Ferry Routes in Thailand: Timetables, Prices and Booking (2026)

More than 1,400 islands sit off Thailand’s coasts, and the boats that reach them run on two opposite weather clocks that catch out most planners on their first trip. The Gulf side (Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan) stays calm when the Andaman side (Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, the Similans) turns rough, and the reverse holds half the year. Pick the wrong coast for your dates and you learn the cost on day two. This guide maps every major route with current timetables, prices, operators, and direct booking links.

Photographer: Christophe95. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.

How this guide compares to other Thailand ferry coverage

Thailand’s ferry network is dense and operator-fragmented. Travelfish and Ferry Advice both track schedule changes across the Gulf and Andaman routes monthly. The four main passenger operators are Lomprayah, Raja, Seatran, and Songserm, and they cover most routes between islands. Smaller boutique operators cover specific niches like Tubkaek and Krabi.

Popular ferry routes between the major Thai islands

These are the 12 most-booked routes. Each card shows the fastest option. Slower car ferries are usually cheaper.

If you want one decision rule, match the speed boat to the short crossings and the scheduled ferry to anything over two hours or anyone prone to seasickness. The speed option saves time on a 90 minute hop. On a four hour run, the larger ferry rides the swell far better.

Ferry timetables and current 2026 USD fares

Prices shown are per person, one-way. Book ahead for confirmed seats and instant e-tickets. Prices fluctuate, so check current availability for exact fares.

Surat Thani (Donsak) to Koh Samui

Check live Surat Thani to Koh Samui fares and times before you set your day.

Chumphon to Koh Tao

Compare current Chumphon to Koh Tao options across the speed and slow boats.

Phuket to Koh Phi Phi

See live Phuket to Koh Phi Phi departures for the morning and afternoon sailings.

Krabi to Koh Phi Phi

Compare current Krabi to Koh Phi Phi options from Krabi Passenger Port.

Bangkok to Koh Samui (Bus and Ferry Combo)

Check live Bangkok to Koh Samui fares and times for the through bus and ferry ticket.

Photographer: Per Meistrup. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.

The four main Thai ferry operators (Lomprayah, Raja, Seatran, Songserm)

Thailand’s ferry network is operated by a mix of large nationals and regional specialists. Here are the main operators you’ll encounter.

Best time for ferries from November to April vs May to October monsoon

Thailand has two separate monsoon seasons depending on which coast you’re on. This is the single most important factor in planning ferry travel.

From November to April the Andaman Sea is in its calm peak season, with glassy water and full ferry schedules to Phuket, Phi Phi, and Lanta. The Gulf side runs the opposite calendar. Its roughest stretch lands from October to December, when rain and swell knock service around on the Samui, Tao, and Pha Ngan routes. The clean takeaway is simple. December through March is stable on both coasts. The rest of the year, one side is always the safer bet.

Here is how the Andaman side (Phuket, Phi Phi, Lanta) reads month by month.

• January and February: peak season, calm seas, the most reliable window of the year.
• March: still good, with some afternoon wind starting to build.
• April: a transition month as the calm season winds down.
• May: the monsoon begins. Phi Phi and Lanta ferries stop.
• June through August: full monsoon. Service is limited and cancellations grow frequent through July and August.
• September: the weather starts easing off.
• October: low season but manageable as conditions improve.
• November and December: high season opens and the calm peak returns.

Here is how the Gulf side (Samui, Tao, Pha Ngan) reads month by month.

• January: short rains are possible but conditions stay workable.
• February through April: good and dependable, with April running hot.
• May through August: good, and increasingly busy through July and August as travelers shift to the calmer Gulf side.
• September: the Gulf monsoon begins.
• October: heavy rains arrive and cancellations become common.
• November: the Gulf monsoon peaks, the roughest point of the Gulf year.
• December: the weather eases off again.

One coast is calm while the other is rough almost every month outside the December to March overlap. Read the two lists side by side and your travel dates point you to the right side of the peninsula.

Travel in the May to October window and the Gulf is the safer default. Build a flexible day into any Andaman leg during those months, and carry travel insurance that covers transport interruption so a weather cancellation costs you time, not money.

Gulf of Thailand vs Andaman Sea, which coast for what trip

The choice of coast determines more than weather. Sea conditions, island variety, transit options, and the type of traveler you’ll meet on the ferry all split along this Gulf vs Andaman line. Most travelers pick the wrong coast for their trip dates and discover the cost on day two.

