The fastest way from Pattaya to Koh Chang is by car: about 4–4.5 hours to the island, including the 25–35-minute car ferry. The cheapest way is a public bus to Trat, a shared songthaew to the pier, the ferry and a songthaew on the island: about 5–6 hours in total. For a door-to-door trip, a Smile Taxi Service private transfer costs a fixed 3,000 THB (sedan), 3,600 THB (SUV) or 4,000 THB (van) per vehicle, one way, with expressway tolls included; the ferry crossing is added at 80 THB per person and 120 THB per car.
Distance and travel time overview
Koh Chang is in Trat province and is Thailand's third-largest island (about 210 km², after Phuket and Koh Samui).
By road, Pattaya is about 270 km from Koh Chang and about 236 km from Trat town. There is no bridge to the island, so every trip ends with a ferry.
- By car: about 4–4.5 hours from Pattaya to the island, including the ferry. Allow extra time for waiting at the pier.
- By shared minibus or bus: about 4.5–5 hours from Pattaya to Trat, plus the ferry and the ride to your hotel; about 5–6 hours in total.
- Ferry crossing: about 25–35 minutes.
There is no railway to Trat or Koh Chang. Grab and Bolt do not operate on Koh Chang, and no app price from Pattaya to the island is confirmed, so an app ride is not practical for this route.
Pattaya to Koh Chang: all options compared
| Option | Travel time | Approximate price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smile private transfer | about 4–4.5 hours | fixed 3,000 / 3,600 / 4,000 THB per vehicle (sedan / SUV / van), plus the ferry add-on | families, groups, luggage, door to door |
| Shared minibus (Suvarnabhumi Burapha) | about 5–6 hours | about 600–700 THB per person, ferry included | solo travellers and couples on a budget |
| Public bus via Trat | about 5–6 hours, with three changes | about 250–900 THB per person for the bus, plus songthaews and the ferry | the smallest budget, flexible plans |
| Coach to Suvarnabhumi, then a flight to Trat | three legs, with waiting between them | about 135–158 THB per person for the coach, then flights from about 2,850 THB | travellers who want to fly part of the way |
| Grab or Bolt | not practical | no confirmed price | not recommended for this route |
Third-party prices and timetables in this guide were checked in September 2026. Bus fares changed five times between April and September 2026 because of diesel prices, so confirm the fare with the operator.
Private transfer with Smile Taxi Service
The driver picks you up at the door of your hotel or address in Pattaya and drives you to the pier at Ao Thammachat. The car crosses on the car ferry with you, and the driver takes you on to your hotel on Koh Chang.
Fixed fares (THB per vehicle, one way)
| Route | Sedan | SUV | Van |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pattaya → Koh Chang | 3,000 | 3,600 | 4,000 |
| Koh Chang → Pattaya | 3,000 | 3,600 | 4,000 |
| Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) → Koh Chang | 3,700 | 4,000 | 4,600 |
The price is per vehicle, not per person, so it is the same for 1 passenger or a full car. Expressway tolls are included. There is no meter, and the price does not change with traffic.
Koh Chang car ferry: the crossing is added to the fare at +80 THB per person and +120 THB per car.
- 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
- 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, for example a meal or a visit in Chanthaburi: +250 THB per hour.
- An English-speaking driver can be requested when you book, subject to availability. Not every driver speaks English.
- Return trip: a discount is available if you book both ways; 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 is rated Google 5.0 and Tripadvisor 5.0.
- Book a sedan from Pattaya to Koh Chang
- Book an SUV from Pattaya to Koh Chang
- Book a van from Pattaya to Koh Chang
- See all Smile Taxi Service fares
Pros: the fastest option, no changes, luggage stays with you, and you choose the departure time. Cons: for one or two people, it costs more than the shared minibus or the public bus.
Shared minibus with Suvarnabhumi Burapha
Suvarnabhumi Burapha (SWB) runs the scheduled minibus from Pattaya to Koh Chang. It leaves South Pattaya once a day, at 08:00. Pickup at your hotel in Pattaya and drop-off at your hotel on Koh Chang are possible if you book at least 1 day ahead; pickup from some central Pattaya hotels costs extra.
