How to Get from Hua Hin to Koh Samui (and the Other Gulf Islands) in 2026

If you’re living in or visiting Hua Hin and you’ve been eyeing Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, or Koh Tao, you already know the hardest part isn’t choosing which island — it’s figuring out how to get there without losing your mind in transit.

The good news? You’ve got four solid options to suit every budget and travel style. The trick is matching the route to what you actually care about: speed, cost, comfort, or scenery. Here’s what you need to know.

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The Smart Split — Train to Chumphon + Overnight, Then Ferry

This is my pick for anyone who doesn’t want to spend nine hours in transit in a single day. You break the journey into two manageable legs, you get a proper night’s sleep, and you arrive on the island feeling like your holiday has already started, not like you’ve just survived an endurance test.

How it works: Board the Special Express Train #43 from Hua Hin Station at 10:36am. You’ll arrive in Chumphon at 1:50pm, which gives you the afternoon to explore the town’s night market or grab a seafood dinner by the river. The following morning, catch the 7am Lomprayah ferry, you’ll be on Koh Samui’s shores by 11:20am.

Book your train: The official State Railway of Thailand booking site is dticket.railway.co.th. Tickets open up to 90 days in advance and e-tickets can be shown on your phone — no printing needed.

If you have trouble with the SRT site (it can be temperamental with foreign cards), 12go.asia sells the same tickets with a small booking fee but a much smoother experience for non-Thai users.

Cost: Approximately 350–500 THB for the train, plus around 1,100 THB for the ferry. Add your hotel on top of that.

Where to stay in Chumphon: Euro Boutique is well-located near the train station and the night market. If you’d rather an easy transfer to the boat in the morning, Baan I Talay sits right at the Lomprayah pier.

The One-Ticket Wonder — VIP Bus + High-Speed Catamaran

If you want to leave Hua Hin in the morning and be on the island by dinner, this is your route. One joint ticket covers everything — bus, transfers, and the catamaran — so you don’t have to think about logistics at all.

How it works: The Lomprayah VIP bus departs from their Hua Hin office on Phet Kasem Road at 8:30am. You transfer to the high-speed catamaran at Chumphon, which stops briefly at Koh Tao and Koh Phangan before arriving at Maenam Pier in Samui at 5:30pm. Check the current timetable at lomprayah.com/timetable.

What to expect: It’s efficient, but it is a long day in a seat — roughly 3.5 hours on the bus followed by 3.5 hours on the water. The catamarans are fast and air-conditioned, but if the afternoon breeze picks up, they can get bouncy.

Sit at the back for a smoother ride, and if you’re susceptible to motion sickness, grab a Dramamine from any 7-Eleven before you leave — take it 30 minutes before boarding, not after you start feeling green.

One thing worth knowing: the ferry arrives at Maenam Pier, which is about 15–20 minutes from Chaweng. When the staff walk through the boat selling minivan transfer tickets for 150–200 THB, buy one. The taxis waiting at the pier will charge you three or four times that for the same journey.

Cost: Around 1,600–1,850 THB per person.

The Smooth Ride — Private Car + Raja Car Ferry

This is the route for anyone who values comfort over cost, or who simply doesn’t trust their stomach on a fast boat. Rather than heading to Chumphon for the catamaran, you drive further south to Donsak Pier in Surat Thani and board the Raja Ferry — a massive car ferry that is a completely different experience from any high-speed vessel.

How it works: Book a private car from Hua Hin to Donsak Pier (allow 5.5 hours, so a 7am departure works well). At Donsak, the Raja Ferry runs every hour between 5am and 7pm and the crossing to Samui takes about 90 minutes.

What to expect: This boat doesn’t bounce. It carries trucks and cars, and it moves with a slow, steady roll that is much easier on the body than the sharp slap of a catamaran in choppy water. There are wide open-air decks to walk around, an onboard shop, and plenty of space. For families travelling with luggage, this is the most comfortable crossing by a significant margin.

Can you take your car? Yes. This is one of the most common questions we are asked by our local Hua Hin friends. You can drive your own car to Donsak and take it across on the Raja Ferry to both Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. For Koh Tao, however, there is no car ferry service, you’d need to leave your vehicle on the mainland or in Samui and continue by passenger ferry.

