If you are travelling from Krabi Town, Ao Nang or Railay to Bangkok then travelling by train is a good option because sleeper berths on trains in Thailand are cheap and comfortable, and you arrive the following morning in Bangkok having travelled through the night. By bus it takes 3 to 5 hours to travel from Krabi to Surat Thani to board your train to Bangkok and the bus tickets are also very cheap.
Bus Times from Krabi to Surat Thani
Bus services to Surat Thani depart from three different points in Krabi: Krabi Bus Terminal (near Krabi Town), Ao Nang (near Ao Nang and Noppharat Thara beaches) and Ao Nam Mao pier (arrival point for boats from Railay).
- Times of bus services from Krabi to Surat Thani Train Station.
| Krabi | Train Station | Ticket | Company |
| 08:00 | 12:00 | ฿715 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 09:00 | 13:00 | ฿715 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 11:00 | 15:00 | ฿845 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 11:30 | 16:45 | ฿596 | Krabi Sea Pearl |
| 12:00 | 16:00 | ฿715 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 13:00 | 17:00 | ฿845 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 15:00 | 19:00 | ฿715 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 15:30 | 19:30 | ฿845 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
Buy bus tickets for services from Krabi to Surat Thani Train Station.
- Times of bus services from Ao Nang to Surat Thani Train Station.
| Ao Nang | Train Station | Ticket | Company |
| 08:00 | 13:00 | ฿800 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 09:30 | 15:30 | ฿605 | Matcha Tour |
| 09:40 | 14:40 | ฿800 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 10:30 | 16:00 | ฿686 | Krabi Transport and Travel |
| 11:00 | 16:45 | ฿657 | Krabi Sea Pearl |
| 12:30 | 17:30 | ฿800 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 15:00 | 20:00 | ฿605 | Matcha Tour |
| 15:00 | 20:30 | ฿686 | Krabi Transport and Travel |
| 15:30 | 20:30 | ฿800 | Krabi Vijit Tour |
| 17:30 | 20:00 | ฿540 | PL Travel |
| 18:00 | 20:30 | ฿450 | Van2Travel |
| 18:00 | 20:40 | ฿462 | Nor Phuangphet Transport |
Buy bus tickets for services from Ao Nang to Surat Thani.
- Times of bus services from Ao Nam Mao Pier to Surat Thani Train Station.
| Ao Nam Mao Pier | Train Station | Ticket | Company |
| 11:20 | 16:45 | ฿596 | Krabi Sea Pearl |
| 18:00 | 20:30 | ฿450 | Van2Travel |
Buy bus tickets for services from Ao Nam Mao pier to Surat Thani Railway Station.
Train Times from Surat Thani to Bangkok
Train times from Surat Thani to Bangkok.
- Buy train tickets from Surat Thani to Bangkok.
| Surat Thani | Bangkok | Train | Sleeper |
| 09:00 | 18:05 | 40 | No |
| 18:25 | 03:45 | 42/44 | No |
| 18:32 | 05:10 | 168 | Yes |
| 19:31 | 06:10 | 86 | Yes |
| 20:02 | 06:45 | 174 | Yes |
| 20:23 | 07:05 | 84 | Yes |
| 20:55 | 07:30 | 172 | Yes |
| 22:24 | 08:10 | 32 | Yes |
| 22:50 | 09:05 | 38/46 | Yes |
| 23:28 | 10:50 | 170 | Yes |
Location of Krabi Bus Terminal
Krabi Bus Terminal is located 5 km from Krabi Town.
Location of Ao Nam Mao pier
Ao Nam Mao Pier is located 14.9 km from Krabi Bus Terminal.
Location of Surat Thani Train Station
Surat Thani Railway Station is located in Phunphin, which is 16 km from Surat Thani City Centre.
Location of Bangkok Train Station
The main railway station in Bangkok is Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (also known as Bang Sue Grand Station).
About Train travel from Krabi to Bangkok
By bus and then train the total travelling time from Krabi to Bangkok is around 16 hours, which is slower than taking a direct bus and more expensive than flying if you book a 2nd or 1st Class A/C sleeper berth.
Advantages to Train Travel
There are, however, advantages to travelling by train. Firstly, it’s less stressful than flying. Aside from any fear of flying you may have, travelling by bus and then train gets you directly into Central Bangkok without having to pay for taxis to and from the airports at each end and you don’t need to deal with rigmarole involved in passing through the two sets of airports. You can also take more luggage with you. Secondly, there is actually something enjoyable about travelling by train in Thailand. You see things on the bus journey to Surat Thani Railway Station and on the train to Bangkok that won’t see if you fly. There is some great scenery on route.
Phantip Travel Bus ServiceTravel to Surat Thani Train Station
Phantip Travel which operates the bus services from Krabi to Surat Thani Railway Station is a very reliable transport operator which has been in business for over 40 years now. They started transporting people between Surat Thani City and the ferry ports for Koh Samui and Koh Phangan in 1970 and they now also operate routes connecting the west coast of Thailand to Surat Thani. Phantip Travel operates a fleet of different vehicles which means its very rare that they are unable to provide a service to their passengers because of break downs or other types of issues that frequently affect smaller bus companies in Thailand.
2nd Class air-conditioned carriage in ThailandBoarding the Train in Surat Thani
Phantip Travel bus services stop right in front of the entrance to Surat Thani Railway Station. To board your train you just need to collect your bags from the bus, walk through the ticket hall and onto Platform 1, which is where all trains to Bangkok depart from. Surat Thani Railway Station now has electronic display monitors, and announcements in English, informing passengers where trains are about to arrive in the station, at which point the train will stop for about 5 minutes to allow passengers to board their train and locate their seat.
Sleeping on the Train
If you have booked a 2nd or 1st Class sleeper train the bed will normally already be prepared by the time you board the train. On Thai trains sleeper berths need to be folded down, and sheets and pillow added, and the train staff will typically do this around 18:30 to 19:00 in the evening. This means that if you board a train departing after 19:00 you can get straight into your bed as soon as you get on the train, or alternatively go for a meal in the restaurant car.