How Do I Get To Donsak From Surathani Train Station?

[FaxKing]

Hi all

I actualy did do a search for this as I hate to post such a trivial question that you probably have been asked a thousand times. Search feature on this board seems a bit knackered though?

Anyway, as the topic title says.....

I arive at Surat train station on Friday morning at 5.15am - give or take a couple of hours as you know how the trains can be. I remember the last time I got the train there i got right stitched up by some swine who charged me 500 baht to get to Donsak and the bloody bus stopped everywhere. It took 2 hours. I know its only an hour and it shouldnt be anything close to 500 baht on a bus?

So - bare in mind I will be walking of the train half asleep after caning a large tub of sleeping pills the night before - how easy is it to fight off all the hawkers and find a respectable person/shop/whatever who can get my fat ass on a bus and over to Donsak?

From then on its easy. Once I get to Nathon I was hoping I might be able to rent a motorbike in the town as I need one anyway. ANy suggestions for that also? I figure its easier to rent a bike there and ride to Chaweng than get a bus.

Then, im riding back to Nathon on Sunday night, dropping the bike off and getting the boat back to Nathon where I catch the 8pm train. Easy enough to get from Donsak to Surat on bus I would have thought?

Sorry. Very long winded post for such an uninteresting hmm, post.

Thanks in Advance

P.S Hate flying. Refuse to go Bangkok Air after they stole my phone once, right in front of my eyes at Samui airport.

[Lite Beer]

Buses are waiting and the price is around 300 Baht including the ferry to Samui/KPG

[Bemused]

If you want to go to Nathon you need to get the SONGSERM ferry, they run a tour bus from the station. When you arrive the platform exits onto a carpark. There is a stall selling tickets. The ferry is small and takes about 2 and a half hours. The terminal for the ferry, for some bizarre reason, sometimes leaves from a pier about 20 minutes outside Surat and sometimes a pier on the way to Donsak. I have done the same trip several times and you always end up having a wait somewhere as it is a while before the first ferry goes.

What you don't want to do (which is where I think you went wrong last time) is to get the car ferry. If you do this you will go first into Surat town centre and then take an hour and a bit trip to Donsak Ferry Port. The tours to the car ferry tend to be run by Phangan Tour, which is a great reliable company, just not the one to want to use on this occassion. The problem for you with the car ferry is that it drops you on the other side of Samui from Nathon.

The train office sells joint tickets to go with the SONGSERM company. If you pass by the train station perhaps stop on and buy one - at least you can wave a ticket and get directed.

[happylarry]

Things must have dramatically changed since I left Samui a year ago.

Whenever I used to catch the car ferry it always went to Nathon.

Does it really now go to the Llamai side???????

I have tried to make some sense of the last post but have failed miserably.

Can anyone explain it??

HL

[FaxKing]

Thanks guys for the reply. Can I just say though - Bemused I do appreciate your help but I too am confused. I lived in Samui for years and must have caught that car ferry 50 times with all the visa runs etc and the only place it goes to is Nathon. It now goes to Lamai?

I prefer the car ferry to the ferry that goes from Surat for some reason. I dont know why, I just do. I remember the ferry from Surat to Samui being smaller and slower? Maybe thats why I prefer the car ferry. The car ferry is also huge and you can walk around and stuff. I just prefer it.

So you cant do that anymore? You cant get a bus to Donsak and get the car ferry to Nathon?

Quote; "Buses are waiting and the price is around 300 Baht including the ferry to Samui/KPG " Lite Beer thanks. Are you refering to the ferry from Surat or Donsak?

[sbk]

Not sure what he meant either, but last i looked, Seatrans goes directly into Nathon and the Raja Ferry goes south of Nathon, past the Immigration office.

Buses are waiting at the train station, Seatrans puts on their own bus for their boat. That bus will take you to the pier at DonSak.

[goldfinger]

never heard from a Ferry Pier near Lamai,

only like SBK explained.

Take care that you get directly to Nathon Pier, not the other one.

[mistresserika]

Thanks guys for the reply. Can I just say though - Bemused I do appreciate your help but I too am confused. I lived in Samui for years and must have caught that car ferry 50 times with all the visa runs etc and the only place it goes to is Nathon. It now goes to Lamai?

I prefer the car ferry to the ferry that goes from Surat for some reason. I dont know why, I just do. I remember the ferry from Surat to Samui being smaller and slower? Maybe thats why I prefer the car ferry. The car ferry is also huge and you can walk around and stuff. I just prefer it.

So you cant do that anymore? You cant get a bus to Donsak and get the car ferry to Nathon?

Quote; "Buses are waiting and the price is around 300 Baht including the ferry to Samui/KPG " Lite Beer thanks. Are you refering to the ferry from Surat or Donsak?

As said, Seatrans ferry goes directly to Nathon. It's the first ferry port on the road from Surat.

Raja ferry goes to Lipa Noi, although the ferries run by Raja appear older and rustier, they are often preferred by those living on the Lamai side of the island, as a drive through Nathon is avoided.

[JONTY]

Why not go by bus? same price and goes straight to Donsak buisness style seats.

Goes from sai tai mai 6pm onwards untill 8.30 pm also morchit only 1 bus 19.15.

better than messing about in Surat

[redfoxlamai]

When you get to Surat station,walk out and ask which is the PHANTIP bus,it is usually parked over to the left if the station is behind you.They will charge you around 220baht which includes the ferry.The time from there to Donsak ferry is around 2hrs but they may hang around for another train to pull in in order to make up numbers on the bus.....way it goes here mate.They will take you to the SEATRAN ferry which gets in to Nathon.It's up to you from there but they will have songtows waiting at the end of the ferry concourse that will take you to your preferred destination for around B100...or maybe less.Another tip,book your return trip with PHANTIP as they are the State Railway agents and will charge you the fare only,unlike most agents who are on the make.I am going up to BKK Fri night and the train,fan sleeper,is costing me around B1100 for 2 tickets!