From Pattaya you reach Koh Samet by road to the piers at Ban Phe, on the Rayong coast, and then by boat. The fastest way is a private car from your door to Ban Phe (about 1–1.5 hours) and the fast ferry (10–15 minutes): a Smile Taxi Service transfer from Pattaya to Ban Phe Pier costs a fixed 1,000 THB (sedan), 1,300 THB (SUV) or 1,700 THB (van) per vehicle, expressway tolls included, and you pay the boat and the park fee separately. The cheapest way is a bus towards Rayong, a songthaew to Ban Phe and the wooden ferry: about 166–344 THB in total plus the park fee, and about 3 hours.
Distance and travel time overview
Central Pattaya to the Ban Phe piers is about 80 km by road, mostly on Route 36, the Pattaya–Rayong bypass; North Pattaya and Naklua add a little distance. With no traffic the drive takes about 1 hour 5 minutes, so allow about 1–1.5 hours. A shared van with hotel pickup takes about 90 minutes.
Koh Samet lies 2.6 km off the mainland. The boat takes 10–15 minutes on the fast ferry or about 40–45 minutes on the wooden ferry. The whole trip, from your door to the island, takes about 2–4 hours, depending on the option and the wait for a boat.
There is no flight between Pattaya and Koh Samet, and no train to Ban Phe: the trains through Pattaya go only as far as Sattahip.
Pattaya to Koh Samet: all options compared
| Option | Travel time | Approximate price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smile private car to Ban Phe Pier | about 1–1.5 hours, plus the boat | fixed 1,000 / 1,300 / 1,700 THB per vehicle | families, groups, luggage |
| Shared van and ferry ticket | about 2 h 07 min to 4 hours | about US$12–27 per person | solo travellers, couples |
| Bus, songthaew and wooden ferry | about 2 h 45 min to 3 hours | about 166–344 THB in total | tight budgets, light luggage |
| GrabCar or local taxi to Ban Phe | about 1–1.5 hours, plus the boat | shown in the app; taxi up to about 1,200 THB | app users |
| Rental car or motorbike | about 1–1.5 hours, plus the boat | rental, fuel and parking | experienced drivers |
Third-party prices and timetables in this guide were checked in September 2026; confirm them with the operator before you travel. With every option you also pay for the boat (from about 50 THB one way) and the national park fee (about 200 THB for a foreign adult).
Private transfer with Smile Taxi Service
The driver picks you up at the door of your hotel or address in Pattaya at the time you choose and drives only your group straight to Ban Phe Pier. The fare does not include the boat or the national park fee.
Fixed fares (THB per vehicle, one way)
| Route | Sedan | SUV | Van |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pattaya → Ban Phe Pier | 1,000 | 1,300 | 1,700 |
| Ban Phe Pier → Pattaya | 1,200 | 1,500 | 1,800 |
The price is per vehicle, the same for 1 passenger or a full car, with expressway tolls included. There is no meter.
- Sedan (Toyota Camry or similar): up to 3 passengers and 2 bags.
- SUV (Toyota Fortuner or similar): up to 5 passengers and 4 bags.
- Van (Toyota Commuter or similar): up to 7 passengers and 5 bags.
What is included and what you can add
- Drop-off at the Ban Phe pier your boat uses.
- Before the trip, the team sends you the driver's name, the car and its plate number.
- Child seat: +100 THB, on request.
- Extra stops on the way: +250 THB per hour.
- An English-speaking driver can be requested when you book, subject to availability. Not every driver speaks English.
- Return trips: a discount is available; ask by message.
Payment and cancellation
You pay the driver in cash (Thai baht) at the end of the trip. The website takes no online payment and no deposit. If you can only pay by card, message the team and they will send you a PayPal payment link; a 5% fee is added. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup.
Smile Taxi Service works 24/7 in 9 languages, has 54+ local drivers and more than 8,000 passengers served, and is rated Google 5.0 and Tripadvisor 5.0.
- Book a sedan from Pattaya to Ban Phe Pier
- Book an SUV from Pattaya to Ban Phe Pier
- Book a van from Pattaya to Ban Phe Pier
- See all Smile Taxi Service fares
Pros: your own schedule, space for luggage, and a price per car, not per person. For a group of 4–7, one SUV or van often costs less than several shared seats.
Cons: for one or two people it costs more than a shared van or the bus.
Shared van and ferry joint ticket
Travel agencies in Pattaya sell seats in a shared van to Ban Phe, with pickup at your hotel. Departures are typically at 07:30, 11:30 and 15:00, and the ride to Ban Phe takes about 90 minutes. Some tickets combine the van with the boat to Koh Samet.
