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

Thailand has over 1,400 islands and the ferry network that connects them is extensive, reliable, and, once you know the routes, easy to navigate. This guide covers every major ferry route: Gulf of Thailand islands (Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan) and Andaman Sea islands (Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Similan Islands), with current timetables, prices, operators, and direct booking links.

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 (Lomprayah, Raja, Seatran, Songserm) cover most inter-island routes; 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.

Ferry timetables and current 2026 USD fares

Prices shown are per person, one-way. Book via 12Go for confirmed seats and instant e-tickets. Prices fluctuate; check current availability for exact fares.

Surat Thani (Donsak) to Koh Samui

Chumphon to Koh Tao

Phuket to Koh Phi Phi

Krabi to Koh Phi Phi

Bangkok to Koh Samui (Bus + Ferry Combo)

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: 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.

Good conditions   Moderate, check forecast   Poor, delays and cancellations likely

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 2.

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-Phi Phi 45 km, Krabi-Lanta 50 km). Gulf routes average 20 to 80 km (Samui-Phangan 20 km, Surat Thani-Samui 80 km). Andaman is more spread out; Gulf is denser cluster.
• Typical sea conditions in season: Andaman in November-April runs glass-calm most days, occasional afternoon wind. Gulf in December-September runs choppy but consistent — fewer dramatic cancellations but more queasy passengers.
• Cancellation rates: Andaman afternoon sailings cancel 8 to 15 percent during peak monsoon (July-September). Morning sailings rarely cancel year round. Gulf cancellations rare year round except October-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-Phi Phi pulls the package-tour and family crowd. Krabi-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-March on either coast for stable weather. May-September favor Gulf. October-November favor Andaman as it opens up while Gulf closes.

For travelers visiting in May-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, AWM runs 11:30 only. The Gulf side keeps all four operators running normal schedules.

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

Operator reliability: punctuality, refund policy, overbook patterns

The five major operators on Thai ferry routes have distinct reliability profiles that the route comparison tables don’t capture. Two travelers booking the same Phuket-Phi Phi crossing on different operators get different on-time performance, different refund treatment when sailings cancel, and different overbook risk.

Lomprayah High Speed Catamaran

Most punctual operator in the Gulf. Lomprayah’s catamarans (Big Buddha Pier Samui, Thong Sala Phangan, Mae Haad Tao) run on a tight published schedule with departures within 5 minutes of advertised time more than 90 percent of the time. Refund policy is generous: full refund for cancellations 48+ hours ahead, 50 percent refund 24-48 hours, no refund under 24 hours. Overbook rare on speed routes; mid-tier on the bus-ferry combo from Bangkok.

Seatran Discovery

Mid-tier Gulf operator with hourly Donsak-Samui car ferry service. Punctuality 80-85 percent on time. Boats are functional ferries, not premium catamarans. Refund policy stricter than Lomprayah: 24-hour cancellation window only. Overbook on the Donsak-Samui route during long weekends is the documented risk; passengers with cars get priority over foot passengers in those windows.

Raja Ferry

Vehicle-focused Gulf operator running Donsak-Samui-Phangan with cars on board. Cheapest passenger fares ($10-15 Donsak-Samui). Punctuality 75-80 percent — boats wait for vehicle loading which adds 15-30 minute departure variance. Refund policy is the strictest of the Gulf operators: no refunds within 6 hours, partial only beyond that. Overbook rare because vehicle pre-booking caps capacity.

Tigerline Ferry

Premium Andaman speedboat operator covering Phuket-Phi Phi, Phuket-Lanta, Krabi-Lanta, and Phi Phi-Lanta. Punctuality 85-90 percent in high season. Strict adherence to 11:30 and 13:00 sailing windows. Refund policy mid-tier: full refund 24+ hours ahead, partial inside that. Overbook is the biggest documented risk on the Phuket-Phi Phi route in December-February peak; book 3-5 days ahead.

Andaman Wave Master (AWM)

The cheapest Andaman option — scheduled ferries (not speedboats) at the lowest fare tier ($13-26 most routes). Punctuality 75-80 percent. Boats older and slower (45 min vs 30 min on speedboat). Refund policy is generous because they’re competing against premium operators: full refund 12+ hours ahead. Overbook risk low because the fare ceiling deters last-minute speculation booking.

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 — 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 problems travelers report.

Overbooking on peak-season Andaman routes

Tigerline and Bundhaya occasionally sell more tickets than seats on Phuket-Phi Phi and Krabi-Phi Phi during December-February peak. Travelers with paid tickets get bumped to the next sailing 1-3 hours later. Mitigation: arrive at the pier 30+ minutes before departure, not the operator-recommended 15 minutes. Earlier arrivals board first when overbook hits.

Afternoon cancellations in Andaman monsoon (July-September)

The 13:00 and 14:00 Andaman sailings cancel 10-15 percent of the time during peak monsoon. Operators usually notify by SMS 2-3 hours ahead; some don’t notify until pier arrival. Mitigation: 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-Phi Phi-Lanta as separate tickets miss the 11:30 Phi Phi-Lanta connection 20-30 percent of the time because the morning Phuket-Phi Phi ferry docks Tonsai at 10:30-11:30. Mitigation: book the through-ticket via Satun Pakbara from Phuket to Lanta (single booking, automatic Phi Phi transfer). Adds $5-10 to the journey but eliminates the connection risk.

Pier-side ticket-flipping scams

At Tonsai Pier on Koh Phi Phi and Saladan Pier on Lanta, freelance touts approach travelers offering “discount tickets” 30 percent off operator price. The tickets are usually legitimate but for boats already over-capacity, leading to bumps or substandard seating. Mitigation: book through 12go.asia, the operator direct, or your hotel desk. Never buy from a pier-side stranger.

Refund reality vs refund policy

Posted refund policies are honored for advance cancellations (12+ hours ahead, full refund usually). Day-of cancellations due to weather are theoretically refundable but in practice operators issue 7-day open vouchers instead of cash. Travelers leaving Thailand within 7 days lose the refund value. Mitigation: book travel insurance that covers transport interruption; for non-insured travelers, accept that monsoon-season afternoon bookings carry real risk of voucher-only compensation.

Luggage transfer on multi-island routes

The Phuket-Phi Phi-Lanta through-ticket promises automatic luggage transfer at Tonsai. About 5-10 percent of luggage stays on the first boat rather than transferring. Operator returns it on the next-day sailing, but travelers continuing to Lanta lose 24 hours of access. Mitigation: keep essentials (passport, phone, medication, swimwear, change of clothes) in carry-on for any multi-leg routing.

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

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

There are three ways to book: at the pier on the day, through your hotel or a guesthouse travel agent, or online in advance via 12Go. Online booking via 12Go is recommended during high season (November to April on the Andaman Sea; year-round on the Gulf). Tickets sell out during Thai public holidays.

12Go is the largest online booking platform for Thailand ferries, buses, and trains. It aggregates real-time availability from all major operators and issues instant e-tickets. You show the QR code at the pier, no paper ticket needed.

Search ferry schedules

Frequently asked questions

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