Hat Yai
Hat Yai Ferry Travel to Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Koh Samui, Phuket and Other Destinations
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Hat Yai Information
Getting to Hat Yai is very easy since the city has an international airport located 12 kilometers southwest of downtown, which operates national and international flights from Singapore, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. An economical option is a flight from Langkawi in Malaysia. Upon arrival at Hat Yai, you can take a minibus to the city center, which costs a 100 baht per person. Hat Yai has the largest train station in southern Thailand, located at the western end of Thumnoonvithi Road and makes 4 to 5-day trips from different locations. You can take the train from Bangkok, which lasts 17 hours. The train fares are around 800 baht but it can increase depending on the cabins, you can choose air conditioning, private bunk beds or normal seats. Other cities that depart by train to Hat Yai are Surat Thani, Chumphon, Phatthalung, and Nakhon Si Thammarat, or from the south by the Malaysian border in Sungai Kolok. You can also travel between Hat Yai and Koh Lipe; we offer a combined bus and ferry trip from both Hat Yai Airport and Hat Yai City to Koh Lipe. Koh Lipe is in Satun province which has a border next to Hat Yai. The road trip starts from Hat Yai to Pakbara Pier in Satun Province on the Andaman Coast, and it takes about one hour and 53 minutes. After that, the real fun begins as you hop into a ferry or speedboat from Pakbara Pier to Koh Lipe Pier, which should take around 1 hour 30 minutes.
Popular Routes
Popular crossings to Hat Yai — pick a route to book.
Departures from Hat Yai
The first 8 of 16 departures leaving Hat Yai today — pick one to choose your date and book.
- 3hDirect5.03 kg CO₂Estimated CO₂ · per passengerEstimated CO₂ emissions per passenger for this trip. That is about the same as similar trips in the industry.LowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 3hDirect5.09 kg CO₂Estimated CO₂ · per passengerEstimated CO₂ emissions per passenger for this trip. That is about the same as similar trips in the industry.LowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 5h 30m1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 5h 30m1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 2hDirect4.48 kg CO₂Estimated CO₂ · per passengerEstimated CO₂ emissions per passenger for this trip. That is about the same as similar trips in the industry.LowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 4h1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 4h 30m1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 3h 30m1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
Pick-Up
Drop-Off
Arrivals in Hat Yai
The first 8 of 25 services arriving in Hat Yai today — pick one to choose your date and book.
- 3h 30m1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 4h1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 4h1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 4h1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 4h1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 4h1 stopEstimated CO₂ · per passengerLowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 2hDirect4.48 kg CO₂Estimated CO₂ · per passengerEstimated CO₂ emissions per passenger for this trip. That is about the same as similar trips in the industry.LowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
- 3hDirect5.03 kg CO₂Estimated CO₂ · per passengerEstimated CO₂ emissions per passenger for this trip. That is about the same as similar trips in the industry.LowMediumHighInstant confirmation Refund available Amend available
Hop onward from here
Piers
Pickup & collection points
Hat Yai Information
About Hat Yai
Hat Yai is 950 km from Bangkok and 60 km from the Malaysian border and is known as the business city in Songkhla province. Hat Yai started as a small town and thanks to the construction of the railway system in 1920, it is now the third largest city in Thailand and has approximately 800,000 habitants, sometimes it's confused as the capital of southern Thailand. It has important industries in the production of rubbers and a large trade in fabrics.
The city is supplied with hotels of all categories and is well known for its fish-based cuisine, you won't waste your time here, the magical corners that will surely catch your attention with its incredible mix of Muslim, Buddhist, Christian and other cultures of different religions, make the tourist feel welcomed.
Not being famous among many travellers makes it perfect to discover and explore the true essence of Thai culture, which could be at the beginning a cultural shock, but at the end of the day, thanks to the hospitality of the Thais you will feel like you are one of them.
Why travellers pass through Hat Yai
For most visitors, Hat Yai plays two roles at once. It is a destination in its own right — a working southern Thai city with markets, temples and one of the best food scenes in the region — and it is the main transport gateway for the far south, including the islands of the Andaman coast.
That second role is why so many travellers arrive here with onward tickets already in hand. From Hat Yai we currently list 23 routes bookable routes, with fares from ฿300.
How to get to Hat Yai
Hat Yai is one of the best-connected places in southern Thailand, which is a direct legacy of the railway that turned the town into a city in the first place.