Booking platforms such as Bookaway also sell "van + ferry" trips run by 35 Group Pattaya and Andaman Shuttle, with air-conditioned vans and hotel pickup. In September 2026 these cost about US$12–27 per person, including the platform's mark-up, and took from 2 h 07 min to about 4 hours to the island. Departures ran from about 08:30 to 15:00, so the last shared vans leave Pattaya around mid-afternoon.
Ask whether the price covers the boat, the park fee and the transfer to your beach.
Pros: cheap for one or two people, with hotel pickup.
Cons: fixed departure times, and pickups at other hotels on the way.
Public bus to Rayong, then songthaew to Ban Phe
We found no confirmed direct public bus from Pattaya to Ban Phe, so public transport takes three steps.
- Pattaya to Rayong by bus (about 60 km). Phetprasert Tour's Lom Sak–Rayong buses stop in Pattaya and end at Rayong bus terminal. A January 2026 route guide gives their Pattaya stop as Thepprasit Market, next to a 7-Eleven. Check times with Phetprasert (call centre 056-720720, LINE @phetprasert); tickets are sold online and through BusX.
- Rayong to Ban Phe by songthaew. From Rayong bus terminal, dark-blue songthaews (pickup trucks used as shared buses) run to Ban Phe.
- Ban Phe to Koh Samet by boat. The wooden ferry to Na Dan costs 50 THB one way.
Inside Pattaya, a shared songthaew ("baht bus") to the bus stop costs 15–20 THB per ride (fares since 10 April 2026). An aggregator puts the whole trip at about 2 h 45 min to 3 hours and about 166–344 THB, depending on the boat, plus the park fee.
Pros: the lowest cost.
Cons: two changes with your luggage, and you must reach Ban Phe in time for a boat.
GrabCar or a local taxi to Ban Phe
In Pattaya, Grab offers cars only (GrabCar, no GrabBike). Waits are typically 10–20 minutes, longer in South Pattaya at night. If you request a GrabCar to Ban Phe, the app shows the fare before you book, and Grab accepts international cards and cash. A 2026 Koh Samet ferry guide says a taxi from Pattaya to Ban Phe costs up to about 1,200 THB; treat this as a rough figure and agree on the price before you leave. Most small Thai islands have no Grab coverage, so on Koh Samet plan to use the island's songthaews.
Driving yourself: rental car or motorbike
The road is Route 36, the Pattaya–Rayong bypass, almost all the way. Check the rules before you rent.
- Carry your home driving licence and an International Driving Permit; for a motorbike, the permit must include the motorbike class. UK drivers need the 1968-convention permit, bought before travel.
- Helmets are compulsory on motorbikes. The maximum fine for riding without a helmet or driving without a seatbelt is 2,000 THB. Speeding or running a red light can cost up to 4,000 THB, and a first drink-driving offence 5,000–20,000 THB.
- Never leave your passport as a rental deposit. Rental firms may keep it against damage they say you caused.
- Check that your travel insurance covers the vehicle.
You leave the vehicle at Ban Phe while you are on the island, so ask about parking and its price first.
The boat from Ban Phe to Koh Samet
Ban Phe has several separate private piers, including Nuan Thip, Seree Ban Phe (also called Ao Prao pier), Sri Ban Phe and the Municipality pier. Most boats to Na Dan, the island's main pier, leave from Nuan Thip. Seree Ban Phe serves Ao Prao on the west coast. Your ticket or hotel decides the pier, so tell your driver which one.
| Boat | Landing | Price per person, one way (return) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden ferry | Na Dan | about 50 THB (100) | about 40–45 min |
| Wooden ferry | Ao Wong Duan | about 70 THB (140) | ask at the pier |
| Wooden ferry | Ao Wai or Ao Kui | about 100 THB (200) | ask at the pier |
| Fast ferry | Na Dan | about 150 THB | about 10–15 min |
| Shared speedboat | your beach | about 200 THB (Hat Sai Kaew) to 500 THB (Ao Kui) | ask at the pier |
- Wooden ferries to Na Dan run about hourly until about 18:00. Check the last boat on the day.
- The fast ferry (Khokaew Phitsadan) leaves Ban Phe 5 times a day, at 09:00, 10:00, 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00.
- National park fee: Koh Samet is part of Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park. As of September 2026 the fee is about 200 THB for foreign adults and 100 THB for foreign children (Thai adults 40 THB, Thai children 20 THB); check the current fee with the national park. You pay it with the boat ticket or on arrival on the island.
- Na Dan pier fee: 20 THB, charged at Na Dan pier.