- Price: about 600–700 THB per person, including the ferry.
- Beaches in the south of the island: drop-off at Lonely Beach, Bailan and Bang Bao costs about 50–100 THB extra.
- Travel time: about 5–6 hours in total.
- Booking: online through BusX (the link is on the Suvarnabhumi Burapha website), or on LINE @146ldkpj. The Koh Chang office is on +66 81 660 5926.
Other companies sell hotel-to-hotel shared minibuses from Naklua, Pattaya and Jomtien (about 600–1,200 THB per person with the ferry), but some of these routes run less often or have stopped. Confirm your departure with the company before you book.
Pros: cheap, one booking, the ferry ticket is included. Cons: only one departure a day, and you share the ride with other passengers.
The ferry to Koh Chang
In 2026 only one company runs the Koh Chang ferry: Ferry Koh Chang, from Ao Thammachat pier on the mainland (about 10 km west of Laem Ngop town) to Ao Sapparot pier on the north-east coast of the island.
- Timetable: the first ferry leaves at 06:30 and the last at 18:30, in each direction.
- Boats that leave when full: since 11 April 2026, to save fuel, the boats between the first and the last one only leave when they are full. Allow waiting time at the pier.
- Crossing time: about 25–35 minutes, depending on the boat.
- Fares, one way: about 90 THB per adult; children 110–150 cm tall about 40 THB; children under 110 cm free; about 200 THB per car; about 90–150 THB per motorbike.
- Tickets: bought at the pier, in cash only.
- Phone numbers (Ferry Koh Chang): 081 943 5872, 081 814 4137 and 039 555 188.
The Centrepoint ferry, which older guides still mention, is not running. With Smile Taxi Service you pay the ferry add-on described above, not the pier prices.
Public bus via Trat
- Bus from Pattaya to Trat bus station. As of September 2026, route planners list about 3 Suvarnabhumi Burapha buses and 1 Phetprasert Tour bus a day, but the operators' own timetables do not show these departures, so check the departure point and times with the operator. The trip takes about 4.5 hours and costs about 250–900 THB per person. The Phetprasert Tour website publishes its timetables as PDF files.
- Shared songthaew from Trat to the pier. Shared pickup-truck taxis (songthaews) go to the Koh Chang piers for about 50–60 THB per person. They leave from Trat bus station, or from the corner by the chemist opposite the temple entrance in town, once they are full.
- Ferry from Ao Thammachat to Ao Sapparot: about 90 THB.
- Songthaew on the island from the pier to your beach: about 50–150 THB per person.
Pros: the lowest cost. Cons: four separate legs, waiting for each songthaew and boat to fill, and a long day with luggage.
Via Suvarnabhumi Airport: coach and flight to Trat
There is no flight from Pattaya or U-Tapao to Trat. The only flights to Trat Airport are Bangkok Airways flights from Suvarnabhumi (BKK), so flying means going north to Bangkok first.
- Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi: Roong Reuang Coach from the North Pattaya Road station costs about 135 THB, and the airport bus from Jomtien bus station runs hourly from 06:00 to 22:00 for about 158 THB. A Smile transfer from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi costs a fixed 1,200 THB (sedan), 1,500 THB (SUV) or 1,800 THB (van): book a sedan from Pattaya to Suvarnabhumi.
- Flight to Trat: in winter 2025–26 there were three flights a day, at about 08:10, 12:45 and in the late afternoon; the summer schedule has two or three flights with different times. Check the current times with Bangkok Airways. The flight takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Advance web fares start at about 2,850 THB per person before taxes.
- Trat Airport to Koh Chang: the airport is about 17–20 km from Ao Thammachat pier, about 25 minutes by road. A shared minibus with the ferry ticket costs about 800–1,280 THB per person, and a private car for two people about 1,900–2,400 THB including the ferry.
From Pattaya this route costs much more than going by road and needs more changes.
