Route-by-route guides to sleeper trains, VIP buses, minivans, ferries and budget flights: which one suits you, where it departs from, and what to book ahead. Prices and timetables change, so every guide links to the live booking page instead of quoting numbers.
Koh Tao is the farthest of the three Gulf islands and every route calls at Samui and Phangan first. How the combined bus-and-boat tickets work from Surat Thani airport and station, the slow night boat, and how to time your arrival.
Moving from Phuket to the Krabi side is a two-to-three-hour hop by road all year, or a scenic ferry in the dry months. Which to pick, where each drops you, and how to reach Railay at the end.
The most popular island hop in the Andaman. Ferry versus speedboat from Phuket's Rassada pier, why a day trip and an overnight stay are different decisions, and how the monsoon months change the timetable.
Two very different ways to reach Koh Lipe from Krabi. The scenic speedboat chain through Koh Lanta, Koh Ngai and Koh Mook that runs only in the dry season, versus the road-and-boat route via Pak Bara that works in most months.
Koh Lanta has no airport and no bridge to the mainland. How to get there from Krabi airport or town by road and ferry year-round, when the Ao Nang speedboats run, and how to route from Bangkok.
Hopping between the three Gulf islands is easy but the piers are confusing. Which company sails from where, how long each leg takes, and how to plan around Full Moon Party dates when boats and beds sell out.
Three very different ways into northern Laos. The short flight, the famous two-day Mekong slow boat with a night in Pakbeng, and the newer bus-plus-train route via the Laos–China railway, with the border steps at Chiang Khong.
The standard northern hop. How the hourly bus works and which class to pick, when a minivan or private car makes more sense, and how to fit the White Temple and Blue Temple into the journey.
The quiet alternative to Krabi's islands. How to reach Trang by sleeper train or flight, which pier serves which island, and how the Emerald Cave and the island-hopping boats work in the dry season.
Nong Khai is where the northeastern railway meets the Mekong and the Friendship Bridge to Laos. How the sleeper works, why Udon Thani airport is the flying option, and what the riverside town offers if you stay a night.
Flying is cheap and quick, but the rail route from Bangkok to KL Sentral is one of Southeast Asia's classic overland trips. How the Thai sleeper connects to Malaysia's ETS trains, how long it really takes, and what to check before crossing.
Krabi is the hub for the southern Andaman. How to reach it from Bangkok by air, bus or rail, and how to continue to Ao Nang, Railay and the islands once you land.
Samui's own airport is the fastest way in and the most expensive. How the Surat Thani route works with three ferry companies from two piers, what the overnight bus-and-ferry combo is really like, and which arrival pier suits which beach.
The quietest of the eastern islands is also the one with the most rigid boat schedule. How to reach Laem Sok pier from Bangkok in time for the boats, what the island is like without ATMs or nightlife, and the island-hopping links to Koh Mak and Koh Chang.
Thailand's rainforest park sits between the Gulf and the Andaman. How to get there from Bangkok and from the beaches, why you should decide on the lake before you book, and what the two very different park experiences involve.
Bangkok has two airports and they are 50 km apart. The Airport Rail Link, the SRT Red Line, taxis and buses from each, how long they take at different hours, and the free shuttle and rail options if your connection uses both airports.
What each Thai railway carriage is like from the passenger's seat. Upper versus lower berths, air-conditioned versus fan, the train categories, and how to read the timetable without getting caught out.
Thailand's two coasts have rough seas at different times of year. Which islands to visit when, which boat types are safer in swell, why services get cancelled, and how not to miss your flight home.
Decoding Thailand's long-distance coach types, the difference between 24-, 32- and 40-seat layouts, Bangkok's three bus terminals, and what to check before booking an overnight bus.
- [ ] Choose the destination and the beach or neighbourhood; book accommodation with free cancellation - [ ] Read the relevant route chapter, then check…
Thailand has more ways to get from A to B than most countries: overnight sleeper trains, VIP buses that leave every hour, shared minivans, ferries and…
Three ways to book transport in Thailand and the trade-offs of each. E-tickets versus exchange-at-counter, payment methods for foreign cards, refund rules, and a checklist to run through before you pay.
An eSIM is a digital SIM installed on your phone by scanning a QR code or through an app, without removing your home SIM. That means you can buy and…
Chiang Mai has so much on offer that planning becomes the problem. The two common mistakes are the opposite of each other: booking too late and finding it…
Pai is only about 130 km from Chiang Mai, yet the trip takes three to four hours because Route 1095 climbs through the mountains in a continuous series of…
Vientiane, the Lao capital, sits directly across the Mekong from Nong Khai in Thailand, linked by the Friendship Bridge. Since rail crossed the bridge,…
A World Heritage city with no railway station. Comparing the direct bus, two very differently priced airports, the train-plus-van route, and how to explore the historical park by bicycle.
Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor, lies about 150 km beyond the Thai border at Aranyaprathet–Poipet. Overland from Bangkok there are two approaches: a…
Phuket and Krabi are 800–860 km from Bangkok — twelve hours or more by road versus about 1 h 20 min in the air, with dozens of low-cost flights a day.…
Pattaya is about 150 km from Bangkok, around two hours on the motorway. The difficulty is not how to go but where to leave from, because buses to Pattaya…
Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui sit in a line in the Gulf of Thailand. From Bangkok they all use the same pattern — road or rail south, then a boat —…
The closest island to Bangkok for a weekend. How to reach Ban Phe pier, slow ferry versus speedboat, which pier serves which beach, and the on-island costs to budget for.
The farthest island in the southern Andaman. Every route passes Pak Bara pier in Satun; comparing Hat Yai and Trang airports, combined van-and-boat tickets, and the months when boats do not run.
Koh Chang has no airport, so getting there always has two legs: Bangkok to the piers at Laem Ngop in Trat province, then a car ferry to the island. This…
Khao Yai is easy to reach and hard to explore. How to get to Pak Chong by train, van or bus, and how to get around Thailand's most visited national park when you did not drive.
A route where the train is the destination. How the Death Railway service from Thonburi station works, why most people combine it with a minivan, and how to reach Erawan Falls and the Bridge on the River Kwai.
Hua Hin is about 200 km south of Bangkok: close enough for a day trip, far enough that choosing the wrong transport can cost you half a day, especially on…
The easiest overland route from Thailand into Malaysia. Thai train plus Malaysian train with a change at Padang Besar, versus the direct minivan to George Town, and the border details people get wrong.
Chiang Rai has no railway, so it comes down to flying or a night bus. The trade-offs of each, plus the one-way Chiang Mai–Chiang Rai routing that avoids backtracking.
Chiang Mai is roughly 700 km north of Bangkok and is the best-served route in the country. You can take an overnight sleeper and wake up in the north,…
The easiest day trip from Bangkok. Why the cheap train beats every other option, how to cross to the island once you arrive, and the mistakes that eat half your day.