The fastest way from Bangkok to Khao Sok is to fly from Don Mueang or Suvarnabhumi to Surat Thani (about 1 hour 15 minutes) and then take a Phantip minivan or a taxi for the last 1.5–2 hours by road. The cheapest ways are an overnight train or a night bus to Surat Thani followed by a minivan or bus, with train seats from about 216 THB. For a door-to-door ride, Smile Taxi Service can drive you the whole way, about 720 km and at least 9 hours of driving before stops; there is no fixed fare for this long route, so ask for a quote on WhatsApp or LINE.
Distance and travel time overview
Khao Sok National Park is in Surat Thani province. It has two separate visitor areas, 67 km apart (about 1 hour's drive), so check which one you need:
- Khao Sok village (also called Khlong Sok), at the park headquarters, where the jungle trails start. Buses and minivans stop at the Khao Sok minivan station on Route 401, 1.8 km from the park entrance.
- Cheow Lan Lake, to the east, with its pier at Ratchaprapha Dam. Raft houses on the lake are reached only by longtail boat from this pier.
No public transport goes all the way from Bangkok to Khao Sok on a timetable that could be confirmed. Almost every trip goes through Surat Thani, by plane, train or bus, and then covers the last 100–110 km by minivan, bus or taxi.
| Leg | Distance | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Central Bangkok to Khao Sok by road | about 720–730 km | at least 9 hours of driving, before stops |
| Bangkok to Surat Thani by train | 644 km | 8 h 50 min to about 10 h 45 min |
| Bangkok to Surat Thani by air | – | about 1 h 15 min in the air |
| Surat Thani airport to Khao Sok village | about 105–110 km | 1.5–2 hours |
| Surat Thani airport to Cheow Lan pier | about 64 km | about 1 hour |
Comparison of the options
| Option | Travel time | Approximate price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight + Phantip minivan | 1 h 15 min flight + about 1 h 30 min minivan, plus airport time | flight about US$33–65 + 350 THB per seat | most travellers |
| Flight + taxi | 1 h 15 min flight + 1.5–2 hours by car | flight about US$33–65 + about 1,600–2,600 THB per vehicle | families, groups, a same-day lake tour |
| Overnight train + minivan or bus | 8 h 50 min to about 10 h 45 min by train, plus the road leg | train about 216–2,372 THB + 370 THB minivan from town | budget travellers who like sleeper trains |
| Night bus via Surat Thani | 10–17 hours in total | about US$10–43 for a combined ticket | tight budgets |
| Private car with Smile Taxi Service | at least 9 hours of driving, plus stops | ask for a quote | groups who want door to door |
Third-party prices and timetables in this guide were checked in September 2026. Confirm them with the operator before you travel.
Option 1: Fly to Surat Thani, then minivan or taxi
Surat Thani International Airport (URT), in Phun Phin district, is the closest airport to Khao Sok.
- From Don Mueang (DMK): Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Nok Air fly nonstop about 11–12 times a day. The flight takes about 1 hour 15 minutes; the first leaves at about 06:00 (landing about 07:15) and the last at about 18:15.
- From Suvarnabhumi (BKK): Thai VietJet flies nonstop about 3 times a day, between about 09:35 and 17:05, in about 1 hour 17 minutes. Some schedules also list Thai AirAsia from Suvarnabhumi.
- Fares: typically about US$33–56 per person one way from Don Mueang and about US$35–65 from Suvarnabhumi, depending on the date.
By Phantip minivan. Phantip Travel, a licensed Surat Thani company, has a counter on the ground floor by the airport exit. Its minivans leave for Khao Sok 10 times a day, at 08:15, 09:15 and then every hour until 17:15. The trip takes about 1 hour 30 minutes and costs 350 THB per seat. Buy at the Phantip counter, not at the airport's tourism kiosk, which Wikivoyage says charges inflated prices. To be sure of a minivan on the day you arrive, choose a flight that lands before about 16:00.
By taxi. A private taxi takes about 1.5 hours to Khao Sok village and about 1 hour to Cheow Lan pier. Thai National Parks' taxi service quotes, per vehicle (sedan / MPV or SUV / minivan):
- Surat Thani airport or town to Khao Sok village: 1,900 / 2,400 / 2,600 THB
- Surat Thani airport or town to Cheow Lan Lake: 1,600 / 2,000 / 2,200 THB
A temporary fuel surcharge may be added in 2026. For a group, a taxi costs more in total than minivan seats, but there is no waiting.
