Routes
Bangkok to Koh Chang: Do Not Go to the Pier Most Guides Name
A five-hour drive to the wrong pier is the most expensive mistake on this route, and the internet is still making it for people.
Go to Ao Thammachat pier at Laem Ngop, which crosses to Ao Sapparot on Koh Chang's north coast in 25 to 35 minutes. The Centrepoint ferry has been suspended since July 2024, though older pages still list it as running hourly. Published last sailings are around 18:30, and operators warn against counting on extra boats on busy days.
Key facts
- Working pier
- Ao Thammachat, Laem Ngop, near Trat
- Arrival pier
- Ao Sapparot, north coast of Koh Chang
- Crossing time
- 25–35 minutes (car ferry)
- Centrepoint pier
- Suspended since July 2024; an October 2025 operator page confirms services are still suspended
- First sailing
- 06:30 from Ao Thammachat
- Last sailing
- Around 18:30 per current guidance; an older timetable showing boats every 45 minutes until 19:00 appears out of date
- Operator warning
- On busy days, do not count on extra sailings — reach the pier well before the last regular boat
- Speedboat from the mainland
- None, per current guidance
Why this page leads with a warning
Centrepoint was the pier nearest Trat town, and for years it was the obvious choice. Its Laem Ngop to Dan Kao service has been out of action since July 2024, and an operator guide dated October 2025 still describes it as suspended. Older travel pages — including some that rank well — continue to list it with an hourly timetable.
That is a five-hour drive from Bangkok ending at a closed pier. It is the single most important fact about this route, which is why it is above everything else here rather than in a footnote.
Current guidance also says there is no speedboat from the mainland. If a plan depends on one, check it before you travel rather than at the water's edge.
The crossing that works
Ao Thammachat, also at Laem Ngop, runs the car ferry to Ao Sapparot on the island's north coast. Published crossing time is 25 to 35 minutes, with the first boat at 06:30. On the last boat the sources diverge: current guidance says around 18:30, while an older timetable lists departures every 45 minutes until 19:00. Treat 18:30 as the deadline.
One operator adds a caution worth repeating in full: on busy days you should not count on extra sailings, and should plan to reach Ao Thammachat well before the last regular boat. High season and Thai public holidays are when this bites.
Timing the drive
Trat is the far end of the eastern corridor — beyond Rayong, beyond Chanthaburi. Allow five hours from Bangkok as a working figure, and more on a holiday Friday. Working backwards from an 18:30 last sailing, a departure after midday is already uncomfortable; a departure after 13:00 puts you on the wrong side of the arithmetic.
| Target sailing | At Ao Thammachat by | Leave Bangkok by |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-morning, arrive for lunch on the island | 10:30 | 05:00 |
| Early afternoon | 14:00 | 08:30 |
| Late afternoon, with slack | 16:30 | 11:00 |
| 18:30, the published last boat | 17:30 | 12:00 — and only if nothing goes wrong |
Car ferry: does the van cross?
Unlike Koh Samet, Koh Chang has a car ferry and roads. A vehicle can cross with you, which changes what the trip can be: one van and one driver from your Bangkok hotel to your resort on the island, and the same vehicle available for the days you are there.
Whether that is worth it depends on the stay. For a week at one resort, two one-way transfers and local transport on the island are cheaper. For a touring trip down the west coast — White Sand, Klong Prao, Kai Bae, Lonely Beach, Bang Bao — having your own vehicle on the island is the difference between seeing it and staying put. Say which you want at the quote stage, because a crossing for the vehicle has to be priced in.
Trat airport as an alternative
There is a third option that makes sense for short stays: fly Bangkok to Trat and take a transfer at that end. It turns a five-hour drive into a short flight, and it is the usual choice for a long weekend. A private van earns its place on this route when you are a group, when you have luggage, when you want the vehicle on the island, or when you want to stop at Chanthaburi on the way.
Booking
- Confirm you are heading to Ao Thammachat, and ignore any itinerary that names Centrepoint.
- Name your resort and its beach — the island's west coast is long and the drive from Ao Sapparot to Bang Bao is not short.
- Say whether the vehicle crosses with you.
- Check the current timetable with the ferry operator the day before. Published last-boat times on this crossing differ between sources and seasons.
Questions
Which pier do I use for Koh Chang?
Ao Thammachat at Laem Ngop, which crosses to Ao Sapparot on the island's north coast in 25 to 35 minutes. Do not plan around Centrepoint: its Laem Ngop to Dan Kao service has been suspended since July 2024 and an October 2025 operator page confirms it remains so, although older travel pages still list it.
What time is the last ferry to Koh Chang?
Current guidance puts the last departures around 18:30. An older timetable lists boats every 45 minutes from 06:30 to 19:00, which appears out of date. Operators also warn not to rely on extra sailings on busy days.
How long is the drive from Bangkok to Trat?
Allow about five hours, and more on a holiday Friday. Trat is beyond Rayong and Chanthaburi at the far end of the eastern corridor, so this is the longest of the Bangkok beach runs.
Can the van come to Koh Chang with us?
Yes — unlike Koh Samet, Koh Chang is served by a car ferry and has roads. The crossing has to be priced in, and it is worth it if you plan to move around the island's west coast rather than stay at one resort.
Is it better to fly to Trat?
For a short stay with light luggage, usually yes. A private van makes more sense for a group, for heavy luggage, if you want your own vehicle on the island, or if you want to break the journey at Chanthaburi.
Sources
Figures on this page were checked against the following published sources on 2026-11-12. Operators change prices and hours; verify anything time-critical before you travel.
Price a Koh Chang transfer to the right pier
Give us your resort, its beach, and whether you want the vehicle on the island. We build the timing around the Ao Thammachat sailings.
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