarnabhumi. Time in the air is from 1:05 to 1:30.
TOTAL:$105 and 1 hour 15 minutes. on my way.
Direct bus
One of the most popular ways to get to the island is by bus from Bangkok to Koh Samui. It will take you to the pier in Donsak in 13 hours without a transfer. Departure is from the Sai Tai Mai bus station, located on Borommaratchachonnani Road. Tickets can be purchased at the bus station ticket office. The desired route is followed daily by two flights around 6.00 and six flights after 15.30 - in order to be there by night or the next day.
A standard bus will cost $20. This option will be the cheapest of all possible ways to get to Donsak. A luxury bus will cost $40. Both are comfortable, with air conditioning. In the VIP class there are half as many seats, and you can get more comfortable.
The bus goes to the pier in Donsak and stops every 4 hours. Next, passengers disembark, buy ferry tickets (if they have not purchased them in Bangkok along with the bus) and wait for departure. The ferry runs hourly from 6.00 to 19.00 and docks at Nathan.
TOTAL:$45 (in vip class), $25 (in regular class) and 14.5 hours on the road.
By car
For those who have an international driver's license, the question of how to get to Samui does not arise. You need to rent a car in Bangkok and travel by private transport in the company of friends or family. You will need to cover 770 km. It will take 11-12 hours. The Bangkok – Samui road route is simple and straightforward: it mostly runs along highways No. 4 and 41.
The main advantage is that you do not depend on any carriers, you do not need to adjust to the schedule. The main thing is to arrive at the ferry crossing during the day.
The financial side of the issue (we consider it modestly):
TOTAL for 4 people:$130 and 11 hours on the road.
Via Surrathani (+ bus + ferry)
Surrathani is the transport hub of southern Thailand. From here you can get to any resort place.
By plane
If you are not prejudiced against flying on low-cost airlines, then a flight from Bangkok to Surrathani followed by a trip to Samui by bus and ferry will be the best option in terms of price and time spent.
More than 10 flights depart from Bangkok daily, the cheapest being from Don Mueang. It is located near Suvarnabhumi: shuttles run between the airports. The carriers are well-known low-cost airlines in Thailand:
Flight time is 1:10. Tickets can be purchased for $20.
Buses run from Surrathani Airport to Donsak Pier. Tickets are sold at the airport building. It makes more sense to pay for the bus and ferry fare ($9) right away. Travel time – 3 hours.
TOTAL:$30 and 4.5 hours on the road.
By train
Every day more than a dozen trains depart in a southern direction. Among them there are both regular passenger and express, express and super express. The faster the train goes, the more “branded” it is: more air-conditioned compartment cars, fewer seated cars - and, accordingly, more expensive. A seat in a standard two-seater compartment costs $30. In a reserved seat carriage – $20-$25. You can get there in 10 hours. Almost all trains go at night. The advantage of traveling, unlike a bus, is that you can spend the night in a horizontal position. If you travel in a first class compartment carriage, the journey will be quite decent, without significant inconvenience.
It is better to think in advance about how to get to Samui and purchase tickets for all transport at the Bangkok station. This will save you from unnecessary fuss in Surrathani. Trains are often delayed, but this is not a problem, since bus and ferry tickets are not tied to a specific departure time and do not have fixed seats. If you prefer not to pay in advance, you can purchase bus tickets (+ for the ferry) when you arrive at Surrathani station.
The bus leaves from the parking lot next to the train station every hour until 18:00. The drive is short: 1 hour to the pier and 1.5 hours on the ferry. The end point is Nathan Pier.
TOTAL:$35 and 13 hours on the road.
Via Chumphon (+ boat)
From the pier in Chumphon to Samui, boats depart 2 times a day: 7.30 and 13.00.
By train
A reserved seat ticket from Bangkok to Chumphon by train will cost $15. Travel time – 8 hours. Almost all trains arrive at night or very early in the morning. To catch the boat, you need to arrive no later than 6.00 and 11.30 respectively. Not far from the station on Tha Taphao Alley there is the Chumphon Lomprayah office, where you can purchase a transfer to the pier and a boat ticket.
You will be put on a company bus from Bangkok, dropped off near the pier and taken to the ship. Lomprayah will charge $30 for its services. It’s cheaper and easier to go straight from Bangkok using their transport.
TOTAL:$45 and 12.5 hours on the road + waiting for the bus.
