Getting to Hua Hin from Koh Samui - How?

I arrive in Bangkok 10th December (about 7.00am) and will be staying in Koh Samui for approx 6 nights then onto Phuket for a similar amount of time. Or visa versa depending on your answers

After visiting the above places were travelling to Hua Hin. Is it easier to get to Hua Hin from Samui or Phuket? Iv read theres a VIP overnight bus that leaves Phuket. Is there a similar bus I can get from Suratthani?

Another point to consider its considerably cheaper for us to fly from bangkok to Phuket than it is to fly to samui from Bangkok.

Getting to Hua Hin from Koh Samui - How?

You are right on the air fares. You can get a budget flights from Bangkok to Phuket on Air Asia cheap but between Bangkok and Koh Samui it%26#39;s either 1 od the 2 daily Thai flights or the Bangkok Airwways fares.

based on that I would do Phuket first so you can fly Air Asia ( also Nok Air but not frequest, One-2-Go also but most prefer Air Asia ).

You can then bus and ferry to Samui.

From Samui to Hua hin you can:

1%26gt; Ferry to Surat Thani and take an express train, either daytime or overnight sleeper express.

Railcar express dep Surat Thani 1040 arr Hua Hhin 1600

dep Surat Thani 1646 arr Hua Hin 0013 express

there are about 7 other trains but if not to arrive too %26#39;early hours%26#39; in Hua hin the 2308 International Express arrive Hua Hin 0547 or the later 2319 arrives Hua Hin 0623 - both those have 1st and 2nd class a/con sleepers

2%26gt; Ferry / bus from Samui to Hua Hin

3%26gt; Takew Lomprayah and island hop via Chumpon and then their express bus, goes twice a day from Koh Samui to Hua Hin. That goes Jet-Cat Samui-Koh Phangan-Koh Tao-Chumphon and from there you transfer to the Lomprayah express bus non stop to Hua Hin

dep Samui 0800 arr Hua Hin 1700

dep Samui 1230 arr Hua Hin 2130

THB 1,000 per person one way

http://www.lomprayah.com/E/route.htm

Getting to Hua Hin from Koh Samui - How?

Train schedule:

www.railway.co.th/English/Time_HTML.asp

Hi

Last time we left Samui for hua Hin, we used the ferry that stopped at koh Tao and then went on to Chumphon, we went on the VIP bus from Chumphon to Bangkok but it stopped in Hua Hin. Easy travelling.

Thanks very much for you input Monica4 %26amp; MrsFreo, very informative; I still have a couple of questions.

If I opted for the train from Surat Thani, Is there a timetable I can view online for the ferry to get me to Surat Thani.

And how would I get from the ferry to the train station?

What are the views like on the train?

If I book a 1st class sleeper can you still sit anywhere on the train or do you have to stay at your sleeper. Whats the difference in 1st %26amp; 2nd class?

What exactly is a sleeper?

If I decided to opt for the Lomprayah ferry, is there anything worth viewing whilst on the ferry up to Chumpon?

Sorry for so many questions :-(

many thanks in advance for your help

If you take the ferry you see the views as you leave the islands, pleasant.

The trains usually have just 1 First class car ( though not sure, might be 2 on some services ), that is an enclosed private compartment.

@nd lcass sleeper is quite good, one lower and one upper berth, the lower berths are a very nomicnal amount extra but worth it because you get more room, howver, if a couple you pay prefer the arrangement with one upper and one lower.

An excellent source for information about travel by train is:

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

Excellent information. Can%26#39;t help on connecting time but probably Elina or someone will come in and know that.

If you have time and don%26#39;t need to rush back to Bangkok you can from Chumphon go north a couple of hours around bang Saphan area if you wanted some real local and quiet beach time, some nice thatched cabana style small a/con resorts along the coast, or you can go from Chumphon to Hua hin in about 3 hrs by road if you wanted to stay on the beach and then just head from there to BKK Airport ( about 2.5 hrs by taxi or limo )