Driving From Ko Samui To Phuket

[deeday]

Hi

According to the BKK Airways wedsite flights from Ko Samui to Phuket are full from 3 / 6 Jan. I've found a car hire company that will let me drop off in Phuket. Could I please get some advice / tips re ferries, travelling times ect.

Thankyou!

[Tony121]

If you can get the registration of the car you can book a ticket for the ferry, you have to be there at least half an hour before the ferry leaves. from there its a 3 hour drive.

[deeday]

If you can get the registration of the car you can book a ticket for the ferry, you have to be there at least half an hour before the ferry leaves. from there its a 3 hour drive.

Thanks Tony

Can you suggest the best ferry to go for as there seems to be a few options?

[limbos]

Seatran gives the option of pre booking. You need to call 077 251 150 and you need the license plate figures/numbers and a Thai mobile phone number (for confirmation reasons). They will give you than a confirmation number. You pay by Ayudhaya ATM and the ATM receipt is your booking ticket.

Seatran from Nathon to Donsak, approx 1 and a half hour.

Donsak to Phuket via the #44 highway, approx 3 to 4 hours, pending on amount of stops and amount of traffic after the # 44 highway. Faster is possible but not necessarily safe, imho.

[phallang]

afaik, since recently prebooking with seatran is not longer that simple, you now also need to have a VIP-Card in order to do prebookings. I just heared that that card is THB 1000, dunno where to get and what else is needed to get it.

[Rooo]

Seatran gives the option of pre booking. You need to call 077 251 150 and you need the license plate figures/numbers and a Thai mobile phone number (for confirmation reasons). They will give you than a confirmation number. You pay by Ayudhaya ATM and the ATM receipt is your booking ticket.

Seatran from Nathon to Donsak, approx 1 and a half hour.

Donsak to Phuket via the #44 highway, approx 3 to 4 hours, pending on amount of stops and amount of traffic after the # 44 highway. Faster is possible but not necessarily safe, imho.

Limbos, I think with Seatran,you can no longer book in advance at the terminal.You have to join their club at a cost of 1,200BHT & then you get a discount off every trip.

ATM bookings no longer valid,but strangely enough, you can walk into the bank & book,a friend of mine did yesterday.

[limbos]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the update, wasn't aware of that recent change in policy.

[Wellington]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the update, wasn't aware of that recent change in policy.

New one on us too.

Anyone know where and how for the VIP card?

[ClaudeFeller]

VIP card? I went last wendesday wit Seatran, prebooked witout VIP card.

[Rooo]

VIP card? I went last wendesday wit Seatran, prebooked witout VIP card.

Well Claude,that's what my friend was told & that's what they told me when I tried to book.But then, some friends just came back from mainland & were able to book.Maybe they changed the rules again, who knows .

[maccaroni man]

i just did the trip, first time in several years, prebooked with sea tran and made the drive on the new road to krabi, left on the 2pm ferry arrived at patong at 9:00 pm with 30 mins of lost time included.

[Khun ?]

Take the buss, not a bad trip several years ago. Can't remember how long it took but think with a 30 minute

rest stop about 6 hours.

[loiner100]

Seatran gives the option of pre booking. You need to call 077 251 150 and you need the license plate figures/numbers and a Thai mobile phone number (for confirmation reasons). They will give you than a confirmation number. You pay by Ayudhaya ATM and the ATM receipt is your booking ticket.

Seatran from Nathon to Donsak, approx 1 and a half hour.

Donsak to Phuket via the #44 highway, approx 3 to 4 hours, pending on amount of stops and amount of traffic after the # 44 highway. Faster is possible but not necessarily safe, imho.

Limbos, I think with Seatran,you can no longer book in advance at the terminal.You have to join their club at a cost of 1,200BHT & then you get a discount off every trip.

ATM bookings no longer valid,but strangely enough, you can walk into the bank & book,a friend of mine did yesterday.

You can still book Seatran without the VIP Card, call the Seatran Centre in Donsak 077251555, give them your phone number, car reg. no. and time of ferry you want to catch. In return they will give you a six digit code and tell you how much you have to pay (325 baht I think Samui-Donsak one way). Then go to Bank of Ayudhya. If you have their debit card, use their ATM and enter all the information. If not you have to go into the bank.Take the receipt at least 30 mins before departure to their office and exchange for ticket. There is then a 30 baht handling charge to pay plus any passenger fares.

ATM method still works, I did it today.

[DCS]

I did this today for a return trip on Saturday just as Loiner100 has described.

[Rooo]

Seatran gives the option of pre booking. You need to call 077 251 150 and you need the license plate figures/numbers and a Thai mobile phone number (for confirmation reasons). They will give you than a confirmation number. You pay by Ayudhaya ATM and the ATM receipt is your booking ticket.

Seatran from Nathon to Donsak, approx 1 and a half hour.

Donsak to Phuket via the #44 highway, approx 3 to 4 hours, pending on amount of stops and amount of traffic after the # 44 highway. Faster is possible but not necessarily safe, imho.

Limbos, I think with Seatran,you can no longer book in advance at the terminal.You have to join their club at a cost of 1,200BHT & then you get a discount off every trip.

ATM bookings no longer valid,but strangely enough, you can walk into the bank & book,a friend of mine did yesterday.

You can still book Seatran without the VIP Card, call the Seatran Centre in Donsak 077251555, give them your phone number, car reg. no. and time of ferry you want to catch. In return they will give you a six digit code and tell you how much you have to pay (325 baht I think Samui-Donsak one way). Then go to Bank of Ayudhya. If you have their debit card, use their ATM and enter all the information. If not you have to go into the bank.Take the receipt at least 30 mins before departure to their office and exchange for ticket. There is then a 30 baht handling charge to pay plus any passenger fares.

ATM method still works, I did it today.

So it can still be done, but not at the terminal as before.

[DCS]

Thats a yes

[BigC]

if u rent car budget u want to drop it in phuket u have to pay a min of 7 days.

i normally take highway 44 after the ferry then up to puket.

if u carry on down 44 u end up in Krabi then u go too far.

good luck