Cheapest way to travel from Pattaya to Koh Samui?

Does anyone have any suggestion? I have taken information about planes but they all seem rather expensive, train may be an alternative, what do you think?

You can get there by bus...
but you'll really, really regret it!

[elephantspike]

Take the bus to Bangkok, the train to Surathani and the boat to Ko Samaui. I'm not sure what the price is, but it's cheaper than flying (usually) and the train from Bangkok to Surathani is a lot more comfortable than the bus and not much more expensive.

If you don't fly, you need to take a boat to get there for your final leg. It is a true island, unlike Phuket. There is no bridge.

you are worried about belly aches and now would rather take the bus to Koi Samui from Pattaya rather than fly just to say a bit of money--as someone said, you will regret it and the accompanying aches--have you thought what the toilet facilities might be like along the way or you might be unable to control the water quality. Best you just say home and dream about the lads in Thailand--how would you ever be able to even touch a Thai lad--they often carry many germs and bacteria!

You might require use of bus. There are several alternatives:

TRANSPORT CO
Southern Bus Terminal :
Boromratchchonnani Rd, Bangkok Tel: (662) 435-1200, 434-7192
Buses usually depart daily as follows:
2nd class 19:30 arrival 08:00 about 320 TBT
1st 20:00 arrival 10:00 about 420 TBT

SONGSERM
Khao San Road, Bangkok, Tel: (662) 629-0781
Around 450 – 500 baht for joint ticket - bus and express boat
Departing daily at:
17:00 06:00 08:00 10:30
19:00 06:00 08:00 10:30

HUA LAMPHONG
Bangkok Main Railways Station
Inside the station, between Caf├й and Internet (very expensive) is a travel agent who organised daily bus transport from Hua Lamphong to Koh Samui.

Using train can be annoying since you need to find your bus outside the train station going to ferry and further on ferry connection to Kho Samui.

Bangkok Airways operates 15 flights a day between Bangkok and Koh Samui, which is by far the easiest way to get to the island. Flights take just 1 hour 20 minutes. You can also fly from Pattaya airport.

Tel: 0 2265 5555 (Bangkok Office) or 0 7742 2512-9 (Ko Samui Office)

Cheapest way is usig regular bus from Pattaya to Bangkok, use train from Hua Lamphong (third class or secound class fan to Surat Thani and regular bus to ferry, but expext 2 days for tavelling.

Well I will try to figure all that out... :)

[elephantspike]

It doesn't take 2 days. It takes a day or so. Getting there is all the fun. The train alone is an absolute blast (Not being sarcastic at all).

Get second class! It's well worth it. Don't bother with first class. It's not worth it. Third class is absolutely miserable, though.

Enjoy!

[Smiles]

Well I will try to figure all that out... :)
First things first ... try not to be an idiot (like you sound). Study hard ... take the advice offered.
Thai folks will smell an idiot 10 miles away .... and you'll always come out second best.

cheers ...

It doesn't take 2 days. It takes a day or so. Getting there is all the fun. The train alone is an absolute blast (Not being sarcastic at all).

Get second class! It's well worth it. Don't bother with first class. It's not worth it. Third class is absolutely miserable, though.

Enjoy!

From Pattaya for Bangkok (Southern terminal) count 4 to 6 hrs pending on traffic, and for travelling to Kho Samui using VIP bus takes about 12 to 14 hours, pending on connection and ferry. That's the quick route and you don't need to wait long for a seat. Expext between 20 and 24 hrs travelling time sinc ethe servides are more or less non-stop.

Going cheap it takes minimum about 10 to 15 hours longer.

I like using train in Thailand, and it CAN be cheap, but is usually not the fastest option. I like to run arund and getting in contact with peolpe, which is rather different while using bus. I also try to avoid first class. I like secound fan class most; in air-con departmends windows cannot be opened. And using sleepers, the lower berth is usully my first option.

[elephantspike]

Second class train travel in Thailand absolutely rules!

I only wish that we had something roughly equal to that here in my country.

But of course we don't.

Second class train travel in Thailand absolutely rules!

I only wish that we had something roughly equal to that here in my country.

But of course we don't.


Oh, just be patient please. It took about 115 years to drive the once famous and solid Thai railway to its present edge. German engineers did a good job with planning and construction but ignored the impact of training and maintenance

What’s been left by the Germans are the usually beautifully maintained stations, usually well organised, fairly clean, well signed, with flowers around. Hua Hin station is not the only picturesque example.

Japanese army “boroughs” some of the equipment bit forget to bring I back after there disappearance. With some technical aid from Korean (thank you Hyundai and others for all the bumpy cars) abot 50 or more years ago they started the restauration - and never ended since.

Similar happened to the once very famous Baghdad railway, linking Europe thru Istanbul via Baghdad with Teheran, ending in Pakistan. Also planned and build by German engineers. Some of this collapsed in wars but fractions are still in operations and using the rail link from Istanbul via Aleppo to Damascus is just a breathtaking journey of a lifetime.

Myanmar or Sri Lancan railways are also interesting; Like India, a British invention.

Using the comfortable express train from Saigon to Hanoi all along coast of Viet Nam is another spectacular travel. It’s far less bumpy as using trains in Thailand. But the panoramas are absolutely splendid and well worth travelling the same route back and enjoying views from different angle.

I still prefer using the rail systems, including Thailand’s State Railways, even it takes i.e. twice as long from Pattaya to Bangkok or Rayong.

But all this doesn’t have anything to do with using “the cheapest way from Pattaya to Kho Samui”. Sorry for wasting your time while reading all this. .. 

Kuala Lumpur - all the way up to Koh Samui, train, bus and boat - ermm not again, from Suri Thani, I had to sit on a stool in the middle of the bus because it was that jam packed, and this was supposed to be a "quality" bus, they thought by offering me a stool, that would help, instead of standing up.

Second class train travel in Thailand absolutely rules!
The last time I rode Second Class on a Thai train was miserable. Cell phones ringing all bloody night long. I now splurge for the First Class cabin where at least I can get some sleep on the overnight train.

In the "old days" (i.e. pre-mobile phones), I'm sure Second Class was a great deal. It is very comfortable, but those bloody phones....

So Smiles you said they could smell and idiot 10 miles away I guess your are speaking from experience '
I used to enjoy your post you have become almost as negative as BG
I am not sure why, I know you are stuck in Canada but damn lighten up some
You don't always have to be a smart ass