By air
Hat Yai International Airport sits west of the city centre and receives domestic flights from Bangkok as well as regional international services. It is the closest airport to the Thai–Malaysian border area and is the usual arrival point for travellers heading straight on to the coast.
By rail
Hat Yai Junction is the major railway hub of the south, on the main line running down from Bangkok towards the Malaysian border. Overnight sleeper services are a popular way to cover the 950 km from the capital.
By road
Long-distance coaches and minivans link Hat Yai with cities across the south and with the border crossings into Malaysia. Because the city is only 60 km from the Malaysian border, cross-border traffic is constant, and services from Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore run regularly.
Popular routes to and from Hat Yai
The best-known connection from here is the journey to Koh Lipe, the small island in the Tarutao National Marine Park at the southern end of Thailand's Andaman coast. It is the route most travellers are researching when they look up Hat Yai, and it combines a land leg to the coast with a boat crossing to the island. You can compare departures and fares on the Hat Yai to Koh Lipe route page.
Because Koh Lipe has no airport and no bridge, every arrival is by sea, and Hat Yai is the most practical mainland staging point for anyone coming from Bangkok, the airport or the Malaysian border.
Return journeys in the opposite direction — from the coast and the islands back to Hat Yai — are equally common, usually timed so travellers can connect with an evening train or a flight out. The Koh Lipe to Hat Yai service is the mirror image of the outbound trip.
Shorter mainland hops matter too. Satun is the coastal province that faces the Andaman islands, and both Hat Yai to Satun and Satun to Hat Yai are useful when you want to break the journey or reach the coast independently.
From the Gulf side of the peninsula, travellers cross overland to reach the city: see Koh Samui to Hat Yai and Koh Phangan to Hat Yai for those combined boat-and-road journeys.
Ports and departure points
Departures from Hat Yai itself begin in the city, at the operator's own office, terminal or a designated pick-up point rather than at a port, since the city is inland. The sea crossing starts from the Andaman coast, where boats leave the mainland pier for the island jetty at Koh Lipe.
Your ticket confirmation shows the exact meeting point and reporting time for your service. Check it carefully, as pick-up points differ between operators and are not always in the same part of the city.
Operators serving Hat Yai
Several established southern Thai companies handle these journeys. The operators listed here include Bundhaya Speed Boat, Jolly Travel and Satun Pakbara Speed Boat Club, each running its own combination of legs and its own timetable.
Because services differ in departure time, pick-up arrangement and price, it is worth comparing more than one before you book. The search results show the operator name for every option, so you always know who you are travelling with.
Practical travel information
A few points make the trip smoother:
- Book ahead in high season. Seats on the island routes fill quickly during the Andaman dry season, and connections from Hat Yai are often the first to sell out.
- Allow time between connections. If you arrive by train or plane, leave a comfortable gap before your onward departure rather than the minimum.
- Travel light where you can. Journeys that combine road and boat legs involve transfers, and luggage has to be moved with you.
- Carry your passport. The Malaysian border is close, and identification is checked on cross-border services and at the island's immigration point.
- Check the return direction separately. Timings back to Hat Yai are not always a straight reversal of the outbound trip.
What to see and do in Hat Yai
If you have a night in town before moving on, the city rewards a short stay. Its markets are the obvious draw, and the fish-based cuisine the city is known for is at its best in the evening. Temples, shrines and places of worship from several faiths sit close together, a visible result of the mix of Muslim, Buddhist and Christian communities that has shaped the city.
Add the shopping streets that grew out of the fabric trade and the everyday rhythm of a working commercial city, and Hat Yai becomes more than a place to change vehicles.
Book your journey from Hat Yai
Choose your date and destination, compare the operators and departure options available, and confirm your seat online. Search availability to see live times and fares from ฿300.
Highlights
Ton Nga Chang Waterfall
Try New Food
Buddha Hat Yai
Hat Yai Municipal Park
Frequently asked questions
What are the tourist seasons ?
Phuket
Phuket really just has two seasons, which are known as "high season" and "low season" (or "green season"). During the low season months (May–September), boat numbers are reduced. During the high season (October–April), boats to the surrounding islands are increased so you will have some more options.
Koh Samui
There are three distinct weather seasons on the tropical island of Koh Samui: the dry season (December until February), the hot season (March until August) and the rainy season (September until November).
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