Another way to arrive in Koh Tao is by using the train although ultimately you’ll have to get on a boat to reach the island, of course. In the following page, we’ll give you all the information to get to Koh Tao by train and which train stations you should use. Besides, you’ll be able to find all the train schedules and prices, so you can plan in advance how to arrive to the island.
In the case that you want to reach Koh Tao by train, you’d need to get either to Surat Thani or to Chumphon. If you are coming from the North of Thailand, the best option for you would be arriving to Chumphon. Therefore, if you are coming from Bangkok or Chiang Mai, you should book your train ticket to Chumphon and then you can take the boat to Koh Tao.
If you are coming from the South of Thailand or from Malaysia, you can get your train to Surat Thani, and then take one of the two ferries that cover the line between Surat Thani and Koh Tao. However, trains from Malaysia are very slow and usually, they are not on time, so we wouldn’t recommend you to choose this option if you are coming from the South.
However, using the train is an excellent option if you are coming from Bangkok. You can take an overnight train departing at 7 pm from Bangkok and you’ll arrive around 5 am to Chumphon. Then, you are on time to get your ferry at 7 am and you’ll arrive at the island around 9 am. This is probably the cheapest and most comfortable way to reach Koh Tao.
In the following lines you can see all the train schedules and information to get to Koh Tao by train. Remember that trains in Thailand are usually not on time, but it’s a comfortable and cheap way to travel around the country, especially if you book an overnight train with a bed. Don’t forget to bring along a sweater with you as most of the times aircon is so strong that trains are freezers. Most of the times you’ll be able to share your cabin with three more friends, as cabins are suitable for four people.
