Chumphon to Koh Tao — Lomprayah and Boonsiri Catamaran Times, Night Boat, Pier Transfers (September 2026)
Lomprayah catamarans leave Chumphon at 06:00, 12:00 and 13:30 (฿413–550, 1 h 45 – 2 h 45) and Boonsiri at 06:45 and 13:00 (฿650); the sleeper night boats from Chumphon town leave 19:00–21:00 and arrive at 02:00–04:00 for ฿500. Which pier each uses, how to get there from the railway station, and what the sea is like.
Quick answer: the 06:00 or 12:00–13:30 Lomprayah catamaran (฿413–550, arriving Koh Tao 08:45 or 15:15) or the Boonsiri catamaran at 06:45 or 13:00 (฿650). Both piers are 30–40 minutes from Chumphon town and the railway station; buy the ticket with the pier transfer included. The night boat (19:00–21:00, ฿500, 6–7 hours, mattresses on deck) is for people who arrive in the evening and want to wake up on the island.
The route in numbers
| Chumphon → Koh Tao | checked September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Sea distance | about 75 km east into the Gulf |
| Lomprayah catamaran | 06:00 → 08:45 (฿495) · 08:50 → 15:15 via Koh Tao stops (฿550) · 12:00 → 15:15 (฿495) · 13:30 → 15:15 (฿413) · from Tung Makham Noi pier |
| Boonsiri catamaran | 06:45 → 08:45 and 13:00 → 15:00 (฿650) · with van from town/station 05:30 and 11:30 (฿750) |
| Night boat (Axara and others) | 19:00, 20:00, 21:00 from Chumphon town pier → 02:00–04:00 · ฿500 (฿550 with van) · 6–7 h |
| Pier transfers | 30–40 min from the railway station or town to either catamaran pier · ฿100–150 by the operators' vans, usually sold with the boat |
| Arrival | Mae Haad pier, Koh Tao — the town; taxis and pick-ups to Sairee (฿100–200 per person) and Chalok |
Two catamaran companies, two piers
- Lomprayah sails from Tung Makham Noi pier, 35 km south-west of Chumphon town. Its own buses connect Chumphon town office and the railway station to the pier; the 06:00 boat needs a 05:00 pick-up. Fares on the 12Go listing run ฿413–550 depending on departure. The 08:50 service is the long one — it is the boat continuing from Bangkok's overnight bus and calls elsewhere first.
- Boonsiri sails from its pier near Mat Phon, north of town, at 06:45 and 13:00; ฿650 for the boat, ฿750 with the van from town or station (05:30 and 11:30 pick-ups). Slightly newer boats, similar crossing time of about 2 hours.
- Songserm (the older, slower express boat, about 3 hours) also runs from Chumphon in high season and is sometimes the cheapest; it appears on the live listing when operating.
Whichever you choose, buy the ticket that includes the pier transfer. The piers are far out, taxis in Chumphon are few, and the vans are timed to the boats.
Arriving by train
Chumphon is the first stop for most Koh Tao-bound travellers coming south by rail. The overnight sleepers from Bangkok arrive between about midnight and 05:00 — see the Gulf islands guide for the current times — which leaves a wait for the 06:00–06:45 boats. The station forecourt has 24-hour food stalls and the operators' vans start collecting around 05:00. Day trains and buses arriving before noon connect to the 12:00–13:30 boats. 12Go sells the train, the transfer and the boat as one "train + ferry" ticket, which handles the timing for you.
The night boat
From Chumphon town pier (Tha Yang), wooden and steel night boats leave at 19:00, 20:00 and 21:00 (Axara Travel and others) and reach Koh Tao between 02:00 and 04:00: ฿500, or ฿550 with the van from town. You get a numbered mattress on a shared deck, a blanket, and six hours of engine noise; in calm weather people sleep, in a swell they do not. It suits anyone arriving on an evening bus who does not want to pay for a Chumphon room, and nobody who values sleep.
The sea
The Gulf is calmest February–September and roughest November–January, when the north-east monsoon drives waves straight into the catamaran route. Crossings are still made most days, but the ride can be rough enough that the crew hand out bags, and in bad spells boats are cancelled a day at a time. If you are travelling in December, keep a spare night on the mainland side of your plan and take the early boat, which is usually the calmest.
On Koh Tao
All boats arrive at Mae Haad, the island's small town. Dive schools and hotels send pick-ups if you have booked; otherwise taxis (pick-up trucks) charge ฿100–200 per person to Sairee Beach, 10 minutes, and more to Chalok Baan Kao or the east-coast bays. The island's roads are steep and concrete; a rented scooter is the local way around, and the reason the clinic is busy.
Where to stay
Compare hotels and guesthouses along this route (prices change by season; check the live price on the booking page): Koh Tao · Chumphon
Sources and last check
Checked 15 September 2026 against: 12Go listings for Chumphon → Koh Tao (Lomprayah, Boonsiri and Axara departure and arrival times and fares). Pier locations and transfer times, night-boat conditions, island taxi fares and the seasonal sea state are traveller-reported details from the 2025–26 season, not official figures.