Getting To Ko Phangan

[farangguy]

Think I'll take the train from Bangkok.

Is taking the Raja Ferry from the Donsak pier the best alternative or is it better to go via Chumporn? The train/van/ferry is all one ticket for about 900 baht 2nd class sleeper?

Might take an Air Asia flight to Surathani. How much extra is songthaew to the pier and which pier wopuld I go to?

Edited April 19, 2010 by farangguy

[smokie36]

http://kohphangan.sawadee.com/kohphangan-transfer.htm

If you decide to fly to Surat Thani there is a bus service from the airport to Donsak taking a little over an hour.

[sbk]

Surat is better for the train, you can get a bus from the train station direct to the pier, just make certain you insist on the Raja Ferry as they will try to stick you on the Songserm boat, ditto for the airport.

[farangguy]

Why is Raja better than Songserm?

Safer?

Cheaper?

Faster?

Location?

All of the above?

[sbk]

Raja is a car ferry. Songserm is a boat that originally ran on the Chao Phraya in Bangkok probably before most people here were born

Its crowded and uncomfortable unless you pay extra for their "VIP room" Raja Ferry is not fab but I'd rather give them my money than Songserm. Been on Koh Phangan far too long to have anything but bad memories of Songserm.

[BasementCat]

You can get a VIP bus ticket from BKK Southern Bus terminal directly to Samui. For about 800-900 THB you get a perfectly comfortable bus (three seats in a row), food and drinks included. Or do you prefer train anyway?

[BasementCat]

Raja is a car ferry. Songserm is a boat that originally ran on the Chao Phraya in Bangkok probably before most people here were born

Its crowded and uncomfortable unless you pay extra for their "VIP room" Raja Ferry is not fab but I'd rather give them my money than Songserm. Been on Koh Phangan far too long to have anything but bad memories of Songserm.

Isn't Seatran even more comfortable than Raja ferry?

1) Seatran is also a car ferry departing from Donsak;

2) Seatran arrives directly to Nathon from where to catch a songthaew is a matter of minutes;

3) At least one of Seatran's boats has a gigantic red turtle on the upper deck!

[PoorSucker]

The OP wanted to go to Koh Phangan, not Samui.

I agree that the best choice is the VIP bus from the southern bus terminal in BKK.

[sbk]

The 999 government VIP bus out of the South bus station is the easiest way to Koh Phangan. You get on the bus in Bangkok, it drives down to the pier in Don Sak, drives onto the Raja Ferry boat and then deposits you and your luggage at the pier in Thong Sala. On Koh Phangan. About 1000 baht for boat and bus. Maybe 1100, I can't recall exactly

Plane is faster, of course, as its an overnight bus. Train is more fun and you can walk around. But the govt bus is the easiest.

[BasementCat]

The OP wanted to go to Koh Phangan, not Samui.

Oops, sorry about that. I totally missed the point.

[farangguy]

Thanks for pointing out the bus guys.

I do have a strong preference for trains but gotta admit the VIP governement bus looks easy.

[lazygourmet]

Lomprayah used to be a good value for money option with direct connection...

But this month, I used twice to go Koh Phangan and get delayed for several hours either in Chumpon or in Koh Tao

[farangguy]

Was ready to book AirAsia to Surathani but today there price went up 300 baht. They have a sale, details will be announced on May 18 so will wait and see.

That renewed my interest in the train as the 2nd class overnight sleeper seems cost effective. I really hate buses so will try to avoid that route.

I keep hearing about the special train ticket that includes train-van-ferry but it doesn't seem bookable on the State Railways of Thailand website though I can book from Bangkok to Surathani.

Is it possible to book all the way to KPG online or must I go through a travel agent?

Lots of websites for ferry scehules but they don't all have the same scedule. Is there an "official" Raja Ferry website?

[koheesti]

Isn't taking the boat from Chumporn more interesting and quicker? I did it once and would much rather do that than go allthe way to Donsak then on to Samui before finally getting to KPG.

[sbk]

Interesting in what way? that you stare at the ocean longer?

No, its not easier. Lomprayah to Koh Tao, then on to koh P, if the weather is rough, its a nightmare

The absolute easiest way is to go to the south bus station and book a 999 government bus to Koh Phangan. It does not stop at Samui.

[Birdman]

more comfortable and also easy would be a combined train(second class lower sleeper a/c), bus/ferry ticket ex Hua Lampong.