Summary table (how to get to Samui) with options sorted by popularity among tourists.
| Transport | Travel time | Cost, $ | |
| Airplane | 4:30 | 30 | |
| Straight | 1:15 | from 105 | |
| Car + ferry (for 4 people) | 11:00 | 130 | |
| Bus | Lomprayah company route (+ boat) | 12:30 | 40 |
| direct to Donsak (+ ferry) | 14:30 | from 25 | |
| Train | to Surrathani (+ bus + ferry) | 13:00 | 35 |
| to Chumphon (+ bus + boat) | 12:30 | 45 | |
Many people are interested in the question of how to get to Koh Samui from Bangkok. There are several ways:
To Koh Samui from Bangkok by plane
You can get to Koh Samui from Bangkok by airplane by Bangkok Airways which fly directly to the island. Fast, convenient and expensive!
A plane ticket from Bangkok to Samui will cost from 3,300 baht (~$100) per person one way. About 15 flights per day fly from Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok International Airport. You can buy plane tickets from Bangkok to Koh Samui in advance.
To Koh Samui from Bangkok by plane via Surat Thani
Get from Bangkok by plane to Surat Thani (Surat Thani is the closest airport on the mainland to the port of Donsak, from which ferries run to Koh Samui) by one of the low-cost companies:
and then from the airport to the island by bus and ferry. When purchasing tickets on the website, select immediately Koh Samui (not Surat Thani) , then the ticket will immediately include delivery to Samui by bus and ferry!
We immediately choose Samui (Lipa Noi Pier)
The cost of such a comprehensive ticket from Bangkok to Koh Samui can be as low as $33! Although more standard price 1500 – 1600 baht (~$50).
If you are traveling without luggage, then sometimes the cost of a flight with transfer to the island can be cheaper than traveling by train-bus-ferry If you bought a plane ticket only to Surat Thani, don't worry, a comprehensive bus - ferry ticket can also be bought on board the plane for 450 baht (~$13).
And you can buy a plane ticket in advance on the website for 20-30 dollars. But keep in mind that Checked luggage will have to be paid extra separately - from $15 per suitcase, only Thai Lion Air includes 15 kg of luggage in the ticket price.
These low-cost airlines fly from the old airport of Bangkok - Don Mueang. Please take this into account when purchasing tickets. You fly from Moscow to Suvarnabhumi Airport, and flights to Samui from Air Asia, Nokair and Thai Lion Air from Don Mueang Airport. Air Asia tickets are non-refundable - if you miss your flight, the money for the ticket will not be returned. You can get from one Bangkok airport to another by shuttle bus (if you present a ticket for the next flight, travel is free). Travel time is about an hour.
How to get to Koh Samui by bus from Bangkok
You can also get to Koh Samui from Bangkok by bus (+ of course, ferry :) Such a comprehensive ticket will cost from 800 baht (~ $25) to 1300 baht (~ $40) per person, depending on the class of the bus. You can buy a bus ticket on Koasan Road or at Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal. But I don’t like traveling on a bus at night, so we never got to Koh Samui this way :)
How to get to Koh Samui by train
Travel by train from Bangkok to Surat Thani or Chumphon, then by bus to the pier and by ferry to Koh Samui. We got to Koh Samui via Surat Thani more than once :)
Trains depart from Hua Lamphong Station. This is also the name of the MRT underground metro station.
Train station in Bangkok There are currently 11 trains running on the Bangkok-Surat Thani route. The first train departs from Bangkok at 8:05 am and arrives in Surrattani at 16:45 (if there are no delays, which is rare for Thai trains). It takes about 1.5 hours to get to the ferry by bus. The last ferry departs from Donsak to Saumi at 19:00. There is a chance to catch the last ferry and get to the island on the same day, but there is a chance not to make it...
Ferries operate between the island and the mainland from 5-6 am to 7 pm. Sometimes the last ferry may be canceled They usually get through Chumphon if they are going by or by train. Although you can also get to Koh Samui this way. Get off at Chumphon railway station (3 hours earlier than Surat Thani), buy a combined bus and boat ticket there. Take a speedboat for about 3.5 hours to Koh Samui, via Koh Tao and Koh Phangan.
Read about how to get to Koh Tao, read about how to get to Koh Phangan. You can check the train schedule and ticket prices.
Train schedule Bangkok - Surat Thani. It is optimal to choose train No. 85 On the train to Koh Samui in 2012
About a month in advance, I bought tickets on the website thairailticket.com for train 85 Bangkok - Surat Thani second class carriage with air conditioning. Top shelf 700 baht (23.3 dollars), lower 800 baht (26.6 dollars), total for two 1500 baht ($50). I paid by card. When boarding the train, you only need to print out the tickets that arrive in the mail.
Attention! From January 2 In 013, Thailand Railways stopped selling tickets online. But since the end of 2015, a new opportunity has appeared to buy train tickets from Bangkok via the Internet. This can be done on the 12Go.Asia website. In the search form below you need to select the departure station Bangkok, and the arrival station Surat Thani.
