How to Get to Koh Chang: Routes, Ferry & Transfers

Featured image: DLR, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

How to Get to Koh Chang: Routes Compared

We'd choose by group size and arrival time, not by headline price. Reported driving time from Bangkok's airport to the mainland pier is about 4.5 hours. Add 30 to 60 minutes from central Bangkok. Those times assume no delays, so build in slack. Fares below are 2023 figures from a local guide, so confirm them before you budget.

• Choose a private transfer or car if you carry heavy luggage or travel with children.
• Choose the minivan or bus route if cost matters more than speed.
• Choose the flight if you would rather skip about 4.5 hours on the road.

Bangkok to Koh Chang Step by Step

Driving is straightforward, and most of the route is motorway or dual carriageway. Only the final 30 km runs on a quiet rural road. From Suvarnabhumi, you leave Bangkok and follow Highway 344. You rejoin Highway 3 near Klaeng and pass Chanthaburi. About 23 km outside Trat, turn left at the T-junction onto Route 3156, signposted to Laem Ngop. Roughly 20 minutes later you reach the first ferry pier. Check flight arrival details on the Suvarnabhumi Airport site if you land the same day. For the full breakdown, read our Bangkok to Koh Chang guide. If you land late, we'd sleep in Bangkok or Trat. Ferry sailings are reported to run only from about 07:00 to 19:00.

• Leave Bangkok on the motorway toward Highway 344.
• Join Highway 3 near Klaeng and continue past Chanthaburi.
• Turn left onto Route 3156 about 23 km before Trat.
• Reach the first ferry pier after roughly 20 minutes.

Flying to Trat and Other Starting Points

Bangkok Airways is the airline to check for flights to Trat. We could not verify schedules or fares, so see our Koh Chang airport guide and the airline's own site. From Pattaya or Rayong, no direct minibus is confirmed, so ask locally. One reader reported needing a taxi to Rayong, then a bus to Trat or Chanthaburi, then a songtaew to the pier. For overland routes from Cambodia, check official border and transport sources.

The Ferry Crossing

Ferries run from Ao Thammachat on the mainland to Ao Sapporot on Koh Chang. Crossing time is about 30 minutes. Koh Chang Ferry is reported to sail about every 45 minutes between 07:00 and 19:00. In 2023 a foot passenger paid ฿80 one way and a car paid ฿120. Tickets are reportedly cash only at the pier office. Our Koh Chang ferry guide covers operators in more depth. Centrepoint was reported closed for renovation since September 2022, with no restart date. Treat its status as unknown. Watch for signs that divert you off Route 3156 before the airport. Those reportedly lead to Centrepoint on an 18 km shortcut. A road bridge has been proposed, but assume ferry access unless an official source says otherwise.

• Crossing: about 30 minutes, Ao Thammachat to Ao Sapporot.
• Frequency: about every 45 minutes, 07:00 to 19:00.
• 2023 fares: ฿80 per passenger, ฿120 per car.

From the Pier to Your Beach

There are no metered taxis, tuk-tuks, or motorbike taxis on the island. Shared white songtaews are the public transport, and fares are per person. They meet arriving ferries, so a driver may wait to fill the truck before leaving. Reported 2023-24 fares from the pier are below. A side-road drop-off adds about ฿50 per person. Fares reportedly rise by ฿50 per journey after 10pm. Hotel-to-pier songtaews run hourly, from about 06:00 to 07:00 until roughly 17:00 to 17:45, depending on the beach. Pick your beach before you pick your arrival time. Our Koh Chang beach guide compares them. Then see where to stay and getting around the island.

• White Sand, Chai Chet, Klong Prao, Kai Bae, Lonely Beach: ฿100
• Bailan: ฿120
• Bangbao: ฿150
• Klong Kloi: ฿200

Mistakes to Avoid When Getting to Koh Chang

Most problems come from timing and old information. Arriving after dark leaves you with higher fares and fewer songtaews. Check the best time to visit before you lock in dates.

• Landing late and reaching the pier after the last ferry near 19:00.
• Following a shortcut sign toward the wrong pier.
• Arriving without baht cash for the pier ticket office.
• Expecting metered taxis on the island.
• Trusting 2023 fares without checking a current notice.

Pair this with our broader Koh Chang tourism attractions guide for the full city overview.