Always check current vehicle rates directly with Raja Ferry before you travel as pricing varies by vehicle size.

Cost: The private car transfer runs 6,800–7,500 THB per vehicle (or 8,500–10,000 THB for a larger VIP van). The ferry is around 250 THB per person on top of that, making this genuinely cost-effective for a group of three or four.

The Detour Upwards — Flying via Bangkok

Yes, Hua Hin has an airport — but there are no direct flights to Samui (yet). If you want to fly, you need to head back towards Bangkok first, which feels counterintuitive. That said, for some travellers it makes perfect sense.

How it works: A private transfer to Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) takes about 3 hours. Bangkok Airways is the only carrier flying into Koh Samui, and the flight itself is just one hour. Samui’s open-air boutique airport is genuinely one of the most beautiful in the world. If you want a luxe arrival, this delivers.

What to expect: Despite the appealing flight time, the total journey door-to-door is still 5–6 hours once you factor in the drive back to Bangkok and airport time. It’s the right choice if you simply don’t want any time on a boat or a long-distance bus.

Cost: Approximately 5,500–8,500+ THB total (taxi plus flight), depending on how far in advance you book. Bangkok Airways fares fluctuate significantly, so early booking makes a real difference here.

Planning Around the Full Moon Party

No matter which route you choose or which month you’re travelling, check the Full Moon Party calendar before you book. Every month, Koh Phangan hosts this event, which attracts up to 20,000 extra visitors to the Gulf — and that means ferries, buses, and even trains fill up fast.

For the three days before and two days after each full moon, transport becomes noticeably congested. Book at least 14 days in advance if your travel dates fall anywhere near these dates.

Note: If a full moon falls on a major Buddhist holiday, the party is sometimes shifted by a day — but the transport crunch stays the same regardless.

Essential Tips Before You Go

Watch the luggage weight. Most ferry operators enforce a 20kg limit on checked bags, and overweight fees apply. A four-wheel spinner suitcase is also much kinder to you on the long concrete piers at Koh Tao and Koh Phangan than a heavy shoulder bag.

Dress in layers. Thai air conditioning on buses and ferries is set to “arctic” regardless of the 35-degree heat outside. A light cardigan or pashmina in your carry-on will save you.

Have 20 THB notes ready. Several piers — Koh Tao in particular — charge a small environmental or cleaning fee on arrival. It’s minor, but fumbling for change at the gate with bags in hand is annoying.

The VIP upgrade is worth it. On Lomprayah catamarans, you can pay a 100–200 THB cash supplement once you’re on board to access the upper-deck VIP lounge. You don’t book it in advance — just head upstairs and pay the attendant. Reclining seats, quieter cabin, better views.

Motion sickness sorted. Buy Dramamine (small yellow pills) from any 7-Eleven in Hua Hin for about 15–20 THB. Take one 30 minutes before you board — once you start feeling queasy, it’s too late for the pill to work. If you do start feeling the boat, move to the centre of the vessel at the lowest deck — that’s the point of least motion.

Book online, not at the pier. For Lomprayah, Raja Ferry, and train tickets via dticket.railway.co.th or 12go.asia, booking online in advance is always cheaper and less stressful than turning up and hoping for availability — especially around school holidays and full moon dates.

Don’t overpay for taxis at the pier. Taxis at Samui piers are well known for high flat rates (600–800 THB). Buy a minivan transfer ticket on the ferry for 150–200 THB instead — staff will walk through with stickers before you dock. It’s the most reliable and cheapest way to reach your hotel.

Which Route is Right for You?

The bottom line: If you want a relaxed start that doesn’t feel like a commute, the Chumphon overnight is the smartest option. If you’re travelling as a group and want maximum comfort on the water, put the extra baht into the private car and the Raja Ferry — you won’t regret it.

Questions about getting from Hua Hin to Koh Samui

Prices are approximate 2026 rates and subject to change. Always book train tickets via the State Railway of Thailand (or 12go.asia if you have trouble with foreign cards) and ferry tickets directly through Lomprayah or Raja Ferry, especially during peak season and around Full Moon dates.

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