The train departs from Bangkok station at 19:30, arriving in Surat Thani around 7 am. There are first class carriages (2 people per compartment), second class with air conditioning, second class with fan and seated carriages. We arrived at the Bangkok train station by taxi from Koasan Road for 100 baht. We arrived, as always, very early 🙂 At the station there were mainly tourists traveling around Thailand and a large group of monks.
At the Bangkok station waiting for the train The train arrived in advance, about 40 minutes before. Mostly there were only tourists in the carriage (although there seemed to be one local resident 😎)
Second class carriage with air conditioning I was afraid that the air conditioner would be cold in the carriage (they love to freeze people 😎), we even took tape to seal the ventilation if it was blowing, but it was not useful. The temperature was very comfortable. We drank Cinzano with chocolate
Not much Cinzano and chocolate :) and went to watch a movie. Their bottom shelf is wide and soft, you can even fit two people 😎
Comfortable wide shelves on Thai trains The trains are good, I liked them more than our trains 😎 I even slept well: the bottom bunk is comfortable, wide, soft. Each shelf is curtained with a curtain. Dinner and breakfast are served on the train. I took breakfast, the normal price is 120 baht (4 dollars), a normal breakfast. Trains in Thailand are always late. Ours is no exception. We arrived in Surat Thani about an hour late. At the station we immediately bought a combined bus + ferry ticket for 280 baht (~ $9) per person to Samui. The journey took about 2 hours by bus, about 1.5 hours by ferry
Approaching Koh Samui and finally we got to the island
By train to Koh Samui
In June we again traveled to Samui from Bangkok by train. Since now, unfortunately, it is impossible to buy train tickets via the Internet (more precisely, you can, but with an agency commission), we checked in and went by bus to the station, where we bought train tickets to Surat Thani without any problems. The fare has not changed; for two tickets (lower and upper berths) we paid ~1,500 baht. Tickets can be paid by card!
The train ride went as usual: a little martini, an interesting movie and sleep :) At night Lesha was cool on the top bunk, but for me on the bottom it was just right. So always take with you on the train either a thin blanket or a large scarf, and socks for your feet :)
At the station in Surat Thani they immediately began offering us complex tickets to Koh Samui. At first, as always, they offer tickets for Lampraya (they are more expensive) at 500 baht per person, we said that we didn’t want Lampraya, then we were offered Songserm at 280 baht. Let's go :)
You can buy tickets to anywhere right at the station in Surat Thani :) 
This time we got to the pier by bus very quickly, then sat there for almost an hour waiting for the boat to depart. I was surprised by the paid WiFi…
Port of Donsak 
An hour and a half by sea and here we are again on Koh Samui!
Many tourists coming to Thailand begin their journey from its capital, Bangkok. After all, this is where most planes from different countries arrive. At the same time, the final goal of vacationers is usually one of the many Thai islands, and people stay in the capital only for a couple of days, considering it as an interesting excursion. Today we’ll talk about how to travel the Bangkok-Samui route on your own - we’ll look at all the possible options, from flights to trains.
Airplane
The fastest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui is, of course, by flight. It is also the most expensive - the ticket costs about $100 one way. If you buy tickets in advance, you can get a small promotion and pay 70-80 dollars.
From the capital's Suvarnabhumi Airport, planes fly to Samui quite often, more than ten times a day, so there will be no problems with seats. The flights are operated by Bangkok Airways and the flight lasts an hour.
However, you can use a more budget-friendly flight option, but you will have to sacrifice some of your free time. Only Bangkok Airways has direct flights from Bangkok to Samui, but other airlines can take tourists to the province of Surat Thani, which includes Samui, and from there you can get to the island by ferry.
The plane + ferry method is cheaper, but flights to Surat Thani operate from another Bangkok airport - Don Mueang, so travelers will first have to get there from Suvarnabhumi, which will take about an hour. Here you can buy a ticket to Surat Thani from AirAsia or NokAir, which will cost $40. Moreover, this price includes transfer from the airport to the pier and the cost of the ferry crossing. That is, flying this way is half the price, but takes much longer. The flight will take an hour, the bus ride to the ferry will take 1.5 hours, and another couple of hours will be spent on the crossing itself. And this does not include waiting and moving between capital airports.
Vacationers traveling with children are unlikely to like this option - it is quite tedious. They are better off spending money on a direct flight from Bangkok to Samui.
Bus
To take the bus, you need to get from the airport to the Sai Tai Mai bus station, and the easiest way to do this is by taxi. You just need to choose a car with a meter - there is a counter for such a service next to the airport and is marked with a Public Taxi sign. Before the trip, it is worth clarifying that you need to go to New Sai Thai Mai, since the city also has an old bus station, and the driver may accidentally take passengers to the wrong place.