Pros: the shortest total travel time, with many daily flights from Don Mueang.
Cons: getting to the airport and checking in add time; the last shared minivan leaves at 17:15.
Option 2: Overnight train to Surat Thani
All trains to Surat Thani leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok, which connects to the MRT Blue Line and the SRT Red Lines. The State Railway of Thailand runs 10 southbound departures a day. These arrive at a useful time:
| Train | Leaves Bangkok | Arrives Surat Thani | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| 85 express | 19:50 | 06:23 | about 256–1,832 THB |
| 173 rapid | 20:10 | 06:46 | about 216–764 THB |
| 167 rapid | 20:30 | 07:16 | about 216–764 THB |
| 39 railcar (seats only) | 22:50 | 07:50 | 524 THB |
| 43 day railcar | 07:30 | 16:20 | 524 THB |
Fares range from the cheapest seat to the best sleeper berth. The other afternoon and evening trains arrive between about 01:00 and 05:00. Tickets are sold on the SRT D-Ticket system and by agencies such as 12Go; long-distance bookings open up to 6 months ahead, according to Seat61. If you land at Don Mueang, the SRT Dark Red Line takes you to Krung Thep Aphiwat for the night trains.
The station is not in town. "Surat Thani" station is in Phun Phin, about 12–15 km from Surat Thani town, and in September 2026 Phantip showed no minivan from the station to Khao Sok. From the station, take a Phuket-bound bus along Route 401 (local travel sites say it stops at Khao Sok) or a taxi, or go into town for the Phantip minivan: every hour from 07:30 to 17:30, about 2 hours 30 minutes, 370 THB.
Pros: the lowest confirmed fares, and on a sleeper train you do not need a hotel for that night.
Cons: a long trip, and the station is outside town, so the last leg needs planning.
Option 3: Night bus via Surat Thani
Buses south leave from the Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai) in Taling Chan, far out in western Bangkok. A taxi from central Bangkok costs about 250–450 THB. You can also take the SRT Red Line to Taling Chan and then a taxi (about 60–80 THB), or the BTS to Bang Wa and then a taxi for about 10 km (about 90–110 THB).
- To Surat Thani: Transport Co. (999) runs 3 buses a day between 16:30 and 18:35, and private companies leave between 16:30 and 19:50. The trip takes about 10–11 hours; fares were not published.
- "Bangkok–Khao Sok" tickets: platforms such as Bookaway sell these for departures between 18:00 and 19:00, at about US$10–43, with a total time of 10–17 hours. Usually this means a bus to Surat Thani and then a wait for a minivan.
- A direct bus: Wikivoyage reports one night bus a day from the Southern terminal that stops at Khao Sok, sold at the terminal itself, and advises against agency "night bus" tickets. No time or fare could be confirmed.
Pros: low cost.
Cons: the longest and least predictable option, with an arrival in Surat Thani in the middle of the night or early morning.
Option 4: Private car with Smile Taxi Service
Smile Taxi Service is a Bangkok transfer company with 54+ local drivers, rated Google 5.0 and Tripadvisor 5.0.
The whole way by car. A Smile driver can take you from your Bangkok hotel or either airport to Khao Sok village or Cheow Lan Lake. There is no fixed fare for Khao Sok: message the team on WhatsApp or LINE with your date, pickup address, destination, passengers and bags, and ask for a quote. Extra stops on a transfer cost 250 THB per hour.
To the airport for your flight. Fixed fares from Bangkok (THB per vehicle, one way):
| Route | Sedan | SUV | Van |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi (BKK) | 600 | 800 | 1,100 |
| Bangkok to Don Mueang (DMK) | 600 | 800 | 1,000 |
Book a car from Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi Airport or from Bangkok to Don Mueang Airport.
- Fares are fixed, per vehicle (not per person), one way, with expressway tolls included and no meter.
- A sedan takes up to 3 passengers and 2 bags, an SUV up to 5 and 4, and a van up to 7 and 5.
- The team sends the driver's name, car and plate number before the trip. An English-speaking driver can be requested when you book, subject to availability.
- A child seat costs 100 THB, on request. Pickups or drop-offs west of the Chao Phraya River (the Thonburi side) cost 100–200 THB extra.