From Na Dan, island songthaews go to the beaches from about 20–50 THB per person, more for the far bays or a private trip. Paved roads run only from Na Dan to Hat Sai Kaew and along the north coast; further south the road is a rough track.
Flying in instead: U-Tapao, Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang
U-Tapao Airport is about 60 km, or about 1 hour by taxi, from the Ban Phe piers. The Loma Pattaya Taxi Co-operative serves Ban Phe 24 hours from the car park in front of Terminal 1 (tel. +66 83-498-3979 or +66 80-118-0955) and publishes no fares. Smile has no fixed fare from U-Tapao to Ban Phe: ask for a quote on WhatsApp or LINE.
From Bangkok's airports, Smile drives straight to Ban Phe Pier, with 60 minutes of free waiting from the actual landing time. A person checks your flight. A name sign costs +100 THB, and a free 500 MB Thailand eSIM is available; ask for both when you book.
- Book a sedan from Suvarnabhumi to Ban Phe Pier: 1,800 / 2,100 / 2,600 THB (sedan / SUV / van).
- Book a sedan from Don Mueang to Ban Phe Pier: 2,000 / 2,400 / 2,800 THB.
For the full route from the capital, see How to Get from Bangkok to Rayong.
Practical tips for this route
- Reach Ban Phe by early afternoon. The last fast ferry leaves Ban Phe at 14:00 and wooden ferries stop at about 18:00.
- Check your beach first. A speedboat straight to Ao Wong Duan, Ao Wai or Ao Kui avoids a songthaew ride but costs 300–500 THB one way.
- Bring cash. Keep small notes for the boat, the park fee and island songthaews. A 2025 travel guide lists only one ATM on the island, opposite the Hat Sai Kaew tourist service centre.
- Families and luggage. Ask for a child seat (+100 THB) when you book, and count bags as well as people when you choose the car.
- Book ahead for weekends. Boats and shared vans fill up at weekends and on Thai public holidays.
- Keep valuables dry. Pack phones and documents in a waterproof bag for the boat, because spray reaches the open decks.
- Rainy season (May to October). Boats can be overloaded or meet rough seas. Check the sea before a speedboat and choose a larger boat if it is rough.
The return journey: Koh Samet to Pattaya
The fast ferry leaves Koh Samet at 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00; wooden ferries run from Na Dan until about 18:00. From Ban Phe, take a shared van, a songthaew to Rayong and a bus, or a Smile car.
A Smile transfer from Ban Phe Pier to your Pattaya hotel costs 1,200 THB (sedan), 1,500 THB (SUV) or 1,800 THB (van) per vehicle. Book the pickup for after your boat lands; if you book both directions together, ask about the return discount.
- Book a sedan from Ban Phe Pier to Pattaya
- Book an SUV from Ban Phe Pier to Pattaya
- Book a van from Ban Phe Pier to Pattaya
- Book a sedan from Ban Phe Pier to Suvarnabhumi Airport: 1,800 / 2,100 / 2,600 THB.
- Book a sedan from Ban Phe Pier to Don Mueang Airport: 2,000 / 2,300 / 2,800 THB.
If you also plan to visit Koh Chang, see How to Get from Pattaya to Koh Chang.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Koh Samet from Pattaya? About 80 km by road to the Ban Phe piers (about 1–1.5 hours), then 10–45 minutes by boat.
What is the cheapest way from Pattaya to Koh Samet? A bus towards Rayong, a songthaew to Ban Phe and the 50 THB wooden ferry: about 166–344 THB in total plus the park fee, and about 3 hours.
Is there a direct bus from Pattaya to Ban Phe? We found no confirmed direct public bus. Agencies sell shared van seats with hotel pickup, or you can change in Rayong.
How much is a private taxi from Pattaya to Ban Phe Pier? With Smile Taxi Service, 1,000 THB for a sedan, 1,300 THB for an SUV or 1,700 THB for a van, per vehicle, expressway tolls included. Back to Pattaya it is 1,200 / 1,500 / 1,800 THB.
Which pier in Ban Phe do I need? Most boats to Na Dan use Nuan Thip pier, and Ao Prao resorts use Seree Ban Phe pier. Check your ticket or ask your hotel.
What time is the last boat to Koh Samet? The last fast ferry leaves Ban Phe at 14:00. Wooden ferries run until about 18:00; check the last boat on the day.
How much is the Koh Samet national park fee? As of September 2026, about 200 THB for foreign adults and 100 THB for foreign children (Thai visitors 40 and 20 THB), plus 20 THB at Na Dan pier. Check the current fee with the national park.
To book your transfer from Pattaya to Ban Phe Pier, choose your car on the Smile Taxi Service booking page or message the team on WhatsApp or LINE.