Koh Chang buses and bus timetables
99 Express services stop at Suvarnabhumi
Eastern Thailand has no railway so unfortunately there is no viable means of getting trains to Koh Chang. There are, however, a number of bus and minibus services that will take you to the Koh Chang ferry piers from Bangkok. You can also get to Koh Chang from Pattaya, Koh Samet and the Cambodian border.
From Bangkok to Koh Chang
Buses
Buses leave for the Koh Chang ferry piers from Ekkamai, Bangkok’s eastern bus terminal. These are large blue buses that are fully air-conditioned and have a toilet.
They have plenty of room and the journey is generally quite a comfortable and straightforward one. The journey time to the ferry is around five hours and prices are in the range of 200-250 baht.
These services also stop and pick up at Suvarnabhumi Airport’s bus station which is a short free shuttle bus ride from the airport itself. You can contact 99 Express, who operate the services, on 089-752-5732. One point of note is that generally the bus will stop for 20 minutes so you can stretch your legs and get a bite to eat. However, this doesn’t always happen so it might be worth packing an emergency snack.
Bus Departures from Ekamai – Koh Chang Ferries (Daily)
06:30, 07:45, 09:45,
Service stops at Suvarnabhumi Airport approx 15 minutes later
Don't be late for the bus!
Bus Departures from Koh Chang Ferries – Ekkamai (Daily)
12:30, 14:00, 16:00,
Service stops at Suvarnabhumi Airport before going on to Ekkamai.
Minibuses
There is also a minibus service that travels between Victory Monument in Bangkok and the Koh Chang Ferries during normal ferry hours. The service departs once every hour and costs 300 baht. The minibuses are in decent shape but can still feel a bit cramped for some – especially during the tourist high season when they are likely to be full.
If you wish to travel in a little more comfort then there are VIP minibus services and even private taxis that you can book to take you from your hotel in Bangkok to Koh Chang, or vice versa. You can expect to pay 800-900 baht for a VIP minibus or around 4,000 to 5,000 baht for a private car.
A few different companies operate these transfers and the best way to find out more and make a booking is to contact a reputable travel agent. If you are on Koh Chang then try Island Net in White Sand Beach (Tel: 039-551-215).
From Pattaya and Koh Samet to Koh Chang
Daily minibuses leave for Koh Chang from Pattaya, stopping to pick up and drop off passengers at Ban Pae Pier which serves Koh Samet. As with Bangkok these come in basic and VIP versions. It is not uncommon for the basic version to make a lot of stops and hence take a very long time getting down to Koh Chang, so spending a little more might save you some time and hassle. Local travel agencies will be able to point you in the right direction.