- Airport pickups include 60 minutes of free waiting from the actual landing time, and a name sign at the arrivals gate costs 100 THB, on request.
- You pay the driver in cash (THB) at the end of the trip; there is no online payment or deposit. If you can only pay by card, the team sends a PayPal payment link, with a 5% fee added.
- Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup.
All fixed routes are on the Smile Taxi Service fare list.
Other ways in: Phuket, Krabi and Khao Lak
Many travellers combine Khao Sok with the Andaman coast: they fly into Surat Thani and out of Phuket or Krabi, or the other way round. By car, Khao Sok is about 2.5–3 hours from Phuket and about 2 hours from Krabi, Ao Nang or Khao Lak; from Krabi airport to Khao Sok village it is about 2 hours 45 minutes. Thai National Parks' taxi service quotes, per vehicle (sedan / MPV or SUV / minivan), 2,800 / 3,100 / 3,900 THB from Phuket airport and 2,400 / 2,600 / 3,200 THB from Krabi airport to Khao Sok village. See our guides from Bangkok to Phuket and from Bangkok to Krabi.
Practical tips for this route
- Do the last leg in daylight. Reach Surat Thani in the morning, by night train or an early flight. The last Phantip minivan leaves the airport at 17:15 and the last one from town at 17:30, and lake boats may not run after sunset.
- Going straight to Cheow Lan Lake: take a taxi. By public transport you ride a bus or minivan to Ban Ta Khun, 13 km from the pier, then a songthaew (shared pickup) that usually waits until full, or leaves at once for 600 THB. Boats are in short supply in high season, so book the boat or raft house before you travel.
- Park fees: foreign adults pay 200 THB (children 3–14: 100 THB) for the headquarters area and a separate 300 THB (children 150 THB) for the lake. Tickets last more than one day only if you stay overnight inside the park.
- Seasons: the dry season is January to March; the rainy season runs from late April to early December, with most rain from May to October.
- Cash and signal: carry cash for fees, songthaews and guides. On the lake only AIS has mobile signal, so download maps and bookings before the boat trip.
The return journey
- Minivan to Surat Thani airport: Phantip leaves Khao Sok at 06:30, 08:00 and then every hour until 16:00; about 2 hours, 400 THB.
- Train: most trains to Bangkok leave Surat Thani station between 18:25 and 23:28, for example 19:31 (arrives 06:10) or 20:02 (arrives 06:45). Minivans to town run at the same times (370 THB), and the Phantip shuttle from town to the station runs hourly until 17:00 (120 THB), so leave Khao Sok early.
- Bus: hotels and agencies in Khao Sok sell tickets to Bangkok; ask for the direct VIP bus.
When you land back in Bangkok, a Smile driver can meet you (THB per vehicle, one way):
| Route | Sedan | SUV | Van |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to Bangkok | 600 | 800 | 1,100 |
| Don Mueang (DMK) to Bangkok | 600 | 800 | 1,000 |
Book a car from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Bangkok or from Don Mueang Airport to Bangkok. At Suvarnabhumi the driver meets you on Level 4 (Departures) near Gate 4; at Don Mueang on Level 3 (Departures), at the door given with the driver's details. Message on WhatsApp or LINE once you have your bags, and the car arrives in about 5–10 minutes. A free 500 MB Thailand eSIM comes with an airport pickup if you ask when booking. For a car the whole way back, ask for a quote and about the return-trip discount.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct bus from Bangkok to Khao Sok? Only one night bus a day is reported, with no confirmed timetable. Most "direct" tickets are a night bus to Surat Thani plus a van.
What is the fastest way? Fly to Surat Thani (about 1 hour 15 minutes), then 1.5–2 hours by minivan or taxi.
How do I get from Surat Thani airport to Khao Sok? By Phantip minivan (350 THB, 10 departures from 08:15 to 17:15) or by taxi (about 1,900 THB for a sedan with a third-party company).
Is Surat Thani station in the town? No, it is in Phun Phin, about 12–15 km from town.
How much is the entrance fee for foreigners? 200 THB at the headquarters and a separate 300 THB for Cheow Lan Lake (children 100 and 150 THB).
How much is a private car from Bangkok to Khao Sok? Smile Taxi Service has no fixed fare for this route; ask for a quote on WhatsApp or LINE. Expect at least 9 hours of driving.
To book your airport ride or ask for a quote to Khao Sok, message Smile Taxi Service on WhatsApp or LINE.