Hi,

On April 2nd we were looking at getting the sleeper train from bangkok but my girlfriend says she has checked and they are sold out that night, i thought booking 2 weeks in advance would be fine but obviously i was wrong, this was the email -

' I AM SORRY THAT ALL AIR CON SLEEPER TRAIN TICKETS FULLY BOOKED AND NOW THEY ARE AVAILABLE ONLY SPRINTER TRAIN WHICH IS RECLINING SEAT WITH AIR CON, DEP 22.50-08.05, BUT THIS SPRINTER TRAIN COULD NOT CATCH OUR BUS/FERRY TO KOH SAMUI AND HAVE TO ARRANGE YOUR OWN TRANSPORT'

if we catch this train is it straight forward to get ourselves to Samui ?

any help appreciated please

thanks

1. Take a bus?

Anyway, there is more than 1 ferry going to Samui, it isnt that you will be 'stranded'....

2. Take night train with normal seat, sleep as you would in an airplane, or a day train and sleep in a GH in Suratthani, or Chumphon, and take ferry next morning?

3. Fly?

Sort, fast, no need to catch any ferry, and the price isnt prohibitive.

4. Maybe book a different day for the sleeping train, bit prior of after 2nd April?

Yes it is straightforward to get to Samui.

Think we pretty set on catching that 'sprinter' train as they called it,

That train they say in email is 22.50 to 08.05 so im assuming that gets into Suratthani, then Lomprayah offer a 9am, 11.10am service from Suratthani to Koh Samui (nathon) so we should make one of them easily i hope ...

going to be long night but I think that's our trip down sorted

I have always just flown but the girlfriend wants to do it this way

thanks for help

One thing to consider, or at least to prepare for: From my experience the trains most of the time have a few hours delays. Out of six trips I took one of them was delayed for one hour, 4 trips have been delayed around 3 to 4 hours and one was delayed for 6 hours.

Anyhow if you arrive in Suratthani in the that early you wont have a problem to make it to Samui the same day.

Actually I really like riding on trains and the night trains are a comfortable options but I gave up on it, the total travel times are just too long. For example, one of my last trips, with a 3 hour delay the total travel time from Bangkok train station to my house in Samui took a total of 16 hours, including bus, ferry etc...

In the future you'll need to book A month or more in advance.The sleeper is getting popular.When I travel I get the 1st class or I don't go.As far as other ways to travel.Thers not many ways planes,trains scratch trains .I forgot buses.And mini vans.Can rent A car.

yeah underestimated the sleeper , will learn from that for next time,

Iv noticed the Seatrain ferry leaves on the hour so perhaps that be better option in case of delay, just wait till we get there and jump on next available one

At the counter in Bangkok where I bought my train ticket, they also offered me the lompraya ferry ticket, but I also decided better not to book it cause of the train delays. Seatran is really the better option (dont go for Raja Ferry if possible, its not very pleasant on there)

Its strange, all those 6 trips I took in the last 2 years I never booked a seat on the train in advance, just walked to the station and got a sleeper on the next train. Maybe its cause I am usually travelling alone, could be more difficult for 2 persons.

Please report about delays after you took the trip, it would be nice to have more numbers in the "delay statistics". Maybe it improved recently, who knows

Fly to Nakorn si Thammorat then 1 hrs 30 minute bus to ferry

Air Asia, nok air, maybe thai airways ( if you are on a budget )

Or suratthani airport same as Nakorn

Or if you have money then samui airport

April is busy season with thai new year ahead so what ever you book u need to so asap

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After train, land transport options include:

the bus to the Lomphraya ferry - two ferries a day, call Lomphraya to make sure you are not getting a 3rd party bus service if you can book directly (I just used their service from the airport, it was the Panthip company bus line there). Lomphraya will include shuttle service to your final destination from Nathon for an additional 200 baht (at least, that is what I paid).

Raja Ferry - older boats and less professional, if you take this boat someone will try to get you to take an expensive ride (1,200?) from Lipa Noi (not at a town or on main road) to your final destination. Last time I was there there was a shuttle/minibus waiting for the ferry to land taking passengers for 200 each to their various destinations. Should be a bus from the train station to ferry.

Seatrans ferry - from Nathon I am just aware of taxi and song taew. If you are staying at a hotel they would probably also arrange pickup. Should be a bus from the train station to the ferry.

I have gotten quotes as low as 1,000 baht for a private taxi between Surat town and the ferry.

Enjoy.....

Also, if the train is air conditioned might be very cold, Thai style - or very hot