You should take a bus ticket to Donsak Pier, the closest mainland point to Samui. The cashier will offer two options - a regular ticket and a VIP ticket. The first will cost approximately $23, the second - $43, the same as the flight to Surat Thani. But, if possible, it is better to take a VIP, because the bus will be on the road for about 13 hours, and riding on comfortable folding seats is much more convenient than just sitting.
Things are checked into the luggage compartment, but before doing this, it is better to take something warm out of the bag. The buses have powerful air conditioners, and you can easily freeze on the road.
In Donsak, the bus will leave travelers at one of two crossings - Raja Ferry or Sitran Ferry. Ferries from both piers take the same amount of time - 1.5 hours. The only difference is that they arrive at different points on Samui - in the Lipa Noi and Nathon areas, respectively.
There is another option to get to Koh Samui by bus. You need to drive yourself to the office of a company called Lomprayah, which is located on Rambuttri Street, and buy a bus + high-speed catamaran ticket. It costs $40.
The route will be as follows: the bus takes 9 hours to Chumphon province, and then you need to travel another 3.5 hours by sea. The catamaran arrives at Mae Nam Beach on Koh Samui.
You should register at the company office no later than two hours before departure. It is better to book tickets in advance online. The bus runs twice a day - at 6:00 and at 21:00. After registration, you can relax - then tourists will be accompanied by guides throughout the entire journey to the island.
Train
The railway station in Bangkok is called Hua Lamphong. Trains to Chumphon start running from 13:00 and run every hour or two. A ticket costs from 12 to 34 dollars depending on the class of carriage and whether it is an upper or lower seat.
But you should know that when choosing a train, tourists seriously depend on the time frame. You should not take a train arriving in Chumphon later than 6:00, otherwise you may not be able to catch the catamaran to Samui. Trains No. 85 and 167 are ideal. The carriages are also constantly air-conditioned, so it would be a good idea to have a jacket or cape on hand.
Upon arrival in Chumphon, you need to transfer to a high-speed catamaran from the Lompraya company. They go twice a day - at 7:30 and at 13:00. If you are late, you will have to stay in Chumphon until the next morning.
They go from the station and train to Surat Thani, and at the ticket office you can buy a complex ticket at once - for train, bus and ferry, its price is 25-35 dollars. From Bangkok to Surat Thani you can get in 13 hours, provided that the train is not late, - and this happens quite often with Thai trains.
In order not to get lost in Surat Thani, upon arrival you need to show your ticket to the conductor, and he will indicate which direction to go next. The bus will take tourists to the pier, from where they will then take a ferry to Koh Samui.
Automobile
You can also get to Koh Samui using the car + ferry option. This can be either a taxi or a rented car.
If you decide to rent a car and travel the way to the pier yourself, it is better to order it online from a trusted, reputable company. Price - on average 28 dollars per day plus a deposit of 800-900 dollars. Documents you will need are a passport, driving license (preferably international) and a credit card on which the deposit will be frozen. Persons under 21 years of age cannot rent a car.
The car is delivered with a full tank and insurance. It will cover a distance of 730 km.
Driving in Thailand is on the left, and for an inexperienced driver it can be difficult at first. But the roads in Bangkok and beyond are wide and good - you can reach Donsak in about 10 hours, provided that rest stops are short. Gasoline will cost $55-60.
It turns out that renting a car is completely unprofitable for one person - all expenses will be approximately $100. For this money you can fly to Samui by direct plane. But if there is a group of people gathered, this option is quite acceptable! Moreover, along the way you can see many interesting picturesque landscapes.
As for taxis, of course, not every driver will agree to carry passengers such a distance. And if he agrees, he will probably charge a price of at least 250-300 dollars. But if you set a goal, you can find a taxi driver living on Samui on the Internet and negotiate a trip with him.
In addition, the most desperate can try to hitchhike to the ferry. Maybe you'll be lucky and some friendly driver will agree to give you a lift. But this option is perhaps the most risky - it is not a fact that you will not have to vote on the road for several hours in a row to no avail. But if the plan does work, it will be cheap - you can negotiate with the driver for a symbolic price.
Transport on Koh Samui
Once travelers have finally arrived on the island using one method or another, all they have to do is get to their hotel.
If this is Samui Airport, you can get there from there either by taxi or by minibus. Or worry in advance and order a transfer from the hotel. If the ferry arrives at the Raja Ferry pier, there will be a taxi and (if ordered) a transfer bus in the open corral for those who meet you. If you plan to arrive at the Cytran Ferry pier, then at the very end there is a taxi stand. There you can also take a small songthaew minibus. And finally, if tourists arrived by catamaran to Mae Nam beach, they can take the same taxi or use the carrier’s minibus. Songthaew is also here, but you have to walk to the ring road - there you can catch this minibus.
Have a nice trip!