The Gulf of Thailand (Samui, Phangan, Tao) sits on the east of the southern peninsula. The Andaman Sea (Phuket, Phi Phi, Krabi, Lanta, Lipe, Yao Noi) sits on the west. The two systems run on opposite monsoon calendars. When one is calm the other is rough.

• Crossing distances: Andaman routes average 30 to 60 km (Phuket to Phi Phi 45 km, Krabi to Lanta 50 km). Gulf routes average 20 to 80 km (Samui to Phangan 20 km, Surat Thani to Samui 80 km). Andaman is more spread out, and the Gulf is a denser cluster.
• Typical sea conditions in season: Andaman in November to April runs glass calm most days, with occasional afternoon wind. Gulf in December to September runs choppy but consistent, with fewer dramatic cancellations but more queasy passengers.
• Cancellation rates: Andaman afternoon sailings cancel 8 to 15 percent during peak monsoon (July to September). Morning sailings rarely cancel year round. Gulf cancellations are rare year round except in the October to November monsoon transition.
• Island variety: Andaman covers limestone karst islands (Phi Phi, Lanta, Yao Noi) plus mainland beach (Krabi). Gulf covers volcanic round islands (Samui, Phangan, Tao) with very different topography.
• Traveler demographic: Phuket to Phi Phi pulls the package tour and family crowd. Krabi to Lanta pulls the climbing and slow beach crowd. Samui pulls the upscale resort crowd. Phangan pulls the Full Moon and yoga crowd. Tao pulls the diving crowd.
• Best months overall: December to March on either coast for stable weather. May to September favor the Gulf. October to November favor the Andaman as it opens up while the Gulf closes.

For travelers visiting in May to October who want islands, the Gulf is the default. The Andaman ferries reduce to morning only sailings on some routes and cancel afternoons. Phi Phi to Lanta drops Tigerline’s 13:00 sailing, and AWM runs 11:30 only. The Gulf side keeps all four operators running normal schedules.

For travelers visiting in November to April, both coasts work. The decision becomes about which island vibe you want, not weather risk. Andaman wins on dramatic limestone scenery, and the Gulf wins on shorter ferry distances between islands.

Photographer: Diego Delso. Source: Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 3.0.

What to expect from each operator

The five major operators on Thai ferry routes have distinct profiles that the route comparison data doesn’t capture. Two travelers booking the same Phuket to Phi Phi crossing on different operators may see different published schedules and different refund terms when sailings cancel.

Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran

Lomprayah’s catamarans run from Big Buddha Pier on Samui, Thong Sala on Phangan, and Mae Haad on Tao, and they hold a tight published schedule. Departures land within 5 minutes of advertised time more than 90 percent of the time. The published refund policy is as follows.

• Full refund for cancellations 48 or more hours ahead.
• 50 percent refund 24 to 48 hours ahead.
• No refund under 24 hours.

On the Gulf speed routes, travelers rarely report being bumped, and the bus and ferry combo from Bangkok sees more variability in peak weeks.

Seatran Discovery

Mid-tier Gulf operator with hourly Donsak to Samui car ferry service. Punctuality runs 80 to 85 percent on time. The boats are functional ferries, not premium catamarans. The published refund policy has a cancellation window of 24 hours. On the Donsak to Samui route during long weekends, some travelers report busy sailings where passengers with cars board ahead of foot passengers.

Raja Ferry

Vehicle-focused Gulf operator running Donsak to Samui to Phangan with cars on board. Fares are the cheapest of the group at $10 to $15 on Donsak to Samui. Punctuality runs 75 to 80 percent, because boats wait for vehicle loading, which adds 15 to 30 minutes of departure variance. The published refund policy gives no refunds within 6 hours and partial refunds only beyond that. Booking vehicles in advance caps capacity, and travelers rarely report being bumped on this route.

Tigerline Ferry

Premium Andaman speedboat operator covering Phuket to Phi Phi, Phuket to Lanta, Krabi to Lanta, and Phi Phi to Lanta. Punctuality runs 85 to 90 percent in high season, with strict adherence to the 11:30 and 13:00 sailing windows. The published refund policy gives a full refund 24 or more hours ahead and a partial refund inside that. On the busiest Phuket to Phi Phi crossings during the December to February peak, some travelers report being bumped to a later sailing, so book 3 to 5 days ahead.

