Surat Thani to Khao Sok — Bus and Minivan Times from the Station, Town and Airport, Fares (September 2026)
Buses on the Surat Thani–Phuket road (route 465) and Phantip minivans leave Surat Thani through the day for ฿150–250 and reach the Khao Sok turn-off in 1.5–2.5 hours; from the railway station at Phun Phin the first departures are before 06:00. Where each one drops you, and how to get from the highway to the guesthouses and the lake.
Quick answer: any bus or van heading Surat Thani → Phuket or Takua Pa passes the Khao Sok turn-off. From the railway station at Phun Phin, route-465 buses from 05:30 (฿153–235) and Phantip minivans from 08:30 (฿240), 1.5–2.5 hours. Ask for "Khao Sok"; you are dropped on the main road (Route 401) at km 109, and guesthouse pick-ups or motorbike taxis take you the 1.5 km into the village.
The route in numbers
| Surat Thani → Khao Sok | checked September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Distance | about 110 km by road from Surat Thani town; 100 km from Phun Phin railway station |
| Bus (route 465 Surat Thani–Phuket Transport, Phuket Bus and Van Travel) | from 05:30 through the afternoon · ฿153–235 · 1.5–2.5 h |
| Minivan (Phantip 1970, Udomrat, Phangan Tour 2000) | 06:00, 08:30, 09:30, 10:45, 11:30, 12:30 … · ฿170–250 · about 2.5 h |
| From Surat Thani airport | vans about ฿300–400, 1.5–2 h; or the airport bus into town first |
| Drop-off | Khao Sok junction on Route 401 (km 109), 1.5 km from the village of guesthouses |
| Onward to Cheow Lan Lake | Ratchaprapha dam pier, 60 km further on Route 401 — tours and longtails from the village |
From the railway station (Phun Phin)
Most people arrive on an overnight train from Bangkok, which stops at Phun Phin, 14 km west of Surat Thani town on the Khao Sok side. That is convenient: the Phuket-bound buses and vans call at the station forecourt, so there is no need to go into town.
- Route 465 buses (Surat Thani–Phuket Transport, and Phuket Bus and Van Travel): 12Go lists departures from 05:30 (฿153), 06:30 (฿220), 07:20 (฿235), 09:00 (฿220), 10:20 and 12:10, continuing through the afternoon. Big buses with luggage space; 1.5–2 hours to Khao Sok, then on to Takua Pa and Phuket.
- Minivans: Udomrat Tour 06:00 (฿170), Phantip 1970 at 08:30, 09:30, 11:30 and 12:30 (฿240), Phangan Tour 2000 10:45 (฿250). About 2.5 hours with stops. Fourteen seats; one bag each.
Touts at Phun Phin sell "Khao Sok" tickets at a mark-up; the same buses can be boarded on the road outside for the on-board fare. If your train is on time you will have a choice of departures; if it is two hours late, so will the next one.
From Surat Thani town and the airport
- Town: the same buses and vans leave from Surat Thani bus terminal (Talat Kaset 2) and pick up along Route 401; Phantip's office in town sells the van tickets.
- Airport: Surat Thani airport is north of town, 30 km from Phun Phin. Shared vans direct to Khao Sok are sold at the arrivals hall and on 12Go for about ฿300–400 and take 1.5–2 hours; otherwise the airport bus into town (฿100) and a connection there.
Where you get off
Khao Sok village is not on the highway. Buses and vans stop at the Khao Sok junction on Route 401, marked by a cluster of shops and a police box, 1.5 km from the park entrance and the guesthouses along the river. Tell the driver "Khao Sok" when you board so the conductor knows to stop; a few vans go into the village if enough passengers ask. From the junction, motorbike taxis charge ฿50–100, and most guesthouses will collect you if you send your arrival time.
Continuing to Cheow Lan Lake
The lake's raft houses are reached from the Ratchaprapha dam pier, 60 km east of the village along Route 401 and a side road. There is no public bus to the pier: book a lake tour or a raft-house package in the village (transfer included), or a minivan-and-longtail transfer through 12Go. Longtails from the pier to the raft houses are about an hour.
Onward from Khao Sok
- To Phuket, Khao Lak or Krabi: flag down the same westbound buses at the junction, or buy a van ticket at any guesthouse — Khao Lak about 1.5 h, Phuket 3 h, Krabi 2.5–3 h.
- To Koh Samui / Phangan / Tao: eastbound to Surat Thani and Don Sak pier; combined van + ferry tickets from the village take 4–5 hours to Samui.
- Bangkok → Khao Sok for the trains and buses from Bangkok.
Where to stay
Compare hotels and guesthouses along this route (prices change by season; check the live price on the booking page): Khao Sok · Surat Thani
Sources and last check
Checked 15 September 2026 against: 12Go listings for Surat Thani → Khao Sok (bus and van operators, departure times and fares). Airport-van prices, motorbike-taxi fares, the km-109 junction description and lake-pier logistics are traveller-reported details, not official tariffs.