Bangkok - Ban Phe (Ko Samet)

We will be arriving at Hualamphong train station from Chiang mai at 07-00am and would like to get to Ban Phe by lunchtime for our few days on Ko Samet. Will there be transport available from the train station or will we have to catch transport from somewhere else, say a bus station. Also will we need to pre-book, bearing in mind that we will be making this journey during the Songkran.

Bangkok - Ban Phe (Ko Samet)

Sorry can%26#39;t help too much, I%26#39;ve only travelled to Ban Phe from Ekkamai and I think the bus was about 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours from Ekkamai. Not sure how far the train station is to Ekkamai or if you can catch a bus nearer to where you that train station.

Bangkok - Ban Phe (Ko Samet)

You can also catch the minivans from Victory Monument. The cost is B200 and a 2-2.5hr trip.

During Songkarn you will probably need reservations for accomodations but the trains/buses/vans should be available as BKK is a ghost town during Songkarn.

But the days leading up to and end of the holidays.....good luck finding transport and good luck with the traffic back to BKK.

i suggest you book now for Koh samet for songkran. it%26#39;s a very popular destination for both thais and farangs at that time of year. so much so that it becomes unbearably overcrowded. this is my personal opinion. the southern part of the sand bar is quieter whereas the north can get very busy.

the bestway is to take the MRT from Hualumphong to Sukhumvit station, change here (go upstairs) to Asoke BTS station then train to Ekkamai. get off here and 5 minute walk to bus station. from here to Ban Phe by bus is about 2.5 hrs. once at Ban Phe you need to get a ferry to Koh Samet. there are several ferry companies with multiple departues every day. once you arrive at koh samet take a local tuk tuk to your hotel/resort.

if your train arrives on time (0700), i would still expect you to get to your resort by mid afternoon at the earliest (1500).

bkk3

bkk3 has given the best directions for getting there. You don%26#39;t even want to begin to try and negotiate transportation out of Hualumpong. It%26#39;s probably second only to the Grand Palace for tout/ripoff infestations!

I agreed with BKK3. there is minivan at Vistory Monument. It%26#39;s faster. Anyway, another thing i would like to remind is .... You can go to both places(Vistory Monument and Aekamai Bus station) by using MRT(metro) and transit to BTS(skytrain).

If you woluld like to go Victory, the shortest should be transit at Silom station.

Hope this is also help.