I'll be travelling from Pattaya to Koh Samed when on holidays in June. Is it easy enough to arrange transport when I'm there at a local travel agency? Is there much difference in price between using the public bus to Rayong (and on to Ban Phe) or booking a 'package' with mini-van and ferry ticket combined?

Thanks for any info.

Any travel agent can arrange a minibus to take you to Samed,they will pick you up at your hotel, from memory [although i may be wrong] it's around 300 baht, the ferry ticket is a extra 100 baht from the travel agent or 70 if you buy your ticket at the peir [don't worry about not being able to get a ticket at the peir, june will be a quiet time on Samed]

Can't help with details regarding the bus service i'm afraid, i have always gone with the minibus.

That's just what I needed to know - many thanks.

the minibus ticket price shud be 250 baht. forget the bus option to rayong. i live in ban phe if u need help let me know

cheers mark

If this thread is still going I would like to ask if anyone knows of a minibus service that can pick up from outside Pattaya. I have not found one yet..

Dunno, but if you come upto Chonburi I think you can catch the Cherd Chai coach, but will have to check. Stops at their shop just after the Bang Bueng and Chonburi by-pass crossroads.

Thanks arthurwait, I only live 20 mins away from town and need to catch a 10 am boat. As I don't want to leave my bike parked for days in town it has to be a minibus service prepared to pick me up and take me to a specific office to confirm my prepaid hotel and ferry booking. A bit complicated..