Koh Samui to Krabi crosses from the Gulf coast to the Andaman coast, which sounds like a complicated journey and mostly isn’t. One combined ticket covers a ferry to the mainland and a coach the rest of the way, and the whole thing takes about four hours.
Prices are in Thai baht (THB) with US dollars in parentheses at ฿33 = US$1 (July 2026). Sources are linked at the bottom.
Quick comparison
| Mode | Duration | Rough price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferry + bus (combined ticket) | ~4 hours | ฿650-900 (US$19-26) | The standard option, one booking |
| Ferry + bus + Ao Nang leg | ~4.5 hours | Same ticket, book through | Skips a transfer if you’re staying in Ao Nang |
| Flight via Bangkok or Surat Thani | 5-8 hours door to door | Considerably more | Rarely worth it |
| Private car + ferry | 4-5 hours | Premium | Groups, luggage, fixed schedule |
The combined ferry-bus ticket
This is what almost everyone takes, and it’s genuinely the right answer. Lomprayah is the best-known operator, and a single ticket covers three things:
- Hotel pickup on Koh Samui (included for many properties)
- Ferry from Nathon Pier to Donsak Pier on the Surat Thani mainland — about 1 hour
- Air-conditioned coach from Donsak to Krabi — about 3 hours
Total journey time is roughly 4 hours from leaving Samui, at ฿650-900 (US$19-26).
Nathon Pier is on Samui’s west coast, facing the mainland. If your hotel isn’t on the pickup list, it’s 25-35 minutes from Chaweng by taxi at around ฿300-500 — worth factoring into both the budget and the morning schedule.
The one soft spot in the journey is the changeover at Donsak, where you wait between the boat and the coach in a fairly basic terminal. It’s not long, but bring water and don’t count on much else being available.
Book through to Ao Nang if that’s where you’re going
The coach leg continues past Krabi Town to Ao Nang, where most beach-focused travelers actually stay. Booking through to Ao Nang costs little more and saves you arranging a songthaew or taxi on arrival with your bags. If you’re staying in Krabi Town itself, or connecting onward to Koh Lanta or Railay, Krabi Town is the better drop.
Why flying doesn’t work here
Koh Samui and Krabi both have airports, but there’s no useful direct service between them. Routings connect via Bangkok or involve flying into Surat Thani and driving. Either way you’re looking at two legs, airport transfers at both ends, and check-in time — for a journey that takes four hours by boat and bus. On this route, the ground option genuinely wins.
When to book
In high season (November to April) and around Thai public holidays, book ahead — these combined services are popular and seats do sell out. In low season a day’s notice is usually enough. Booking through a platform also locks in the hotel pickup, which is the part that makes the whole thing painless.
Worth knowing: the Gulf and Andaman coasts run on different seasonal calendars. Samui’s wettest stretch is roughly October to December, while Krabi’s is May to October. You can leave one coast in poor weather and arrive on the other in good, which is part of why this crossing is so common.
Which should you pick?
The Lomprayah combined ticket, booked through to wherever you’re actually sleeping. It’s cheap, it’s one booking, and four hours is about as good as this crossing gets.
Once you arrive, outthailand.com’s things to do in Krabi covers the province and where to stay in Krabi explains the difference between Krabi Town, Ao Nang and Railay. Heading onward to the islands, see Krabi to Koh Lanta and Krabi to Phi Phi. Going the other direction later, the Krabi to Koh Samui guide covers the return. And before you leave Samui, things to do in Koh Samui and the events hub cover what’s on.
Sources
- Inside Samui: How to Get from Koh Samui to Krabi 2026: combined ticket structure, Nathon Pier transfer times and taxi fares, total journey duration
- 12Go: Lomprayah: combined ferry-bus fares and booking
- Thailand Awaits: Krabi to Koh Samui Ferry, Flight & Bus Guide 2026: route legs and timings in both directions
- Direct Ferries: Lomprayah High Speed Ferries: operator schedules and vessel detail
- Pierre Blake: Koh Samui Ferry Guide: Nathon and Donsak pier detail