If you land at Suvarnabhumi and want to go straight to the island, the Suvarnabhumi Burapha minibus leaves at 07:00 and 11:00 from Level 1, Gate 8, for about 650 THB including the ferry. A Smile transfer from Suvarnabhumi to Koh Chang costs a fixed 3,700 / 4,000 / 4,600 THB (sedan / SUV / van) and includes 60 minutes of free waiting from the time your flight actually lands; a person on the team checks your flight. The driver meets you on Level 4 (Departures), near Gate 4, in the pickup lane; message on WhatsApp or LINE when you have your bags. A name sign at the arrivals gate costs +100 THB, on request. Book a sedan from Suvarnabhumi to Koh Chang.
Practical tips for this route
- Reach the pier before the last ferry. The last boat leaves Ao Thammachat at 18:30. Leaving Pattaya by about 13:00 gives you time for the drive and for waiting until a boat is full.
- Carry cash. Pay for ferry tickets and songthaews in Thai baht, in cash.
- Getting around the island. Koh Chang has no metered taxis, tuk-tuks or motorbike taxis; the white shared songthaews are the only public transport. From the pier they cost about 50 THB to White Sand Beach, 70 THB to Klong Prao, 80 THB to Kai Bae, 100 THB to Lonely Beach and 150 THB to Bang Bao per person, plus 50 THB per trip after 22:00.
- Scooters. Rental costs about 150–250 THB per 24 hours. You need a motorcycle licence and a helmet; police checkpoints fine riders without them. Ride slowly on the steep hill between Klong Son and White Sand Beach and on the road from Kai Bae to Bang Bao.
- Families. Thai law requires a child seat for children up to 6 years old in a car, so ask for one when you book.
- Seasons. The dry season is about November to April. The rainy season runs from May to October and is heaviest from June to September, when the crossing can be rough.
- National park fee. Foreign adults pay 200 THB to enter the park at Khlong Plu or Than Mayom waterfall.
The return journey
The same options work in reverse, and the last ferry from the island also leaves at 18:30.
- Smile private transfer: Koh Chang to Pattaya costs the same fixed fares, 3,000 THB (sedan), 3,600 THB (SUV) or 4,000 THB (van), plus the ferry add-on. Book a sedan from Koh Chang to Pattaya.
- Shared minibus: the Suvarnabhumi Burapha minibus to Pattaya leaves White Sand Beach daily at 10:00.
- Public bus: take a songthaew to the pier, the ferry, and a shared songthaew from the pier to Trat; Suvarnabhumi Burapha lists a daily bus from Trat bus station to South Pattaya at 12:00.
- Flying home: you do not need to go back through Pattaya. Shared minibuses from Koh Chang to Suvarnabhumi cost about 850 THB per person, and a Smile transfer from Koh Chang to Suvarnabhumi costs a fixed 3,700 / 4,000 / 4,600 THB. Book a sedan from Koh Chang to Suvarnabhumi. If you fly home later from Pattaya, see How to Get from Pattaya to Bangkok Airport.
FAQ
How long does it take from Pattaya to Koh Chang? About 4–4.5 hours by car, including the ferry. By shared minibus or bus with connections, it takes about 5–6 hours.
Is there a direct minibus from Pattaya to Koh Chang? Yes. Suvarnabhumi Burapha runs one a day at 08:00 for about 600–700 THB per person, including the ferry. Book at least a day ahead for hotel pickup.
What is the cheapest way from Pattaya to Koh Chang? A public bus to Trat (about 4.5 hours), a shared songthaew to the pier (about 50–60 THB), the ferry (about 90 THB) and a songthaew on the island (about 50–150 THB).
How much is the Koh Chang ferry? About 90 THB per adult one way and about 200 THB per car, paid in cash at Ao Thammachat pier.
What time is the last ferry to Koh Chang? 18:30 from Ao Thammachat; the first is at 06:30. Boats between the first and last leave only when full.
Can I use Grab on Koh Chang? No. There is no Grab, Bolt or metered taxi on the island; use the white songthaews.
How much is a private taxi from Pattaya to Koh Chang? With Smile Taxi Service it costs 3,000 THB for a sedan, 3,600 THB for an SUV and 4,000 THB for a van, per vehicle and with tolls included. The ferry is added at 80 THB per person and 120 THB per car.
Choose your car on the Smile Taxi Service booking page, or send a message on WhatsApp or LINE.