Andaman Wave Master (AWM)

The cheapest Andaman option, running scheduled ferries rather than speedboats at the lowest fare tier of $13 to $26 on most routes. Punctuality runs 75 to 80 percent. The boats are older and slower, around 45 minutes against 30 minutes on a speedboat. The published refund policy gives a full refund 12 or more hours ahead. Travelers rarely report being bumped on these routes.

For travelers who value on time performance above all, Lomprayah is the default in the Gulf and Tigerline in the Andaman. For travelers who value cost, AWM in the Andaman and Raja in the Gulf. Seatran Discovery sits between the two, useful when timing matches but rarely the first choice.

What actually goes wrong on Thai ferries

The published timetable is the optimistic case. The reality includes overbooking, weather cancellations, missed connections, and the occasional refund headache. Six failure modes account for 90 percent of the problems travelers report.

Overbooking on peak season Andaman routes

On the busiest Andaman crossings to Phi Phi, some travelers report being bumped to a later sailing during the December to February peak, when demand outruns seats and a paid ticket can shift to a departure 1 to 3 hours on. It tends to ease outside the peak weeks. The mitigation is to arrive at the pier 30 or more minutes before departure, not the recommended 15 minutes some operators suggest. Earlier arrivals tend to board first when a sailing fills.

Afternoon cancellations in Andaman monsoon (July to September)

The 13:00 and 14:00 Andaman sailings cancel 10 to 15 percent of the time during peak monsoon. Operators usually notify by SMS 2 to 3 hours ahead, though some don’t notify until pier arrival. The mitigation is to book the earliest available morning sailing in monsoon season. Morning Andaman crossings cancel less than 2 percent year round.

Missed connections on multi leg routes

Travelers booking Phuket to Phi Phi to Lanta as separate tickets miss the 11:30 Phi Phi to Lanta connection 20 to 30 percent of the time, because the morning Phuket to Phi Phi ferry docks at Tonsai at 10:30 to 11:30. The mitigation is to book the through ticket via Satun Pakbara from Phuket to Lanta as a single booking with an automatic Phi Phi transfer. It adds $5 to $10 to the journey but eliminates the connection risk.

Discount ticket touts at the pier

At Tonsai Pier on Koh Phi Phi and Saladan Pier on Lanta, freelance touts approach travelers offering discount tickets 30 percent off the operator price. The tickets are usually legitimate but for boats already over capacity, which leads to bumps or substandard seating. The mitigation is to book through an aggregator, the operator direct, or your hotel desk. Never buy from a stranger at the pier.

Refund reality vs refund policy

Posted refund policies are honored for advance cancellations, with a full refund usually given 12 or more hours ahead. Same-day cancellations due to weather are theoretically refundable, but in practice operators issue open vouchers valid for 7 days instead of cash. Travelers leaving Thailand within 7 days lose the refund value. The mitigation is to book travel insurance that covers transport interruption. For uninsured travelers, accept that afternoon bookings in monsoon season carry real risk of voucher only compensation.

Luggage transfer on multi island routes

The Phuket to Phi Phi to Lanta through ticket promises automatic luggage transfer at Tonsai. About 5 to 10 percent of luggage stays on the first boat rather than transferring. The operator returns it on the sailing the following day, but travelers continuing to Lanta lose 24 hours of access. The mitigation is to keep essentials in a cabin bag for any multi leg routing, including passport, phone, medication, swimwear, and a change of clothes.

None of these failure modes are dealbreakers. Thai ferries move millions of passengers per year reliably. The patterns above are the predictable exceptions worth planning around. Building 2 to 3 hour buffers into transit days and booking morning sailings during monsoon eliminates 80 percent of the documented problems.

Locals and repeat travelers skip the pier queue entirely and lock seats in advance, especially over Thai public holidays when the popular crossings sell out. You can compare operators, times, and live availability across the Gulf and Andaman in one place before you arrive at the pier.

How to book ferry tickets in Thailand (operator vs aggregator)

There are three ways to book. You can buy at the pier on the day, go through your hotel or a guesthouse travel agent, or book online in advance. Online booking is recommended during high season, which runs November to April on the Andaman Sea and year round on the Gulf. Tickets sell out during Thai public holidays.

An online booking platform aggregates live availability from all major operators and issues instant e-tickets. You show the QR code at the pier, with no paper ticket needed. It is the simplest way to lock in a seat on the most popular routes.

Search ferry schedules

More common Thailand ferry questions answered quickly

Schedules and fares verified at the time of publication. For overarching travel guidance, see the Tourism Authority of Thailand notes on travel by sea.